Not content with action-RPG and turn-based RPG domination, Monster Hunter turns its head to… match-3?
Monster Hunter's plan of world domination has moved over to the match-3 stage.
We weren’t counting on witnessing the reveal of a new Monster Hunter game when we woke up this morning, but we’re glad to see it nonetheless. Capcom just revealed Monster Hunter Puzzles: Felyne Isles out of nowhere.
This is the sort of game you might see couched between reveals at Summer Game Fest, so it’s a little strange Capcom couldn’t wait a few more days for this year’s event. Nevertheless, this is very much unlike any Monster Hunter game you might have expected.
Monster Hunter Puzzles: Felyne Isles is a match-3 puzzle game starring the series’ cute feline pals, coming to Android and iOS worldwide on June 26. The free-to-play game appears to sit under a new subseries within the larger Monster Hunter brand.
Like Monster Hunter Stories, perhaps Capcom is venturing into the casual and puzzle genre with Monster Hunter Puzzles. Regardless, the pitch for Felyne Isles is simple enough, and the reveal trailer below shows a pretty standard match-3 game - except it has all the Monster Hunter hooks and garnishes you’d expect.
As you can see in the debut trailer, Felyne Isles offers more than just match-3 gameplay. There’s a town-building component where you use the acorns earned from clearing match-3 boards to design and rebuild the Palico islands.
If you’re a longtime fan of Monster Hunter, you may recognise the name. Capcom actually released a similar puzzle game in 2012 on the PSP called Felyne Puzzle, though it was only made available in Japan. Felyne Isles also appears to have elements from Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village, so it’s all coming together nicely, eh?
You can pre-register for Monster Hunter Puzzles: Felyne Isles on the official website if you want to be notified when the game goes live in your region.
And, in case you don’t have enough Monster Hunter in your life to keep you busy until next year’s release of Monster Hunter Wilds, you can try out Monster Hunter Now, whose latest major update back in March continued to prove that it’s still one of the best mobile games out there.