10 Best Monster Hunter Games Of All Time, Ranked

February 28, 2025, marks the official release date for the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds, promising new and exciting gameplay mechanics. If the recent Monster Hunter World (2018) and Monster Hunter Rise (2021) are anything to go by, then the new entry has a high chance of becoming the best Monster Hunter game yet. It sounds crazy that the series has been around for two decades now. With its humble beginnings in Japan, newcomers have, at different points in the series, hopped on the rollercoaster ride that is monster-hunting. Whether solo or with friends, taking down the colossal beasts in the series seldom fails to melt your heart with joy. With the upcoming entry at bay, let’s take a trip down memory lane, ranking the best Monster Hunter games of all time.

10. Monster Hunter Now

Monster Hunter Now may have only launched on iOS and Android on September 14, 2023. However, it still remains high-ranking among the best Monster Hunter games. Emulating Pokemon Go, you essentially walk around your neighborhood running into monsters to take down.

While the game barely matches up to the more fully-fledged console entries, it still retains the core excitement that makes the series addicting. You still hunt down monsters solo or with friends, enjoying the series’ signature visuals. Yet the strategy and depth could have used a little more care and love.

9. Monster Hunter

Monster Hunter is the original entry that launched on PlayStation 2. Its core gameplay loop trickles down the series, from accepting quests at the hub to hunting down monsters in a vast map and returning to base to craft and upgrade your gear. However, Capcom’s first hack at the series didn’t quite land favorably with the masses.

It was a different gameplay system than players were used to. What’s more? Lots of mechanics needed dusting, like the cumbersome resource management and lackluster combat. Over time, though, Capcom refined and fine-tuned these systems so that they became the pillar of the series.

8. Monster Hunter Freedom

Moving on, Monster Hunter Freedom landed on the PSP. The venture into handheld consoles lay the foundation for the thrilling multiplayer quests the series is known for. When hunting a colossal beast, you need all the help you can get.

It emphasized the art of teamwork and synergy in co-op mode and created room for multiple runs with friends. Yet it still wasn’t at the epitome of all the series is capable of. 

7. Monster Hunter Stories 2:  Wings of Ruin

The Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin spin-off is a must-play. Besides the added feature to name your beasties, it introduced traditional, turn-based RPG mechanics to the mix. Rather than hunt down monsters, you become a rider who can bond with them.

Named “Monsties,” the game uses an anime aesthetic to bring out a charming universe. It added more monsters alongside a new side story. The turn-based combat uses a rock-paper-scissors mechanic and quick time events, thus adding some level of strategy and depth. 

6. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

Next up on the best Monster Hunter games is Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. This went overboard with the monster types, at your pleasure, of course. With 93 old and new monsters picked from across the series, gamers were spoilt for choice.

Moreover, you had the freedom to return to hubs from previous entries while grappling with new skills and abilities, including a new hunting mechanic. The title was a joy for veterans, having plentiful Monster Hunter goodies in one package.

Newcomers, though, might have felt the immense content drowning. Fortunately, the gameplay has always been a solid work of art, even for newbies to find a soft landing.

5. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

“Ultimate” has been the Monster Hunter series’ way of revamping old games. This journey started with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, which transitioned from the Wii to the handheld 3DS. Besides most of the core gameplay remains the same, Ultimate still added new monsters and mechanics.

Players venture out into the deep seas, exploring new swimming mechanics underwater. The world takes veterans into an aquatic-inspired world. For all its innovations, though, the underwater gameplay just didn’t stick.

4. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite

At the time, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite made big strides. It introduced Felyne helpers to accompany you on your hunting journey. It came much appreciated because the grind still persisted. Also, there were more monsters to discover, some of which have stayed on in later entries.

3. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

As with the other Ultimate versions, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate added quality-of-life changes to the base formula. It adds more traversal and combat abilities. Plus, the map expands, adding story-driven quests and verticality. As a result, monster hunting became more fun. 

2. Monster Hunter Rise

As the most recent Monster Hunter entry, Monster Hunter Rise made fans proud. Granted, it enjoys the benefit of inheriting many of the quality-of-life changes made in its predecessor, World. However, Rise still went on to add more features, including a new sidekick, rideable dog, Wirebug mechanic to access new attacks, and an all-new game mode.

The latter has four hunters defend a fortress from a monster invasion. Veterans, as a result, enjoyed a fresh entry, while newcomers can still hop onto the series via Rise. You’ll enjoy a more seamless playthrough that has refined its pacing and combat system.    

1. Monster Hunter World

Finally among the best Monster Hunter games is Monster Hunter World. It ranks high for scaling the series’ monster-hunting universe. First, Capcom rebuilt the core gameplay from the ground up for current-gen consoles. Then, the developer brought big design ideas and executed them flawlessly.

From a massive open world to intuitive gameplay, the entry stands out in the series among the best action RPGs. Capcom didn’t just scale up but also added intricate detail to a thriving flora and fauna space. Gameplay-wise, they got rid of the annoying loading screens and launched the smoothest Monster Hunter game yet. And with the Iceborn DLC, the developer knocked it out of the park.