PixlBit

Even though the game releases today, Luke can't wait for the game to be delivered to his house.

Ever since it's reveal, I've been impatiently waiting for the Wii release of Monster Hunter Tri. I've always adored the Monster Hunter series due to the co-operative nature of the game. There's nothing greater that taking down the biggest foes in the game with your friends. This allowed you to develop various strategies, as aimlessly mashing the attack button to annihilate everything was not a valid strategy. You have to know how to exploit enemies weaknesses, when to dodge, and when to retreat and recover when you're badly hurt. Finally, I've enjoyed the scavenger aspects where you have to hunt monsters in order to harvest components to make a variety of things, from simple potions and food, to more complex things such as armor and weapons.

While I greatly enjoy the series I do have to admit, that I wasn't fond of the PSP releases. The controls weren't the greatest, primarily due to the analog nub, which over long periods of time was extremely awkward and painful. The "claw" technique (awkwardly positioning your hand to control both the D-Pad and Analog Nub simultaneously) was the only way to effectively move your character and manipulate the camera.

Though the controls were a major issue for me, the solitary nature of the PSP releases was a larger one. In order to play with people over the internet, tunneling software is required, an irritating step to get to the main purpose of the game. While in Japan, many players own PSPs and the full collection of Monster Hunter games, here in America, not many are into the series. My local friends are among this crowd, preventing me from enjoying the excellent multiplayer experiences that the series is known for.

With the Wii release, many of my gripes have been addressed. I will be able to comfortably control the game with either a Classic Controller or Classic Controller Pro. No more claw! Furthermore, being that the game offers four player online multiplayer, my issues of solidarity will also be a thing of the past. Even better, Capcom has managed to skirt the Wii Friend Code issue and promised an easier system to add your friends and find them while they're playing online. I am also happy to see that Capcom made the North American and European versions better by implementing the underused Wii Speak accessory and eliminating the monthly online fee (every Monster Hunter game which featured online play in Japan had a monthly fee).

As you might imagine, being a Monster Hunter fan, I'm extremely excited so hop online and play with friends. Capcom's new online quests also have me excited as it gives me a reason to continue playing online, and keeps the experience fresh. Finally, Tri's new underwater levels and underwater enemies have me quite excited, as it's new ground for the series.

Thankfully, the game has released today, so no longer do I have to wait in agony for one of my most anticipated Wii games of the year.

Look for my review of Monster Hunter Tri and the Classic Controller Pro soon!