Koei Tecmo has announced that Monster Rancher will release on Nintendo Switch, news that was revealed in the most recent Weekly Famitsu magazine.
First released for the original PlayStation way back in 1997, Monster Rancher – or Monster Farm as it is called in Japan – sees you play as a monster breeder who must raise monsters to fight in tournaments.
The game is remembered for the unique way in which players could unlock new monsters, through inserting any CD into the console. This would generate a random monster that, too, would have random statistics, breed, and traits.
That isn’t possible with this Nintendo Switch port, of course, which, as RPG Site reports, will now see you connect to an online database from which you can choose from a list of music CDs.
You will also have the chance to download monsters that have been raised by other players, and, handing a Joy-Con to another player, you can participate in local matches.
Monster Rancher will release on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android in Japan in 2019.
