Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Brings More Creature-Catching To Switch In December

While Square Enix is focusing much of its efforts on Final Fantasy 16, it did have some recent news for Dragon Quest fans. The Pokemon-influenced side series is getting a Switch-exclusive comeback in the form of Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince.

At the latest Nintendo Direct, Square Enix debuted a trailer for Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince. The titular dark prince is thrown into a world of monsters, but also cursed to be unable to attack them. Saved by a monster-raising mentor, he must become a monster wrangler to survive.

In play, you can scout, capture, and train various monsters that roam the world. You can combine monsters to create new, more powerful ones. The game looks to have an open-world feel, somewhat like the more recent Switch Pokemon entries. You can also test your wits and skills against monsters in a coliseum. The trailer concludes with a glimpse of Hero from Dragon Quest IV, so the game might take place in the same universe as Chapters of the Chosen.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is the latest in the Dragon Quest Monster sub-series games. It is the first new title in seven years. The first debuted way back in 1998 on Game Boy Color. Caravan Heart was a Japan-exclusive prequel to Dragon Quest VII for the Game Boy Advance. Then there were three Dragon Quest Monster Joker games for Nintendo DS and 3DS. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince will release on December 1.