MHP 3rd Portable on PS Vita

You have to get the game from the Japanese PSN store and as shown here, you can map the d-pad to Vita’s right analog stick: Arekkz’s video link

I’m a bit reluctant to buy MHP 3rd for a third time though…

PS Vita: Should I buy?

It’s been out in Japan and Hong Kong for a few days now and you can get it in Singapore too. Currently, the price is between SGD$550-650 and that includes a memory card and a bundled game. The device and games does look gorgeous but there’s no title that I want. Monster Hunter is nowhere in sight although Shinobino 2 (Ninja-styled Assassin Creed) looks very attractive.

There are 2 features that lean me over to the PS Vita over the 3DS: Dual Analog sticks without the need for an attachment and no region-lock.

Monster Hunter 3G is out in Japan! (For JP 3DS Console only)

It has already been out for a few days now, since 10 Dec, and I’ve been checking out youtube for unboxing and videos of the game. The most informative videos come from mixi00yuta.

He has video uploads of the game played with the circle pad attachment which adds a second analog stick on the right as well as should buttons. I think PSP users might have difficult doing the “claw” on the 3DS as the left analog nub really seems to be controlled better with your thumb. I do not have a 3DS console so I may be wrong.

The next interesting video is the comparison between PSP Monster Hunter and 3DS. I’m not sure if he used the data install or iso on the PSP but the 3DS is winning slightly in the loading time. 3DS uses a cartridge so it will definitely win if the PSP is running the UMD. I will definitely do my own comparison with my PSPGo if I ever get a JP 3DS and Monster Hunter 3G!

Monster Hunter 3G and 4 announced for 3DS… Is it time to get the 3DS yet?

The monster hunter franchise is finally coming to the Nintendo handheld system, 3DS. It was announced at the recent Tokyo Game Show that not 1 but 2 Monster Hunter games are in the works. Monster Hunter 3G will be arriving in December 2011 in Japan. Although it is a port of the Wii game, Monster Hunter Tri, I’ve never played it before so it doesn’t matter to me.

What matters to me however is that the 3DS is region-locked, which means you need to get the Japan 3DS set to play it. This is a deal-breaker for me as I want to play RPG games with English on it like Zelda instead of Japanese.

The game supports a peripheral add-on that attaches to the system and provide additional shoulder button and analog stick which is helpful for Monster Hunter but adds bulk. I think the PSP players might be able to adapt the “claw style” to it without the attachment. This add-on also leads to speculation that a redesign is on the way.

The recent price drop for 3DS led to an increase in sales and when Monster Hunter is released, sales figure will surge even more but until Nintendo do something about the region-lock, I’ll most probably not buy the 3DS.

Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD

Ever since my family’s TV was changed to HD, I did not want to play the PS2′s Monster Hunter as it appeared stretched. Now that Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD is out, I can enjoy Monster Hunter on the big screen once again.

The game is exactly the same as the PSP version except most of it is HD quality, it looks really great. I say most as some of the menu items and loading screen is not and I can still see jagged edges because of pixelation. It will be nice if everything was in HD.

The other good thing about playing it on the PS3 is the ability to use the PS3 controller and the second analog stick, although I still have to get use to it. When I went for the download option, there seem to be more Felynes for downloading (PS3 exclusive?) but it could be because I did not check it out for a long time.

Transferring your game save from your PSP is not difficult at all. Just connect your PSP to your console and choose Save Game Utility and copy your gamesave over before entering the game.

If you have a PS3 and never own any Monster Hunter games, this will make a great game and introduction as the controls are simple. If you already own the PSP MHP3rd, I don’t really see a need to get this unless you are a die-hard Monster Hunter fan.