Review: Monster Hunter 3 (Ramen)

by Andrew Yoon { Sep 17th 2009 at 12:15PM }

No, this is not a hands-on preview of the upcoming US release of Monster Hunter 3. (You'll have to wait until next year for that!) Nor is this a review of the Japanese release. (You can, instead, read our hands-on preview from TGS.) This is the next best thing: a review of the limited edition Monster Hunter 3 ramen -- or "hunta-men" as the packaging states.

Available for 200 yen (about $2.20), this packaged instant ramen is surprisingly good, featuring a hearty meaty taste and slight spicy kick. There are even dried meat pieces floating in the soup. While it may actually be beef, we're going to pretend it's dragon meat, because that's what a real monster hunter would eat, right?

Some may be put off by Monster Hunter 3's controls, as players are required to open not one, but two packages of soup base. One includes the dry ingredients, while the other includes an oily liquid base that adds the delicious kick to the noodles. Successfully preparing the ramen will also require patience: getting the noodles to a firm state will require at least five minutes of waiting. This certainly isn't as pick-up-and-eat as other portable instant ramen noodles.

It's too bad that Capcom has no plans on bringing Monster Hunter 3 ramen to the states, as we're sure American gamers will eat it up. It's a good ramen, with a surprisingly bold flavor and terrific graphics.

Joystiq Score: 8/10

Tags: capcom, monster-hunter, monster-hunter-3, monster-hunter-tri, ramen

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Sean @ Sep 17th 2009 12:18PM

$2 for ramen? It's $2 for a pack of 6 at Shaws...

MystileArmor @ Sep 17th 2009 12:31PM

But it's not monster ramen... you gotta have monster ramen.
I bet you drink knockoff Dr. Pepper too, don't you?

Nikonov @ Sep 17th 2009 12:37PM

Mm... Dr. B.

Matt @ Sep 17th 2009 12:55PM

Yep, Doctor Bold!, Citrus Sling, Mountain Lightning...the good stuff.

dark_inchworm (stronger than never, ever before) @ Sep 17th 2009 1:52PM

Mountain Lightning is terrible.

NukeAssault @ Sep 17th 2009 2:33PM

Mr. Pibb is where its at!

time @ Sep 17th 2009 3:42PM

while dr. pepper is unbeatable, mr pibb is quality shit.

hector88 @ Sep 17th 2009 12:22PM

In the process of locating an import copy now!

Phenylketonurics @ Sep 17th 2009 12:48PM

I hope it's not region-encoded, oh man.

cylet @ Sep 17th 2009 12:24PM

mmm yummy

JeezWhiz87 @ Sep 17th 2009 1:24PM

I believe it's: Mmmmm.... Tastey!

Phil @ Sep 17th 2009 12:24PM

Did they add cat hair to it for that true Monster Hunter experience?

rTwelve @ Sep 17th 2009 12:25PM

Holy crap! Joystiq used a number in their review!

snowleopard233 @ Sep 17th 2009 12:32PM

Yeah, I’m a little disappointed. It’s hard to accurately measure the subtleties of instant ramen with a number scale. I could just go to meta-ramen if I wanted percentages and digits. Is this what you call, journalism, joystig? For shame.

mkrajew @ Sep 17th 2009 12:27PM

This post is awesome! But you missed something:
"will require at least five minutes of waiting"
should be
"will require at least five minutes of loading time"

BunnySlapper @ Sep 17th 2009 12:56PM

Joystiq should instead just berate the consumer and tell them to go make a sandwich while they wait.

Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Sep 17th 2009 12:32PM

Oh ramen. How would I have survived without you in college?

snowleopard233 @ Sep 17th 2009 12:34PM

By eating your roommates’ care packages?

What? Nobody else did that? Come on!

Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Sep 17th 2009 12:45PM

Looks delicious!

I still remember the first time I ever had ramen noodies. They were chicken flavor. It was one of the greatest tastes I'd ever tasted.

Mmm Mmm Good.

Marco @ Sep 17th 2009 3:03PM

If you combine this and some fruit I think you get a boost against cold!

Geist @ Sep 17th 2009 1:00PM

Joystiq is biased towards cup ramen, when clearly the ramen you boil in a pot has much better features.

Jeff @ Sep 17th 2009 1:21PM

A meaty taste and a spicy kick - a one-two punch of flavor!

charlie b. @ Sep 17th 2009 1:23PM

did anyone else invest in the Collector's Edition?
that bonus packet of seasoning salt was not worth the extra $1.

JeezWhiz87 @ Sep 17th 2009 1:25PM

That's not beef, it's Aptonoth.

Orion @ Sep 17th 2009 1:41PM

Your tongue can't repel flavor of that magnitude!

Chase-kun @ Sep 17th 2009 1:43PM

If i ate this I would have to do the pose and state that my attack rose and my health increased. I really wish this came to the US

Ipsum @ Sep 17th 2009 3:23PM

I'm curious as to how those peripherals will work with this game. They seem like they would be difficult to use and would not provide me with maximum taste-age. Also, they're sticks.

Ipsum @ Sep 17th 2009 3:43PM

Pretend "game" isn't in there.

JBGUY2K @ Sep 17th 2009 3:30PM

I still think that Capcom should have gone for a Vitamin Water + MH combo. Considering they could easily rename some of their current drinks to go with the in-game drinks.

If they did that, I would be ALL over it.

S. Tiger @ Sep 17th 2009 3:44PM

No, see, instead of Hot Drink, you now eat Hot Food to stay warm.

jdbriseno @ Sep 17th 2009 4:49PM

I'm going to order one of these, and when I finish it, I'll stand up and flex.

Then promptly get mowed down by a charging Bullfango. FUCK

SoshiKitai @ Sep 17th 2009 5:28PM

Was this made out of monsters as well?
How much missions did they have to go through just to get the amount of claws needed to make this?

killdash9 @ Sep 17th 2009 6:13PM

The Taiwanese brands of ramen I typically eat all have 2 packets inside, one being the oil-based flavoring and the other being the dry (including the dehydrated vegetables). They also do cost more than the Nissin and Maruchan packs you find in American supermarkets, at 45 to 65 cents a pack. Two hundred yen seems a bit much, though, even if it is bowl ramen. Must be that fine dragon meat.