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Monster Rancher has gotten a bad name in recent years due to the substandard games that have been produced in the series. Ask virtually any fan which was their favorite game, and the most common answer you would get would be "Monster Rancher 2". Well, the good news is that Monster Rancher DS plays very much like Monster Rancher 2, and this is a very good thing.

For those new to the franchise, Monster Rancher can be thought of as a cross between Pokemon and a virtual pet. Through various methods, you generate a monster and take it to your ranch where you have to carefully choose how to train it, what to feed it, and when to let it rest. In return, you can battle the monster in tournaments for money, fame, rare items, and the ability to unlock newer, more powerful monsters.

One thing lacking from previous games in the franchise was combining monsters to get a hybrid that combined the appearance of both base monsters. Lately, these monsters were simple recolorings of the base monster (as seen in the Monster Rancher Advance games), or where removed entirely (Monster Rancher 3). Combining makes a triumphant return in Monster Rancher DS, with not only different skins for the hybrid monsters, but new models as well.

All of the tournament styles we've come to know and love are included, from elimination to round robin, as are the more difficult training options that increase/decrease multiple stats at once. A new method of learning moves, called "Drills" creates an interactive board-game like experience instead of simply watching your monster succeed/fail in successive stages of errantry.

The monster list is a mixed bag, however. While we see the return of some "forgotten favorites" such as Monol and Centaur, others like Dino/Zuum are nowhere to be seen. Why the series insists on never having a "complete" monster list in a single game is perplexing, as the Pokemon games now have hundreds upon hundreds of monsters that can all be obtained in every game.

The lack of some classic monsters and more popular newer monsters, along with the somewhat random nature of what Main/Subtype combinations are allowed is the only thing that holds me back from a full 5 star review. Don't get me wrong, there are over 270 different monster combinations in this game, but it doesn't quite live up to Monster Rancher 2's "Everything combines with everything else" mantra, even if it does get almost everything else that made MR 2 great.

Its one of the best Monster Rancher games in the franchise, beaten out only by Monster Rancher 2. A must have for any Monster Rancher fan, and an excellent place to get into the series for new players.

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The Monster Rancher series has translated very well over to the DS system, bringing back many fond memories of the early titles. While it does not quite live up to Monster Rancher 2, and certain elements that were "improved upon" should have been left alone (the new exploring format doesn't quite work as well as in earlier games, for example), there is no doubt that anyone looking to relive the classic Monster Rancher experience will find it here. The new monster creation techniques are very fun to play with, the monsters have retained their capability for individual "personalities" I have one monster that is a spoiled brat no matter what, just like in the old games , and the battle system works very well. Unlike some port-type games (Kingdom Hearts comes to mind) everything on the screen is easy to read and the controls are not too cramped on the touchpad.

I would have preferred to give this four and a half stars for minor things, such as some of the smaller monsters looking very pixelated in battle scenes and how occasionally battles seem to drag on with nothing happening if both sides only have high-energy attacks. Some of the sound ballancing is very poor with monsters being VERY loud for the soundtrack, and it is occasionally frustrating to draw very different things in the generator and get the same monster. I would not say that any of these things take away from a very good game, however, and as a parent who played the originals for years I am happy I got to introduce my child to the series with this title.

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I never played the PlayStation versions, only Monster Rancher Advance and Monster Rancher Advance 2. I think this is a good next step from those versions, while preserving the feel of the franchise. The graphics are improved, and the fact that the models are other than just a change in color is a real plus, although a few of the models are quite ugly. I do not like the -ish monsters; they are useful for combining, but I wouldn't play them because they don't have faces! I was disappointed that they removed the Zuums, as they were one of my favorites to play.

I like the drills, which are a change from MRA trials. With good luck, you can raise your monster parameters pretty high in just one drill. I think the the errantry is a little bit of an improvement over the exploration, although tapping on the screen can be frustrating when he won't seem to listen. I found a lot of items when I was looking for the unlockable monsters, and they are good to sell if you don't want to use them.

To begin with, you get two ways of generating monsters, and I used both to get a good base of monsters. Later you get a third method of generating monsters. My favorite way to fill out the encyclopedia was by combining monsters. It is such an fun interface, and there is an improvement of how many monsters you can freeze at a time, so I could regenerate and combine to my heart's content.

Unlike the other versions, getting enough money to upgrade was not a problem. Some people might find that this lowers the challenge. I liked it because I was able to accommodate the bigger monsters much quicker.

This is an enjoyable little game with lots of neat-looking monsters to play. If you liked the Monster Rancher Advance games, this has a number of improvements. I am glad that I bought it!

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I was excited about this game. When I was much younger, I liked the Monster Rancher games for the PS1. However, thinking back on it, my favorite part was raiding the house for CDs to scan and to try and make a new cool monster from. The monster creation part on the DS is not nearly as satisfying. The gameplay was more dull and repetitive than I remember. Perhaps my nostalgia had just made the game more exciting in my mind, I don't know. Either way, I was disappointed, and I feel like there are more games out there now that have similar mechanics and are more fun.

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I love this game!

I've been playing Monster Rancher games since 2 was hot on the market, and this one is right up there with favorites. The concept of "drawing" your monster leads to hours of entertainment, and it's both easy and fun enough for kids and adults to understand.

It may seem really easy, but you'll be playing this game for weeks trying to collect every sub-type and get them all up to S-class. Plus the sidequests, errantries, and drills have gotten a revamp to make this even more fun!

I'd recommend this for any kid who likes the idea of monster raising :3