best mystery dungeon style games on nintendo switch

Want an endless maze to explore and monsters to battle while constantly leveling up your character? You need a mystery dungeon game! Check out these recommendations.

Mystery dungeon style games are a unique take on the roguelike genre that follows a different formula—often with a hub that serves as the player’s base of operations. Since the original Shiren the Wanderer, the format has been adapted into several different mashups—many of which are available on Nintendo Switch. If you love the thrill of randomly generated dungeons, loot, monsters, and challenges then check out these great mystery dungeon games on Switch.

What are mystery dungeon games?

Mystery dungeon games are a style of procedurally generated roguelike games first popularized by Spike Chun soft. The gameplay consists of exploring these randomly generated dungeons in a turn-based manner. For every action the player takes, enemies take an action. It is similar to chess, as it is easy for the player to become overwhelmed if they move unwisely. The gameplay has been adapted and now there are several mystery dungeon style rogue likes on Nintendo Switch.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX

Probably the most well-known Nintendo property outside of Mario is Pokemon, making this game a great entry point to the genre. This is also one of the few Pokemon games that allows the player to be a pokemon, rather than a person.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon introduces new concepts at a decent clip and more than 400 Pokemon to catch. There’s even a demo available to download for free on the Nintendo eShop, if you want to check out the game before you buy it.

Chocobo Mystery Dungeon EVERY BUDDY!

Pretty much the same systems in play in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon are on display in this Final Fantasy themed version of a mystery dungeon game. Those familiar with the monster types located in these games will immediately be familiar with the ever-changing dungeon and its denizens. Chocobo Mystery Dungeon doesn’t let you be one of the legendary animals, but they can accompany you on your journey!

Siralim 3

Siralim combines the random dungeon aspect of mystery dungeon gameplay with Pokemon style monster catching and team management. The result is an incredibly deep monster management roguelike that borrows from another genre for its battle systems. Don’t let the static sprite graphics put you off, anyone who likes Shin Megami Tensei and its many offshoots will find a lot to like about Siralim 3.

Siralim Ultimate

Love the gameplay and team customization aspects of Siralim 3 and want even more monsters to catch? Siralim Ultimate features over 1,200 different monsters scattered across a wider variety of random dungeons. Fusing and optimizing the creatures can provide thousands of hours of enjoyment.

Void Terrarium

NIS tries its hand at the mystery dungeon formula by fusing it with tamagotchi-style gameplay with the mystery dungeon layer. Periodically, you may need to give up on a dungeon because Toriko, one of the last humans on Earth, is sick and it is Robbie’s job to take care of her. Void Terrarium puts you in charge of keeping the last human on Earth alive. Can you do it?

There’s a lot more story to this game once you reach certain points, so if the lack of story in other mystery dungeon games puts you off—this is probably a good fit. Plus if you like it, NIS America has already published the sequel on Switch, Void Terrarium 2. There is a demo for both Void Terrarium and its sequel if you want to check out the gameplay.

Void Terarrium 2

Void Terrarium 2 picks up where the first game left off, with viruses still running rampant and threatening Toriko’s terrarium. There is a wider variety of environments to explore as you help rebuild the terrarium and protect Toriko from harm. These games tell a linear story in the mystery dungeon format and should be played together if they are to be enjoyed.

Tangledeep

Tangledeep draws from many games for its systems, with classes similar to Final Fantasy and a pet breeding system to rival Pokemon. The core dungeon exploration is pure mystery dungeon, down to randomly generated dungeons designed to level up your weapons. If you play any of the games on this list, you should definitely consider Tangledeep. There’s also a generous DLC pack that adds a new class and a whole new area to explore.

Shiren the Wanderer

This is the original mystery dungeon experience that has inspired so many others. The gameplay on Nintendo Switch closely mimics the Shiren the Wanderer, but also features new bonus dungeons to challenge even the most experienced Wanderer. Miss the monster zoo gameplay from the original? It’s all here in this Switch version.

Labyrinth of the Witch

A serviceable Shirin-like that features new abilities and a hub area concept similar to Void Terrarium. This game isn’t bad, but its not a great introduction to the genre if you’re a newcomer. If you’re a veteran looking for new mechanics on display, you might be disappointed in this one too. If you can find Labyrinth of the Witch on super sale on the eShop, its probably worth picking up.

Touhou Genso Wanderer — Lotus Labyrinth R

Overly large party sizes are the unique feature of this mystery dungeon style dungeon crawling RPG. Equip up to 10 separate weapons, 10 separate pieces of armor, and 10 separate charms. Massive party management is the key to enjoying this roguelike with characters from the Touhou universe.


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