I’ve had a weird history with Monster Hunter, much to the chagrin of one of my best friends (its his favorite series, and he has tried countless times to get me to love it as much as he does). I bought 3 Ultimate and bounced off of it after only about fifteen hours. I bought 4 Ultimate and liked it, then took a long break, then came back and loved it even more. I bought Generations and hated it, bought World and didn’t like it much, and then felt the same about Rise. But, then I came back to Generations Ultimate and loved it, re-visited World and now it might be my favorite in the series, and am currently re-visiting Rise!
One thing I’ve never disliked, however, is the monsters themselves (well, there’s a few who suck, but I digress). The monsters are the stars of the series, and alongside their soundtracks (seriously, Monster Hunter has some of the best music in gaming) each battle is sure to carve a place into your mind for all time. Let’s take a look at my ten favorites! Since Monster Hunter music is just in a class of its own, I’ll also include links to each battle theme!
Let’s get into it!
10) Lao Shan Lung (THEME)
Not a lot of people are big fans of this fight, but I guess that it’s just par for the course that I would be a fan! Maybe it’s because he’s the first Siege Monster that I ever battled, or maybe it’s because I value consistency in my fights over unpredictability. It could also be because difficulty (or lack thereof) never bothers me, as Lao Shan Lung is extremely easy to best. Still, there’s something undeniably fun about pelting this beast with cannons, ballistae, and giant spears, all in a desperate bid to stop him from reaching the wall of a great city. He’s almost entirely unphased by you for the whole fight, which really makes it feel like an ant-versus-human situation!
9) Shara Ishvalda (THEME)
A lot of the super-big endgame bosses in Monster Hunter tend to toe the line of being unfair, but Shara Ishvalda here ends up being both challenging and fair! You slowly figure out its moveset across two distinct phases that ease you into the showdown, but by the end you’re narrowly avoiding screen-wide blasts and slipping between the beasts thrashing limbs to land the finishing blow. The fact that you can mount it is hilarious, and the ways in which it uniquely utilizes the sandy environment are tons of fun to play around in. It’s the perfect balance for a final boss, far friendly to players than the overtuned behemoths that would follow in the post-game content.
8) Seltas Queen (THEME)
Seltas Queen isn’t the only duo fight in the series, but the way in which her unique ecology plays into her battle is something really special. See, she commands complete control over the much smaller beetle-sized creatures known as Seltas, and they fight alongside her. But, when she’s backed into a corner, the Seltas effectively conjoins with her top shell, and the two fight as one crazy creature! She flips, she flies, she rips up the earth…she does it all. She’ll even kill and eat the Seltas if she’s low on health, and just summon another drone to her side with pheromones to replace him! It’s a symbiotic (though I feel bad for the lowly Seltas) relationship that isn’t portrayed too often in the series, and makes Seltas Queen memorable despite her status as an otherwise non-plot-relevant monster.
7) Nakarkos (THEME)
The first of two endgame bosses in Generations Ultimate, and a really ‘out-there’ idea. I’m not sure who was clever enough to think of the idea of a Skeleton Squid, but I’m glad that that person did! Nakarkos fights with two tentacles covered entirely in bones and blue goop, and those tentacles can attach to the bones of other monsters in the series to use those monster’s iconic attacks. Then, in the second half, the squid portion emerges from the field of bones, attempting to eat the hunter, spray toxic mist, and at its most desperate, launch one of the craziest-looking beam attacks in the entire series at you. It’s a thrilling bout that can last awhile, but it’s fun the entire time. I’m especially fond of the inclusion of a few ballistae around the arena for some ranged shenanigans.
6) Great Jaggi (THEME)
I’ve talked about Great Jaggi before, so I won’t ramble on for too long. He’s the tutorial monster for 3 Ultimate, which was my entry into the series. Monster Hunter is notoriously difficult to get into, as it plays so differently to any other action game you’ve probably tried before. My fight with Great Jaggi was miserable, and took over thirty minutes, but when after that bad experience I felt the sliver of pride and accomplishment upon slaying him that Monster Hunter is known for inspiring in its players. As my skill improved, so did my efficiency at taking down Great Jaggi, and so did my love for him. Like the first Dark Souls boss that teaches you to ‘Get Good‘, Great Jaggi helped me to become the hunter I am today, and he’s still my favorite raptor-like monster in the franchise because of it.
5) Ahtal Ka (THEME)
The second of two endgame bosses in Generations Ultimate, and a really ‘out-there’ idea (huh, I’m sensing a pattern with these two). While the majority of Monster Hunter titles end with a larger-than-life beast of epic proportions (and usually a dragon), this game instead opts for a regal looking queen praying mantis monster. It’s a striking design, but even more impressive than that is her use of a spider-like appendage that she utilizes to string up the debris in the environment. She flings steel girders at you, fires with the same spears you usually impale monsters with, and rides around the arena on a giant wheel while lacing the battlefield with stringy tripwires. It’s nuts, and unlike anything else in the series.
Oh, and she also weaves together a giant dragon mech that shoots lasers, so I guess it isn’t too far from a typical final boss at times!
4) Gore Magala (THEME)
You know, just about three years ago, the second article I ever wrote for The Contrarian Corner was on Gore Magala, so for long-time readers it shouldn’t be a surprise to see him show up here! He’s the main villain of 4 Ultimate, and one of my favorite creature antagonists of all time. What really sells this confrontation is the gradual build-up. He ambushes you on your boat during a thunderstorm, you drive him off later when he attacks your friends, and then finally you corner him for a true fight to the finish. And it’s a tough fight too, given his multitude of attacks and unique blight that encourages reckless attacking to fight off its ill effects. A very memorable theme song too.
It’s good that he dies after this fight though. Imagine if he didn’t…
3) Yian Garuga (THEME)
This is another somewhat controversial take, as a lot of hardcore Monster Hunter fans tend to find the Yian Garuga extremely difficult and/or annoying. And those fans are totally correct. He is every single one of those things, and I love him for it.
I’ve mentioned this in the past on this blog, but my brain always tends to remember moments in video games that were hard or annoying with a certain degree of fondness AFTER I’ve conquered them. Particularly when repeat visits don’t present the same level of challenge due to my increased skill. I feel that same way about Yian Garuga. He’s a menace, but he’s my menace. He knocked my block off in my first fight, and now I can do the same to him with ease. With his psychotic movements, unpredictable attacks, and stressful theme music, ever bout with this beastie is a memorable one.
2) Shagaru Magala (THEME)
Obviously, if Gore Magala was going to show up on this list, then it’s stronger mature form, Shagaru Magala, was going to too. And while these fights have a lot of similarities, there’s enough to set them apart that it begets splitting him up into two entries on this list.
The mere shock value of seeing Gore Magala fake his death after your previous fight and then molt into this new form is amazing. What’s more amazing is the cinematic set-up for the final battle, as you and he prowl around each other in the scenic, climactic Sanctuary arena. And what’s even more amazing than that is the battle itself. Mixing old moves with new moves, and layering the arena with purple explosions of frenzy, Shagaru Magala puts up one heck of a final bout. Its theme song is one of the best in the series too. Recently, Shagaru has even returned in Rise with brand new threatening moves, like the one pictured below. I’m happy to see a monster I adore keep getting love!
1) Astalos (THEME)
From a storytelling perspective, Shagaru/Gore is my favorite monster in the series. Potentially even in terms of the fight itself. But a close second in the fight category is Astalos, and because of a few other factors, I’m giving the overall top nod to him.
The fight is a lot of fun, for sure. Astalos is one of the ‘Fated Four‘ in Generations Ultimate, and I think he leaves a really good impression as a crazed lightning wielding fanatical wyvern. He’s like a strange dragon and bug hybrid, and his various tail stings, electrified flips, and electro-shot attacks will you leave paralyzed on the floor if you aren’t careful. Tricky, for sure, but not unduly so. A very good balance of difficulty, and the fight is topped off with one heck of a hard-rocking guitar tune!
But, on top of that, Astalos also grants you my favorite armor set in the series. See, when you beat monsters in this series, you carve off their parts and craft new gear. Astalos’ unique set grants you a skill that buffs your damage if you attack in quick succession, a skill that speeds up your stamina recovery, and a skill that prevents you from being stunned. Of course, it just so happens that my preferred weapon is the Dual Blades, a weapon type that involves lots of fast attacks in quick succession, uses lots of stamina to dodge around and charge up, and hates being interrupted by stuns! It’s a match made in heaven, and my trusty Astalos armor carried me through the entirety of Generations Ultimate.
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 