Series guide
All Monster Hunter games in order
Monster Hunter is Capcom’s hunt-prepare-hunt loop: fight a giant monster, forge armour from it, take on a bigger one. The names are the confusing part — numbered games, “Ultimate” versions, portable lines and spin-offs. Below is the main line in release order with the platforms linked — because the Nintendo half of this series is what we stock and test.
The short answer
Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004) → Freedom line (PSP) → Tri (Wii, 2009) → 3 Ultimate → 4 Ultimate → Generations → World (2018) → Rise (Switch, 2021) → Wilds (2025). “Ultimate” is the complete cut of its generation. No story order — start with Rise on Switch or 4 Ultimate on 3DS.
Every Monster Hunter generation in order
- Monster Hunter · 2004 · PlayStation 2 — where the hunt began
- Monster Hunter Freedom / Freedom 2 / Freedom Unite · 2005 · PSP — the portable line that made the series a phenomenon in Japan
- Monster Hunter Tri · 2009 · Wii — the underwater experiment — and the series’ Nintendo debut
- Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate · 2011 · Wii U & 3DS — Tri completed, playable at home and on the go
- Monster Hunter 4 / 4 Ultimate · 2013 · Nintendo 3DS — verticality changes the hunt; Europe got 4 Ultimate (2015)
- Monster Hunter Generations / Generations Ultimate · 2015 · 3DS, later Switch — the greatest-hits of the classic era, with hunting styles
- Monster Hunter: World · 2018 · PS4, Xbox, PC — the global breakthrough — not released on Nintendo
- Monster Hunter Rise · 2021 · Nintendo Switch — the wirebug era, built for Switch first
- Monster Hunter Wilds · 2025 · PS5, Xbox, PC — the newest generation
Do you have to play them in order?
No. Every generation starts fresh, and skill carries over in your hands, not in a save file. Release order matters only for understanding the design: each era adds one idea — underwater fights, verticality, hunting styles, the wirebug — and the Ultimate re-releases complete their generation rather than starting a new one.
Which one should you buy now?
- On Switch: Monster Hunter Rise — the modern classic-style entry, and it plays on Switch 2 as well.
- On 3DS, the campaign: Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate — the complete fourth generation in your pocket.
- On 3DS, the buffet: Generations — the classic era’s greatest hits with selectable hunting styles.
- For a younger player: Monster Hunter Stories — the friendly RPG spin-off.
Buying Monster Hunter second-hand
"Ultimate" means the complete version
Capcom releases a generation, then an expanded cut with more monsters and quests: 3 Ultimate completes Tri, 4 Ultimate completes 4, Generations Ultimate completes Generations. Buying second-hand, the Ultimate is the version to want — it contains the original.
No story order to worry about
Every entry is a fresh hunting ground with a self-contained premise. Pick by console and era, not by number — nothing is spoiled by starting late.
Stories is the RPG spin-off
Monster Hunter Stories (3DS) turns the series into a turn-based RPG where you raise the monsters instead of hunting them. A different game in the same world — good for younger players, and clearly labelled in our shop.
Region and hardware, per era
The 3DS cartridges are region-locked, so a European 3DS needs European releases — ours are, stated per listing. Switch cartridges are region-free, and Rise plays on Switch 2 as well.
Every copy tested before it is listed
Booting, a hunt, saving, label condition — checked on real hardware. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked to all 27 EU countries. Originals only; if something ever turns out not to be genuine, you get your money back.
Browse tested Nintendo gamesQuestions we get asked
Do I need to play the Monster Hunter games in order?
No. Each generation is self-contained. Release order mainly shows the systems evolving — underwater combat in Tri, verticality in 4, hunting styles in Generations, the wirebug in Rise.
What does "Ultimate" mean in Monster Hunter?
The expanded re-release of a generation, with more monsters, quests and gear. It contains the base game, so second-hand the Ultimate version is the one to buy.
Which Monster Hunter should I start with?
On Switch: Rise — the most approachable classic-style entry. On 3DS: 4 Ultimate for the full campaign or Generations for the series’ greatest hits.
Is Monster Hunter: World on Nintendo?
No — World and Wilds are PlayStation, Xbox and PC releases. On Nintendo hardware the line runs Tri → 3 Ultimate → 4 Ultimate → Generations → Rise.
What is Monster Hunter Stories?
The turn-based RPG spin-off where you hatch and ride monsters rather than hunt them. It stands completely apart from the main line.
Do you ship outside the Netherlands?
We ship to all 27 EU countries with track & trace. Parcels leave from the Netherlands, there are no customs charges within the EU, and your country’s exact rate appears at checkout before you pay.
Years given are the first (Japanese) release; European dates sometimes ran a year or more behind. Onze Nintendo 3DS-collectie in het Nederlands.
