Monster Rancher Evo - Large CD/DVD List; Impressions

[DarkwingChuck]

Yay, the new MR is just around the corner. Why they're naming it Evo here rather than Circus Caravan I don't know. Considering that name fit it well.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

Yep, it was confirmed recently. Splendid!

There's probably a special reason why they dropped the numerical naming for the stateside release. Perhaps it's so much of a fundamental change that they plan on releasing something more traditional as MR5?

Regardless, I can't wait 'till I get to make sense of everything at last. The import version was hard to comprehend, unlike MF1-4.

Furthermore, in case you wanted to know, the awesome Zan is available from the start this time, but monsters like Henger and Joker require unlocking. But who knows whether or not there will be any changes to the US version.

[hitogoroshi]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

Zan!
I'm gonna get this, although probably not right away.
Are Durahans still available right away too? I hope so.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

Yep. And once again, they're unlockables.

[hitogoroshi]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

Time is taking too slow.
Or something.

[Goyle]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

Yes, but are Galis/Monols back? D:

Even if they aren't, non-unlockable Zans make me go <3.

[The Dark Jester]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

Monols were the first monster i actually raised in the original MR i miss them.

then the Doodles....

OH the doodles.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

Nope, no Galis, Monols or Doodles, I'm afraid.

I'm sad to say that I've recently stumbled upon some disheartening news. It turns out that during it's first month on sale, MF5 sold... well... about 33,000 copies. It hasn't appeared on any other charts since.

MF for PS2, the Japanese MR3, sold about 175,000 copies in it's first month, half as many copies as MR2 for PSX during the same timeframe, and in spite of the fact that it managed to sell over 300,000 copies, the safe haven of profitability, it was the lowest-selling MR console game ever released... until now.

Bottom line is, MF5 was a complete flop in Japan. The fundamental changes were too big a pill for them to swallow. No wonder they're releasing it as Monster Rancher Evo in the states. It sold so horribly that they're excluding it from the primary US numbering system.

Here's hoping it does better stateside.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

The one upside is this means they'll more than likely start to return to what made the first games great rather than continuing to assume they have to completely change the game to attract people.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

True, especially since they tend to play it safe when developing for a next gen console for the first time, the PS3 in this case, due to inexperience and costs. Tecmo isn't a very large company, you see.

Blessing and a curse, methinks.

I wonder what they'll do to the director now?

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

Good news! Gamespot has some new videos, including sniplets of circus performances, plus a preview.

Here

MREvo may be completely different than it's predecessors, but it certainly isn't a bad game based off what I played. In fact, the circus performances are wicked awesome with the right balance of circus acts and button minigame skill.

EDIT: 1UP.com Preview

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

One day 'till release day!

Ready your disk fingers and stock up on some cold beverages, it's almost time to be a circus freak.

I'll be spending more time over at MRM performing game mechanic research and helping compile the databases for a while, so expect fewer posts from me during the next few weeks.

Y'know, I think it just might be time for another giveaway...

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

MONSTER RANCHER EVO GET!

I just started a new game. Gonna start shrining the hell outta my disk collection shortly.

COME, SUEALIEN!!!

EDIT: Okay, here's what I've found so far:

RPG Maker 3: MachuPicchu (Ducken/Hengar)

MegaMan X8: Drabitt (Hare/Dragon)

Graffiti Kingdom: Plant (Plant/Plant)

Blackadder II: MikMew (Mew/Garu)

Monster Rancher 3: Fang (Zan/Ripper)

Blackadder: Back and Forth: Raiden (Raiden/Raiden)

Blackadder's Christmas Carol: Pulcinella (Pancho/Piroro)

Blackadder Goes Forth: Shishitan (Gitan/Garu)

Blackadder III: MocchiSaurus (Lesione/Mocchi)

Grandia III (Disk 1): Pink Eye (Suezo/Pixie)

Grandia III (Disk 2): GrapaDuck (Ducken/Naga)

Armored Core: Ninebreaker: SkullMew (Mew/Joker)

Dragon Quest VIII: NorMaya (Maya/?)

Futurama Season 1, Disk 1(Region 1): Clockdog (Tiger/?)

Furutama Season 1, Disk 2 (Region 1): Marincho (Pancho/Lesione)

Futurama Season 1, Disk 3 (Region 1): Marincho (Pancho/Lesione)

Futurama Season 2, Disk 1 (Region 2): Diabolos (Dragon/Joker)

Futurama Season 2, Disk 2 (Region 2): Salome (Piroro/Zan)

Futurama Season 2, Disk 3 (Region 2): Jelly Saurus (Lesione/Jell)

Futurama Season 2, Disk 4 (Region 2): Pulcinella (Pancho/Piroro)

Futurama Season 3, Disk 1 (Region 2): Pancho (Pancho/Pancho)

Futurama Season 3, Disk 2 (Region 2): PodDog (Tiger/Hengar)

Futurama Season 3, Disk 3 (Region 2): HowlZapper (Ripper/Tiger)

Futurama Season 3, Disk 4 (Region 2): Pulcinella (Pancho/Piroro)

Futurama Season 4, Disk 1 (Region 2): Queen Plant (Plant/Pixie)

Futurama Season 4, Disk 2 (Region 2): Guy (Zan/Raiden)

Futurama Season 4, Disk 3 (Region 2): Raiducken (Raiden/Ducken)

Futurama Season 4, Disk 4 (Region 2): Scarabio (Lesione/Beaklon)

I've yet to unlock Maya, so I don't know what NorMaya looks like.

If anyone else has the game, please post your findings. I can add them to the MRM database for reference.

[RPGD]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

Okay, I spent all of yesterday and this morning shrining abouts a couple hundred disks from my enormous collection (God knows how some of these disks got in there. Many of them aren't even mine).

RPG Maker: PengiMochi (Mocchi/Tiger)

RPG Maker 2: Blocken (Ducken/Golem)

RPG Maker 3: MachuPicchu (Ducken/Hengar)

MegaMan X8: Drabitt (Hare/Dragon)

Graffiti Kingdom: Plant (Plant/Plant)

Blackadder II: MikMew (Mew/Garu)

Monster Rancher: Shidao (Garu/Ripper)

Monster Rancher 3: Fang (Zan/Ripper)

Monster Rancher 4: ???

Blackadder: Back and Forth: Raiden (Raiden/Raiden)

Blackadder's Christmas Carol: Pulcinella (Pancho/Piroro)

Blackadder Goes Forth: Shishitan (Gitan/Garu)

Blackadder III: MocchiSaurus (Lesione/Mocchi)

Grandia III (Disk 1): Pink Eye (Suezo/Pixie)

Grandia III (Disk 2): GrapaDuck (Ducken/Naga)

Armored Core: Ninebreaker: SkullMew (Mew/Joker)

Dragon Quest VIII: NorMaya (Maya/?)

Futurama Season 1, Disk 1(Region 1): Clockdog (Tiger/?)

Furutama Season 1, Disk 2 (Region 1): Marincho (Pancho/Lesione)

Futurama Season 1, Disk 3 (Region 1): Marincho (Pancho/Lesione)

Futurama Season 2, Disk 1 (Region 2): Diabolos (Dragon/Joker)

Futurama Season 2, Disk 2 (Region 2): Salome (Piroro/Zan)

Futurama Season 2, Disk 3 (Region 2): Jelly Saurus (Lesione/Jell)

Futurama Season 2, Disk 4 (Region 2): Pulcinella (Pancho/Piroro)

Futurama Season 3, Disk 1 (Region 2): Pancho (Pancho/Pancho)

Futurama Season 3, Disk 2 (Region 2): PodDog (Tiger/Hengar)

Futurama Season 3, Disk 3 (Region 2): HowlZapper (Ripper/Tiger)

Futurama Season 3, Disk 4 (Region 2): Pulcinella (Pancho/Piroro)

Futurama Season 4, Disk 1 (Region 2): Queen Plant (Plant/Pixie)

Futurama Season 4, Disk 2 (Region 2): Guy (Zan/Raiden)

Futurama Season 4, Disk 3 (Region 2): Raiducken (Raiden/Ducken)

Futurama Season 4, Disk 4 (Region 2): Scarabio (Lesione/Beaklon)

Metal Gear Solid: Subsistence: Mischief (Pixie/Ducken)

Wild ARMs Alter Code: F: Jackoranta (Hare/Pancho)

Wild ARMs ACF Bonus Anime DVD: MumMew (Mew/Pixie)

Wild ARMs 4: ???

MIB II OST: Raiden (Raiden/Raiden)

City Hunter Collection, Disk 1: Jelaydon (Beaklon/Zan)

City Hunter Collection, Disk 2: Jackoranta (Hare/Pancho)

City Hunter Collection, Disk 3: Niezheg (Dragon/Naga)

City Hunter Collection, Disk 4: MumMew (Mew/Pixie)

City Hunter Collection, Disk 5: Eyebee (Suezo/Beaklon)

City Hunter Collection, Disk 6: Duckmew (Mew/Ducken)

City Hunter Collection, Disk 7: ???

City Hunter Collection, Disk 8: GigaBio (Golem/Gitan)

City Hunter Collection, Disk 9: Gilolitan (Gitan/Suezo)

City Hunter Collection, Disk 10: Garu (Garu/Garu)

MegaMan Anniversary Collection (PS2): Diabolos (Dragon/Joker)

The Best of Ricky Martin: Cyclops (Naga/Suezo)

XBox Music Mixer: Blocken (Ducken/Golem)

Baseballboy Disk: Morlock (Ripper/Golem)

Brave Fencer Musashi: Hornie (Suezo/Tiger)

Final Fantasy V (Anthology): ???

Final Fight CD: MochiMew (Mew/Mocchi)

Bubble Bobble (Featuring Rainbow Islands [SAT]): Munitan (Gitan/Mocchi)

Tomb Raider II (PSX): Crevasse (Dragon/Tiger)

The Ganstream Saga: Griffonite (Raiden/Durahan)

Samurai Showdown II (Neo-Geo CD): ???

GaBu (Fantastic Action Game [Neo-Geo CD]): Piton (Ducken/Ripper)

Battle Arena Toshinden Remix (SAT): ???

WWF Royal Rumble (DC): Lafreshitan (Gitan/Plant)

Perfect Weapon (PSX): HowlZapper (Ripper/Tiger)

Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 (DC): MellonCho (Pancho/Beaklon)

Grandia II (PS2): Momo Slime (Jell/Pixie)

OPM Demo Disk 44: Dragon (Dragon/Dragon)

Street Racer (PSX): Kablo (Piroro/Beaklon)

OPM Demo Disk 59: ???

Legaia 2: Duel Saga: Owlbeard (Dragon/Raiden)

Riven, Disk 2: Alkono (Ripper/Piroro)

OPM Demo Disk 76: Drabitt (Hare/Dragon)

Steps Buzz: Chopanjel (Pancho/Jell)

Pro Evo Soccer 2 (PSX): Beaklon (Beaklon/Beaklon)

OPM Demo Disk 83: RipperSlime (Jell/Plant)

White Hound Disk (MR4): Faerilina (Pixie/Ripper)

OPM Demo Disk 43: Aero (Pixie/Tiger)

Corpse Killer (Sega CD 32X): Mischief (Pixie/Ducken)

Orphen: Ruins & Relics: Queen Plant (Plant/Pixie)

Virtua fighter Kids (SAT): Rocky Fur (Hare/Golem)

Test Drive 6 (DC): Ducklon (Beaklon/Ducken)

Virtua Fighter (SAT): Barghest (Tiger/Joker)

MegaMan X6: Battle Rocks (Golem/Durahan)

CrimeWave (SAT): Eared Mew (Mew/Hare)

The King of Fighters '97: ???

MegaMan Legends: ???

Toshinden 3: Battle Rocks (Golem/Durahan)

Galaxy Disk (MR2): DevilMew (Mew/Gitan)

Ultrarl Disk (MR2): StoneFace (Pancho/Golem)

Astal (SAT): Draco Moch (Mocchi/Dragon)

Music From FFV & VI: MochiPlant (Plant/Mocchi)

Love Seeker Disk (MR2): Sueko (Pixie/Suezo)

Express Worm Disk (MR2): Tanmarin (Gitan/Lesione)

Ghars Disk (MR4): Blocken (Ducken/Golem)

Duck Fever Disk (MR4): Battleleon (Garu/Durahan)

PaRappa the Rapper: Gunbitt (Hare/Durahan)

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater: Jet (Gitan/Zan)

Vs. (PSX): Dragon (Dragon/Dragon)

Poy Poy: Blocken (Ducken/Golem)

Goal Storm '97 (PSX): Saga (Zan/Naga)

Guilty Gear X2: ???

Dead or Alive: Pancho (Pancho/Pancho)

Grandia Xtreme: SkullMew (Mew/Joker)

King of Fighters '98 (PSX): Jaguarbeat (Tiger/Beaklon)

OPM Demo Disk 06: Columbina (Pixie/Piroro)

Gameshark CDX: PengiMochi (Mocchi/Tiger)

Poweractive Math: HakTak (Naga/Ripper)

Digimon World 3: Mandrake (Plant/Dragon)

Pokemon 2.B.A Master: MochiMew (Mew/Mocchi)

Interactive CD Sampler Pack, Volume Three (PSX): Garum (Tiger/Lesione)

Sonic Adventure (JP; DC): Kagura (Zan/Ducken)

Web Browser (DC): Centurion (Beaklon/Durahan)

OPM Demo Disk 29: Ripper (Ripper/Ripper)

Final Fantasy IV (PSX): Mandrake (Plant/Dragon)

Okage: Shadow King: ???

WWF Smackdown! Just Bring it!: ???

OPM Demo Disk 42: Diabolos (Dragon/Joker)

OPM Demo Disk 25: Piroro (Piroro/Piroro)

Die Hard Arcade (SAT): Pink Eye (Suezo/Pixie)

Armored Core 3: Rocky Fur (Hare/Golem)

Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter (PSX): Beerock (Beaklon/Golem)

Fighter Maker: Eared Mew (Mew/Hare)

Fighter Maker 2: Shishitan (Gitan/Garu)

Time Stalkers (DC): MellonCho (Pancho/Beaklon)

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing (DC): Battleleon (Garu/Durahan)

Chrono Cross, Disk 1: PengiMochi (Mocchi/Tiger)

Bixy Kingly Disk (MR4): ???

Gale Racer (SAT): Bargest (Tiger/Joker)

Chinios Disk (MR2): Chopanjel (Pancho/Jel)

World Soccer Tour 2005 (PS2): Owlbeard (Dragon/Raiden)

MegaMan X4 (PSX): Dragon (Dragon/Dragon)

Riven, Disk 5: FlameJell (Jell/Dragon)

Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec: Ducken (Ducken/Ducken)

Meteora (Linkin Park): Gobi (Golem/Hengar)

Poweractive Words: MellonCho (Pancho/Beaklon)

Time Crisis (JP PSX): Gargoyle (Raiden/Naga)

Crazy Taxi (DC): Lafreshitan (Gitan/Plant)

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire 2nd Edition (PSX): ???

OPM Demo Disk 52: Tanmarin (Gitan/Lesione)

Riyadh Schools Disk: Homura (Zan/Dragon)

Jumping Flash 2: Haze (Zan/Maya)

Pandemonium! (PSX): Haze (Zan/Maya)

Power Stone 2: Suezo (Suezo/Suezo)

OPM Demo Disk 56: MumMew (Mew/Pixie)

Capcom Vs. SNK (DC): MellonCho (Pancho/Beaklon)

Chaos Pandora Disk (MR4): Dragon (Dragon/Dragon)

Klonoa ~Door to Phantomile~: ???

Twisted Metal 2: Aguila (Raiden/Garu)

OPM Demo Disk 46: Melcarba (Beaklon/Hengar)

Worms (SAT): Gobi (Golem/Hengar)

Wonder Dog (Sega CD): Mucchi (Mocchi/Hare)

Unlabeled Disk: Agi (Zan/Pancho)

The Secret of Monkey Island (Sega CD): MocchiSaurus (Lesione/Mocchi)

Tail of the Sun: Aguila (Raiden/Garu)

Metal Gear Solid, Disk 1: ???

Crash Bandicoot 2 (Greatest Hits): Duckmew (Mew/Ducken)

DDR 2nd Mix (JP PSX): MikMew (Mew/Garu)

Theme Park (SAT): TechnoDragon (Dragon/Hengar)

Rockman 8: MermaGaru (Garu/Naga)

OPM Demo Disk 55: Kablo (Piroro/Beaklon)

OPM Demo Disk 10: Beerock (Beaklon/Golem)

OPM Demo Disk 21: Matalyn (Garu/Maya)

Ali (DVD): Beerock (Beaklon/Golem)

Virtua Striker 2 (DC): MellonCho (Pancho/Beaklon)

Spice World (PSX): Bargest (Tiger/Joker)

Resident Evil Code: Veronica X (PS2): Saga (Zan/Naga)

Ridge Racer (PSX): Columbina (Pixie/Piroro)

Tomb Raider (PSX): GrapaDuck (Ducken/Naga)

Hook (Sega CD): DarkCell (Jell/Joker)

Pokemon World (Audio): Naga (Naga/Naga)

Sonic Adventure 2: AssasiRipper (Ripper/Joker)

NiGHTS: Hydra (Naga/Jell)

OPM Demo Disk 9: Centurion (Beaklon/Durahan)

Mad Maestro: ???

Riven, Disk 3: Blocken (Ducken/Golem)

Amplitude: Pixie (Pixie/Pixie)

Kodak Discover Photo CD: Tiger (Tiger/Tiger)

Saturn Bomberman: Puncinella (Pancho/Piroro)

OPM Demo Disk 50: Eared Mew (Mew/Hare)

OPM Demo Disk 37: Naga (Naga/Naga)

WCW Nitro: Hare (Hare/Hare)

PaRappa the Rapper 2: Pancho (Pancho/Pancho)

Sega Classics (Sega CD): Pancho (Pancho/Pancho)

OPM Demo Disk 54: Drabitt (Hare/Dragon)

OPM Demo Disk 29: Ripper (Ripper/Ripper)

Leave It To Beaver (DVD): Grapie (Lesione/Naga)

MegaMan X7: Bargest (Tiger/Joker)

Riven, Disk 1: FlameJell (Jell/Dragon)

I feel that's sufficient for now. Now to actually play the game. They give you a Piroro at the start, but I'm dumping it in favor of a Hornie. As for the other two monsters I'll be able to train shortly, what do you think I should use? I'm thinking along the lines of a Golem and a Jell... but there are so many things I wanna try out, like one of the Piroros or MachuPicchu.

[josh]

Re: Monster Rancher Evo - April 11

wow. Jesus Christ. why is there one for Spice World?
and what's more-- why do you own it?