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Developed by Studio Aurum and published by Soedesco, Monster Crown is a Mons game created in Unity as a loving tribute to fans of the genre of games from the early days of gaming. Though based primarily in Pokémon-like gameplay and design, the game also harkens to tons of other monster-collecting titles as well. And there are an absolute ton of monsters to capture, particularly because players can combine the abilities/types/appearances of two different creatures to produce a wide assortment of hybrids.

After a successful crowdfunding campaign through Kickstarter, the game was released in Early Access on July 31, 2020, with the full release on October 12, 2021.

It also has a comic, which can be bought here.


Monster Crown contains examples of the following tropes:

  • Beef Gate: The player is rarely blocked out of anywhere by plot, but trying to explore can easily lead to encountering Mons far above your current average level with no warning.
  • Big Damn Heroes: At the end of the David route, just when it seems like Beth can't be stopped by either you or David, Aber appears and delivers a killing blow to Beth, a combination attack of both a gunshot and his companion Owmbra..
  • Body Horror:
    • The Laz are the result of Apos dying and being revived by zombifying fungus. Their bodies are stuck in a state of decay, and they don't eat, drink, or even breathe. Even more so if you decide to breed them; their offspring all become increasingly overtaken by parasitic fungi.
    • If a player attempts to use a Super-Gro on a Laz hybrid, then the game will warn you that it's a bad idea due to the monster's unstable genes. Proceeding anyway will transform it into a tiny, helpless, unhappy Spore.
    • Vivisek. These mangled monsters were created by Surgus, the resident Mad Doctor monster, created from humans and/or monsters. They eternally wander the halls of their creation, moaning in pain.
    • And then there's the Transformation Horror undergone by Beth, and in one ending, the player.
  • Cheat Code: There are a few "genetic" codes, learned from developer updates or found hidden in the game, that you can input before breeding monsters to get access to unique types.
  • Chest Monster: A variation. Harveskin, which were added during October, like to disguise themselves as healing Punkins before attacking unsuspecting Tamers. A similar species that copies scrolls is encountered on the post-game island.
  • Darker and Edgier: Though inspired by more child-friendly games, a player can expect to encounter strong language, discussion of death and murder, and torture.
  • Deal with the Devil: Inverted with the Demon Pact. This blood red pact has a high rate of recruitment, and is said to bend the will of the monster to make it obey the tamer. Certain monsters can only be tamed with a Demon Pact, most notably Pursuit and Chesguard, among others.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Beth is utterly baffled by David, a fellow monster trainer that tries to help you out, and is convinced that he's being paid by some third party to do good instead of being genuinely altruistic.
  • Fake-Out Fade-Out: At the end of the Gangster route, the credits start on a black screen with the protagonist walking downwards, and slowly fades to white as they end...only to fade back to black for the Kickstarter backers and do it again.
  • Foreshadowing: In the opening monologue, just as the protagonist's father is warning them that "seeking power above all else can come at a cost none of us are prepared to pay," the scene briefly cuts to Beth, who isn't properly introduced until a fair bit later.
  • For the Evulz: This is the apparent motivation of the Epheal, as they stalk, attack, and kill any humans who dare leave the shore. Doesn't help that it's a Malicious type by default.
  • Funny Background Event: In the artwork for the official OST, a Gyn is seen curiously poking an Arakiruby's glowing behind, much to the latter's annoyance.
  • The Good, the Bad, and the Evil: The major route split is whether to ally with Ideal Hero David (Good), or Aber's gangsters (Bad). The latter is certainly not a positive force in the world, but are more realistic about creating an organization that can maintain a "peaceful" status quo, and recognizes that Beth's (Evil) tirade will topple it with disastrous consequences.
  • Guest Fighter:
    • Cosmos Vulpes from the Siralim series appears as a catchable monster, available in the Garden Sanctum. In return, Tanukrook appears in Siralim Ultimate as a monster that can be fought and summoned. The reason for this crossover is that the developers of the two games are good friends.
    • A more meta example: at least one of the monsters is confirmed to be designed by the monster designer of Telefang.
  • Harder Than Hard: The game has a built-in "Nuzlocke" as a Hard Mode, with all the typical rules that it entails.
  • Heroic Lineage: The protagonist's father is a legendary monster tamer, and friend of the current King, who could have been a ruler himself but instead heeded the Call to Agriculture.
  • Ideal Hero: David genuinely believes that a few good people willing to fight for humanity can save the world, no matter the struggle.
  • Informed Species: Playg's category is "Plague Kitten", but it looks a lot more like a mouse or a rat. Averted with its hybrid forms, which are all significantly more catlike.
  • Interface Screw: The encounters with Greed, Torture, and Worship in the Post-End Game Content intentionally distort the screen, with the latter having it even persist in battle.
  • Joke Character: There are four monsters that stand out for being deliberately weak. However, all of them can be bred to be given better stats and moves, thus making them Lethal Joke Characters:
    • Hood is a Gonky little pink thing that's described as having a very low IQ; however, it has the ability to perform powerful healing miracles, despite having nothing in the way of self defense. Indeed, Hood's stats are absolutely pathetic, with its highest stat, Resistance, being a whopping base 0.70. It only learns two moves: Grand Heal, which drastically lowers the user's HP in exchange for fully healing the opponent's team, and Replenish (which it doesn't get until level 100), an Awesome, yet Impractical healing move that requires max Synergy to use. Interestingly, its alternate forms look a lot more aesthetically appealing than base Hood.
    • Spores are tiny balls of, well, spores that can only be obtained by using a Super-Gro on a Laz that has been bred to have a different appearance. While the transformation screen will claim that its power is immense, it is a lie; all of their base stats will be set to a pitiful 0.10. Also doubles as Video Game Cruelty Punishment, since the game warns you that using the Super-Gro on Laz variants is a bad idea due to their unstable genes. It also has only one other variant that can be obtained via breeding: Brute Spores have angry eyebrows. That's the only difference between them and the other Spores.
    • Kiryin, the ancestor of the Kiry healing monsters found in towns. Unlike the other examples, it has fairly solid base stats; however, it only learns a whopping one move naturally: Grand Heal. As mentioned above, it cuts the users health by 90% in order to heal the foe's team. No wonder you don't see any Kiry being used for anything other than healing...
    • Malloom, another post game boss. It's basically just a bloody rubber ducky, learns a single move naturally, and has low base stats; none of them exceed 1.70. It also has no alternate variants whatsoever, which has been confirmed to be a deliberate move by the developers.note 
  • Killer Rabbit: Just like its inspirations, a lot of monsters are cute but have deadly, terrifying powers. Easily the biggest (literally) example is this game's version of Lucifer. It's a brutal bonus boss that's absolutely titanic in size... yet it looks like a giant plush toy.
  • Mad Doctor: Surgus, a mad surgeon monster who lives in Torture's castle. While its exact procedures are unknown, if Vivisek is any indication then they're not pretty. Not to mention the fact that it lives in the embodiment of Cold-Blooded Torture's castle. According to its notebook entry, it was a victim of torture itself and exists to spread it.
  • The Man Behind the Man: In the main ending of both routes, it's learned that one of the Philosopher Kings, Worship, was communicating with Beth and promising her their power if she took the throne. This can be properly dealt with in the Post-End Game Content.
  • Multiple Endings:
  • No Mouth:
    • A number of monsters, such as Shoreyu and its forms (except for Malicious), have no visible mouth, though this can be averted if the player breeds a specific type variant of them. If the player wants, they can breed moves like Huge Bite onto them as well for some Fridge Logic.
    • Epheal is a notable subversion. Most of its forms, both base and frostbitten, have no visible mouth on their sprites. According to the lead developer, Epheal does have a mouth, but it's described as similar to an Orca's; normally not visible and with More Teeth than the Osmond Family.
  • "Not So Different" Remark: In the Gangster route, David uses the actual words "not so different" when comparing them with Beth, stating that the latter wants to ruin lives and control the world with raw power while Aber plans to do so with lies.
  • Protagonist Journey to Villain: By the end of the Gangster route, the protagonist is undergoing Transformation Horror of their own, and kills both Beth and Aber to gain power. It can be either averted or taken a step even farther in the Post-End Game Content, as you can either let Worship go and become a benevolent King despite your earlier choice, or choose to "Take the Throne" by killing Worship and absorbing their "Father's" power, turning the protagonist into a massive, reality-distorting demon.
  • Really Royalty Reveal: In the David route, it's learned after beating the Final Boss that Aber, leader of the Gangsters, is King Mau's presumed-dead brother.
  • Retraux:
    • The game is specifically designed to mimic a Pokémon game's aesthetic, but it specifically goes for a look and sound similar to the Generation III games on the Game Boy Advance.
    • Some monsters (such as Laz) go further than that in design, with sprites looking similar to the kind of style the first color game of the series, Pokémon Yellow (black outlines or forms coupled with white and limited colors).
  • Satan: Subverted with Lucifer. It's titanic in size, but it seems to live up to its name's original meaning of "light bringer". Aside from looking like a giant plushie, it gives away Dream Eggs containing Olympus Mons to those it chooses, with those people usually being heroic. The player can track it down and fight it in the post game, and if they win Lucifer will give them another Dream Egg.
  • Scunthorpe Problem: Shadrache's old name, Shagrun, activated the Nintendo Switch's censorsnote , causing it to display as "***run" in-game. With the Dark Dragon being renamed to Shadrache in version 1.051, this is no longer the case.
  • Seeks Another's Resurrection: The True Final Boss's motivation; they needed to cultivate a powerful soul like Beth or the protagonist in order to bring their "Father" back into the world. After being defeated, they then try to sacrifice their own soul, but the protagonist can stop them.
  • Series Mascot: The Laz, an animal carcass infected by a fungus. It has a lot of variations, such as a brute covered in a shell, a brute where the fungus has seemingly torn its host apart, and a "normal" variation when the fungus is killed off. A large portion of the community (including devs) worships the monster's family as the "Laz Legion."
  • Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids!: While Beth cannot comprehend the fact that David is genuine, the Gangsters just think that he's naïve.
  • Social Darwinist: Beth, the leader of a gang encountered early into the game, is fully convinced that wealth and power are the only things that matter, even openly insulting her underlings for accepting her payments.
  • The Svengali: The True Final Boss Worship is revealed to be one, as it admits they manipulated Beth into obtaining power because they planned to sacrifice a powerful soul to revive their "Father".
  • This Is Unforgivable!: At the end of the Gangster route, after the player kills both Aber and Beth, David vows that not even death will stop him from hunting you down and punishing you for your actions.
  • Transformation Horror: By the end of the game, regardless of the route, Beth's lust for power has corrupted her into a sharp-fanged monster, and she is fought directly instead of her relying on a Mon. And in the Gangster route, the player gains similar horns and claws as they murder Beth and Aber.
  • Video Game Randomizer: Patch 1.0.39 added the ability to randomize the game to various degrees. These options include randomizing the starters and wild encounters, as well as the monsters' types and palettes.
  • Was It All a Lie?: If the player takes the Gangster route, David wonders what happened to the person that once fought by his side, and asks if you were just using him in order to gain power.
  • Zero-Effort Boss: Kiryin is probably the easiest boss monster to catch, even if you're severely underlevelled. All you need to do is guard on the first turn, have Kiryin use Grand Heal to restore your team's HP and cut its own HP to 10%, and then use a normal pact. Boom, Kiryin will join your team.

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