{{nihongo foot|Shiren the Wanderer|{{ruby|風来|ふうらい}}のシレン|Fūrai no Shiren|lead=yes}} 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 January 2024, 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.

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

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/03/04/mystery-dungeon-shiren-the-wanderer-review |access-date=February 2, 2023 |title=Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer Review |author=Jack DeVries |date=March 4, 2008 |publisher=IGN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090504/http://m.ign.com/articles/2008/03/04/mystery-dungeon-shiren-the-wanderer-review |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=live}} Chunsoft described the gameplay as being like chess. 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 lose everything and have to start from scratch.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/10/shiren-the-wanderer-review|access-date=February 2, 2023|title=Shiren the Wanderer Review|author=Jack DeVries |date=February 9, 2010|publisher=IGN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809145133/http://m.ign.com/articles/2010/02/10/shiren%2Dthe%2Dwanderer%2Dreview|url-status=dead|archive-date=2017-08-09}}{{cite web |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2008/02/08/localization-mysteries-revealed-in-our-mystery-dungeon-shiren-the-wanderer-interview/ |access-date=February 2, 2023 |title=Localization mysteries revealed in our Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer interview |author=Spencer |date=February 8, 2008 |publisher=Siliconera |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706152452/http://www.siliconera.com/2008/02/08/localization-mysteries-revealed-in-our-mystery-dungeon-shiren-the-wanderer-interview/ |archive-date=2008-07-06 |url-status=live}} Features distinct to the Shiren the Wanderer series include the "Melding Jar" which allows players to synthesize items and weapons into more powerful ones.{{cite web|url=http://m.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/ds-fanboy-interview-shiren-the-wanderer/|access-date=February 2, 2023|title=DS Fanboy interview: Shiren the Wanderer|author=Eric Caoili|date=March 3, 2008|publisher=joystiq|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116042733/http://m.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/ds-fanboy-interview-shiren-the-wanderer/|archive-date=November 16, 2018|url-status=dead}}

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.{{cite magazine |last=Kohama |first=Dai |translator-last1=Kohama |translator-first1=Dai |translator-last2=Des Barres |translator-first2=Nick |publication-date=November 2007 |title=Interview with Koichi Nakamura, Director, Shiren the Wanderer 3 |magazine=play |page=98 |url=https://archive.org/details/Play_Nov_2007/page/n101/mode/2up |access-date=February 2, 2023}} This idea was expanded in Shiren the Wanderer Gaiden: Asuka the Swordswoman with the addition of online support. Within the online support, players could receive new dungeons, called either "Weekly Dungeon"; a dungeon that could 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.gpara.com:80/special/soft/shiren2/interview1.htm |script-title=ja:『風来のシレン2』で、監督を務めたチュンソフト開発者の冨江氏に直撃インタビュー！|publisher=Gpara |access-date=February 4, 2023 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050914073907/http://www.gpara.com:80/special/soft/shiren2/interview1.htm |archive-date=September 14, 2005}} It was later reused in the franchise, notably in Dragon Quest: Young Yangus and the Mysterious Dungeon,{{cite web|title=Dragon Quest Yangus: Import Playtest|url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/702/702444p1.html|author=Anoop Gantayat|work=IGN|date=April 24, 2006|access-date=February 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927153002/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/702/702444p1.html|archive-date=September 27, 2011}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/features/koichi-nakamura-interview-console-rpg |date=August 6, 2012 |title=Koichi Nakamura Interview: On the Birth of the Console RPG |first=Jeremy |last=Parish |access-date=February 2, 2023 |publisher=1UP.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512112519/http://www.1up.com/features/koichi-nakamura-interview-console-rpg |archive-date=2013-05-12 |url-status=dead}} 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".{{cite web |url=http://www.411mania.com/games/features/69860/Pokemon-Mystery-Dungeon-Developer-Interview.htm |access-date=February 2, 2023 |title=Chunsoft Developer Speaks on the newest Pokemon Adventure |author=Ramon Aranda |date=February 27, 2008 |publisher=411mania.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925090449/http://www.411mania.com/games/features/69860/Pokemon-Mystery-Dungeon-Developer-Interview.htm |archive-date=2011-09-25 |url-status=dead}}

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.{{cite web | url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/making-dragon-quest-of-roguelikes-how-niche-pc-rpg-genre-mainstream | title=Roguelikes: How a Niche PC RPG Genre Went Mainstream | author=Parish, Jeremy | date=January 17, 2019 | access-date=February 2, 2023 | work=USGamer | archive-date=February 13, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213101731/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/making-dragon-quest-of-roguelikes-how-niche-pc-rpg-genre-mainstream | url-status=dead}}

=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. This, however, 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. 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.{{cite web|url=https://seafoamgaming.com/2022/04/17/interview-with-shinichiro-tomie-from-spike-chunsoft/|title=The Meeting of Destiny: An Interview with Shinichiro Tomie from SPIKE CHUNSOFT|date=April 18, 2022|access-date=February 2, 2023|author=Seafoamgaming}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201406/08054671.html |access-date=February 2, 2023 |script-title=ja:=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】 |date=June 8, 2014 |publisher=Famitsu |language=ja}}

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/news/1999/609.html |title=Interview with Chunsoft Over Development of New N64 Action RPG! |author=Lee, WooJin |date=1999-10-04 |publisher=RPGFan |access-date=February 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224083305/http://www.rpgfan.com/news/1999/609.html |archive-date=2016-02-24 |url-status=live}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/119/G011901/20100918003/ |script-title=ja:［TGS 2010］通信プレイにも対応した「風来のシレン5」の実況イベント＆中村光一氏インタビュー |date=September 18, 2010 |publisher=4gamer |access-date=June 23, 2022}} 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.

After the release of The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate in 2010, the series entered a dormant state. Numerous indications of a potential revival of the series appeared before 2023. 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.siliconera.com/spike-chunsoft-ceo-talks-bringing-visual-novels-japanese-games-west/ |title=Spike Chunsoft CEO Talks About Bringing More Visual Novels And Japanese Games To The West |author=SATO |date=March 28, 2018 |publisher=SiliconEra |access-date=February 2, 2023}} In 2020, Shin-ichiro 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.{{cite web|url=https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20201203-144938/ |script-title=ja:『風来のシレン5plus』Nintendo Switch/Steam版には、新作を思い悩む開発者のメッセージが秘められている。とあるアイテムが示す、ファンへの願いの言葉 |website=Automation |date=December 3, 2020 |author=Keiichi, Yokoyama |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja}}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) This worked as the Switch port of The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate was well received in reception and sales, thus green-lighting the development of the sixth numbered game, Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/202309/15317102.html |script-title=ja:『風来のシレン6 とぐろ島探検録』緊急メールインタビュー。Switch版『風来のシレン5plus』の好評を受けてプロジェクト開始 |magazine=Famitsu |date=September 15, 2023 |access-date=December 26, 2023 |language=ja}}

=Music=

File:Kohichi Sugiyama 2011-06-30.jpg was one of the composers for the series.|alt=A photograph of Koichi Sugiyama.]]

The soundtracks were composed by late Dragon Quest composer Koichi Sugiyama, and Hayato Matsuo for this series.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/202012/01210384.html |script-title=ja:『不思議のダンジョン2 風来のシレン』発売25周年。『トルネコの大冒険』から進化したシステムや一新された和風の世界観が人気に【今日は何の日？】|author=カワチライター |magazine=Famitsu |date=December 1, 2020 |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja}}{{cite web |url=https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/395578.html |script-title=ja:チュンソフト、DS「風来のシレン5」発売日決定 |website=Game Watch |date=September 22, 2009 |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/mysterydungeon2/index.html |title=Mystery Dungeon 2 Shiren the Wanderer Special Arrange Version |author=Gann, Patrick |website=RPGFan |access-date=February 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826023635/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/mysterydungeon2/index.html |archive-date=2016-08-26 |url-status=live}} 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 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.

Prior to his death, Sugiyama would occasionally return to contribute only a main theme and some battle themes.{{cite web |url=http://www.vgmonline.net/hayatomatsuointerview/ |title=Hayato Matsuo Interview: Dark Orchestral Writing |author=Greening, Chris |website=VGMO |access-date=February 2, 2023 |date= January 10, 2010}} After his death in 2021, noisycroak employee Keisuke Ito took the role of main composer for the series. As he previously contributed to the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, his compositions were inspired of the previous composers, while adding his own themes as "a link between the past and the future".{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/BOOKSITO/status/1752897369052791241 |title=いとうけいすけ / Keisuke Ito on Twitter |website=Twitter |date=February 1, 2024 |access-date=April 15, 2025}}

=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. Early into the series, some content were sharing similarities with those of the Dragon Quest series, as its predecessor in the Mystery Dungeon franchise was a spin-off of the latter. Hence, data and its user interface were recycled in the first game. Gameplay was balanced with the use of sheets from Microsoft Excel by Nagahata, in order to understand data for items and monsters better in dungeons.{{cite web |url=https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/projectbook/dungeon |script-title=ja:「不思議のダンジョン」の絶妙なゲームバランスは、たった一枚のエクセルから生み出されている！？スパイク・チュンソフト中村光一氏と長畑成一郎氏が語るゲームの「編集」|website=Denfaminicogamer |date=July 3, 2016 |access-date=December 19, 2023 |author1=Hotate, Inaba |author2=TAITAI |author3=Hizume, Akiyoshi |language=ja}}

Shin-ichiro Tomie, the series' scenarist and sometimes director until the spin-off game Shiren Monsters: Netsal,{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0010/03/index.html |script-title=ja:チュンソフト開発者インタビュー |publisher=Nintendo |access-date=April 20, 2022 |language=japanese |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150805033633/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0010/02/index.html |archive-date=August 5, 2015 |url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://dengekionline.com/soft/recommend/chunsoft/index.html |script-title=ja:インタビュー『ネットサル』『HOMELAND』- 電撃オンライン |website=Dengeki Online |access-date=April 20, 2022 |language=ja}} has suggested to set the series's story in feudal Japan, compared to the previous Mystery Dungeon title.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201807/19160741.html |script-title=ja:『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 |magazine=Famitsu |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=japanese |date=July 19, 2018 |quote=長谷川いえ、最初はぜんぜん決まっていなくて、『トルネコの大冒険』に引き続き、西洋の世界観をイメージしていました。『風来のシレン』が和風になったのは、シナリオを担当していた冨江（慎一郎氏）というスタッフの提案がきっかけです。}} 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 (Banshee's Last Cry) 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; most of them were lost.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201807/19160741.html |script-title=ja:『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 |magazine=Famitsu |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |date=July 9, 2018}} 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.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201507/11083044.html |script-title=ja:『風来のシレン』20年間の貴重な資料やイラストを多数展示、長谷川薫氏によるライブペイントも |magazine=Famitsu |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |date=July 11, 2015}}

From the Wii release of Shiren the Wanderer to The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate, the lead scenarist was replaced by Masato Kato,{{cite web|last1=Ashcraft|first1=Brian|title=Final Fantasy VII Writer Sees End of The Nintendo Era|url=http://kotaku.com/5551618/final-fantasy-vii-writer-sees-end-of-the-nintendo-era|website=Kotaku|date=31 May 2010 |access-date=August 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526041846/https://kotaku.com/5551618/final-fantasy-vii-writer-sees-end-of-the-nintendo-era|archive-date=26 May 2018|url-status=live}} as Tomie was working on the other branches of the Mystery Dungeon series, most notably in the Pokémon branch, before reprising his role in The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island.{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2023-12-08/new-shiren-the-wanderer-game-director-and-project-manager-talk-about-going-back-to-basics/.205149 |title=New Shiren the Wanderer Game Director and Project Manager Talk About Going Back to Basics |website=Anime News Network |date=December 8, 2023 |author=Richard Eisenbeis |access-date=December 19, 2023}}

Games

{{VG timeline

| compressempty = yes

| subtitle = Mainline series in green
Spin-offs in yellow

| 1995 = Mystery Dungeon 2: Shiren the Wanderer

| 1996a = BS Shiren the Wanderer: Save Surala

| 1996b = Shiren the Wanderer GB: Monster of Moonlight Village

| 2000 = Shiren the Wanderer 2: Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion

| 2001 = Shiren the Wanderer GB2: Magic Castle of the Desert

| 2002 = Shiren the Wanderer Gaiden: Asuka the Swordswoman

| 2004 = Shiren Monsters: Netsal

| 2004_color = gold

| 2008 = Shiren the Wanderer

| 2010a = Shiren the Wanderer 4: The Eye of God and the Devil's Navel

| 2010b = Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate

| 2013 = Shiren the Wanderer: Princess Suzune and the Tower of Slumber

| 2013_color = gold

| 2024 = Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island

}}

{{main|List of Mystery Dungeon video games#Shiren the Wanderer series|l1=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 was 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 over thirteen years.{{cite web |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/202309/14316901.html |script-title=ja:『風来シレン6 とぐろ島探検録』1月25日に発売決定。14年ぶりに待望のナンバリングタイトルが登場。アスカらしきキャラも映像で確認【Nintendo Direct】 |date=September 14, 2023 |publisher=Famitsu |access-date=September 14, 2023 |language=ja}}

As this series remained in Japan for a long time,{{cite web |url=http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/the-nightmare-of-druaga-mysterious-dungeon/556308p1.html |publisher=GameSpy |title=The Nightmare of Druaga: Fushigino Dungeon |access-date=February 4, 2023 |author=Barnholt, Ray |date=October 11, 2004}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2008/02/08/localization-mysteries-revealed-in-our-mystery-dungeon-shiren-the-wanderer-interview/ |title=Localization mysteries revealed in our Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer interview |author=Spencer |date=February 8, 2008 |website=Siliconera |publisher=Curse, Inc. |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706152452/http://www.siliconera.com/2008/02/08/localization-mysteries-revealed-in-our-mystery-dungeon-shiren-the-wanderer-interview/ |archive-date=July 6, 2008 |url-status=live}} There have been fan translations of this series in many languages prior to that year, including English, and is still receiving them lately, such as the fan translation of Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion completed exactly 21 years after its initial release.{{cite web |url=https://primagames.com/feature/top-five-coolest-fan-translations-2021 |title=The Top Five Coolest Fan Translations of 2021 |author=White, Lucas |date=September 27, 2021 |website=Prima Games |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928034930/https://primagames.com/feature/top-five-coolest-fan-translations-2021 |archive-date=September 28, 2021 |url-status=live}}

The series had its first spin-off game in 2004, titled Shiren Monsters: Netsal. It is only one game based on its monsters.{{cite web |url=https://www.spike-chunsoft.co.jp/games/netsal/ |publisher=Spike Chunsoft |language=ja |title=NETSAL |access-date=February 2, 2023}} 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

{{sidebar

|width = auto

|titlestyle = font-size:larger

|title = Fictional chronology
in Shiren the Wanderer

|contentclass = plainlist

|contentstyle = text-align: left

|heading1 = Ordered by Shiren's age

|content1 =

{{nowrap|10 - 2: Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion}}
{{nowrap|11 - Gaiden: Asuka the Swordswoman}}
{{nowrap|18 - 1: Shiren the Wanderer}}
{{nowrap|19 - GB: Monster of Moonlight Village}}
{{nowrap|19 - 6: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island}}
{{nowrap|19 - 4: The Eye of God and the Devil's Navel}}
{{nowrap|20 - GB2: Magic Castle of the Desert}}
{{nowrap|20 - 5: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate}}
{{nowrap|21 - 3: The Sleeping Princess and the Karakuri Mansion}}

}}

While the series does not have an exact year of when it occurs, there exists a timeline for the eponymous protagonist and 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.famitsu.com/sp/100204_siren4/#column2|access-date=August 2, 2023|script-title=ja:風来のシレン4/ ファミ通.com|date=February 4, 2010|publisher=Famitsu|language=ja}} Throughout the series, beings known as the Eight Rivanian Beast Gods observe, if not obstruct Shiren during his adventures.

Characters

class="wikitable" style="text-align: centre;"
Character !1 !GB !2 !GB2 !Gaiden !3 !4 !5 !CR !6
Shiren \| {{y}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{y}}
Asuka \| {{n}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{mby}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{mby}} \|\| {{y}}
Sensei \| {{n}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{y}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{n}} \|\| {{mby}} \|\| {{n}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: centre;"

Character

!GB

!GB2

!Gaiden

!CR

Shiren

| {{y}} || {{y}} || {{y}} || {{y}} || {{n}} || {{y}} || {{y}} || {{y}} || {{y}} || {{y}}

Asuka

| {{n}} || {{n}} || {{mby}} || {{n}} || {{y}} || {{y}} || {{n}} || {{n}} || {{mby}} || {{y}}

Sensei

| {{n}} || {{n}} || {{n}} || {{n}} || {{n}} || {{y}} || {{n}} || {{n}} || {{mby}} || {{n}}

{{nihongo foot|Shiren|シレン|Shiren|lead=yes}} (VA: Shinichiro Ohta - Save Surala) is the namesake protagonist of the Shiren the Wanderer series. Though still relatively young, he has survived countless adventures. With his trademark bamboo kasa and vertical-striped cape, he is always joined by his ever-reliable partner and travel companion Koppa.

{{nihongo foot|Koppa|コッパ|Koppa|lead=yes}} (VA: Mami Matsui - Save Surala; Kumiko Watanabe - Tower of Slumber{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/hgyh7_kick/status/315157170633195520|access-date=May 4, 2025|title=ヘギー@こんにちミカン on Twitter|date=March 22, 2013|website=Twitter|language=ja}}) is a talking weasel that can understand human language. He is from a line of domesticated ferrets with the ability to speak. As years go by, his talking brethren have become increasingly rare. He is a long-time traveling companion of Shiren, and has also traveled with Asuka.

{{nihongo foot|Asuka|アスカ|Asuka|lead=yes}} (VA: Yoko Hikasa - Tower of Slumber) is a swordswoman and a close friend of Shiren and Koppa. She has her own adventure with Koppa in Asuka the Swordswoman.

{{nihongo foot|Sensei|センセー|Sensē|lead=yes}} (VA: Rikiya Koyama - Tower of Slumber) is Shiren's uncle, and the man who taught him the blade. Though he may seem like a lackadaisical ronin who only cares for good drink, he is a master swordsman that can be trusted in dire times.

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.{{cite web|url=https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/games/gsnews/0412/03/news09.html|script-title=ja:「風来のシレン」裏設定が詰め込まれた小説発売!|publisher=ITMedia|date=December 3, 2004|access-date=February 2, 2023|language=ja}}

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,{{cite web |url=https://www.gameskinny.com/p8nng/mystery-dungeon-is-a-criminally-underrated-series-and-thats-a-shame |access-date=February 5, 2023 |title=Mystery Dungeon is a Criminally Underrated Series — And That's a Shame |author=Broadwell, Josh |date=March 31, 2019 |publisher=Game Skinny}} there exist a moderate fanbase of the series with a majority located in Japan. Passionate fans of the Shiren the Wanderer series are also commonly called "Shi-Ranger" in Japan.{{cite web|url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/pokemon-mysterydungeon-gti/0/1 |title=Iwata Asks: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity: An Impossible Combination |website=Nintendo |author=Satoru Iwata |access-date=February 2, 2023 |page=2}}

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. 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.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201810/21165694.html?page=2 |script-title=ja:【GBC20周年企画(1)】覚えてる？ゲームボーイカラーのトリビア20連発！(2/2) |language=ja |date=October 21, 2018 |magazine=Famitsu |publisher=Enterbrain |access-date=February 2, 2023 |page=2}}{{cite web |url=http://www.siliconera.com/2009/12/10/an-analysis-of-top-tier-famitsu-review-scores-this-decade/ |access-date=February 2, 2023 |title=An Analysis Of Top Tier Famitsu Review Scores This Decade |author=Spencer |date=December 10, 2009 |publisher=Siliconera |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805082553/http://www.siliconera.com/2009/12/10/an-analysis-of-top-tier-famitsu-review-scores-this-decade/ |archive-date=August 5, 2011 |url-status=dead}} As of 2025, 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.{{ref|sales|[a]}}

Crossovers with this series also happened outside of the Mystery Dungeon franchise, with the eponymous protagonist appearing as himself or costumes based on him, likewise for Asuka, or monsters make their presence in games that were published by Spike Chunsoft, like Terraria and Crypt of the NecroDancer, or in their own IPs such as 428: Shibuya Scramble, and the Danganronpa and AI: The Somnium Files series.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2013/05/22/danganronpa-mascot-monobear-and-shiren-the-wanderer-make-cameo-in-indie-ps3-game/|title=Danganronpa Mascot MonoBear And Shiren The Wanderer Are In An Indie PS3 Game|publisher=Siliconera|date=May 22, 2013|access-date=February 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629093323/http://www.siliconera.com/2013/05/22/danganronpa-mascot-monobear-and-shiren-the-wanderer-make-cameo-in-indie-ps3-game/|archive-date=2015-06-29|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://app.famitsu.com/20160503_713296/|script-title=ja:モノクマやシレンも登場！ローグライク×リズムアクション『クリプト・オブ・ネクロダンサー』がスマホに|publisher=Famitsu|date=May 3, 2016|access-date=February 2, 2023|language=ja}}

Notes

{{note|sales|^[a]}} {{#expr:0.229539+0.195052+0.1 round 2}} million copies sold from the Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer titles,{{cite web |url=https://eop.hatenadiary.org/entry/20101216/p2 |script-title=ja:風来のシレン5が売れなかった理由を考える |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |date=15 December 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2007_ne_fa/index.php |title=2007年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP500（ファミ通版）|website=Geimin.net |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024032121/http://geimin.net/da/db/2007_ne_fa/index.php |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://appmajin.com/pc/news_detail.php?aid=26123 |script-title=ja:スパイク・チュンソフト、スマホゲーム版『不思議のダンジョン風来のシレン』の販売数10万本突破を発表！2週間限定で価格が980円となる記念セールを本日9月17日(木)より実施！|publisher=AppMajin |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja}} {{#expr:0.103238 round 2}} million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer: Monster of Moonlight Village titles, {{#expr:0.283991 round 2}} million copies sold from Shiren the Wanderer 2: Shiren's Castle and the Oni Invasion,{{cite web |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2001_ne_fa/index.php |script-title=ja:2001年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP300 |website=Geimin.net |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024031453/http://geimin.net/da/db/2001_ne_fa/index.php |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |url-status=live}} {{#expr:0.172578+0.103299 round 2}} million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer: Magic Castle of the Desert titles,{{cite web |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2009_ne_mc/index.php |script-title=ja:2009年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP1000（メディアクリエイト版）|website=Geimin.net |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024030850/http://geimin.net/da/db/2009_ne_mc/index.php |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |url-status=live}} {{#expr:0.050750 round 2}} million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer Gaiden: Asuka the Swordswoman titles,{{cite web |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2002_ne_fa/index.php |script-title=ja:2002年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP300 |website=Geimin.net |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024025109/http://geimin.net/da/db/2002_ne_fa/index.php |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |url-status=live}} {{#expr:0.025274 round 2}} million copies sold from Shiren Monsters: Netsal,{{cite web |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2004_ne_fa/index.php |script-title=ja:2004年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP500 |website=Geimin.net |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024090508/http://geimin.net/da/db/2004_ne_fa/index.php |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |url-status=live}} {{#expr:0.107718+0.031373 round 2}} million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer 3: The Sleeping Princess and the Karakuri Mansion titles,{{cite web |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2010_ne_fa/index.php |script-title=ja:2010年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP1000（ファミ通版）|website=Geimin.net |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024030958/http://geimin.net/da/db/2010_ne_fa/index.php |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |url-status=live}} {{#expr:0.096002+0.018028 round 2}} million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer 4: The Eye of God and the Devil's Navel titles,{{cite web |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2011_ne_mc/index.php |script-title=ja:2011年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP1000（メディアクリエイト版）|website=Geimin.net |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024032441/http://geimin.net/da/db/2011_ne_mc/index.php |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2012_ne_mc/index.php |script-title=ja:2012年テレビゲームソフト売り上げTOP1000（メディアクリエイト版）|website=Geimin.net |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024035624/http://geimin.net/da/db/2012_ne_mc/index.php |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |url-status=live}} 0.5 million copies sold from the Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate titles,{{cite web |url=https://www.spike-chunsoft.co.jp/news/product/17194/ |script-title=ja:『不思議のダンジョン風来のシレン5plus フォーチュンタワーと運命のダイス』全世界累計出荷数が50万本を突破！最大50%OFFの記念セールを開催！|publisher=Spike Chunsoft |access-date=February 2, 2023 |language=ja |date=23 December 2022 }} 0.3 million copies sold from Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island.{{cite web |url=https://www.famitsu.com/article/202501/29959 |script-title=ja:『風来のシレン6』はスタッフごとの「自分の思っているシレン」へのこだわりをぶつけあって制作。Steam版がめちゃくちゃ売れたらまたDLCが登場する可能性も!?【総括インタビュー】|date=January 12, 2025 |publisher=Famitsu |access-date=January 12, 2025 |language=ja}}

References

External links

[https://mysterydungeonwiki.com/wiki/Meta:Mystery_Dungeon:_Shiren_the_Wanderer_(series) About the franchise at the Mystery Dungeon Franchise Wiki]

Category:Mystery Dungeon

Category:Chunsoft games

Category:Kadokawa Corporation franchises

Category:Role-playing video games

Category:Video game franchises

Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1995

Category:Roguelike video games

Category:Portal fantasy