Classic games getting ported to mobile is hardly anything new. Over the years we’ve seen many developers trying their best to keep their old games alive by bringing them to an entirely new generation of players across the world.
What interests us, however, is when a relatively unknown series gets the mobile treatment – a second chance to shine. And that is exactly what’s happening to Koei Tecmo’s RPG Monster Rancher, as the company has confirmed that the game will be coming to Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch soon.
For those who don’t know, Monster Rancher was originally launched for the PS1 as an attempt to capitalize on the rising popularity of Pokémon at the time. It basically offered the same experience, but with some interesting tweaks.
While the game never achieved the same fame as Pokémon, it still managed to gather some success, a couple of sequels in the following years. The series has been dormant for quite a while, however, so this new port might signal a possible comeback. A new trailer for this upcoming mobile release has been revealed at the Tokyo Game Show 2019, which showcases some unique features that it has to offer. You can check it out right below:
One of the most notable things about Monster Rancher is the way it generates its monsters. In the original, players had to insert audio CDs to do so – which was weirdly satisfying. Of course, that’s no longer an option with today’s devices, so the developer will make an online database that players can access to pick a CD. It is not as fun to be sure, but it’s the most viable solution considering the circumstance.
Monster Rancher is set to launch in Japan this November for Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. A global release has not been confirmed, but we can expect that to happen at some point in the future given that the original has already been localized and this new port doesn’t make any major change in term of the story.