Pokémon Mystery Dungeon is a video game series based on the main Pokémon games, created by Spike Chunsoft (formerly Chunsoft). The games involve fictional creatures called Pokémon who can speak human language. They move through randomly generated dungeons using turn-based moves, a feature common to Mystery Dungeon games. As of March 2020, there have been eleven games released on five different platforms, along with several manga adaptations and animated specials.

The games take place in dungeons, called “mystery dungeons,” where a map of each level is randomly created. In these dungeons, players battle other Pokémon, collect items, and find stairs to move to the next level. The goal is to exit the dungeon after reaching a set number of floors. Overall, the series has sold more than 17.26 million copies.

Gameplay

Although each game has unique features, the main ways to play are similar in all titles. These games are often considered easier than other Mystery Dungeon games.

In the game, the player becomes a Pokémon that was once a human. This Pokémon is found by their partner Pokémon at the start of the game. Before the game begins, players take a personality test to determine which Pokémon they will partner with. However, in the WiiWare games and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, players can choose their starter Pokémon. In Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX, players can select a Pokémon to partner with after completing the personality test.

The game uses a style similar to classic roguelike games. Players navigate randomly generated dungeons with their Pokémon team. Movement and actions happen in turns. Players can use basic attacks, Pokémon moves, and items. The game begins with one partner Pokémon, but players can recruit other Pokémon they meet in the dungeon to join their team after the first mission.

Development

Tsunekazu Ishihara previously worked with Chunsoft. One project by the company was Tetris 2 + BomBliss, where Ishihara was the game's producer and met Koichi Nakamura, who was the game's director. Before developing Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, Ishihara played several games from the Mystery Dungeon series, including Torneko's Great Adventure: Mystery Dungeon, and was impressed by how deep and high-quality the games were. The development of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games began after Seiichiro Nagahata and Shin-ichiro Tomie approached Ishihara and agreed to work on an easier version of the genre for fans of the main Pokémon series.

Games

The games are created by Spike Chunsoft, which was previously known as Chunsoft before joining with another company in 2012. The games are released by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.

The first game in the series, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team, was released in Japan in 2005 and worldwide in 2006. These two games were released on different platforms: Red Rescue Team for the Game Boy Advance and Blue Rescue Team for the Nintendo DS. A free demo called Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gold Rescue Team was released in 2007 for Windows computers in South Korea to promote the release of Blue Rescue Team in that region.

In 2007, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness were released for the Nintendo DS in Japan and worldwide in 2008. Starting with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky in 2009, the series was not released in Taiwan or South Korea. Additionally, due to a shortage of copies, Explorers of Sky had limited availability in Australia, with most stores selling imported versions from the United Kingdom.

After the release of Explorers of Sky in Japan, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Adventure Squad games were released exclusively for the WiiWare system in Japan. These games were never released outside of Japan. They were first introduced through logos on pamphlets given out at McDonald's. These games used 3D models from other Pokémon games, such as Pokémon Rumble and My Pokémon Ranch, making them the first in the series to use 3D models instead of 2D images. The games have three versions: Fire Adventure Team, Storm Adventure Team, and Light Adventure Team. Each version starts with different Pokémon based on their colors (red, blue, and yellow). Players can ask friends to help revive their team. Using WiiConnect24, new missions are added to the game while the Wii is not in use, and players can share game progress across all three versions. Unlike other games in the series, players control a regular Pokémon instead of a human who becomes a Pokémon. A feature called "Pokémon Tower" allows players to stack Pokémon to perform special attacks. The Nintendo DS can be used as a controller, with its touchscreen allowing players to choose Pokémon moves. All three versions were translated into English by fans on April 28, 2020.

In 2012, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity was released for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan and worldwide in 2013. After this, the series used new 3D models instead of 2D images or models from other games.

Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon is the most recent non-remake game in the series. It was released in 2015 for the Nintendo 3DS and later in 2016 for PAL regions.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is the latest game in the series. It was released in 2020 for the Nintendo Switch. This game is a remake of the original Rescue Team games for the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, combining them into one game with updated graphics and gameplay.

Other media

Over the years, manga and animated episodes were created for every book or show title in the series.

Reception

The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series is considered the most popular part of the larger Mystery Dungeon franchise. It sold more than 70% of all copies and has a larger and more active community worldwide because of its connection with the Pokémon franchise.

During the development of Red and Blue Rescue Team, Kouji Malta, a programmer for these games, said the company had financial problems. Employees from Chunsoft left the company one by one because of these issues. The success of the game increased the popularity of the Mystery Dungeon franchise and helped Chunsoft avoid bankruptcy after many years of serious financial problems. The series later sold more than 10 million copies before the release of Explorers of Sky.