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Same. Sounds like a match made in heaven tbh. If Nintendo licensed out the IP for Cadence of Hyrule, I don't see why they wouldn't do it for Mystery Dungeon.
Yeah Crypt of the Necrodancer was basically a mystery dungeon game mixed with rhythm (it even has Shiren the wanderer as a skin in game) and playing as Bard removed the rhythm element. Cadence just split the difference between thst and a 2D Zelda game.
Link's awakening amiibo dungeon maker kinda counts. Not sure if that lame action rpg lufia ds had ancient cave roguelike turn based lufia 2 had on snes. I doubt it given dq4 didn't have torneko (ff4 psp adding interlude and after years is a miracle).
There’s something so magical about early niche fandoms. You didn’t have the internet to share your love for a genre. You kinda just had to find others at your local arcade that liked the games you liked. I could just imagine some Japanese teens meeting at a local game club to discuss this new genre.
I actually heard about Pokemon Mystery Dungeon from TV advertisements. A lot of video games I knew of back in the day was from TV Ads playing either in the morning, afternoon, or during the evenings. The only issue was that my parents hated commercials, but I loved them because of the way they're setup up back in the 2000s and 1990s. Nowadays, since the 2010s, they just don't feel special as they once did, and now every commercial is either live-action with so many after effects & graphics, or 100% CGI with repetitive song lyrics that is downright awful ("Have It Your Way" Burger King 2024 ad is a good example of taking a beloved 1970s song and flushing it down the toilet).
"Chunsoft was too small to approach Nintendo with the idea." *shows footage of BYG's Cadence of Hyrule* The joke is even better considering that Spike Chunsoft is the Japanese publisher for the game. Took 30 years, but they kinda made it happen.
Shiren the Wanderer is actually so good. I wish more people discovered how good the series is. When you learn all the tips and tricks, you can appreciate how good the games are.
I highly recommend Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island! It's incredibly fun and a great entry point to Shiren the Wanderer in my opinion.
The JRPG 'Lufia 2' (1995) also has a roguelike dungeon in the post game, that temporarely resets your level to 1 and starts you with nothing and task you with climbing through floors. There's a whole mystery dungeon game hidden inside that game.
The Void Terrarium games (spelled differently but I can't be bothered to look it up right now) are also Mystery Dungeon-likes, and both titles in the series have demos on the Switch eShop. Check em out!
@@BlackRaven6695 Only thing that got ahead of Dragon Quest in that regard is the Shin Megami Tensei series. Specifically, Megami Tensei 1 and 2 on Famicom did the whole monster recruitment (demon negotiation) thing before DQ did it in DQ5 on SNES.
Azure Dreams on PS1 was something of a spiritual sequel to the Mystery Dungeon games, except it also features townbuilding of sorts, monster raising and dating.
There's also a GBC version that, while it cuts the townbuilding and dating sim elements, adds more content to the dungeon itself iirc. Basically, take your pick between the two, they both look cool. :)
@@Cuprite1024 I'd say both versions are worth playing, since they offer such different content~ My internet name is based on them too, cause they were also my first entries into this type of gameplay. Still love the fact that Koh fights alongside his monsters too; something I've always hated about most monster-based series, is that the humans are just kinda there on the sidelines, not really contributing much, lol.
Fun fact, there's also a Japanese One Piece game that's very similar to Mystery Dungeon called Chopper's Big Adventure. And on top of the similar gameplay it even has the humans turn into animals and everything. And this was before Pokémon did it if I'm not mistaken.
I’ve played that game, and the gameplay isn’t really similar at all. It has randomized dungeons and that’s where the similarities end (the game also kinda sucks tbh)
The Izuna games on DS are also really good mystery dungeon-like games that are worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre. A 3rd Izuna game is currently in the works for Nintendo Switch.
While not _officially_ a Mystery Dungeon game, Digimon World 2 is heavily inspired by the series and borrows a good number of mechanics, while fusing them with RPG and creature raising mechanics. Although ultimately Pokemon perfected this fusion, Digimon was _my_ introduction to it.
Snackworld Jara has similar mystery dungeon mechanics such as map come in to view as player explore, can have 2 party members but became grindy as craft items drop were less. I had played Pokemon mystery dungeon but hated hunger system. Some areas had tough Pokemon guard treasure. On DQM2, there's a point in game where keys are obtain to visit small island with dungeons. I did come across Chocobo dungeon 2 on Switch but extra characters are locked behind pay wall. I'm better off playing Pokemon dungeon series.
Azure Dreams on ps1 was my first rogue-like game and I was hooked. Wish I'd picked up Torneko and Chocobo's mystery dungeon before they got insane priced, but there are still ways. LOVE that Shiren lives on, its such a cool series and super in depth randomness.
As a fan of Shiren the Wanderer, Chocobo Mystery Dungeon and Etrian Odyssey my first thought upon seeing this thumbnail was “Yeah, duh.” And then I remembered most people’s only exposure to the Mystery Dungeon format is via Pokemon.
My first Mystery Dungeon game was Blue Rescue Team and because I'm in Europe, the Pokemon Mystery Dungeons were pretty much all I knew of the genre for a while. I did eventually find out about Shiren and also Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja, but the customizability aspect of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games pulled me in way more, as they had more permanence between runs and more variety between runs thanks to learned movesets and the many MANY different pokemon. I later got Etrian Mystery Dungeon as well because I knew the Etrian titles for their customizability. That said, I never got far in that one because party-based gameplay in Mystery Dungeon feels so SO cumbersome and the AI of your comrades is bad enough that many skills just don't make sense to use. If I could have a Mystery Dungeon title that combined the lone character style of the originals with the customization of PMD and EMD, that would be my ideal title, I think.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team is THE game that got me into video games. After little me being used to simple and licensed games, I was surprised the a game can have a story in the same vein as a show or movie.
My (USA resident) first Mystery Dungeon was actually Torneko. I got into the Dragon Quest series right around when VII came out and only had 1, 2, 3, and Monsters 2 on GB and VII. When trying to expand out, I found Torneko and insisted my parents buy it on ebay, as Dragon Quest didnt seem to be in any stores anywhere I ever saw. Then again, this was like 2002 or something, so even knowledge of where to find games was hard to get - very limited internet reach at that time. To be honest, I am actually quite upset that there havent been all that many Mystery Dungeon games. I feel like it is sorta a Tactical RPG cross with Roguelikes and it just comes off masterfully. If you like to play older RPGs, planning out equipment or strategizing for battles... Or even if you want effectively the most Dungeons & Dragons type exploration. Mystery Dungeon is where it is at!
Really like the Mystery Dungeon formula, Shiren 6 is so far my GOTY, and the Void Terrarium games have been some of my favs for the past few years as well. BIG shame they weren't brought up in this video, as they feel like they do enough new/different with the format to stand out, but don't get enough recognition, especially among this already niche subgenre. Also, most PMD fans (or just Pokemon fans in general) don't really care much about the gameplay of MD, so they are kind of a lost cause
I would be really interested in a video that highlights other games in the genre that just aren't officially branded as "Mystery Dungeon" games. Games like Void Terrarium 1 & 2 offer unique twists on the same basic game design formula, but they tend to fly under the radar because they lack the "Mystery Dungeon" moniker.
Started off with PMD Red Rescue as a young boi, and then played EoS before I sorta fell off the franchise for some time. Then I was drawn back into the franchise thanks to some Japanese youtubers, and I began again with Shiren 1 and Torneko 1, before buying 5+ and then trying out 2 and Asuka Kenzan via translation patches before 6 released. Just yesterday, I was able to complete my first 99F dungeon at 188 hours in, which was a heart stopper at the end, to say the least. But I really do appreciate everything that Shiren does, and at the same time can’t really look at the Pokemon side the same way ever again. Getting used to ID’ing and utilizing items in ways Pokemon never could, playing around monster abilities that can be a potential run ender, it’s addicting. I will say Shiren 6 does have a cute little nod to PMD tho in the form of an alternative playstyle, unfortunately it’s currently a one time deal that you can’t utilize outside of the first clear of the dungeon, but with Spike Chunsoft confirming they’re working on updates, it’s possible we’ll be able to use the form outside of that dungeon or, at the very least, be able to rerun the dungeon with it.
Like a lot of people, my Mystery Dungeon experience doesn't extend past Pokémon, but that's not for lack of trying. I bought Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon on Wii, but the disc was scratched. Ended up getting (and enjoying) A Boy and His Blob instead.
Mystery Dungeon games are some of my absolute favorites. I love the gameplay style in all its forms. It's also not the most popular genre and I fear for it fading into obscurity at times. This video was refreshing to see someone give praise to the genre as a whole, and makes me glad that we have as many releases as we do. Even if not all of them are easily accessible.
this context helps so much. Chocobo's dungeon for wii was by far my favourite game as a kid, and a few times I rented pokemon mystery dungeon from the video store and never really understood the connection or history!
Shiren the Wanderer 6 is phenomenal! I really, really recommend it for anyone who's curious about the series. It's also worth mentioning that all Shiren games are available in English through translations patches. This series is wonderful, challenging and highly strategic, and with lots of charm.
My connection with the Mystery Dungeon series started with Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity. It's widely regarded as the worst one (barring the WiiWare games), but I loved it. Playing as an actual Pokemon for once was a much-appreciated feature. They have such deep stories that really go above and beyond what you might expect for a dungeon-crawler spin-off. Since then, I've picked up Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon 2 & Every Buddy and Shiren & the Dice of Fate, but I'm still looking for another PMD game, new or remake. Alternately, a MD game based around the thief from DQ11 would be a fun time. I'd also love to see a Zelda MD, which I think would work very well. I guess Cadence of Hyrule can scratch that itch a little.
If you can get your hands on a physical copy of it for cheap enough, you really should play Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, which is also on 3DS. It's possibly the best entry in the series, even though Explorers of Sky likes to often hog that glory. They're both excellent and worth checking out though.
I know that Mystery Dungeon games started with Shiren, but Pokémon MD: Explorers of Sky remains my favorite MD game. It's like the best in the Pokémon MD franchise, too. I wish that they remade it, DX style.
Did you watch the video. The first mystery dungeon game was Torneko with the first Shiren game being titled mystery dungeon 2 because it was the second mystery dungeon game made.
It's funny that Rogue is one of the few games still to have a genre named after it. Metroid and Castlevania to be the others I guess. Funny we haven't made a new name for those genres. Reminds me of the whole "doom clone" era
Amusing that Torneko pioneered the Mystery Dungeon games. Rather fitting because his chapter in Dragon Quest 4 is essentially a mystery dungeon like experience without the randomized dungeon elements 😅
i used to play the mystery dungeon on ds back in the day but i recently really got me in the series was Shiren The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island my favorite game released this year hopefully we will see more games in the future or even some dlc for it
@@CLOYO kinda we got a update for some new dungeons and i think we got a visual version of weapons you have stored in warehouse and qol dlc they mentioned but not on eshop (in eu atleast) might get shadow dropped later today believes it adds a couple of dungeons extra and playable koppa though this is only first half we get playable asuka and more dungeons later too
Thanks for covering it. Actual roguelike history is fascinating (lot of computer nerds and math), so it's great at least the console side was discussed well
It’s rather interesting that the mystery dungeon concept was originally used for Dragon Quest before Pokemon, same with DQ5 and it’s monster recruiting mechanic (which came out a few years before Red and Green released)
Weirdly enough, the only mystery dungeon game I ever played was the Etrian Odyssey one. I really should give the Pokemon Remake or the new Shiren game a try.
Glaring omissions of other Mystery Dungeon-like games from this video: - *Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God:* Based on the original franchise the Puyo Puyo series was spun from but only with Ersatz version of the trademark characters, best-known for having a collector's edition which included a plastic plate, a spoon and a bib to eat curry with - *The Omega Labyrinth series:* First game was too hot for the West, second game was planned to come to the West but was scrapped after Sony blocked the game in US and Europe, third game finally came to the West but had to drop the "Omega" from the title on PlayStation alongside all of its mature content - *Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs The Thrilling Steamy Maze Kiwami:* A licensed game based on the manga/anime of the same name
Mystery Dungeon was just one of many attempts at capturing the magic of Rogue on consoles. Sega Genesis had several from Fatal Labrynth to Toejam&Earl which both predate Mystery Dungeon by a couple years
Pokemon Mystery Dyngeon was fairly big on my childhood. I had a poster from the first game on my wall. I loved the idea of the series so much. Good memories.
Theres actually a One Piece Mystery Dungeon game with Chopper as the protagonist and the other straw hat pirates turned into animals too! It never got translated but it seems awfully fun and I think it even predates Pokémon’s mystery dungeon games.
It's strange, I recall Derrick saying on one of his streams that he couldn't really get into Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Perhaps he's changed his mind since then?
I played these genre starting with azure dreams on ps1, then I continue on the chocobo series and i love them, I think what makes them good is actually the dificulties they have
I'm very curious about the sources used for the segment on Taloon's Mystery Dungeon. I remember reading long ago about Chunsoft's involvement with OG Dragon Quest itself as well as some other juicy developer lore, but the websites hosting the information closed down sometime between then and now.
My first Mystery Dungeon before I even knew what those were was Evolution Worlds, the compilation port on the Gamecube. Never saw the end, maybe its time to replay it from start to finish!
@@anonanonymous9670 the menus feel clunky going back, and I miss the button shortcuts from Super Mystery Dungeon and RT:DX. The party memeber ai was also dogshit, and grinding IQ skills doesn't fix all of the ai issues. Graphically it is perfect and that'd be the only big downside to a remake for me.
Honestly, I’d prefer a new game. I’ve played Sky too many times and playing it again would seem…stale. I loved it when SMD came out, but I think they might be scared to go beyond what was supposed to be the penultimate version.
I'd kind of get if people wanted Explorers of Sky to be remade. Not everybody can access the game by emulation nor do some want to emulate it. Not everyone want to buy flash carts or repros, either. Furthermore, have you seen the prices for this game recently? Like, man, if I didn't own it already I would understand not wanting to dip some funds into getting a copy.
So if Chunsoft owns the moniker, can indie devs make mystery dungeon games with similar mechanics? Sorry i don't speak english very well so idk what that meant exactly
My Mystery Dungeon journey began with Blue Rescue Team on the DS, and I have always loved the series. One of my favorites is "One Way Heroics", which you briefly mentioned during the video. The game put a really cool indie spin on the Mystery Dungeon formula. I've only played the original Playism version on Steam, but it has a really soft spot in my heart.
I had NO idea this was a whole genre?? Probably then because I'm in Europe and a lot of those games didn't releaee here. PMD were my favorite games growing up. I listen to the soundtrack at least once a month.
Crown Trick is a roguelite with mystery dungeon elements. I was interested in MD games but got Crown Trick hoping it would be less grindy and repetitive. I enjoyed it a lot, though it didnt hook me quite as much as the best roguelikes have.
Always loved these games growing up (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon), and I think it helped shape my interest in RPG games in general today. I am definitely going to try Shiren the Wanderer now! Thanks for the video GVG
Can we hope in the future for an even more detailed video about the entirety of the mystery dungeon series (like all the games, differences, successes...)? I always dreamt of learning more about it but being mainly released in Japan, it is fairly difficult to do, but this video definitely scratched an itch.
The rabbit hole goes a bit deep thanks to how the franchise refined its mechanics from game to game. Heck- Torneko 1 didn’t even have a dungeon shop or even the ability to exchange items in your inventory with stuff on the ground, on top of requiring you to backtrack out of the dungeon instead of being warped out like every other game.
I'm reminded I bought Explorers of Time years ago but never put a lot of time (heh) into it. It admittedly didn't immediately grab me the same way the first one did, and I question if maybe I should've gotten the third version instead, but there's enough hype for it that I do need to give it another shot someday.
Just as hack and slash games use many existing franchises to make and sell games. like Zelda or Persona 5. Mystery Dungeon does that too, but Mystery Dungeon is just lucky to have the biggest multimedia franchise in the world on their side. No wonder they almost exclusively make Pokemon mystery dungeon games
...It was also kind of the heavy focus on story as well. Having a concrete, story focused Mystery dungeon game was pretty odd, especially considering that Pokemon as a franchise was less story focused until Black and White. Mystery Dungeon as a franchise wasn't really focused on Story, though Chocobo's dungeon did have a lot put into the dialogue. But it did pay off.
While Chunsoft have created the Mystery Dungeon series, other developers have used its blueprints for their own MD game, so it's no longer exclusive to 1 developer anymore
I grew up with chocobo's Dungeon 2 it was so good the wii one was just ok I enjoyed going though dungeon walls just to break my claw just to get a summoning feather i miss breaking walls in chocobo's Dungeon 2 the other mystery dungeons games are just not the same
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Void terrarrium from NIS is also in that genre i think?
So basically what you're saying is we could of had a Zelda Mystery Dungeon game? I would love to play that.
Same. Sounds like a match made in heaven tbh.
If Nintendo licensed out the IP for Cadence of Hyrule, I don't see why they wouldn't do it for Mystery Dungeon.
@@OmegaMetroid93 I mean, if you play Cadence on turn-based mode instead of rhythm mode, and enable perma-death, it basically is one!
Yeah Crypt of the Necrodancer was basically a mystery dungeon game mixed with rhythm (it even has Shiren the wanderer as a skin in game) and playing as Bard removed the rhythm element.
Cadence just split the difference between thst and a 2D Zelda game.
It’s a shame they never had a mario rpg like mystery dungeon game
Link's awakening amiibo dungeon maker kinda counts. Not sure if that lame action rpg lufia ds had ancient cave roguelike turn based lufia 2 had on snes. I doubt it given dq4 didn't have torneko (ff4 psp adding interlude and after years is a miracle).
There’s something so magical about early niche fandoms.
You didn’t have the internet to share your love for a genre. You kinda just had to find others at your local arcade that liked the games you liked.
I could just imagine some Japanese teens meeting at a local game club to discuss this new genre.
I actually heard about Pokemon Mystery Dungeon from TV advertisements. A lot of video games I knew of back in the day was from TV Ads playing either in the morning, afternoon, or during the evenings. The only issue was that my parents hated commercials, but I loved them because of the way they're setup up back in the 2000s and 1990s. Nowadays, since the 2010s, they just don't feel special as they once did, and now every commercial is either live-action with so many after effects & graphics, or 100% CGI with repetitive song lyrics that is downright awful ("Have It Your Way" Burger King 2024 ad is a good example of taking a beloved 1970s song and flushing it down the toilet).
"Chunsoft was too small to approach Nintendo with the idea." *shows footage of BYG's Cadence of Hyrule*
The joke is even better considering that Spike Chunsoft is the Japanese publisher for the game. Took 30 years, but they kinda made it happen.
Shiren the Wanderer is actually so good. I wish more people discovered how good the series is. When you learn all the tips and tricks, you can appreciate how good the games are.
Sorry but it doesn't have Pokemon so PMD fans refuse to play it
The new one is excellent.
REAL AS FUCK
I highly recommend Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island! It's incredibly fun and a great entry point to Shiren the Wanderer in my opinion.
would you recommend it over shiren 5?
@@felixvids7238 I'd say shiren 6 is a better starting point for newcomer than 5. More complex mechanics like night aren't present in 6
The JRPG 'Lufia 2' (1995) also has a roguelike dungeon in the post game, that temporarely resets your level to 1 and starts you with nothing and task you with climbing through floors. There's a whole mystery dungeon game hidden inside that game.
The Void Terrarium games (spelled differently but I can't be bothered to look it up right now) are also Mystery Dungeon-likes, and both titles in the series have demos on the Switch eShop. Check em out!
Dragon Quest really did the monster catching mechanic and Mystery Dungeon before Pokemon.
It did "returning to the first game's map in the sequel" before Pokemon first too. Dragon Quest truly did everything first. Including your mom.
@@BlackRaven6695 BRO WAIT THAT WAS SUCH A SMOOTH BURN
@@BlackRaven6695 Only thing that got ahead of Dragon Quest in that regard is the Shin Megami Tensei series. Specifically, Megami Tensei 1 and 2 on Famicom did the whole monster recruitment (demon negotiation) thing before DQ did it in DQ5 on SNES.
Azure Dreams on PS1 was something of a spiritual sequel to the Mystery Dungeon games, except it also features townbuilding of sorts, monster raising and dating.
Azure Dreams was what introduced me to the roguelike genre as a whole. Would love to see it get a remake.
There's also a GBC version that, while it cuts the townbuilding and dating sim elements, adds more content to the dungeon itself iirc.
Basically, take your pick between the two, they both look cool. :)
@@Cuprite1024 I'd say both versions are worth playing, since they offer such different content~ My internet name is based on them too, cause they were also my first entries into this type of gameplay. Still love the fact that Koh fights alongside his monsters too; something I've always hated about most monster-based series, is that the humans are just kinda there on the sidelines, not really contributing much, lol.
Fun fact, there's also a Japanese One Piece game that's very similar to Mystery Dungeon called Chopper's Big Adventure. And on top of the similar gameplay it even has the humans turn into animals and everything. And this was before Pokémon did it if I'm not mistaken.
I’ve played that game, and the gameplay isn’t really similar at all. It has randomized dungeons and that’s where the similarities end (the game also kinda sucks tbh)
There's also an extra game mode in Final Fantasy X-2 which is basically a mystery dungeon game!!
The Izuna games on DS are also really good mystery dungeon-like games that are worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre. A 3rd Izuna game is currently in the works for Nintendo Switch.
OMG another Izuna fan, high five! ✋
Still funny to me that Shiren the Wanderer 6 released in the West on Pokemon Day. There's no way that's a coincidence.
It was
What's even funnier was PMD fans anticipating a game announcement
It is.
While not _officially_ a Mystery Dungeon game, Digimon World 2 is heavily inspired by the series and borrows a good number of mechanics, while fusing them with RPG and creature raising mechanics. Although ultimately Pokemon perfected this fusion, Digimon was _my_ introduction to it.
Beat me to it. Outside of the horrible combat, it's essentially a mystery dungeon. Thing
There are plenty of Roguelike games not made by Chunsoft
Zettai Hero Project is also one of them
Snackworld Jara has similar mystery dungeon mechanics such as map come in to view as player explore, can have 2 party members but became grindy as craft items drop were less. I had played Pokemon mystery dungeon but hated hunger system. Some areas had tough Pokemon guard treasure. On DQM2, there's a point in game where keys are obtain to visit small island with dungeons. I did come across Chocobo dungeon 2 on Switch but extra characters are locked behind pay wall. I'm better off playing Pokemon dungeon series.
Azure Dreams on ps1 was my first rogue-like game and I was hooked. Wish I'd picked up Torneko and Chocobo's mystery dungeon before they got insane priced, but there are still ways. LOVE that Shiren lives on, its such a cool series and super in depth randomness.
As a fan of Shiren the Wanderer, Chocobo Mystery Dungeon and Etrian Odyssey my first thought upon seeing this thumbnail was “Yeah, duh.”
And then I remembered most people’s only exposure to the Mystery Dungeon format is via Pokemon.
My first Mystery Dungeon game was Blue Rescue Team and because I'm in Europe, the Pokemon Mystery Dungeons were pretty much all I knew of the genre for a while. I did eventually find out about Shiren and also Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja, but the customizability aspect of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games pulled me in way more, as they had more permanence between runs and more variety between runs thanks to learned movesets and the many MANY different pokemon. I later got Etrian Mystery Dungeon as well because I knew the Etrian titles for their customizability. That said, I never got far in that one because party-based gameplay in Mystery Dungeon feels so SO cumbersome and the AI of your comrades is bad enough that many skills just don't make sense to use.
If I could have a Mystery Dungeon title that combined the lone character style of the originals with the customization of PMD and EMD, that would be my ideal title, I think.
I think ZHP the unloosing hero is a notable mention of a game doing the mystery dungeon formula
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team is THE game that got me into video games. After little me being used to simple and licensed games, I was surprised the a game can have a story in the same vein as a show or movie.
Final Fantasy Fables Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon was my 1st entry into the series.
My (USA resident) first Mystery Dungeon was actually Torneko. I got into the Dragon Quest series right around when VII came out and only had 1, 2, 3, and Monsters 2 on GB and VII. When trying to expand out, I found Torneko and insisted my parents buy it on ebay, as Dragon Quest didnt seem to be in any stores anywhere I ever saw. Then again, this was like 2002 or something, so even knowledge of where to find games was hard to get - very limited internet reach at that time.
To be honest, I am actually quite upset that there havent been all that many Mystery Dungeon games. I feel like it is sorta a Tactical RPG cross with Roguelikes and it just comes off masterfully. If you like to play older RPGs, planning out equipment or strategizing for battles... Or even if you want effectively the most Dungeons & Dragons type exploration. Mystery Dungeon is where it is at!
Izuna Legend of the Unemployed Ninja on the DS was my first Mystery Dungeon game, which got me into Pokémon Mystery Dungeon right after!
After playing Dragon Quest 4 I was quite surprised to learn Torneko had spin-offs, but he is a pretty charming character.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is highly underrated in my opinion. It’s not much on the story side, but I love the mechanics and the art style.
Really like the Mystery Dungeon formula, Shiren 6 is so far my GOTY, and the Void Terrarium games have been some of my favs for the past few years as well. BIG shame they weren't brought up in this video, as they feel like they do enough new/different with the format to stand out, but don't get enough recognition, especially among this already niche subgenre.
Also, most PMD fans (or just Pokemon fans in general) don't really care much about the gameplay of MD, so they are kind of a lost cause
I would be really interested in a video that highlights other games in the genre that just aren't officially branded as "Mystery Dungeon" games. Games like Void Terrarium 1 & 2 offer unique twists on the same basic game design formula, but they tend to fly under the radar because they lack the "Mystery Dungeon" moniker.
Started off with PMD Red Rescue as a young boi, and then played EoS before I sorta fell off the franchise for some time.
Then I was drawn back into the franchise thanks to some Japanese youtubers, and I began again with Shiren 1 and Torneko 1, before buying 5+ and then trying out 2 and Asuka Kenzan via translation patches before 6 released.
Just yesterday, I was able to complete my first 99F dungeon at 188 hours in, which was a heart stopper at the end, to say the least. But I really do appreciate everything that Shiren does, and at the same time can’t really look at the Pokemon side the same way ever again. Getting used to ID’ing and utilizing items in ways Pokemon never could, playing around monster abilities that can be a potential run ender, it’s addicting.
I will say Shiren 6 does have a cute little nod to PMD tho in the form of an alternative playstyle, unfortunately it’s currently a one time deal that you can’t utilize outside of the first clear of the dungeon, but with Spike Chunsoft confirming they’re working on updates, it’s possible we’ll be able to use the form outside of that dungeon or, at the very least, be able to rerun the dungeon with it.
dont stretch 4:3 to 16:9
Like a lot of people, my Mystery Dungeon experience doesn't extend past Pokémon, but that's not for lack of trying. I bought Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon on Wii, but the disc was scratched. Ended up getting (and enjoying) A Boy and His Blob instead.
Funny you say that cause i had the opposite problem where a boy and his blob was scratched by chocobo mystery dungeon wasn't
@@MetronaJ What are the odds?
Mystery Dungeon games are some of my absolute favorites. I love the gameplay style in all its forms. It's also not the most popular genre and I fear for it fading into obscurity at times. This video was refreshing to see someone give praise to the genre as a whole, and makes me glad that we have as many releases as we do. Even if not all of them are easily accessible.
still miffed we didn’t get Etrian Mystery Dungeon 2 in the west.
that sounds awesome wtf
Is there an english patch?
Etrian Mystery Dungeon in the 3DS is localized, dunno about the sequel. Which sucks, since it looked like it was a big improvement lol
@@pockystyx4087 That's a huge shame. Hopefully someday someone can at least work on an english patch so it can at least be played in some form.
this context helps so much. Chocobo's dungeon for wii was by far my favourite game as a kid, and a few times I rented pokemon mystery dungeon from the video store and never really understood the connection or history!
Shiren the Wanderer 6 is phenomenal! I really, really recommend it for anyone who's curious about the series.
It's also worth mentioning that all Shiren games are available in English through translations patches.
This series is wonderful, challenging and highly strategic, and with lots of charm.
All of the numbered mainline shiren titles are playable in english. the gameboy Shiren games, and the Dreamcast Asuka spinoff are still japanese only.
@@Joe-fi7ilDS2 is a remake if I'm correct, and it's playable with the latest translation patch
My connection with the Mystery Dungeon series started with Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity. It's widely regarded as the worst one (barring the WiiWare games), but I loved it. Playing as an actual Pokemon for once was a much-appreciated feature. They have such deep stories that really go above and beyond what you might expect for a dungeon-crawler spin-off. Since then, I've picked up Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon 2 & Every Buddy and Shiren & the Dice of Fate, but I'm still looking for another PMD game, new or remake.
Alternately, a MD game based around the thief from DQ11 would be a fun time. I'd also love to see a Zelda MD, which I think would work very well. I guess Cadence of Hyrule can scratch that itch a little.
If you can get your hands on a physical copy of it for cheap enough, you really should play Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, which is also on 3DS. It's possibly the best entry in the series, even though Explorers of Sky likes to often hog that glory. They're both excellent and worth checking out though.
I know that Mystery Dungeon games started with Shiren, but Pokémon MD: Explorers of Sky remains my favorite MD game. It's like the best in the Pokémon MD franchise, too. I wish that they remade it, DX style.
I really hope it gets a remake, would have been perfect for this year
Did you watch the video. The first mystery dungeon game was Torneko with the first Shiren game being titled mystery dungeon 2 because it was the second mystery dungeon game made.
The Etrian series is one of my fave mystery dungeon styles, especially with the added map design feature
Chocobo Mystery Dungeon on the Wii is how i got into them. My favorite newer take is probably the Void Terrarium games.
It's funny that Rogue is one of the few games still to have a genre named after it. Metroid and Castlevania to be the others I guess. Funny we haven't made a new name for those genres. Reminds me of the whole "doom clone" era
Derrick, you *really* need to try Void Terrarium. It's Mystery Dungeon in everything but name.
I love Void Terrarium! Bought the second one recently.
Been interested in that one, tho I forgot about it until I read this comment. Lol.
I'd like to play it eventually, it looks cool.
Amusing that Torneko pioneered the Mystery Dungeon games. Rather fitting because his chapter in Dragon Quest 4 is essentially a mystery dungeon like experience without the randomized dungeon elements 😅
i used to play the mystery dungeon on ds back in the day but i recently really got me in the series was Shiren The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island
my favorite game released this year hopefully we will see more games in the future or even some dlc for it
DLC is announced!
@@CLOYO kinda we got a update for some new dungeons and i think we got a visual version of weapons you have stored in warehouse and qol
dlc they mentioned but not on eshop (in eu atleast) might get shadow dropped later today believes it adds a couple of dungeons extra and playable koppa though this is only first half we get playable asuka and more dungeons later too
Thanks for covering it.
Actual roguelike history is fascinating (lot of computer nerds and math), so it's great at least the console side was discussed well
It’s rather interesting that the mystery dungeon concept was originally used for Dragon Quest before Pokemon, same with DQ5 and it’s monster recruiting mechanic (which came out a few years before Red and Green released)
Weirdly enough, the only mystery dungeon game I ever played was the Etrian Odyssey one. I really should give the Pokemon Remake or the new Shiren game a try.
Glaring omissions of other Mystery Dungeon-like games from this video:
- *Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God:* Based on the original franchise the Puyo Puyo series was spun from but only with Ersatz version of the trademark characters, best-known for having a collector's edition which included a plastic plate, a spoon and a bib to eat curry with
- *The Omega Labyrinth series:* First game was too hot for the West, second game was planned to come to the West but was scrapped after Sony blocked the game in US and Europe, third game finally came to the West but had to drop the "Omega" from the title on PlayStation alongside all of its mature content
- *Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs The Thrilling Steamy Maze Kiwami:* A licensed game based on the manga/anime of the same name
Thats cause this is about the mystery dungeon games and not other roguelikes
Void Terrarium is kino, it's not officially mystery dungeon but it basically is.
Chocobo and shiren are the best mystery dungeon games. And the most slept on unfortunately
How is chocobo for someone who only played shiren? Is it still worth it if you haven't played a final fantasy game?
Lol I have been a mystery dungeon fan (Shiren and Torneko) since way back in the day I actually did not know there were pokemon versions.
Mystery Dungeon was just one of many attempts at capturing the magic of Rogue on consoles. Sega Genesis had several from Fatal Labrynth to Toejam&Earl which both predate Mystery Dungeon by a couple years
Pokemon Mystery Dyngeon was fairly big on my childhood. I had a poster from the first game on my wall. I loved the idea of the series so much. Good memories.
Theres actually a One Piece Mystery Dungeon game with Chopper as the protagonist and the other straw hat pirates turned into animals too! It never got translated but it seems awfully fun and I think it even predates Pokémon’s mystery dungeon games.
Dude I JUST got off Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon this timing is *hilarious*
It's strange, I recall Derrick saying on one of his streams that he couldn't really get into Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Perhaps he's changed his mind since then?
Mystery Dungeon is pretty good!
I had no idea that Shrien was a Mystery Dungeon series, I will definitely give it a try. Don't know when though
I played these genre starting with azure dreams on ps1, then I continue on the chocobo series and i love them, I think what makes them good is actually the dificulties they have
I'm very curious about the sources used for the segment on Taloon's Mystery Dungeon. I remember reading long ago about Chunsoft's involvement with OG Dragon Quest itself as well as some other juicy developer lore, but the websites hosting the information closed down sometime between then and now.
My first Mystery Dungeon before I even knew what those were was Evolution Worlds, the compilation port on the Gamecube. Never saw the end, maybe its time to replay it from start to finish!
Didnt know about the newest Shinren, getting that ASAP lmao
Mystery dungeon explorers of sky not being remade yet IS A FUCKING CRIME
Why the hell does it need to be remade?
It's a perfectly fine game that has not aged a single bit
@@anonanonymous9670 the menus feel clunky going back, and I miss the button shortcuts from Super Mystery Dungeon and RT:DX. The party memeber ai was also dogshit, and grinding IQ skills doesn't fix all of the ai issues. Graphically it is perfect and that'd be the only big downside to a remake for me.
Honestly, I’d prefer a new game. I’ve played Sky too many times and playing it again would seem…stale. I loved it when SMD came out, but I think they might be scared to go beyond what was supposed to be the penultimate version.
I'd kind of get if people wanted Explorers of Sky to be remade. Not everybody can access the game by emulation nor do some want to emulate it. Not everyone want to buy flash carts or repros, either. Furthermore, have you seen the prices for this game recently? Like, man, if I didn't own it already I would understand not wanting to dip some funds into getting a copy.
SHIREN SWEEP
Worth mentioning Dragon Crystal from 1990 too. Feels very similar to Mystery Dungeon.
So if Chunsoft owns the moniker, can indie devs make mystery dungeon games with similar mechanics? Sorry i don't speak english very well so idk what that meant exactly
13:45 Er, outside of Japan, that is. It released in 2005 in Japan.
I love mystery dungeon and to see how is truly created give me so much joy & love for how much people odea can influence each other.
My Mystery Dungeon journey began with Blue Rescue Team on the DS, and I have always loved the series. One of my favorites is "One Way Heroics", which you briefly mentioned during the video. The game put a really cool indie spin on the Mystery Dungeon formula. I've only played the original Playism version on Steam, but it has a really soft spot in my heart.
Torneko is my favorite Dragon Quest character. I need to get around to trying out one of his Mystery Dungeon games.
Holy crap a Derrick video!
I had NO idea this was a whole genre?? Probably then because I'm in Europe and a lot of those games didn't releaee here.
PMD were my favorite games growing up. I listen to the soundtrack at least once a month.
Y’all really don’t google the games you like to find other games like them..?
Not genre
Series
Mystery dungeon games are awesome
For me it was Castles of the Wind on PC in the early 90s followed up by Nethack.
Missed my favourite digimon world 2 baby. I was addicted to it as a child and it was brutally hard I never got far!
Crown Trick is a roguelite with mystery dungeon elements. I was interested in MD games but got Crown Trick hoping it would be less grindy and repetitive. I enjoyed it a lot, though it didnt hook me quite as much as the best roguelikes have.
Always loved these games growing up (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon), and I think it helped shape my interest in RPG games in general today. I am definitely going to try Shiren the Wanderer now! Thanks for the video GVG
Can we hope in the future for an even more detailed video about the entirety of the mystery dungeon series (like all the games, differences, successes...)? I always dreamt of learning more about it but being mainly released in Japan, it is fairly difficult to do, but this video definitely scratched an itch.
The rabbit hole goes a bit deep thanks to how the franchise refined its mechanics from game to game. Heck- Torneko 1 didn’t even have a dungeon shop or even the ability to exchange items in your inventory with stuff on the ground, on top of requiring you to backtrack out of the dungeon instead of being warped out like every other game.
I could see like a Zelda, Metroid, or even a Granblue Fantasty mystery dungeon
This was a great video Derrick. Keep up the good work!
I'm reminded I bought Explorers of Time years ago but never put a lot of time (heh) into it. It admittedly didn't immediately grab me the same way the first one did, and I question if maybe I should've gotten the third version instead, but there's enough hype for it that I do need to give it another shot someday.
Did this guy work for Gamexplain? If so, good for him for having his own channel
Torneko for the win!
As someone who's never played a Mystery Dungeon game but have always been interested, I loved this video!
Just as hack and slash games use many existing franchises to make and sell games. like Zelda or Persona 5. Mystery Dungeon does that too, but Mystery Dungeon is just lucky to have the biggest multimedia franchise in the world on their side. No wonder they almost exclusively make Pokemon mystery dungeon games
...It was also kind of the heavy focus on story as well. Having a concrete, story focused Mystery dungeon game was pretty odd, especially considering that Pokemon as a franchise was less story focused until Black and White. Mystery Dungeon as a franchise wasn't really focused on Story, though Chocobo's dungeon did have a lot put into the dialogue.
But it did pay off.
I wish we had a multiplayer pokemon mystery dungeon
Theres also the 1990 Sega Genesis "Fata Labyrinth" game
Another mystery dungeon series on switch is the touhou genso wanderer games
Void Terrarium and Izuna are also great MD games.
loved explorers of time. play the game a thousand times.
Hands up if your Roguelike experience started w/ Castle of the Winds.
Dude, this was an awesome, interesting and well researched video. Congrats on the amazing content and thank you for sharing!
While Chunsoft have created the Mystery Dungeon series, other developers have used its blueprints for their own MD game, so it's no longer exclusive to 1 developer anymore
Just when i was starting to think of this game again, and i foudn this vid soon after it released. cool vid!
Guys I literally just started my second playthrough of Every Buddy last night what the actual fuck lol
Whoo, another Derrick video! 😊
Chocobo Mystery Dungeon was so much fun.
First one I knew was Chocobo. Could never get very far in it.
Which chocobo?
Ol plkolokeyMenz, my favorite retro game
I want a new Pokemon Myster Dungeon badly
I grew up with chocobo's Dungeon 2 it was so good the wii one was just ok I enjoyed going though dungeon walls just to break my claw just to get a summoning feather i miss breaking walls in chocobo's Dungeon 2 the other mystery dungeons games are just not the same
I never played a single one of them but might try it now :)