A product of its time, Monster Rancher was a transient phenomenon in both the US and Japan during the 90s. From the first release in 1997, the series has amassed 14 video games across multiple gaming platforms and an anime that ran for two seasons.

When Koei Tecmo announced a remaster collection of Monster Rancher 1 and 2 earlier this year, my childhood self was immediately giddy while also perplexed how it would work in 2021. While the remaster offers little in terms of a visual upgrade, some quality of life changes makes this release fit in with an ever-growing market for life simulation games if you are in the market for a new one.