Lets learn a little about MH4U

Lets start with one of the top rated main series games so far, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite:

Freedom Unite on the PSP/Vita (IOS)

Small: 23

Large: 58

Total: 81

Weapons:

Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, Great Sword, Long Sword, Hammer,
Hunting Horn, Lance, Gunlance, Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, Bow



3 Ultimate on WiiU/3DS

Small: 22

Large: 51

Total: 73

Weapons:

Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, Great Sword, Long Sword,
Hammer, Hunting Horn, Lance, Gunlance, Switch Axe,
Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, Bow

(note: Tri excluded DB/HH/GL/B/ and had l,m,h BG)



MH4 on 3DS in Japan only

Small: 20

Large: 52

Total: 72

Weapons:

Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, Great Sword, Long Sword,
Hammer, Hunting Horn, Lance, Gunlance, Switch Axe,
Insect Glaive, Charge Blade, Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, Bow

83 returning monsters are in the game; 23 Small monsters and 60 Large Monsters.
■Returning 1st Generation monsters are:
Apceros, Aptonoth, Basarios, Cephadrome, Cephalos, Diablos, Black Diablos, Felyne, Gendrome, Genprey, Gravios, Black Gravios, Gypceros, Purple Gypceros, Iodrome, Ioprey, Kelbi, Khezu, Red Khezu, Fatalis, Crimson Fatalis, Kirin, Melynx, Monoblos, Rathalos, Azure Rathalos, Silver Rathalos, Rathian, Pink Rathian, Gold Rathian, Velocidrome, Velociprey, Yian Garuga, Yian Kut-Ku, and Blue Yian Kut-Ku.
■Returning 2nd Generation monsters are:
Akantor, Chameleos, Conga, Congalala, Emerald Congalala, Daimyo Hermitaur, Plum Daimyo Hermitaur, Hermitaur, Kushala Daora, Rusted Kushala Daora, Popo, Rajang, Remobra, Teostra, Tigrex, and Ukanlos.
■Returning 3rd Generation monsters are:
Altaroth, Bnahabra, Brachydios, Brute Tigrex, Delex, Deviljho, Savage Deviljho, Gargwa, Great Jaggi, Jaggi, Jaggia, Lagombi, Rhenoplos, Slagtoth, Zinogre, and Stygian Zinogre.

4new monster (for the west all together.

■4th Generation monsters are:
Basarios Subspecies, Dara Amadyura, Daren Mohran, Gore Magala, Kecha Wacha, Kirin Subspecies, Konchu, Najarala, Nerscylla, Seltas, Seltas Queen, Shagaru Magara, Tetsucabra, Tigrex Rare Species, Zamite, and Zamtrios.

■9 New Subspecies for old monsters: Dara Amadyura Subspecies, Kecha Wacha Subspecies, Nerscylla Subspecies, Seltas Queen Subspecies, Seltas Subspecies, Tetsucabra Subspecies, Tidal Najarala, and Tigerstripe Zamtrios.
■1 New Flying Wyvern: Seregios.
■1 New Elder Dragon: Gogumajiosu.
#'s 96/97
Nuclear Brachydios, Chaos Magala

Ancestral Steppe, Primeval Forest, Sunken Hollow, Frozen Seaway, Underground Volcano, Heavenly Mountain, Tower Top, Great Desert, Forbidden Grounds, Lava Island, Thousand Blade Mountain, Arena, 3D Arena, Old Desert

Unknown Great Forest (we will take a closer look at this one on it's own)

Capcom has stated that even though they have added a huge ammount of weapons and armors into MH4U they wanted to make the playability of Monster Hunter continue as well as the challenge continue long after you have collected everything. To do this they have added the Unknown Great Forest.

The Unknown Great Forest is basically 4's equivelant of 3's Moga Woods however it will have a huge change over anything seen in MH games before it to include the reward and Mining equipment, known as "Excavation Gear".

Unlike all other areas in the Monster Hunter series, the layout of the Unknown Great Forest is randomized, with the monsters, items, and terrain changing each time it is entered. You can save a particularly favorite map to play over and over again and share with others via streetpass and in Multiplayer session. Also each time the same map is beaten the level of difficulty as well as the rewards found within will increase in rarity.

Excavation Gear:

Armors can be from any monster from any game and will appear differently than their original design. The skills, slots, and defence will also be randomized (within peramiters).

This may mean you will end up with 3 Lagi Blademaster chests all different colors and all with different ammounts of slots and different skills. One may be really good and better than any of the actual pieces you had made from a quest monster while the others you may just want to sell off.


Trading:

In 4U there is an exstinsive trading system based on where you are at in the game.

The Wyverian Wholesaler can exchange monster materials that the players currently own for materials of monsters which are not available to be hunted in the game. These materials can be used to build various equipment from these monsters and may have improvements since their last game debut. In order to unlock the option to trade for these materials, certain conditions must be met in the form of completing Quests in the game.


Example: once you have cleared the correct 7:star: Guild quest you can trade a "Rajang's Tenacity" for a "Gaoren Thoracic"