Monster Hunter is Capcom’s second biggest seller, eclipsed only by the Resident Evil series, and it shows no sign of stopping. But it’s not the only game that lets you take on giant beasts. So if you’re looking for some similarly challenging mega-beast brawls, and you want to take them on the go, check out our list of the best games like Monster Hunter on Nintendo Switch.
Not all these games were inspired by Monster Hunter but they nail the joy of taking on menacing creatures bigger than yourself and saving the hapless townsfolk they’re plaguing. So, from Dauntless through to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, these are the best games like Monster Hunter on Nintendo Switch.
Want more monster hunting action? We’ve rounded up the best games like Monster Hunter on PS5 and Xbox, too.
1. Dauntless
Dauntless’s mega-monsters want you dead, that’s no big surprise. What is surprising is that this online Monster Hunter-alike is absolutely free. “If you’re after an action RPG along the lines of Monster Hunter to really sink your teeth into, you can’t go wrong”, we remarked in our Dauntless review — and we stand by that now it’s on Nintendo Switch.
You can, perhaps unwisely, tackle enemies solo but you’ll have the most fun teaming up against enemies. You’ll work out strategies, having your ranged players hang back and, if all goes well, you’ll get the rush of annihilating a giant, murderous beastie. What’s not to like?
2. Monster Hunter Rise
The good news is you’ve got some fuzzy companions to assist you so solo play doesn’t feel like a poor substitute for the multiplayer mode. And when, hours and hours and hours later, you’ve conquered all the game’s foes, the Sunbreak expansion lets you dive in all over again.
3. Ark: Survival Evolved
The Switch may not have the power to handle Ark: Survival Ascended, this game’s next-gen remake, but the original, Ark: Survival Evolved, is still an absolute treat. Playable online or offline, you’re dumped on a dinosaur-filled island and tasked with, well, surviving. From piranha through to tyrannosaurs, there are more monsters than you can throw a hastily crafted spear at.
But what really makes Ark: Survival Evolved a blast is that you can tame and ride dinosaurs. What better way to show your dominance over the dinosaur kingdom by rocking up on a T-Rex?
4. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen may not be an official Monster Hunter game but, also from Capcom, it has a little of that series in its DNA. You’ll be annihilating enemies with magic, but the game really comes into its own when you get your hands dirty.
Forget just having to dodge attacks, Dark Souls style: you can clamber onto the backs of monsters and lay into them while these behemoths stumble around. And it’s a great open-world fantasy outing in its own right.
5. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
We were going to say something about Geralt being the original Monster Hunter but then we remembered Dracula’s Van Helsing, and Perseus and… well, you get the idea. But The Witcher 3’s Geralt of Rivia is one of the most iconic monster hunters of all time and thanks to some amazing technical shenanigans, you can now experience his adventures on the switch.
What we love about The Witcher 3, apart from all the beast-battling, is that Geralt isn’t universally adored by the people. The powers that let him go toe-to-toe with monsters make him unwelcome in some people’s eyes. So, get ready to dispatch a fantasy kingdom’s worth of menaces, just don’t expect the people to love you for it.
