Dungeons and Downloads

Spike Chunsoft’s roguelike RPG Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is one of my favorite Nintendo Switch games of early 2024. And with the newly released DLC, that love is looking to push to mid-year and beyond.

The new content is extensive, beginning with challenging new Sacred Tree Dungeons.

Yes, the Sacred Tree you’ve been looking at in the starting town of Shukuba Beach is now open, and it holds difficult dungeons with special rules.

  • Normal Trial: Replay the dungeons of the main game with the same rules while also being able to change your playable character. For dungeons that had a boss battle at the end, you can now challenge them again.
  • Time Trial: Race to the finish and strive to complete the dungeon in as little time as possible.
  • Turn Trial: Master efficiency by completing the dungeon in as few turns as possible.
    Countdown Trial: Aim to complete the dungeon with a time limit on every turn and the dungeon as a whole.
  • Challenge Trial: Set your own personal restrictions to truly challenge yourself, such as completing the dungeon without using certain items or collapsing.

A mysterious sixth mode is also available, but would a Mystery Dungeon be without some mystery?

Other new features include:

  • Play using “Kokatsu Shiren” – The Kokatsu Shiren form from the main game can now be selected as a playable character in the Sacred Tree trials. Previously, Kokatsu Shiren could only be used in the Cavern of Suiryu dungeon, but will now also be available in other dungeons.

  • Dojo Challenge Mode – Enjoy mini-stages where you can learn the characteristics of each monster in the Monster Dojo
  • Expanded Storehouse – The capacity of the Item Holder Storehouse, where you can deposit items and weapons found in the dungeon, will expand from 180 items to 960 items.
  • Balance Adjustments and Other Improvements

That’s a lot of new features and improvements, but Spike Chunsoft isn’t done. A second update in development and due for release this summer will introduce even more new content and functional improvements.

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is available now digitally in the Nintendo eShop, A physical edition is also available, which includes a first-run bonus sticker featuring the protagonist, Shiren, and the game’s traditional Japanese art style.

For more information, visit the game’s official website.