TheMonster Hunterfranchise is no stranger to collaborative events, with the latestMonster Hunter Wildsbeing no exception to the rule. AlthoughWildsdidn’t launch with any crossover content, unlike its predecessor,Monster Hunter World, Capcom has already announced that its first collaboration is already on the way. While there’s still no news on which seriesWildswill ultimately collaborate with first, there are bound to be plenty of incredibly unique additions from iconic franchises.
In the two decades sinceMonster Hunter’s first iteration of the franchise, the series has received countless collaborations that range greatly in size and quality. Now that most players have already beatenWilds’main story and accessed itsinteresting post-game content,Capcom has more chances to deliver new content that would have broken immersion if released too early. While it remains to be seen ifWildswill ever achieve the same heights asMonster Hunter World’s expansive collaborations, there’s still plenty to look forward to when it comes to topping the best collaboration events the series has to offer.
10Unleashing Link’s Master Sword From The Legend of Zelda
Plenty Of Customization Options For The Hero Of Time
The Legendof Zeldais a unique case forMonster Hunter’s collaborations, as it is one of the only franchises to receive multiple collaborations across several iterations of the series, featuring four separate inclusions in total. AlthoughMonster Hunter StoriesandGenerations Ultimatehad great additions that were well-themed to each game, it’s hard to beat how purely iconic Link’s appearance was inMonster Hunter 4.
Link’s weapons already fit perfectly intoMonster Hunter, with the ever-iconic Master Sword and Hylian Shield translating fantastically as an addition to the Sword and Shield, with the Hero’s Bow being a reliable backup tool for the hero of time.The best part about this collaboration is the ability to customize the armor with different pigments, letting players theme their hero after different iterations of the character or his equipment. While the lack of an Ocarina-themed Hunting Horn was somewhat disappointing, it’s hard to go wrong with introducing a character as iconic as Link to the world of monster hunting.
9Capcom’s Very Own Resident Evil 2 Crossover
Sometimes The Simplest Collaborations Work The Best
Monster Hunter World’s in-studio collaboration with theResident Evilfranchise still stands out as one of the best cosmetic additions to the game. Introduced as a free collaborative event withResident Evil 2,completing specific event quests offers rewards that can be exchanged for layered armor to look like Leon and Claire from the Resident Evil 2 Remake, alongside a variety of room decorations and pendants.
There’s nothing like returning to camp to a hearty meal made by your ever-faithful Bioweapon.
One of the more unique aspects of this update was also how it changed the Affluvium build-up status during the event, or when using the zombification emote.By using the emote, you’re able to turn yourself into a zombified hunter that walks around likeRE2’s undead,healing more quickly over time and even being able to do a small amount of damage through biting monsters. On top of these features, my favorite addition to this update was easily the Tyrant-layered skin DLC for the Handler, as there’s nothing like returning to camp to a hearty meal made by your ever-faithful Bioweapon.
8Taking On Otherworldy Threats With Metroid Prime’s Samus
Adding A Welcome Touch Of Sci-Fi Style To The Series
Monster Hunterhad a plethora of collaborations with Nintendo duringMonster Hunter 4, with one of the best easily beingMetroid Prime’s Samus making her way to the monster-infested landscapes of the franchise. While it didn’t include many additions on its own, Metroid broughtthe Arm Cannon-themed Light Bowgun and two armor sets themed after Samus Aran’s Varia Suit and Zero Suit, respectively.
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The Light Bowgun’s transformative nature made it an easy choice for Samus’s iconic Arm Cannon, making for an incredibly deadly weapon to take down any monsters in her path. Despite being a relatively straightforward event set,the sci-fi aesthetic and classic sound effects ofMetroid’s collaboration are easily one of the series' most stand-out crossovers to date, with a spiritual successor following years later.
7Metal Gear Solid Is Still One Of The Series' Most Creative Endeavors
A Collaboration That Deserves A Future Sequel
While the collaboration, unfortunately, didn’t add any new weapons, being able to play as Snake or The Boss inMonster Hunterwas a welcome treat, especially when combined with the incredibly thematic Palico Armor.Despite the simplistic designs, the best part about this crossover was the in-game voice lines and animations that activated depending on certain actions, with new voice lines recorded by the original actors from the Japanese edition ofPeace Walker.
Being able to play as Snake or The Boss inMonster Hunterwas a welcome treat.
While the actualMonster Hunterside of this collaboration was somewhat standard for the series, its real creativity came fromMetal Gear Solid’s implementation of the event.InMetal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Snake could face off against Rathalos, Tigrex, and even a monsterized version of the titular Metal Gear Rex itself. WithMetal Gear Solid: Deltareleasing in only a few months, it’s theperfect opportunity to bring backthis dual-franchise crossover, adding the monster form of the legendaryMetal Gear RextoMonster Hunter Wilds.
6Street Fighter’s Crossover Brought Unarmed Combat To The Fifth Generation
A High-Quality Addition Worthy Of The Fighting Game’s Notoriety
While theMonster Hunter Risecollaboration withStreet Fighterwasn’t a first for the series,Monster Hunter’simplementation ofStree Fighterinto the series withRisewas an incredibly faithful recreation of the fighting game’s legacy. The best part aboutStreet Fighter’s crossover withRiseis that theAkuma outfit was entirely free, letting players unleash the power of the legendary antagonist at no extra cost outside of completing a few event quests.
Monster Hunter World’s Street Fighter event also included armor and layered armor based on Ryu and Sakura, on top of paid DLC for iconic gestures, stickers, and even a handler outfit dressing her up like Chun-Li.
Letting you change your hunter’s appearance to the buff Akuma fromStreet Fighter, the outfit also unlocks special moves, new quest animations, and voice lines, although its best features are reserved for the Sword and Shield.When utilizing the Sword and Shield with Akuma equipped, both weapons will entirely disappear, giving the illusion that you’re fighting the monster with nothing but your bear hands. On top of the simple model swap, the skin also changes several animations for the weapons to be themed after Akuma’s in-game attacks, leaving incredibly satisfying animations and visual effects in their wake.
5Attack On Titan’s Crossover Was A Perfect Fit For The Series
The Levi Comparisons Go Back To The Roots Of The Franchise
Monster Hunter’s Dual Blades haven’t been able to escape their association withAttack on Titan, the comparison goes much deeper than simple visual similarities. Being a collaboration withMonster Hunter 3,theAttack On Titancrossover brought with it a set of Training Corps armor, alongside two sets of Dual Blades and another two for the Sword and Shield based on its iconic weapons. While the Sword and Shield looked a little goofy in comparison to the dual blades, the latter was an incredibly thematic choice, being a fantastic fit with the weapon’s aggressive playstyle when taking down gigantic monsters.
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Unfortunately, theAttack on Titan-themed Deviljho was only included in the mobile game entry ofMonster Hunter Explore, which would have been a great addition to include as a huntable variant inMonster Hunter 3.Regardless of the missing potential, the Aberrant Deviljho was somehow even more intimidating than its already terrifying base version, with a body entirely lacking in skin, just like the Colossal Titan. When attacked, the Aberrant Deviljho would even unleash large jets of steam from its body, although they were ultimately harmless to any players hit by them.
4Horizon Zero Dawn’s Collaboration Was Surprisingly In-Depth
Continuously Updating With Worthwhile Content Additions
WhileMonster Hunter World’s pre-launch collaboration withHorizon Zero Dawnfaced plenty of controversy for being a PlayStation exclusive, it was the first sign of the high-quality crossovers that would arrive in the future. Setting the bar high for cosmetics right off the bat,Aloy’s weapons and her Palico’s sci-fi armor were incredibly detailed additions that contrasted perfectly with the fantastical world around them. Given Aloy’s experience fighting similarly sized robotic monsters in her own universe, the transition to the world ofMonster Hunterisn’t too difficult to imagine.
The first sign of the high-quality crossovers that would arrive in the future.
What madeHorizon Zero Dawn’s collaboration even better is that it wasn’t just a one-off event, with several quests and new rewards being added in future updates, most notably to celebrate the launch of itsIceborneexpansion. AlthoughI would have loved to see one of the intricate robotic beasts fromHorizonmake its way toMonster Hunter, her weapons and cosmetics were still a great addition to the game. Given Horizon Zero Dawn’smultiplayer project cancelation,Worldto this day is, ironically, still one of the only ways to hunt down monsters as Aloy alongside a group of friends.
3Devil May Cry Is Easily One Of Monster Hunter’s Coolest Crossovers
Unleashing Electrifying One Stylish Combo At A Time
Aside from being the crossover that made me first discover my love for the Charge Blade,Devil May Cry’s collaboration withMonster Hunter Worldwas dripping with style from start to finish. First revealed in a comedically stylized trailer,the crossover event brought a standard layered armor set of Dante for both gender styles, alongside a Charge Blade themed after one of his iconic weapons. The most notable part about the Change Blade itself is that the shield was replaced with a small glowing circle, while the sword itself elongated once transformed.
Offering the appearance of a one-handed swordsman wielding magic in their offhand,Dante’s Charge Blade stood out from the rest of the options inWorld, while being incredibly powerful when updated. On top of the free additions,Worldalso included a paid gesture that allowed Dante to fire handguns to either side of him, although this only dealt minuscule damage. To add to the crossover’s thematic nature, during the event’s quest to unlock Dante’s iconic gear by slaying an Anjanath Odagaron, Rathalos, and Teostra, various songs from theDevil May Cryseries will play depending on which weapon you’re using.
2Taking On The New World As Geralt From The Witcher
An Immersive Collaboration Not For The Faint Of Heart
Being the second large-scale collaboration forMonster Hunter World,The Witcher 3collaboration thankfully didn’t disappoint. Not only did this free story expansion feature two sets of layered armor that transform your hunter into Geralt or Ciri alongside grotesque yet strangely cute Palico armor, but it also offered an entirely new questline with dialogue and a level of writing quality that felt right out ofTheWitcher 3itself. Being transported to another world in the search for Ciri,the story eventually culminates in a climactic fight with the Ancient Leshen that makes use of Geralt’s unique innate magical abilities.
Aside from the weapon and armor sets available, the event also offered players the ability to utilize Geralt’s Igni spell outside the quest through the use of a runestone or gesture. The biggest issue that arises with the event’s content is how frustrating the Ancient Leshen becomes after its initial hunt, becoming borderline infuriating for solo players given its inconsistent health scaling. Regardless of its issues,this crossover was an incredibly memorable and high-quality experience from start to finish that combined the best features of both franchises into one coherent experience, potentially even inspiring thenewly voiced protagonist inWilds.
1Crossing Dimensions With World’s Final Fantasy 14 Collaboration
Offering A Unique Challenge That Encourages Team-Based Coordination
While the Behemoth fight isn’t the most fondly remembered due to its incredible difficulty at the time,theFinal Fantasy 14collaboration is undoubtedly one of the best crossovers the franchise has ever seen from a pure gameplay standpoint. Even without the gripping story or gameplay mechanics of TheWitcher 4’s crossover, the Behemoth fight is leagues more engaging than the Ancient Leshen. Forcing players to use MMO-style team-based tactics to take aggro while avoiding certain AoE attacks using the environment, the questline wasn’t for the faint of heart.
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Monster Hunter Wilds has received a lot of criticism for how easy it is, but after Iceborne’s controversy, it may never be that difficult.
Thankfully, the rewards ofFF14’s crossover were more than worth the effort, asthe dragoon armor is one of the coolest-looking sets in the game by far, especially when combined with its gorgeous dragon-summoning Insect Glaive. On top of the armor, completing the quest offers a leaping emote that provides a small period of invulnerability when successfully timed, alongside an adorably themed Poogie outfit and an equally cute moogle skin for your Palico.
The rewards ofFF14’s crossover were more than worth the effort.
Aside from the Behemoth event quest itself,the collaboration included a new storyline with several cutscenes that start by chasing down a Kulu Ya Ku who stole an Aetherite Crystal that crashed into your dimension, while coming across Cactaurs that act as natural traps in the environment. While there may be some wait before a large-scale crossover like this makes its way toWilds, rumors of another follow-up event withFinal Fantasycould be a great sign of what’s to come for the future ofMonster Hunter Wildsand its crossover events.
