User blog comment:BannedLagiacrus/Monster Appreciation Week: Tigerstripe Zamtrios/@comment-5020152-20160325165409

TIGERSTRIPE ZAMTRIOS (aka TIGGER)

Concept: Tigerstripe Zamtrios – otherwise known as the Tiger Shark, Big Zam, and Stupid Boy – is a genuine subspecies of the Zamtrios that lives in the desert. Of course, a Monster Hunter game isn’t complete without a desert subspecies of a cold-loving monster. As is always the case with subspecies, Tigger is tougher and much more aggressive. Better than being another genetic mutation, I suppose. I guess you can say that the Zammy finally achieved his final form. 7/10

Design: The same as the Zammy, but with a totally psychedelic color scheme! Instead of flat blue, Tigger has orangey-brown skin crisscrossed with white stripes. And when he goes into Beach Ball Mode, get an eyeful of that blinding bright blue belly! It’s not all blue, though – there’s a huge stripe of yellow and orange running down the middle. It reminds me of Nibelsnarf, actually, and works just as well as the blue-and-grey theme does for the other Zamtrios. Tigger should have been officially named the Tie-Dye Zamtrios. 10/10

Sound: The same as the Zammy. The music that plays in the Dunes is a surprisingly good fit for Tigger. 8/10

Gameplay: As if the Zammy wasn’t dynamic enough, now we’ve got a more aggressive Zammy that can inflate himself literally whenever he wants to. How cool is that?! Tigerstripe Zamtrios might not have an Icy Rage Mode, but he spends the entire course of the fight switching in and out of Beach Ball Mode. Of course, this also means that Tigger has some pretty deadly new attacks. When he first inflates himself, he bounces high into the air to crush anything that’s underneath him, and he can also combine his rolling and hopping attacks whichever way he wants. He can roll sideways as well as forward, and if he gets tired of Beach Ball Mode, he opens his mouth and lets loose with a Hydro Pump that has enough power to demolish anything in its path. To make matters worse, Tigger doesn’t even have to rest after doing that – he can get right back up and finish you off while you’re still recovering. I’ve already praised the regular Zamtrios for being dynamic, so I have a good reason to call Tigerstripe Zamtrios my favorite subspecies in 4 Ultimate. I really don’t like his Paralysis balls, though. 9/10

New Stuff: N/A

Equipment: Tigerstripe Zamtrios weapons aren’t directly upgraded from normal Zammy weapons, but instead branch off from that path. They are, to put it bluntly, top-notch Paralysis weapons, coming toe-to-toe with Najarala’s gear in terms of paralyzing potential. The armor? Eh… it’s alright, although you definitely don’t want to pick a fight with Seregios until you get rid of that Double Bleeding skill. 7/10

Cutscene: N/A

Summary: Tigger is undoubtedly the best subspecies in 4 Ultimate, sporting new abilities and a different environmental setting than the regular Zammy. This monster is, impossibly, even more dynamic than his icy cousin, sacrificing his Icy Rage Mode for the ability to inflate and deflate at will. With the battle constantly seesawing between fighting a foe you’re familiar with and fighting one that constantly steamrolls you, Tigerstripe Zamtrios offers what is probably one of the most fun experiences in the entire game. Overall 8/10