Although Monster Hunter 3 (tri) G is set to release on the Nintendo 3DS on December 10, since December 7, 3DS owners have had access to a downloadable demo of the title via the eShop in Japan. Players can play the demo a total of 30 times before it becomes disabled. The demo is divided into two parts—an easy quest and a hard quest. The easy quest takes place in a cold, snowy area and has the player on the hunt for a beast called Uluksus (the katakana reads “Urukususu”). The hard quest takes place in a tropical, water-laden area and has you searching for a creature called Ganototos. Each quest has a 20-minute time limit, though you can replay each of them multiple times and still not have it detract from your overall plays of the demo. Being relatively new to the Monster Hunter series, I decided to go with the easy quest to ease myself into the experience.

Working my way through the demo, it was soon apparent that this iteration of Monster Hunter is quite a pretty game. The environments are lush and detailed, and the 3D effect only adds to them, providing a better sense of depth and immersion. The character models are meticulously detailed, with much of the effort going toward the weapons and armor. Fans of the series know what to expect when it comes to these things, but it is still nice to see Capcom putting in a lot of effort to making the 3DS version the best looking Monster Hunter title to date.

The controls in tri G on the 3DS are slightly different from what users have been exposed to in past iterations. One of the main differences comes in the ability to control the camera via the touchscreen. Like the previous handheld Monster Hunter titles on the PlayStation Portable, the camera can also be controlled by the D-Pad, which works but can at times be uncomfortable. Now, with another D-Pad mapped to the right side of the touch screen, camera control is more bearable, but definitely far from perfect. Thankfully, hitting the L buttons also resets the camera behind your character, which can be a bit of a relief. Wandering around during my quest, though, I found myself fumbling with the camera, as it feels a little eccentric and unintuitive.

The game does feature a new lock-on system that can be activated by pushing the corresponding section on the touchscreen. Unfortunately, it is not like most modern lock-on features. The camera does not stay focused on the target creature, and only briefly appears every time you face the monster. While it is a bit of a step forward for the series, there is still a quite a way to go before the control scheme feels more modern.

Combat is essentially the same as in previous Monster Hunter games. In the demo version, players can choose from one of twelve character types, ranging from sword users to lance-gun hybrid users. Veterans of the series will be able to jump in easily and get straight to work. On the other hand, new players will have to put significant time and effort into the game to get used to the control scheme. Fighting monsters is also something that gamers cannot approach haphazardly. Going into the quest with not enough items or without a plan could end your quest in utter failure. Thankfully, during the demo you have access to plenty of items and preset weapon and armor layouts to help you on your way to victory. I chose the standard lance-wielding character and destroyed any small monsters I found my way to the target creature. During my first time playing through, after reaching the ice creature, Uluksus, I was defeated promptly after running out of my healing potions. Playing Monster Hunter is definitely a learning experience, as you figure out that blocking and dodging can really help you progress in the game. Each time I played, I got progressively better.

Monster Hunter is the kind of game that you either love or you despise. The same can be said about the new 3DS version. Fans of the series will likely find loads of familiar aspects, with fresh visuals enhanced by the 3D effect. Newcomers will find it difficult at first to delve into the game due to the complexity and the problems with the archaic control scheme and camera system.