Monster Rancher
Monster Rancher, known in Japan as Monster Farm, is a 1997 life simulation role-playing video game developed and published by Tecmo for the PlayStation. It is the first game in the Monster Rancher series. A critical and commercial success, garnering praise for its unique and addictive gameplay.
Monster Rancher
- Model
- Monster Rancher.
- Date
- 1997.
- Genre
- life simulation game.
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Documentary summary
Monster Rancher, known in Japan as Monster Farm, is a 1997 life simulation role-playing video game developed and published by Tecmo for the PlayStation. It is the first game in the Monster Rancher series. A critical and commercial success, garnering praise for its unique and addictive gameplay.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q3861014
In this article
The object
The object
The registers place that work in life simulation game. This article rests on 31 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.
Key facts
Key facts
• Title — Monster Rancher • Developer — Tecmo Koei Tecmo (1+2) • Publisher — Tecmo Koei Tecmo (1+2) • Series — Monster Rancher • Released — PlayStation'AndroidNovember 28, 2019iOS'Switch'WindowsDecember 9, 2021 • Genre — Life simulation game • Modes — Single-player, multiplayer • Platforms — * PlayStation • Android • iOS • Nintendo Switch • Microsoft Windows
Gameplay
Gameplay
Although it is possible to acquire a monster in-game, the series is known for the ability to acquire new monsters using Compact Discs (CDs), including PlayStation game discs. Players can use any readable CD, and the game creates a monster using the CD's metadata. Certain CDs would result in unique monsters: for example, Tecmo's Deception: Invitation to Darkness gives the player Ardebaran, a villain from that game, and some Christmas music albums will give the player a monster of type "Santa". The Windows, Switch, and Android/iOS versions retain the basic gameplay and content of the original, but do not support CD playback; the monsters-from-CD feature is emulated by allowing players to look up CDs from a custom database. Once the player has two or more monsters in reserve, they can be combined, creating a new monster with traits of both 'parents'. There are twelve basic types of monsters that can be combined, as well as eight special types players can receive as rewards by completing tasks or inserting a CD into the PlayStation. The common types are Dinos, Golems, Suezos, Hares, Tigers, Galis, Monols, Worms, Nagas, Jells, Pixies, and Plants. The rare types are Dragons, Magics, Apes, Ghosts, Hengers, Doodles, Nyas, and Disks. Monsters can be combined to create a new monster with a main type and a sub-type which are determined randomly. The monsters can then be raised to fight other monsters. There are six stats that determine how the monster does in battle: Power fuels physical attacks, Intelligence fuels and defends against energy attacks, Life determines monster's hit points, Skill affects accuracy, Speed helps evade opponents' attacks, and Defense reduces damage received from physical attacks. Monsters train either by doing chores nearby, or can be sent to be trained by experts, where they have the chance to gain new attack techniques. It is possible to increase some of the monster's stats with food or vitamins, but vitamins comes at a price of decreasing one stat as well as shorting the life span dramatically. Currency can be used to purchase items in the game, earned by winning monster fighting tournaments. The game can end if the player runs out of currency to manage the monster. The primary way to advance through the game is through monster fighting tournaments. While in battle, each monster has attacks available to it, some moves are only available at close range, others from a distance. Players cannot control the monster directly in a fight, but can call for their monster to stay away or close in, and attack with whichever move is available at the current range.
Background
Background
Monster Rancher is described in the collections that hold this material as The recorded date of publication is 1997. It belongs to the series Monster Rancher. Recorded genres are life simulation game.
History of the object
Dated record
History of the object
The full dated record · 1 entries
1997
Monster Rancher published.
Reception
Monster Rancher was met with highly positive reviews. It holds an 86/100 score based on five reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Critics almost universally commented on its striking originality. IGN summed it up as "an incredibly original title that also happens to be a barrel of fun." Next Generation called it "an addictive yet time-consuming title that deserves to attract a whole new and greatful audience to the narrow niche of life sim gaming." The strongest praises often went to the huge variety of monsters that can be created. Ken "Sushi-X" Williams of Electronic Gaming Monthly, for instance, stated, "Not only did every CD I tried produce a unique monster, each one had different strengths and weaknesses, thus a completely different challenge each time." He and Next Generation both noted that the ability to breed monsters adds still further to the possibilities and replay value. GamePro was one of the few publications to give the game a negative review. While expressing respect for its uniqueness, the reviewer felt that the game's emphasis on thought and decision-making rather than fast button pressing make it unappealing, commenting that "the simple menu-driven gameplay, which offers just a few button presses, definitely won't jack your adrenaline." Jeff Gerstmann, reviewing the game for GameSpot, agreed that Monster Rancher would not appeal to those who crave action, but said the gameplay is hugely engrossing and addictive for the more patient gamer. One of Williams' co-reviewers, Joe Fielder, similarly described it as "a title that can devour hours almost imperceptibly." [emphasis in original] Electronic Gaming Monthly named Monster Rancher runner-up for "Most Original Game of the Year" (behind PaRappa the Rapper) at their 1997 Editors' Choice Awards. The game was a hit in Japan, with domestic sales above 500,000 units by early December 1997. At the time, GameSpot reported that it was "enjoying brisk sales" in the U.S. as well. As of 1999, the game sold 1 million units worldwide.
Primary material
Documents and archives
institutional register
- Internet Archive holdings naming Monster Rancher
General reference · Internet Archive
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3861014: Monster Rancher
General reference · Wikidata
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
References
Citations
References
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institutional register
Internet Archive holdings naming Monster RancherInternet Archive
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Monster Rancher (2001) — Open Library
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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