shiren-the-wanderer posts(Subscribe to this feed)
The key to Shiren the Wanderer's story
by JC Fletcher 
{ Nov 25th 2009 at 3:46PM } 
Atlus also highlights Shiren's pal Koppa in the trailer, allowing us to hope that the company will choose to bundle the game with Sega's Koppa Wiimote stand.
Gallery: Shiren the Wanderer (Wii)
Shiren the Wanderer turns up in February minus online features
by JC Fletcher { Nov 19th 2009 at 6:45PM }
"Despite our best efforts, the North American version of Shiren will not include the Rescue, Versus, or Item Transfer online features," Atlus's Aram Jabbari said in the announcement. "However, the downloadable dungeon content from the Japanese version will be included on the disc." Jabbari said that Atlus felt compelled to alert fans because "the absence of these features may influence some fans' decision to purchase the game."
The most identifiable feature of any Shiren game -- repeated, unavoidable death -- should remain intact.
Gallery: Shiren the Wanderer (Wii)
Hands-on: Shiren the Wanderer (Wii)
by JC Fletcher { Jun 8th 2009 at 10:30AM }
New Shiren 2 screens are all that and a bag of Shiren chips
by Eric Caoili { Jun 25th 2008 at 11:00PM }
We couldn't decide which was more awesome -- these new screenshots for Shiren the Wanderer DS 2: Demon Castle in the Desert, or the fact that Chunsoft went out of its way in 2001 to promote the original Game Boy Color title, Shiren the Wanderer GB2, with bags of steak-flavored chips (In case you're late to the party, STW DS 2 is a roguelike remake of STW GB2).
So, we went ahead and featured both the crisps and an image of Shiren's long-lost and perpetually hungry brother, Pekeji, in our article image. Hopefuly, publisher Sega will have a similar potato chip promotion with STW DS 2! Even better, maybe they'll eventually localize the chips along with the game?
See also: Shiren GB2, Shiren DS 2 compared
[via Inside Games]
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 6/9-6/15
by Candace Savino { Jun 20th 2008 at 8:00PM }
Last week in Japan was all about Sony dominance, as Metal Gear Solid 4 rocketed the PS3 into first. The Wii still did pretty well for itself, though, nabbing the third spot in hardware and nine of the top thirty in software:
Shiren the Wanderer 3 managed to remain in the top ten despite the Metal Gear bullying, but everything else was as we expected. Just click past the break if you want to check out the software rankings and sales numbers.
Shiren the Wanderer 3 managed to remain in the top ten despite the Metal Gear bullying, but everything else was as we expected. Just click past the break if you want to check out the software rankings and sales numbers.
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 6/2-6/8
by Candace Savino { Jun 13th 2008 at 11:45AM }
The top Wii game last week wasn't Mario Kart, or even Wii Fit. Rather, beloved roguelike Shiren got the coveted title, as Shiren the Wanderer 3 debuted in second behind the PS3's new Dragon Ball Z. The previously mentioned Nintendo games did show up in the top ten, though, along with Family Trainer. We're happy to see both Smash Bros. Brawl and Battalion Wars 2 hanging tough in the top thirty; the previous week had us a bit worried. In hardware, though, the Wii remains sandwiched between the PSP and the DS:
Just click on past the break if you'd like to see how Wii software fared.
Price Drop: Shiren the Bargainer
by Eric Caoili { Jun 13th 2008 at 10:15AM }
If our constant championing of the genre has you ready and willing to try out a roguelike as soon as a cheap one comes along, then here's that discount dungeon crawl you've been waiting for!In what looks to be a permanent price drop, retailers such as Amazon and GameStop have marked down their copies of Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer to $19.99, in-store and and online. Now you don't have to feel guilty about spending money on such a throwback game (with throwback graphics to match).
If you won't buy it for the fun of the game, buy it so that Sega will bring its sequel to the states!
Gallery: Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
[Via NeoGAF]
Shiren GB2, Shiren DS 2 compared
by Eric Caoili { Jun 9th 2008 at 11:00PM }
No more than a week after Shiren 3 for the Wii shipped in Japan, Chunsoft already has a teaser site and screenshots out for its next Shiren the Wanderer game for the Nintendo DS -- Fushigi no Dungeon: Furai no Shiren DS 2: Sabaku no Majou (Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer DS 2: Demon Castle in the Desert). It's a long title!
Seeing that this roguelike is a remake of a Game Boy Color title, we thought that this batch of new images would make for a great opportunity to compare the updated game's visuals to the original's. While we expected Shiren DS 2 to look pretty much exactly like the first Shiren DS game released in March, we're surprised by how similar Shiren DS 2 and Shiren GB2 (GBC) look based on the shots released so far.
Jump into our comparison gallery to see what we mean!
Gallery: Shiren GB2 vs Shiren DS 2
[Via Famitsu]
Promotional Consideration: Fushigi no Commercials, revisited
by Eric Caoili { Jun 8th 2008 at 6:00PM }
We're aware that we write about the Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer games much too much, especially considering that it's a niche series representing such a hardcore genre. But after playing Shiren the Wanderer DS, Chunsoft's remake of the original Super Famicom game and the first Shiren game brought stateside, it's hard for us to think of anything else but the other five Shiren titles that've yet to touch soil outside of Japan. Chunsoft's recent announcement for Shiren the Wanderer DS 2, another remake, this time porting Furai no Shiren GB2: Sabaku no Majou (Shiren the Wanderer GB2: Demon Castle in the Desert), originally a Game Boy Color title, has only stoked the flames of our yearning. Though it's reckless to assume Sega will eventually localize the game as it did with the SFC remake, we've thrown caution to the wind, blinded by our optimistic heart's promises.
With that explained, hopefully you'll forgive us for featuring another piece on roguelike commercials less than two months after our installment on Pokemon Mystery Dungeon ads. Bring your talking weasel past the post break for two Japanese commercials from Shiren the Wanderer GB2's original 2005 release.
Shiren the Wanderer DS 2 no longer a mystery
by JC Fletcher { Jun 4th 2008 at 11:45AM }
This new DS game will interact with the Wii Shiren the Wanderer 3 in some way, allowing players to "lend a hand." We believe this means that Shiren DS 2 players will be able to "rescue" Shiren 3 players over Wi-Fi, much like Shiren DS players can rescue each other.
Shiren 3's clockwork bosses
by JC Fletcher { Jun 2nd 2008 at 10:15AM }
Famitsu has revealed some of the boss creatures found in the dungeon, including the five Ikusa Oni, a sort of Power Rangers-type organization, but made of monstrous samurai, and the Clockwork Kasha, a flaming cart with a Noh mask.
The Clockwork Giants aren't particularly frightening, but they're certainly weird. Both are mechanical heads with one pair of appendages each; one has hands and the other feet, and both have totally metal eyebrows.
Three things to get you excited about Shiren 3
by Eric Caoili { May 28th 2008 at 2:00PM }
First reason to be hyped about Shiren the Wanderer: The Sleeping Princess in the Clockwork Palace's release, even though no one has announced a U.S. localization yet -- Famitsu's review score: 35/40 (9 / 9 / 8 / 9). Though many consider Famitsu to be too forgiving with its reviews for highly advertised, big-budget games, the Shiren series doesn't seem to fit that description. For such a niche game to receive a high score like this, Chunsoft must have done something right!
Second reason -- See Asuka model pictured above (and past the break). We're not the type to leave figures of female anime characters posed around our rooms, giving women even more reason to run away from the mess we've made of our lives, but as we demonstrated with the Koppa remote stand preorder bonus, we have a weakness to Shiren merchandise.
As for our third reason, swing your sword to check for traps, and step past the break for a new Shiren 3 commercial. It features a collection of player deaths set to Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 -- what's not to like?
Two videos for third Shiren
by Eric Caoili { May 26th 2008 at 11:30PM }
Usually with these niche and traditionally Japan-only titles, we spend the post complaining about missing out on another potentially great game, as we did with our last Shiren the Wanderer post. But with Sega's recent localization for the Shiren the Wanderer DS remake and with the Wii game's U.S.-friendly title -- Shiren the Wanderer 3: Karakuri Yashiki no Nemuri Hime (Shiren the Wanderer: The Sleeping Princess in the Clockwork Palace) -- this game has a relatively good chance of making it to the states!
The clip above is from the Wii game's opening movie, one of two videos posted at Sega's official Shiren the Wanderer site. It's got airships, the titular Clockwork Palace, and everyone's favorite white weasel, Koppa. The other video, a four-minute promotional trailer, has all that and shots exploring the roguelike's dungeons, including their new enemies. Take a diagonal step past the post break to watch it!
Shiren taking another turn on the DS?
by JC Fletcher { May 22nd 2008 at 9:30AM }
According to an unsourced rumor found on the French site wiiz.fr, Sega and Chunsoft are already planning a second Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer game for the DS. Like the current Shiren, Shiren the Wanderer DS 2 is purported to be a remake of a classic Shiren roguelike, this time 1996's Shiren the Wanderer GB for the Game Boy.Seems like a cheap game for Chunsoft to develop: just remake the Shiren GB dungeons in the Shiren DS engine and send it out the door. Shiren fans would no doubt be pleased to have another set of dungeons in which to die!
DS Daily: Mystery Genre
by JC Fletcher { Apr 25th 2008 at 9:00AM }
Roguelikes are a very strange genre: death as an essential part of gameplay, and extreme difficulty in general, are unusual for the DS, and things like random dungeons seem archaic at first. If you've gotten into one of these, were you always a Mystery Dungeon fan? Or did the explosion of Mystery Dungeon games on the DS get you interested?
