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.
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.
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3's setting, the Clockwork Palace, has given developer Chunsoft license to pit Shiren against some supremely freaky-looking mechanical monsters. Just the very existence of monsters in a Mystery Dungeon game is cause enough for fear, as any single one of them can kill you and erase all your progress. It almost seems like overkill, then, to design enemies that actually look creepy at all.
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.
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?
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!
Ever the pessimists, we're having a hard time convincing ourselves that Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3 will ever make it stateside. Yes, we thought the same about the Shiren game that just hit the DS when localization rumors materialized, but we doubt that sales for the niche title impressed Sega, compelling the publisher into adding the Wii sequel to its North America release schedule.
So, until monkeys fly out our butt someone announces a localization deal for Shiren 3, the only way you'll play this revamp of the revered roguelike is an expensive import -- provided that it's compatible with Freeloader. If you're shelling out the big bucks, why not grab the Koppa Wii remote stand, too? NCSX has the stands available to gamers who put down their $65 (plus shipping and handling) for an early preorder. Though Shiren 3 isn't due until June 5th, the import shop has a limited amount of stands, so reserve soon!
Those of you who've played the DS remake of the SNES game -- all four of you -- and aren't sure if Shiren 3'sadditions are enough to warrant a purchase, make sure you check out the new boss characters in the Famitsu link below!
Read - Preorder Furai no Shiren 3 at NCSX Read - New Furai no Shiren 3 screenshots
Back in January, Sega announced a delay for the Japanese version of Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3, bumping the title back from February into June. Today, Sega announced the official release date, confirming that it (probably) won't be bumped further: June 5th.
We're inclined to think that Sega delayed Shiren until production of the limited preorder bonus was finished, but Chunsoft was probably working on the game or something. The two events do happen to coincide, however: along with the release date announcement, Sega sent out a real picture of the Koppa Wii remote stand, which we want almost enough to import the game.
Chunsoft is adding a suite of online features to the newest entry of its revered roguelike series, further distinguishing Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3 as more than just "a 3D remake of the original SNES game." Topping the list of online additions is a new versus mode in which you can take a break from having monsters, traps, and other common dungeon hazards kill you -- instead, you can die at the hands of other wandering Shirens.
Like the rescue feature introduced in Shiren the Wanderer DS, you can resurrect your friends who've died during their dungeon travels (they can resurrect you, too!) in Shiren 3. Also, online leaderboards and a pot-trading system will be implemented in the Wii version, putting that Nintendo WiFi connection to good use. All that's left to ask for is a US release from Sega!
This could be a simple mixup with the DS version, or it could be something awesome. In IGN's writeup of the regrettable Shiren the Wanderer 3delay, writer Anoop Gantayat made the following statement:
"... Shiren is set for US release under the name Shiren the Wanderer 3. As the U.S. version is currently with a TBA release date, expect the TBA to come post Summer."
This is actually the first we've heard of any North American release plans for the brand-new roguelike. With the DS Shiren 2 remake coming out in March, localization of further Shiren games seems like a definite possibility, but we haven't heard any announcements from Sega. We would be more than enthused about having a shot at the gorgeous new dungeon game. If we were to get Koppa here as well, even better.
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3 was originally planned for a February 28 release in Japan. While we'd like for it to be released as soon as possible so Sega can go ahead and announce a U.S. date (please?), we're all going to have to wait a while. The game has been pushed back to June, for good reason: to add more content, as well as improving the general quality of the game.
We aren't sure if this was Chunsoft's decision or Sega's, but since the delay was announced concurrently with the delay of Red's Dramatic Dungeon: Sakura Taisen, we suspect that Sega is cracking down on their developers. If you were Sega, wouldn't you be concerned about the quality of your releases? Maybe as a result of the extra time, we'll get an improved game along with an improved Koppa Wiimote holder.
We didn't realize until about five minutes ago how badly we needed a Wiimote stand, but now we're pretty sure we're going to die of hypo-standia without one. Specifically, the promotional Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3 Wiimote stand seen here (in concept art), in the shape of Shiren's weasel companion Koppa.
Thanks to Sega, the novelty Wiimote stand will be the Wii's version of the noveltystylus, and we could not be more okay with that. What we could be more okay with, however, is the method of obtaining one of these. It's a limited-edition preorder gift for the game (due Febuary 28th), and we're not about to spend the $60+ on an unusable Japanese disc just to get one of these Wiimote stands to serve a function that we didn't know existed.
Sega is selling a "DX Pack" of Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3 from their SegaDirect online store, like they are for NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (and also Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity). While the included swag doesn't approach the elfin cuteness of the NiGHTSfigurine or the spinniness of the keychain, it's much more, uh, spacious.
Along with a telephone card (whose design has yet to be shown) the DX Pack of Shiren 3 will include this handsome tote bag. Buying video games just wasn't enough like donating to PBS.
DX Packs will either come with the telephone card (8,680 yen, or $79) or without (8,000 yen, or $73). This isn't the first time Sega has handed these things out -- the same bag was packed in with copies of Shiren the Wanderer DS.
You're likely to need all the help you can get in Mysterious Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3, whether it comes from enchanted weapons, scrolls, or -- for the first time -- talismans called o-fuda. While o-fuda are used in Shinto tradition to ward off harm from a home or family, their effects are a little more direct within the Mystery Dungeon. Shiren uses o-fuda to afflict status ailments on monsters.
Another advantage new to this entry: other characters. It's rare in a roguelike to have someone around who not only isn't a monster, but will in fact help you kill monsters. Not that any of this matters. Only the most dedicated, and luckiest, players will do anything in the game besides die. We have to keep telling ourselves that before we get sucked in to basically the hardest RPG on the Wii.
A monster randomly dropped this trailer after we killed it, and we had to carry it around for a while until we found a Scroll of Trailer Identify. We were afraid it was going to be something useless like a trailer for Super Glove Ball, but we lucked out! A +3 Video of Shiren the Wanderer!
It was then a matter of posting it before we died and had to go find another one.
Sega is releasing a lot of potentially awesome stuff in the near future (in Japan), including NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, Ghost Squad, and Mysterious Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3. They showed these products (and some stuff for other systems or whatever) to some lucky Japanese gamers at a consumer conference, and sent some new screens out to the rest of us poor folks.
We're happy just to stare at some screens, however, as they are all filled with excellence! Except for this one from NiGHTS. The screens from Shiren the Wanderer are old, but still nice-looking. NiGHTS is actually looking good, and Ghost Squad's got ninjas and bikini girls in it.
The only thing that could have made this bounty of screens any more exciting would have been new Mibri & Tebri content. Next time, maybe.
