

Previous titles in the series on PSP and 3DS consoles only allowed local area connections, although online play was possible by linking through a PS3 or Wii U console. Monster Hunter 4 is the first Monster Hunter game appearing on a handheld to feature fully integrated online multiplayer. Multiple base camps unlock as the player progresses, creating the largest cast of NPCs of any Monster Hunter game to date.

The game's director, Kaname Fujioka, stated that Monster Hunter 4 has a larger focus on adventure and story progression than previous Monster Hunter titles. Underwater battling-a feature in Monster Hunter 3-has been removed. Several editors have happily carried monster loads in the Longbed. Two new weapons have been added: the Insect Glaive and the Charge Axe. The monsters are terrain-aware and use the environment to their advantage. Walls can now be climbed more fluidly and in any direction, and for the first time players can grab on to monsters and attack them, as well as attack while in midair. Monster Hunter 4 is different from its predecessors in its strong emphasis on three-dimensional movement.
