Monster Rancher
From Freepedia
Monster Rancher (Japanese: モンスターファーム Monster Farm) is a video game series by Tecmo. Starting in 1997, there have been several sequels produced. There was also a tie-in anime made.
According to the story, the world of Monster Rancher was once a highly advanced technology oriented civilization. The people of this society were especially skilled at genetic engineering. Using gene manipulation, they were able to develop special designer pets and store their genetic information on stone tablets known as "disks", similar to CDs. Using these disks, the artificial animals could be regenerated at special shrines.
However, war broke out between the countries of the civilization The pets were modified into biological weapons, and the war of the monsters began. The great civilizations totally annihilated each other, leaving nothing but relics behind, and much of the world's technology was lost.
Centuries later, as humanity was just beginning to rediscover basic technology, people found the artifacts owned by the so-called "Ancients" and attributed divine properties to them. They also discovered the lost disks and shrines. Using these, monsters were again born.
Thus started a popular new sport, Monster Breeding. Breeders raised monsters for battle to compete in nation-wide tournaments to see who could raise the strongest beast.
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Games
It is often compared to the Pokémon series, although the two games play much differently (Monster Rancher was made first). While the Pokémon games are traditionally collection-based RPGs, Monster Rancher games tend to be simulated animal breeding games. The genre Monster Rancher occupies is shared by other simulation virtual pet games, predominantly video games based on raising horses for racing.
In the games, one takes the role of a Monster Breeder whose goal is to raise monsters to fight in tournaments.
The Breeder than raises the monster, training it, keeping it healthy, making an exercise schedule, and trying to maximize it's abilities before it dies of old age (usually in about 3 years of simulated game time).
Although not widely popular, the games do have a loyal cult following. Particularly for the most innovative aspect of the series: monsters from the game can be generated by inserting any CD or DVD into the game system. The monster that is produced is sometimes based on the information on the CD making a predetermined choice. Or it can be specialized so that specific DVDs and CDs will produce rare monsters. For instance, there is an owl monster than can only be generated by a Harry Potter DVD. And in one game, Mariah Carey's Christmas album will generate a special Christmas-themed monster.
Game Releases
PlayStation
- Monster Rancher
- Monster Rancher 2
- Monster Rancher Hop-A-Bout
- Monster Rancher Battle Cards: Episode II
Game Boy Color
- Monster Rancher Battle Card Game
- Monster Rancher Explorer
PlayStation 2
- Monster Rancher 3
- Monster Rancher 4
- Monster Rancher 5: Circus Caravan (Q4 release in Japan)
Game Boy Advance
- Monster Rancher Advance
- Monster Rancher Advance 2
Nintendo DS
- Monster Rancher Jamboree
Anime
- Main article: Monster Rancher (television)
Monster Rancher was an anime series broadcast in the US on Fox and the Sci-fi Channel. It featured characters and themes from the Monster Rancher games.
Monsters
- Main article: Monster Rancher monsters
Trivia
Categories: Computer and video game franchises | Computer and video role-playing games | Monster Rancher
