Where to Start · Monster Hunter
Where to Start with Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter is Capcom's action RPG series running since 2004 — you hunt enormous creatures, carve materials from their bodies, craft better gear from those materials, and use that gear to hunt even larger creatures. The loop is deliberately repetitive in the best possible way. The series was a cult franchise in the West for over a decade before Monster Hunter: World (2018) made it mainstream, selling over 20 million copies and introducing millions of players to a franchise they had missed.
There is no continuous story between entries — each game is a fresh set of hunters in a new location. Start with the most recent entry that appeals to your platform.
If you only play one Monster Hunter game
Play Monster Hunter: World (2018). It is the most accessible entry in the franchise history — streamlined UI, seamless environments without loading screens between zones, an ecology system where monsters interact with each other, and the Iceborne expansion which doubles the content. World removed the friction that kept newcomers away from older entries without removing the depth. Available on PS4/Xbox/PC. The Iceborne expansion is essentially a second game's worth of content and essential.
Budget the expansion — treat Iceborne as part of the same purchase as World — skipping it means skipping half the endgame ecosystem players actually live in.
Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise (2021, Nintendo Switch and PC) is the other recommended modern entry — faster and more mobile than World with the Wirebug movement system adding aerial combat options. Rise + Sunbreak expansion is the complete package. Rise is a smaller-scale game than World but deeply satisfying and the best portable Monster Hunter ever made. If you're on Switch, start here.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds (2025) is the most recent entry — a direct successor to World with dynamic weather systems, new biomes, and the most ambitious Monster Hunter ever built. If you want the absolute latest, Wilds is the entry point. World is still recommended as a starting point for the more gradual difficulty curve, but Wilds is designed to be accessible to newcomers.
The classic era
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (2008, PSP) was the pinnacle of the pre-World era and has a devoted community that still plays it. The older entries — Freedom Unite, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate — are excellent but have significantly more friction than World: loading zones, less intuitive UI, and mechanics that expect patience. Worth exploring after World or Rise if you want the classic experience.
The 14 weapons
Monster Hunter's defining feature is its 14 weapon types — Great Sword, Long Sword, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, Hammer, Hunting Horn, Lance, Gunlance, Switch Axe, Charge Blade, Insect Glaive, Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, Bow. Each has a completely different playstyle. Beginners are often recommended to start with Long Sword (versatile, high damage) or Sword and Shield (fast, mobile, allows item use). Try several before committing — the right weapon dramatically affects your enjoyment of the game.
What platforms you need
Monster Hunter World + Iceborne — PS4/Xbox/PC. Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak — Switch/PC (also PS4/PS5/Xbox). Monster Hunter Wilds — PS5/Xbox Series/PC.
Recommended order
Monster Hunter World + Iceborne if you're on PS4/Xbox/PC. Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak if you're on Switch. Monster Hunter Wilds if you want the newest entry. Classic era after any of these if the depth calls you deeper.