Monster Rancher DS (Misc. Q&A; Get Your Questions Answered)

[DarkwingChuck]

IGN: Monster Rancher Set for DS

More Screens

Tecmo is putting the DS to full use, primarily in how you go about creating your new friends. You can use the stylus to draw patterns, which are then converted into monsters. You can shout things into the microphone to create another set of monsters. Or, if you still have Game Boy Advance carts about, these can be inserted into the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot for even more monsters; this takes the place of the CDs that were used to generate monsters in previous Monster Rancher games.

Once you've created a monster, you have a number of ways to train it. New to the DS version is a board game which you can play to raise your monster. Alternatively, you can select training options the old-fashioned way, from a menu. Eventually, you'll be able to merge multiple monsters into a super monster and beign climbing the ranks of a monster tournament.

This first DS entry in the Monster Rancher series will feature Wi-Fi Connection compatibility. We presume this means you'll be able to challenge far-off friends to monster duels.

Monster Rancher hits the Japanese DS on 7/12. A US release has yet to be announced.

[Valkysas]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

RPGDesigner's gonna ****ing explode.

[Goyle]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

This pleases me greatly.

mmmyes.

[Magus]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

Wow.

The DS.

The DS is on fire.

[Loki]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

If only we could get an RPG Maker for it.

[Jeroak Nelave]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

WooHoo! Finally a reason to pick up my DS again!

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGAYAHAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGYAAGAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAADUCKHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Misty]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

......and so, the land is a barren waste after a devastating explosion. No traces of RPGDesigner were ever found.

....I'm interested in this game.

[Valkysas]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

Told ya.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Monster Rancher DS



Pure awsome. I thought the MR series was dead, but it looks like it's still alive and kicking.

Or, if you still have Game Boy Advance carts about, these can be inserted into the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot for even more monsters; this takes the place of the CDs that were used to generate monsters in previous Monster Rancher games.

I need to find my GBA games

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

Okay, I think I'm calm enough to actually say constructive things now.

Let's see... right off the bat, we can see that there is a new breed:



Also immediately obvious is that they've completely done away with EVO's mechanics and went back to the traditional style, with the weekly training, tourneys and 999 stat caps etc. The monster models are clearly based on the MR4 models, which is excellent. They appear to be similar to the ones used in Monster Farm Pop for Japanese cell phones, which didn't have any new monsters, yet allowed you regenerate them by taking pictures with the phone camera. However, it doesn't look like this region is based on MFP's, at least thus far, since there is a shrine maiden (If I recall exactly, MFP had a male shrinekeeper, like Bolzoi from the MRA games, whom looked more like a scientist).



This game appears to be the first handheld iteration to have flavor text in the Monster Encyclopedia. But it looks like there are 181 monsters total; the lowest monster count in the series, discounting MFP, which probably had less. MR1, 2, 3 & 4 had 215, 390, 222 & 328 playable monsters, respectively. In spite of this, the online component more than makes up for it, if you ask me. They likely purged the less popular breeds to make way for the staples and newbies.



It's nice to see that the classic battles are back, and in the usual vein. But this time you have two different perspectives:



Commands and 2D action on the touch screen, 3D action on the top screen. Very nice.

In addition, it looks like you can watch the other monsters battle in the tourneys, rather than just your own.



I suspect that the doodle regeneration has an ink limit that increases as you go up in rank, similar to Magic Pengel.

I also get the feeling that the gameboard dealie might also be used in the game's Ventures. With the exception of MR1 and 2, they've been completely different in each title. That huge watermelon reminds me of MR2's Torble Sea Errantry, though.

I simply cannot express how happy I am with this. My all-time favorite series is still kicking.

Bring on the Suezos, says I.

[Kefka Jr.]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

Dude, this sounds cool as hell.

This could be the game that gets me into Monster Rancher.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

Oh, yeah, I consider it noteworthy that MR's 10th anniversary is on November of this year.

It'd be cool if the game was released stateside around that time. Or at least in the first quarter of the following year.

[Goyle]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

The low monster count is slightly disheartening, but I've rarely raised more than a few favorite breeds anyway, so it's not really a big deal. I think I played MRA1 and 2 more than any other one, save perhaps 2 when it was still new. Portableness = win.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher DS

Indeed, MRA2 had the most refined mechanics in the series, based on MR2.

The more I scan these screenshots, the more it looks like it's based on MFP. The MRA series had monster coaches to help your stats go up further. MFP had more traditional training, and it appears to be the case here, excluding the playboard.

Speaking of which, I think the playboard was present in MFP as well. I should look into that later.

Oh, yes, I don't think we'll be limited to online battles. We may even see online trading, too.