Monster Strike (モンスターストライク, Monsutā Sutoraiku), often abbreviated to MS (モンスト, Monsuto), is a free mobile game for Android and iOS developed by XFLAG.
On July 10, 2022, a collaboration with the anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean was announced. The collaboration began on July 15, 2022 and ended on August 2, 2022.[1] On October 12, 2023, XFLAG announced their second collaboration with JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, particularly Stardust Crusaders. The event began on October 15, 2023 and ended on November 2, 2023.[2] On January 9, 2025, they announced their third collaboration, focusing on Golden Wind, beginning on January 11, 2025 and ending on February 2, 2025.[3]
Summary
Monster Strike was originally released in Japan on August 8, 2013. It is a physics game with gacha monster-collecting role-playing and strategy elements. By October 2018, it had surpassed Puzzle & Dragons as the highest grossing mobile app of all time, having then grossed US$7.2 billion worldwide. A North American version of the game was released in October 2014, but by August 2017 service was closed.
Gameplay
In Monster Strike, players collect monsters through various means to create teams to take on dungeons called Quests (クエスト, Kuesuto) with three of their own monsters and a fourth from another player; online and local multiplayer is also available with up to 4 players. In the quests are enemy monsters scattered across the field. Players then slingshot their own monsters into them to inflict damage. Player monsters come in two types that reflect how they interact with enemy monsters: Bounce (反射, Hansha) and Pierce (貫通, Kantsū). Each monster also has an Element (属性, Zokusei): Fire, Water, Wood, Light, and Dark. The main statistics in Monster Strike are HP, Attack (ATK), and Speed (SPD), the last of which determines how far the monster will travel across the board; there is also a Luck (
Monsters possess Abilities (アビリティ, Abiriti) that are passive that determine how the monster reacts to various stage hazards or other monsters on the board such as having an immunity to enemy Gravity Shields (重力バリア, Jūryoku Baria), Warps (ワープ, Wāpu), or Damage Walls (ダメージウォール, Damēji Wōru) or are a "Slayer" (キラー, Kirā) of a certain enemy Class or Element. Some monsters also possess Gauge Shots (ゲージショット, Gēji Shotto) that if successfully activated increase their ATK and SPD as well as activate Gauge Abilities. When hitting ally monsters on the field, it activates their Bump Combo(s) (友情コンボ, Yūjō Konbo), which can have multiple effects such as inflicting damage with homing missiles or laser beams or increasing the active monster's speed. After a certain number of turns have passed for any monster they are able to activate their Strike Shot (ストライクショット, Sutoraiku Shotto), their special move that initiates a zoom in, a voiced soundbyte, and additional effects as the monster travels across the board.
Monsters are either obtained from Quests (run by spending the player's Stamina (スタミナ, Sutamina)) or from the Hatcher (ガチャ, Gacha) by spending Orbs (オーブ, Ōbu). Monsters can also be enhanced through Evolution (進化, Shinka) and Ascension (神化, Kamika); Evolution only requires items gathered throughout the game known as Stoans (獣石, Jūseki), Sharls (獣玉, Jūgyoku), and Divine Sharls (獣神玉, Shinjūgyoku) while Ascension requires the collection of other monsters from Quests. An Evolved or Ascended monster can also undergo Transcension (獣神化, Jūshinka) through the use of Dragon Gems (獣神竜, Jūshinryū); Transcended monsters are often a combination of the Evolved and Ascended's best features and have a second tier of their Strike Shot that is stronger. Certain Transcended monsters can also undergo Transcension: Kai (獣神化・改, Jūshinka - Kai) to further boost their stats, increase their level cap from 99 to 120, and gain a Connect Skill (コネクトスキル, Konekuto Sukiru), an additional ability that only activates if certain criteria are met for the team. Both Transcension and Transcension: Kai units can be further upgraded through True Transcension (真獣神化, Shin Jūshinka) through the use of the True Divine Sharls (真獣神玉, Shin Jūshingyoku); these monsters possess Shot Skills (ショットスキル, Shotto Sukiru) which activate during the unit's turn and Assist Skills (アシストスキル, Ashisuto Sukiru) which apply to other units in the team on their turns.
All monsters can have their stats improved through the use of Ableberries (わくわくの実, Wakuwaku no Mi) which apply any number of passive abilities and stat buffs throughout the stage; monsters at the Transcension form and up can be given two Ableberries.
In addition to monsters based on mythological figures, historical figures, locations, and in some cases abstract concepts, the game also features crossover content with famous franchises, including Final Fantasy and Star Wars. Some of their anime collaborations in 2022 included Spy x Family, Detective Conan, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
Franchise
Monster Strike has also spawned its own multimedia franchise of other video games and media:
- Monster Strike Stadium, a companion app that links up to the main app for players to transfer monsters over to participate in time-attack challenges. This application is used in the Monster Strike esports competitions the Monst Grand Prix.
- Monster Strike MULTI BURST, an arcade game published with assistance from Konami. Up to four players could participate in a 2-on-2 tag team battle against each other and earn Skill Cards to use in the game. It could also connect to the mobile app to transfer over limited edition characters over. Online support ended on July 20, 2017.
- Monster Strike: The Animation, debuting on May 12, 2015, an original web anime series released on YouTube in which Monster Strike the mobile game connects to a parallel world where the various characters from the game live. Initial character designs were by Tatsuro Iwamoto, known for his art design on the Ace Attorney franchise. The third season is an anthology series of stories featuring the monsters Lucifer (otherwise known as Lucy), Pandora, Arthur, Solomon, and Noah, and their interactions with a group of ten fallen angel monsters seeking to destroy the Monster Strike universe. It is accompanied by four feature length anime films released in theaters as well as several original net anime films released on the XFLAG Anime YouTube channel which later had tie-ins with the mobile game.
- MoNSTER SONIC! (Monsoni!), a spin-off of the web anime that premiered on May 7, 2017, where the monsters live in an alternate universe where they live mundane lives but perform music together, itself a lead up to "live" hologram performances at that year's XFLAG PARK 2017 event. Subsequent XFLAG PARK and other events held by XFLAG and Mixi would continue to debut new bands to perform on stage as part of a concert series. On July 1, 2024, a Monsoni! rhythm game was released as its own mobile game.
- Monster Strike for the Nintendo 3DS, an action RPG incorporating the characters and plot of the anime's first season with the mobile game's gameplay ported over to the 3DS touchscreen.
- Monster Strike Card Game, a collectible card game featuring characters from the mobile game originally released on March 2, 2018.
- Monst Dream Company, a spin-off mobile game released on September 6, 2019. It featured characters from Monster Strike and combined elements of business simulation, dice, and resource management games. Service of the game ended on May 29, 2020.
- Monster Strike Ghost Scramble, a spin-off mobile game originally released on July 19, 2022. It is a multiplayer co-op game where players take the roles of a squad of ghost hunters, with three actively fighting ghosts on the field and a fourth operates a drone to support the other players. It incorporates characters from the original mobile app as both weapons the player wields in the same fashion as the monsters in the original game and as boss characters.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: The Animation Collaborations
Stone Ocean Collaboration
On July 10, 2022, XFLAG announced a collaboration between the anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean and their mobile game Monster Strike that began on July 15, 2022, for a limited time.[4] A special Hatcher banner was added, with the featured characters of Ermes Costello, F.F., Jolyne Cujoh, Jotaro Kujo, and Weather Report. Players who purchased a one-time special JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean collaboration starter pack between July 15 and August 2, 2022, would receive an exclusive unit of Jolyne and Jotaro together.[5] Additionally, throughout the collaboration were five Quests where players could obtain the characters Lang Rangler, Thunder McQueen, Gwess, Johngalli A., and Miraschon.
On July 14, 2022, it was announced that the character Enrico Pucci and the guardian beast Stone Free would be obtainable in the game from July 17 to August 2, 2022 by completing quests in-game. The collaboration introduced a "Dollar" currency system that could be earned from completing quests during the collaboration period. Players would then be able to use these Dollars on "G.D. St. Prison Missions" and redeem unique items from the "G.D. Store" until August 4, 2022. Completing these missions rewarded the player with a unit featuring Jolyne, Ermes, and F.F. together, as well as unlocking various stickers including Emporio Alnino, Gwess, Pi-chan, Charlotte, and Pucci. Once all missions were completed, the player was rewarded with the "Jolyne's Butterfly" medal.[6]
On July 21, 2022, XFLAG made a second update to their collaboration, announcing a new unit featuring Emporio, Weather and Narciso Anasui together that would be available from July 22 to August 2, 2022. The unit would be obtainable by spending 5 Dollars to make a phone call with your "mother" at G.D. st. Prison. Once a phone call was made, the player would have had to wait 24 hours before they were allowed to make another. Alternatively, players could spend an additional 10 Dollars to reduce the wait time. The update also introduced a system where players could earn "Ora Ora Points" as a log-in bonus, or by clearing the "Ora Ora Rush" collaboration quest. Players could then choose to spend their points on either Jotaro or Jolyne to get different rewards.[7] On July 29, 2022, the option to call the Speedwagon Foundation was added to the phone booth, which unlocked a hidden "Operation Savage Garden" boss quest against Pucci. Beating the quest rewarded the player with the "Savage Garden" medal.[8]
Stardust Crusaders Collaboration
On October 12, 2023, XFLAG announced that the collaboration with JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: The Animation would return for a limited time starting on October 15, 2023; this time focusing more on characters featured in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders.[9][10] The Hatcher featured Muhammad Avdol, Jotaro Kujo, Noriaki Kakyoin, Jean Pierre Polnareff, and Joseph Joestar. By purchasing a new one-time JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: The Animation collaboration starter pack during this event, players would receive an exclusive unit featuring Iggy, available from October 15 to November 2, 2023.[11] The collaboration also featured five new limited Quests where players could obtain Telence T. D'Arby, Pet Shop, Oingo & Boingo, Anubis, and Mariah.
The Guardian Beast Star Platinum was obtainable from October 15, and Vanilla Ice was obtainable in the game from October 17 by completing a Super Ultimate Quest. Alongside the new units from Part 3, the Hatcher for Stone Ocean was also revived, with Jolyne, Jotaro, and Weather Report receiving new Transcension: Kai forms featuring new art. All of the "Jotaro" units in the Stone Ocean Hatcher had their names retroactively changed to include "SO" in their name. There was also a minigame where players could raise Iggy's favorability by giving him coffee gum. Depending on the favorability level and the number of times he has been given coffee gum, players would receive rewards. Coffee gum could be given to Iggy up to two times per day with players receiving random items as rewards, including a unique unit featuring Jotaro and Iggy.
On October 19, 2023, it was announced that DIO would be added to the game on October 20 by completing the DIO's Mansion quest. It was also announced that Hol Horse would be added to the game, who could be bought using "JoJo Coins", which could only be earned by beating his quest and capturing Boingo with multiple players. Similar to the previous collaboration, players would also then be able to spend these coins at the shop to redeem unique items and stickers until November 5, 2023. On October 26, 2023, it was later announced that players would be able to evolve DIO into High DIO by completing the DIO's World quest. However, this quest could only be attempted during the night.
Golden Wind Collaboration
On January 9, 2025, the weekly Monster Strike News update on YouTube revealed that the collaboration would be returning for a third time lasting from January 11 to February 2, 2025, with the featured series as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind. The Hatcher this time around features Guido Mista, Bruno Bucciarati, Narancia Ghirga, Leone Abbacchio, and Giorno Giovanna. As before, a JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind Starter Pack is available as a one-time purchase, with Pannacotta Fugo as the exclusive unit available from the pack. Quests for the Golden Wind event feature Formaggio, Ghiaccio, Melone, Prosciutto & Pesci, and Illuso. The Super Ultimate Quest for the event features Risotto Nero. In the Guardian Beast Forest Quests, players are able to take on a special Black Sabbath Quest in order to obtain Gold Experience as a Guardian Beast. By clearing Passione Missions by defeating the collaboration Quests, players are able to unlock Trish Una as a unique character, as well as a Coco Jumbo medal and a Gold Experience "Good Job" sticker to use in co-op Quests.[12][13]
The Jotaro Kujo (SC), Noriaki Kakyoin, and Jean Pierre Polnareff units from the 2023 Stardust Crusaders version of the collaboration received Transcension: Kai evolutions. In addition to the Golden Wind Hatcher, Hatchers for both Stardust Crusaders and Stone Ocean are available for the duration of the collaboration event, with each event's Hatcher having boosted rates for the characters introduced in their initial runs.
Additionally, a special campaign will be run on the game's official account on X (formerly known as Twitter), where followers can enter a sweepstakes to win pins of the members of Team Bucciarati as depicted in Monster Strike by reposting specific posts for the campaign. Ten winners will receive a complete set of the pins featuring Giorno, Bucciarati, Mista, Narancia, Abbacchio, Fugo, and Trish, while an additional 500 winners will receive one pin at random.
On January 17, 2025, a Super Ultimate Quest featuring Cioccolata and Secco was added. The rewards for beating them include their unit, Good Job stickers based on Team Bucciarati, a medal of Giorno's ladybug brooch, and a Striker Card. On January 24, 2025, another Super Ultimate Quest featuring Vinegar Doppio and Diavolo was added, with a King Crimson medal as a reward.
Characters
References
- ↑ Morgan (July 10, 2022), "Stone Ocean x Monster Strike Collaboration Announced For July 15, 2022", JoJo's Bizarre Encyclopedia.
- ↑ Vish (October 12, 2023), "Stardust Crusaders x Monster Strike Collaboration Announced For October 15, 2023", JoJo's Bizarre Encyclopedia.
- ↑ Vish (January 9, 2025), "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind x Monster Strike Collaboration Announced", JoJo's Bizarre Encyclopedia.
- ↑ Stone Ocean x Monster Strike Collaboration Announced for July 15, 2022
- ↑ 【追加情報：7/28】アニメ「ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 ストーンオーシャン」とのコラボが7/15（金）正午より開催！空条徐倫、空条承太郎などのコラボキャラクターがモンストに登場！
- ↑ “Stone Ocean x Monster Strike” Collaboration Additional Information
- ↑ Anasui and Emporio Join “Stone Ocean x Monster Strike” Collaboration
- ↑ https://twitter.com/monst_mixi/status/1552851661751783424
- ↑ モンストニュース[10/12]アニメ「ジョジョの奇妙な冒険」コラボ第2弾詳細や、10周年ありがとう！10大恩返し！第9弾など、モンストの最新情報をお届けします！【モンスト公式】 (Archived)
- ↑ Stardust Crusaders x Monster Strike Collaboration Announced For October 15, 2023
- ↑ 【ジョジョの奇妙な冒険×モンスト】コラボイベント第2弾が10/15 12時より開催！
- ↑ モンストニュース[1/9]モンストの最新情報をお届けします！【モンスト公式】
- ↑ 【ジョジョの奇妙な冒険×モンスト】コラボイベント第3弾が1/11 12時より開催！
