On the Mystery of Dungeons

I've mentioned the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon spinoff game series a few times, but I've never discussed about it specifically. If you've never played it, the gameplay involves controlling Pokémon to move through labyrinthine dungeons while fending off other enemy Pokémon in turn-by-turn fashion similar to the main series. Mystery Dungeon games exist for several game franchises, so the concept itself is by no means unique, but obviously I'm attracted to the Pokémon one because it is what I love.

I've been attracted to the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games ever since the first ones - the Rescue Team sub-series - came out. In fact, I tried to "jump the gun", so to speak, by playing the Japanese version first even though I had no knowledge whatsoever of the language. The result was that there was much I didn't understand as I played the game while winging it through; eventually I hit a wall and couldn't progress further. When I finally got the English version and played it, I finally understood the workings of the game and could play the game all the way to the completion of the main storyline. Regardless, at that point I was hooked to this new spinoff series.

Of the first three sub-series, which I have played at least one game each (or the only game, in case of Gates to Infinity), I find that I like the Explorers sub-series on the Nintendo DS the most, because the story is enjoyable and it improves the mechanics from the first sub-series without adding too much, though the complexity remains the same - it truly feels like playing an expanded version of the first series. Even so, it is also this complexity which ramps up after the main storyline is complete that keeps me from tackling the most difficult portions of the games; this applies for just about any game in the series.

Interestingly, I've also developed relations based on Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. Back when a good part of communication on the web was still done on forums, I met a user in a forum that also liked the first sub-series, though it was a little hard to communicate with the user because at that time I believe he was the same age as I was when I started to like Pokémon in the first place, and at that point in time our imaginations were really far out. I wonder how that user is doing now. On the other hand, years later, I met another user in another forum that liked the second sub-series, and as I found out later, Pokémon in general. The best part? I got to meet him in person a few years ago - though it wasn't for Pokémon - and we've been friends ever since. He's famous in some ways and has left a certain legacy in a music game I now rarely have the chance to play.

As for Super Mystery Dungeon, I'm still interested to play it, though I have not been able to devote efforts for procuring and playing the game. Since I've played all generations of the previous games, it's only natural that I continue with Super Mystery Dungeon. It'll just have to come later.

I have my moments with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. It's a challenging yet attractive game that doesn't stray too far from the main series, and it proves to be popular among fans as well, if my developed relations are any indication. It's definitely an established part of the Pokémon franchise, and it makes me very pleased to have played it.