Monster Hunter Rise is an action RPG built around a repeating hunt-and-craft loop: prepare for a large monster, fight it, gather its parts, then use those materials to make stronger weapons and armor. Its 14 weapon classes, Wirebug movement, and Palico and Palamute companions shape how each hunt plays. Sunbreak is a separate paid expansion that adds Master Rank progression, new monsters and locales, and more hunting actions.
How Monster Hunter Rise works
Each hunt feeds the next. You choose equipment and a weapon, track down and fight a target, then collect materials that can be used to craft or improve gear. Stronger equipment helps you take on tougher hunts. The loop is the heart of the game: preparation matters, but learning a monster’s behavior and creating openings during the fight matter just as much.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Monster Hunter Rise - Nintendo Switch Standard Edition | $21.78 | Buy on Amazon |
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Monster Hunter Rise Deluxe Edition - Nintendo Switch Deluxe Edition | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Monster Hunter Rise - Nintendo Switch (Renewed) | $27.94 | Buy on Amazon |
Gear is more than defense
Weapons differ in their reach, attack type, mobility, defensive options, and the demands they place on the player. Armor contributes defense and elemental resistance, and its skills can influence how a build performs. Weapon sharpness also matters: Capcom’s Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak Official Web Manual says that greater sharpness increases damage, while a dull weapon is more likely to bounce off a target.
Watch the monster, not just your weapon
A monster’s state changes the risk of attacking. Capcom’s manual explains that tired monsters move sluggishly, strike less ferociously, and become more susceptible to traps. Enraged monsters, by contrast, move faster and are more dangerous. Recognizing those shifts helps you decide when to press an attack and when to play defensively.
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- The debut of the new “wirebug” mechanic allows for wire-based grappling actions that can be used to scale cliffs and other hard-to-reach areas, providing new traversal and aerial attack options.
- The game will introduce magnamalo, a menacing new flagship monster, as well as other new monsters like the shape-shifting aknosom, the amphibious tetranadon, and more.
- New hunting partners called palamutes can be personalized and used to ride across the terrain, providing players with all-new traveling and attack options.
- In addition to the plethora of solo and multiplayer quests, the immersive story mode will task aspiring hunters with discovering the secrets behind the puzzling “rampage” events that threaten kamura village.
- Play solo, or join up to three other hunters in local or online co-op play. The Nintendo Switch system also allows for hunting anywhere, anytime and with anyone!
The 14 weapon classes
Capcom groups the 14 weapons into 11 Blademaster classes and three Gunner classes. The categories indicate a broad melee-versus-ranged distinction, but they do not tell you which weapon will feel best: tempo, reach, defense, and complexity all affect the fit.
| Class | Weapon classes |
|---|---|
| Blademaster (11) | Great Sword; Long Sword; Sword & Shield; Dual Blades; Gunlance; Lance; Hammer; Hunting Horn; Switch Axe; Charge Blade; Insect Glaive |
| Gunner (3) | Light Bowgun; Heavy Bowgun; Bow |
Choose by the kind of fight you want
- Prefer close-range combat? Start by trying a Blademaster weapon. These make direct weapon-to-monster contact central to the hunt, and sharpness is one of the considerations to manage.
- Prefer attacking from range? Try a Gunner weapon. Bow and the two bowguns are the ranged classes listed in Capcom’s manual.
- Want to protect your position? Compare weapons by their defensive options as well as damage. The roster includes varied approaches, so do not assume every class asks you to evade or attack in the same way.
- Want a simpler starting point? Test a weapon whose pace and handling make sense to you before worrying about an ideal build. There is no universally best first weapon; the right choice depends on preferred range, tempo, defense, and complexity.
Wirebugs, hunting actions, and companions
Rise’s movement and companion systems are part of its core design rather than side activities. Capcom’s official manual covers Wirebug actions, Switch Skills, and Wyvern Riding alongside the weapon and monster systems. Together, these give the game additional movement and combat options to learn as you progress. The manual is the right reference for their specific controls and rules, which can depend on the action being used.
Palicoes and Palamutes
Palicoes and Palamutes are the game’s two companion types. A new character receives one Palico and one Palamute, according to Capcom’s manual. They accompany the player as part of Rise’s buddy system; their presence is separate from the choice of one of the 14 weapon classes.
Followers
Followers are another system covered in the official manual. They are distinct from Palicoes and Palamutes, so look for the relevant in-game guidance when deciding which support options are available for a particular hunt.
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- The debut of the new “wirebug” mechanic allows for wire-based grappling actions that can be used to scale cliffs and other hard-to-reach areas, providing new traversal and aerial attack options.
- The game will introduce magnamalo, a menacing new flagship monster, as well as other new monsters like the shape-shifting aknosom, the amphibious tetranadon, and more.
- New hunting partners called palamutes can be personalized and used to ride across the terrain, providing players with all-new traveling and attack options.
- In addition to the plethora of solo and multiplayer quests, the immersive story mode will task aspiring hunters with discovering the secrets behind the puzzling “rampage” events that threaten kamura village
- Play solo, or join up to three other hunters in local or online co-op play. The Nintendo Switch system also allows for hunting anywhere, anytime and with anyone!
What Sunbreak adds
Sunbreak is the paid expansion for Monster Hunter Rise, not a standalone replacement for the base game. It adds a higher-difficulty Master Rank progression tier, new locales, monsters, and hunting actions. Base Rise’s story progression reaches High Rank; Master Rank is part of Sunbreak.
The expansion launched on Nintendo Switch and PC on June 30, 2022, then on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on April 28, 2023. These are launch-platform and date details, not a guarantee of current regional storefront availability or a particular bundle listing.
Expansion roster and updates
The Monster Hunter Wiki’s expansion reference lists 15 additional large monsters in Sunbreak’s post-launch roster (accessed 2026). That figure describes the additional large monsters in that reference’s post-launch roster, not the total number of monsters in Rise and Sunbreak combined.
Sunbreak has remained commercially significant: Capcom reported on June 4, 2025, that Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak had sold over 10 million cumulative units globally. This is a cumulative worldwide sales figure reported by Capcom, not a current count for any one platform or region.
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- The debut of the new “wirebug” mechanic allows for wire-based grappling actions that can be used to scale cliffs and other hard-to-reach areas, providing new traversal and aerial attack options.
- The game will introduce magnamalo, a menacing new flagship monster, as well as other new monsters like the shape-shifting aknosom, the amphibious tetranadon, and more.
- New hunting partners called palamutes can be personalized and used to ride across the terrain, providing players with all-new traveling and attack options.
- In addition to the plethora of solo and multiplayer quests, the immersive story mode will task aspiring hunters with discovering the secrets behind the puzzling “rampage” events that threaten kamura village.
- Play solo, or join up to three other hunters in local or online co-op play. The Nintendo Switch system also allows for hunting anywhere, anytime and with anyone!
Should you buy Rise or the Sunbreak bundle?
If you want the base game’s hunt-and-craft progression, Monster Hunter Rise is the relevant starting point. If you already know you want the expansion’s Master Rank tier and additional content, look for a platform-compatible Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak bundle or buy the base game and expansion separately. Sunbreak requires the base game; buying the expansion alone does not replace it.
Storefront packaging and availability can vary by platform and region, so check the listing for your system and confirm whether it includes the base game before purchasing. Prices and live inventory are not established here.
Platforms and edition details
The confirmed platform information here is the expansion’s release history: Nintendo Switch and PC received Sunbreak on June 30, 2022, while PlayStation 4/5 and Xbox One/Series received it on April 28, 2023. Because store pages and editions can change, use the platform’s current listing to confirm whether the base game, expansion, or combined package is offered in your region.
Quick Recap
Quick answers for new hunters
- What kind of game is Rise? An action RPG in which you hunt large monsters, gather their parts, and craft stronger gear.
- How many weapons are there? Fourteen classes: 11 Blademaster and three Gunner weapons.
- What does Sunbreak do? It adds Master Rank progression, new locales, monsters, and hunting actions, and requires the base game.
- What should I learn first? Pick a weapon whose range and pace appeal to you, then learn to read whether your target is tired or enraged before committing to attacks.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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