Shiren the Wanderer

Shiren the Wanderer[1] is a video game series of roguelike and role-playing games developed by Spike Chunsoft (formerly Chunsoft). Unlike licensed crossovers within the Mystery Dungeon franchise, this series features original characters; including the eponymous rōnin protagonist Shiren and his traveling companion and talking weasel Koppa, with a plot and the location set generally in feudal Japan, and though indicative of the core games, which is navigating through a randomly generated dungeon using turn-based moves. As of March 2022, there have been multiple games across Nintendo and Sony platforms, mobile devices, Windows, and Steam, as well as few other medias released throughout the years.

Shiren the Wanderer
Genre(s)Role-playing, Roguelike
Developer(s)Spike Chunsoft (formerly Chunsoft)
Publisher(s)
Creator(s)Koichi Nakamura
Artist(s)Kaoru Hasegawa
Writer(s)Shin-ichiro Tomie
Masato Kato
Composer(s)Koichi Sugiyama
Hayato Matsuo
Platform(s)
First releaseMystery Dungeon 2: Shiren the Wanderer
December 1, 1995
Latest releaseShiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate
March 29, 2022
Parent seriesMystery Dungeon
Spin-offsShiren Monsters

These games are based on procedural generated dungeons ("mystery dungeons"), which are dungeons with unique corridors and rooms for each floors every time the player enters in one. In dungeons, they have to fight monsters while collecting items to survive throughout the adventure, whether to protect against stronger foes, avoid unseen traps and hazards, or avoid starving, with the goal of exiting the dungeon after a fixed number of floors.

Gameplay
See also: Mystery Dungeon § Gameplay

Most Mystery Dungeon games center around exploring a dungeon with randomly generated layouts and fights. These are in a turn-based manner, where the player's every action such as attacking or walking is met by the opponents' action.[2] Chunsoft described the gameplay as being like chess.[2] Escape from the dungeon is allowed in certain places or using certain items. In most games from this series, when the player loses the game by fainting, they loses everything and has to start from scratch.[3][4] Features distinct to the Shiren the Wanderer series include the "Melding Jar" which allows players to synthesize items and weapons into more powerful ones.[5]

A unique gameplay element that first appeared in Shiren the Wanderer GB2: Magic Castle of the Desert and later in the Mystery Dungeon series and its crossovers is rescuing other players via passwords. They went with the idea of player sharing passwords instead of using the Game Boy's Game Link Cable in order to help others, as there were not many owners of the cable.[6] This idea was expanded in Shiren the Wanderer Gaiden: Asuka the Swordswoman with the addition of online support. Within the online support, players received new dungeons, called either "Weekly Dungeon"; a dungeon that can be played online on a weekly basis, or "Challenge Dungeon"; a more difficult dungeon where useful items appeared rarely. Another gameplay that was introduced in this series was the ability to collect monsters in dungeons via an item in Shiren the Wanderer 2: Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion, along with a place to let the player see their collection.[7] It was later reused in the franchise, notably in Dragon Quest: Young Yangus and the Mysterious Dungeon,[8] and the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series minus the use of an item.

Koichi Nakamura explained that the appeal of the Mystery Dungeon series is that every game is different and that players skills are constantly being challenged, which helps the player feel deeply involved.[9] Seiichiro Nagahata, who supervised and planned the development of the Nintendo DS version of Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer, explained that the Mystery Dungeon series is all about "tension" and "reasoning".[10]

Development

Before the series' creation, the Mystery Dungeon franchise had only one game known as Torneko's Great Adventure: Mystery Dungeon in 1993. It was Chunsoft's first try on bringing the roguelike genre to home console after Sega's attempt, of which the latter was met with little success.[11]

History

The company wanted to work on the new features and gameplay mechanics featured in NetHack, a variant of Rogue, with one of them being able to steal items from a shopkeeper. However, it was not possible to convert the new content from NetHack with characters from the Dragon Quest series; one case was with Torneko, who is himself a merchant in the series.[12] The scenarios present throughout the series were written so they would not interfere too much into its core genre; its story length is noticeably smaller than the other crossovers, but also intriguing for each title as they are mixed with the genre's difficulty.[13] Two years after the release of Torneko's Great Adventure, Mystery Dungeon 2: Shiren the Wanderer was released as the company's second work for the Mystery Dungeon series, with a new world setting and unique characters.[12]

Although the first game was not as popular as its predecessor, the company kept working on it later on. Many titles from this series were developed simultaneously throughout the years, where one title was focused on creating original features in its gameplay for home console, while the other was remaining basic, respecting the "traditional dungeon types" for which they were forced to due to the limitations of handheld console; Mystery Dungeon 2: Shiren the Wanderer on Super Famicom and Shiren the Wanderer GB: Monster of Moonlight Village on Game Boy, and Shiren the Wanderer 2: Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion on Nintendo 64 and Shiren the Wanderer GB2: Magic Castle of the Desert on Game Boy Color.[14] Shiren the Wanderer 4: The Eye of God and the Devil's Navel and Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate were also developed simultaneously, albeit both of them were released on Nintendo DS in 2010 and exclusively in Japan.[15] Other contributors outside of the company have participated in the series, such as Akiman for the Nintendo DS release of the first game, who he himself requested to Nakamura to do some artworks for the characters, of which one of his arts was featured in the Japanese's box art.[6]

Even if the series has not received a brand new title since 2010, there have been numerous indications of potential returning of the series in recent years. In 2018, Mitsutoshi Sakurai, Spike Chunsoft's current president, answered for potential ports of the series in the future, although it will be a challenge as employees said it will not be a success.[16] In 2020, Tomie has left a secret message in the Nintendo Switch and Steam ports of The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate, indicating he is still able to work on the next games if there are enough voices from the fans to green-lit a new Mystery Dungeon game within the company.[17][18]

Music
A photograph of Koichi Sugiyama.
Koichi Sugiyama was one of the composers for the series.

The soundtracks were composed by late Dragon Quest composer Koichi Sugiyama, and Hayato Matsuo for this series.[19][20] Sugiyama made use of East Asian elements for the series, compared to his more European-styled Dragon Quest compositions, using instruments such as a shakuhachi flute.[21] This theme would remain for the series' next titles. Hayato Matsuo later became the main composer for the series, starting in the Game Boy Color release of Magic Castle of the Desert in 2001. Sugiyama has asked Matsuo not to have his music arranged too much; he had to modify them enough to differ his scores with Sugiyama's for the series. Occasionally, Sugiyama has returned exclusively for contributing a main theme and some battle themes.[22]

Design

New titles are released with unique gameplay for each one, with Seiichiro Nagahata balancing the core games based on how players and employees would complete a dungeon.[6]

Shin-ichiro Tomie, the series' scenarist and sometimes director until the spin-off game Shiren Monsters: Netsal,[23][24] has suggested to set the series's story in feudal Japan, compared to the previous Mystery Dungeon title.[25] Character designer Kaoru Hasegawa later took part during the production of Mystery Dungeon 2: Shiren the Wanderer after his first contribution in Chunsoft's Kamaitachi no Yoru as an artist. In an interview with the company, they wanted someone who could work on the then sequel to Torneko's Great Adventure, but he was not familiar with the title, nor the roguelike genre at the time of the interview. After being interested in the genre by playing through the game and being employed in the company, he was able work in the game, with respecting the theme Tomie imposed to the game instead of a western art style, like Akira Toriyama's Dragon Quest characters. Many drafts were made for the silent protagonist of the eponymous game, and its mascot monster the Mamel, but most of them were lost.[26] Since then, he has contributed to the series as a character designer, occasionally as an art director like in Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion.[27]

By the Wii release of Shiren the Wanderer, the lead scenarist was replaced by Masato Kato,[28] as Tomie was working on the other branches of the Mystery Dungeon series, most notably in the Pokémon branch.

Games
Release timeline
Mainline series in green
Spin-offs in yellow
1995Mystery Dungeon 2: Shiren the Wanderer
1996BS Shiren the Wanderer: Save Surala
Shiren the Wanderer GB: Monster of Moonlight Village
1997–1999
2000Shiren the Wanderer 2: Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion
2001Shiren the Wanderer GB2: Magic Castle of the Desert
2002Shiren the Wanderer Gaiden: Asuka the Swordswoman
2003
2004Shiren Monsters: Netsal
2005–2007
2008Shiren the Wanderer
2009
2010Shiren the Wanderer 4: The Eye of God and the Devil's Navel
Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate
2011–2012
2013Shiren the Wanderer: Princess Suzune and the Tower of Slumber
2014–2023
2024Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island
Main article: List of Shiren the Wanderer video games

The games are primarily developed and published by Spike Chunsoft, formerly Chunsoft before the merging in 2012. There are exceptions where a few games were developed or published by other companies, whether in Japan or in the west. Across the series, including spin-offs and excluding remakes and ports throughout the years, there have been 12 games released in total, with The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island being the most recent mainline game that will be released in 2024. Prior to that game, the series was dormant with The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate, released in 2010, which was the last mainline game for fourteen years straight.[29]

As this series remained in Japan for a long time,[30] it was only in 2008 that it got its first release outside of Japan with the Nintendo DS release of Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer, published by Sega.[31] Back then, and even today, there have been fan translations of this series in many languages, including English, such as the fan translation of Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion, completed exactly 21 years after its initial release.[32]

The series had its first spin-off game in 2004, titled Shiren Monsters: Netsal. It is only one game based on its monsters.[33] Its gameplay was notably changed to the sport genre, specifically towards association football, compared to the mainline's roguelike genre. Another game for the series was released for pachinko machines in 2013, titled Shiren the Wanderer: Princess Suzune and the Tower of Slumber.

Plot
Fictional chronology
in Shiren the Wanderer
Ordered by Shiren's age

While the series does not have an exact year of when it occurs, there exists a timeline for the eponymous protagonist, but also his friend Asuka. Canonically, Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion is the earliest point of the story, where Shiren began his adventure with Koppa when he was a child, and goes up to The Sleeping Princess and the Karakuri Mansion, where he learns about his descendants and his family at 21.[34] Throughout the series, beings known as the Eight Rivanian Beast Gods observe, if not obstruct Shiren during his adventures.

Other media

The Shiren the Wanderer story has been adapted to other media over time. One such example is Shiren the Wanderer: Flowers Dancing in the Golden Town Amteca, a novella adaptation published in December 2004. It is set in the timeline of the original game titled Mystery Dungeon 2: Shiren the Wanderer and features new characters.[35]

Reception

Although it has less popularity than the franchise's other crossovers, notably the Pokémon crossover, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, of which led to confusion onto the series' origins,[6][2][36] there exist a moderate fanbase of the series with a majority located in Japan. It has been both praised and criticized for its difficulty, and generally noted for the uneven quality of the randomly generated levels, or "floors", the games produce, which led to generally favorable ratings in Japan and throughout the world.[3] Famitsu awarded a 36/40 to Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion and a 38/40 to the original release of Magic Castle of the Desert, the highest score the publication had given to a Game Boy Color game.[37][38] The series, along with its main protagonist Shiren, appeared in video games that were developed or published by Spike Chunsoft, with games like Crypt of the NecroDancer, Terraria, or 428: Shibuya Scramble.[39][40] Passionate fans of the Shiren the Wanderer series are also commonly called "Shi-Ranger" in Japan.[41]

As of 2022, the series has sold over two million copies, with all versions of Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer and The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate leading among other titles.[a]

Notes

^[a] 0.52 million copies sold from the Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer titles,[42][43][44] 0.1 million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer: Monster of Moonlight Village titles,[42] 0.28 million copies sold from Shiren the Wanderer 2: Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion,[45] 0.28 million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer: Magic Castle of the Desert titles,[45][46] 0.05 million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer Gaiden: Asuka the Swordswoman titles,[47] 0.03 million copies sold from Shiren Monsters: Netsal,[48] 0.14 million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer 3: The Sleeping Princess and the Karakuri Mansion titles,[46][49] 0.11 million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer 4: The Eye of God and the Devil's Navel titles,[50][51] 0.5 million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate titles.[52]

References
  1. Japanese: 風来(ふうらい)のシレン, Hepburn: Fūrai no Shiren
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  12. =すべては『ドアドア』から始まった――チュンソフト30周年のすべてを中村光一氏と振り返るロングインタビュー【前編】 (in Japanese). Famitsu. June 8, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
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  18. Tomie: ...! Hey! Did you just push the switch on my back!? You're supposed to read the item description before you use it! Every wanderer knows that! It clearly says "DO NOT PUSH"! Geez, how did you make it this far? ...Well, might as well say my piece since you're here. My name is Tomie. I'm an old hand at Spike Chunsoft. So old that I'm nearly retirement age. Shiren the Wanderer, Banshee's Last Cry... I've seen some titles in my day. We devs got along good over the years. Old, young, age doesn't matter... They work us to the bone, all the same. Hasegawa... You may not know the name, but you know his art. His version of Shiren is iconic! And Nagahata, he's the only know who knows what to tweak under the hood to keep the game balanced. Then there's me, worrying about making a new Shiren the Wanderer. I gotta consider the budget and the needs of the company. Can we do it? More importantly, should we do it? I'm too wishy-washy to take the first step. If only... If only someone gave me a push. ...? Wait, didn't somebody just do exactly that? Ah, I'm going senile... Can you give me one more push? ...No? You can't? In that case... Can you make your voice heard? If all the Shiren fans across the world speak out, surely someone will hear... Who knows, your voices might make it all the way to the people in charge. Wouldn't be the first time our overlords got fired up over fan demand. Anyway, if a sequel gets green-lit, you can bet I'll give it my all. The series has a reputation to live up to. And the fans expect nothing less than the best! I won't let them down. Ah, this is all hypothetical, of course. But it's nice to think about, isn't it? Until we meet again, I'll be here, dreaming... Of a new Shiren the Wanderer title. - F A R E W E L L - (Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate)
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  26. 『風来のシレン』の制作陣が語る！ 新世代ローグライクゲーム『世紀末デイズ』の魅力とは. Famitsu (in Japanese). July 9, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
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