Some might ask, what came first, the Mystery Dungeon series or Shiren the Wanderer? Well, regardless of the series beginning without Shiren, I’d argue that he made it much more popular. While Western fans have only had a few adventures with the character, his entire timeline arc rivals other prominent adventurers similar to Adol from the Ys series.
With his newest adventure, Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island, releasing on February 27, 2024, on Nintendo Switch, we wanted to learn more about the development and revival of this dungeon crawler series. We had the opportunity to interview director Keisuke Sakurai about the development and unique systems within the adventure. The game’s early 2024 launch in Japan was already met with over 200,000 in sales, which has us eager to follow its launch in the West.
Azario Lopez: The Shiren the Wanderer series is almost 30 years old and really set up the groundwork for unique dungeon-crawling systems. While developing Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island, how did you take into account the previous systems and update them for modern players while still retaining that uniqueness that only a Shiren title can deliver?
Keisuke Sakurai: Since the release of the previous game, we’ve seen the emergence of various roguelike and roguelite games. The elements in those games that create conflict were quite helpful. In the distinctive realm of the “Shiren” series, we opted for a significant shift in direction from the previous game. We were very conscious of ensuring that upon every permadeath, users would feel a sense of improvement and confidence in their subsequent attempts.
AL: There haven’t been too many Shiren titles released in the West when it comes to Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island. Was a Western release something you wanted from the beginning of development, and did that affect your approach to any gameplay mechanics?
Keisuke Sakurai: From the very beginning of development, we had the Western release in mind. For this reason, we eliminated confusing wordplay elements that had been common in previous titles, as we decided that they were not adaptable to other languages. Since awareness and popularity of the Shiren series are still growing in the West, we were conscious of keeping the game simple and easy to understand.
AL: Being a dungeon-crawler roguelike, the Shiren series isn’t known for being an easy game. How did you approach difficulty and challenge in Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island?
Keisuke Sakurai: Many people perceive being defeated so quickly as high difficulty. However, in “Shiren the Wanderer 6,” collapsing inside the dungeon is a very common occurrence. There are scenes where the story progresses through being defeated, and we have taken an approach so that defeat isn’t seen as a bad thing. We hope that you will play the game again and again.
AL: What was your reasoning for setting the events of Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island before Shiren the Wanderer 4?
Keisuke Sakurai: The timeline was chosen due to the scenario writer’s strong desire for the story to take place after the events of Tsukikage Village, which was seen in the very popular Shiren release on GameBoy.
AL: What are your plans for post-launch support for Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island? Can we expect any fun collaborations with other IPs?
Hideyuki Shinozaki: There has been an overwhelmingly positive response in Japan, so we hope we can continue to make updates.
AL: Okay, I have to know, and this is probably only for me, but is there any chance that you’d ever remake or remaster Torneko: The Last Hope? That game was actually my introduction to Dungeon Crawlers and Dragon Quest when I was a kid.
Hideyuki Shinozaki: I can’t say if that is possible or not. Please ask Square Enix if you have a chance.
AL: Is there a chance Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island will be released on PC or perhaps another platform in the future?
Hideyuki Shinozaki: If there are a lot of requests from users, we’d like to consider it, but for now, we want to dedicate all of our immediate efforts on the current Switch release.
AL: What are some of your favorite loadouts when equipping yourself in Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island? This may be able to help new players playing for the first time.
Keisuke Sakurai: In “Shiren 6,” players will often have to make do with weapons they come across during their dungeon adventure. It’s advisable to switch to stronger weapons when they are available. I think having equipment sets that trigger “resonance effects” such as “Doutanuki” and “Wolfshead” could be advantageous.
AL: Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island has a very nostalgic look. During development, can you expand on why you chose to bring the series back to basics?
Keisuke Sakurai: When “Shiren 2” was released for the Nintendo 64, it was very well received. Our aim was to create a legitimate evolution of that graphic style that prioritizes ease of viewing what’s on the screen by avoiding excessive embellishments.
AL: Is there anything you’d like to share with those awaiting the release of Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island in the West?
Keisuke Sakurai: I think it’s an addicting game, and the quality of life improvements are exceptional. Embrace the experience of defeat, enjoy it, and be persistent. Just one more time! One more time! I hope you enjoy the adventure.
