Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX announced for Switch, PC, and iOS

Due out on December 9 in Japan.

Koei Tecmo has announced Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX for Switch, PC (Steam), and iOS. It will launch on December 9 worldwide. The iOS version was not announced for Japan.

In Japan, Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX will cost 3,520 yen via download. A Monster Rancher 25th Anniversary Box edition will also be available for 15,070 yen, which includes a copy of the game (PC version includes a Steam key), gold Mocchi metal figure with numbered metal pedastal, Monster Rancher and Monster Rancher 2 soundtrack CDs, Monster Rancher art book, “Tecmo Player’s Mag (TPM) Vol. 2021” booklet, Monster Rancher 2 secret CD, and Mocchi-themed backpack. Pre-orders are available here.

Both Monster Rancher and Monster Rancher 2 are currently already available individually for Switch via Nintendo eShop in Japan, as well as iOS and Android.

The differences between the new collection and already released digital versions are as follows:

Save Data Slots – All the save data slots that were sold individually for the currently available digital versions (one slot for 120 yen, 12 slots for 980 yen) are available from the start in both Monster Rancher and Monster Rancher 2.
More Freeze Slots – Increased the number of Freeze slots to store monster data from 10 to 20 in both Monster Rancher and Monster Rancher 2.
Original Sounds Added – “Original Background Music” has been added to the “Sound” options in Monster Rancher 2.
Training Memo – Added a feature to check the training record in both Monster Rancher and Monster Rancher 2.
Monsters from the Western Release – Monsters from the western release have been added in Monster Rancher 2.
High-Speed Mode – Enjoy the game at high-speed in both Monster Rancher and Monster Rancher 2.
Random Battle Rankings – Added rankings for random battle results in both Monster Rancher and Monster Rancher 2.

Here is Koei Tecmo America and Europe’s description of the collection:

In celebration of the magical series’ 25th anniversary, Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX brings the wildly popular simulation games to modern hardware where players raise their own monsters and train them to compete against other eccentric creatures in combat and tournaments. With hundreds of different monster types, each with their own skills and abilities, every Rancher will be able to raise and train monsters that are a perfect fit for their personality and play style.
The special collection also includes content that was never originally featured in the original Western release, such as additional save slots, Freeze slots, and Monster Hall of Fame slots. New features have also been added to Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX, including a memo feature to use while raising monsters, rankings for random battles, and a high-speed mode to play through the game faster.
The Monster Rancher series originally launched with a unique feature that allowed players to use physical CDs to generate monsters in the game, with each CD having a unique ID that would spawn a different monster. This feature has been re-worked in Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX, allowing players to search a database to find their desired CD and generate a monster from its data. Enjoy searching a vast database of songs from around the world and generating monsters based off of some of your favorite music!

Watch the announcement video below. View the first screenshots at the gallery. Visit the official website here: English, Japanese.