SNES Shiren Demystified

[mediamogul]

Greetings programs! A couple of years ago I posted a comment about 'Shiren the Wanderer' in a thread about hidden gems. At the time I had beaten the main game and was moving on to the 99 level bonus dungeon known as 'Fei's Final Problem'. What I would quickly learn is that everything leading up to this dungeon could better be described as training for the ultimate Shiren experience.

In an effort to beat the final challenge, I set about creating a methodology of identifying items as I came across them. At first, I was very keen on the idea of a paperless solution. Since I've always been fascinated with toy decoder wheels, I got the idea to create a simple condensed replacement cipher using the built-in character input system that would allow me to quickly encode known information about an item within its custom name. Funny enough, this approach actually worked too well, as it eventually brought to light an undocumented limitation within the game for how many items are allowed to have a custom name at any given time.

Of course my next approach was to adopt a paper-based system. Looking around, I found several Shiren identification checklists on the web. However, every one that I ran across was only compatible with the item details of the Nintendo DS version, which is not a bad version itself, but it's also not nearly as challenging or flavorful as the SNES original. So, without any sources to go on, I would need to document every item in the game myself as I ran across them. This lead to another funny and ironic twist, as creating an item manager for the purpose of helping to beat the final dungeon would ultimately require me to beat the dungeon no less than four times before the manager itself could be completed.

In the end, I could write an entire adventure novel detailing my own unique experiences as Shiren throughout his final quest and I'm sure that they'll remain as some of my fondest gaming memories. However, the purpose of this thread is to share my work on the finalized item manager in the hope that others might use it to create their own unique experiences as Shiren the Wanderer in what is widely regarded as his most difficult and most rewarding adventure of all time.

Download:
shiren_ffp_manager.pdf

This two paged document is designed to be printed on two sides of one 8.5″ x 11″ sheet and optionally laminated for use with a fine tipped dry erase marker.

Features:

• Known Items Checklist
• Unknown Items Checklist*
• Price Identification
• Staff Charge Tracking
• Item Strength Tracking
• Strengthening Pot Tracking
• Curse Tracking
• Two Character Item Notation**
• Notes Area

*Keeping track of unidentified items alongside identified allows for a greater possibility of identification based solely on the process of elimination. This can even include the full identification of some items before they are ever encountered in game.

**For convenience in identification, I've included a two character designation for each item that can possibly be encountered in the dungeon. This can be very useful when note taking. The first character, found in braces {}, is used to note the item category. This is followed by a second character, found in parentheses (), to note the individual item within the category.

***Absolutely no save states were used in the creation of this document. The built-in saving feature saves your game after every action, allowing you to rest and return at any time as needed. Always play a game in whatever way gives you the most joy, but I assure you that this game, in its entirety, can be bested without the use of save states, using only your wits. It's not only unbelievably rewarding when it finally happens, but you'll be left with so many unique and memorable stories that wouldn't exist otherwise.

Good luck to all brave adventurers and happy wandering!

[BuZz]

@mediamogul Long time no see - welcome back :-)

[mediamogul]

@buzz

Thank you, sir! It's been a hell of a year. Hope everyone's doing ok. Without retro-gaming, I feel like I would have lost my mind a few times over. Sincere thanks go out to everyone involved for all the hard work.

[quicksilver]

@mediamogul never heard of this game but your description sounds very intriguing. I'll definitely be looking into it. As you noted this past year has been challenging and another game to keep me distracted would be welcome.

[mediamogul]

@quicksilver said in SNES Shiren Demystified:

I'll definitely be looking into it.

Nice! I think you'll like it. The game grows with you as you learn more about it. One of the most exciting elements is to plan a heist to steal from a store. If I have a good enough escape figured out, I'll go so far as to sell my entire inventory to the merchant for tons of money, then turn around and reclaim my items along with everything else in the store and head for the hills. It can really get your heart racing knowing that you'll either end up very rich and well supplied, or hunted down and executed, making you start all over.

[Crush]

Such dedication, you're getting the maximum amount of fun out of this game huh :-p
It's always great to find a game that captivates you to such an extent.

[mediamogul]

@crush

Very true! As unlikely as it may sound, the fundamentals of the game remind me very much of a universal classic that I'm currently working hard to master. That being NES 'Tetris'. At their core, they both offer a knowable set of elements that come together in a unique, randomly generated experience every time they're played. What's more, the random number generation can be so brutal at times that the real secret of success in both is not to wait for luck to break your way, but rather to actively make your own luck at every turn by knowing what all your possibilities are.

[quicksilver]

So I see there was a NDS remake of the game. Have you tried it @mediamogul ? Looks like they added a bonus dungeon and some other stuff. Curious which version I should try.

[mediamogul]

@quicksilver

They both have their merits. The DS version has had its randomness balanced, but I've also heard it described as being too balanced. A good example is the Farsight Bracer, which is an item that when worn will always let you see the entire map immediately, as well as the activity and placement of all the enemies. If you know how to fully make use of it, this is enough of an advantage to single-handedly win you the first quest all by itself. In the DS version, it only appears in the last half of any dungeon, whereas it can appear at any point in the SNES version. I had one play-through where the game spawned me two spaces away from the bracer in the very first room. The odds on that happening are astronomical, but those kind of truly random possibilities are what I personally prefer. One thing to keep in mind is that my item manager only works with the SNES version. However, there are plenty of checklists online for the DS version if you choose to go that route.

A pretty big difference in the DS version that can be seen as a positive is that the final 99 level dungeon reworks the last fifth its rooms. In the SNES version, level 79 contains as powerful an array of enemies as will exist until the end. The DS version creates a few more power evolutions that can make the last leg a bit more interesting. No matter which version you choose, I'll give you two good tips to get going. First, If you visit the Tavern in the town before each outing, the bartender will always give you a rice ball to stave off starvation. Second, you can visit Fei the researcher before each outing and test one of his tutorial rooms. Not only does each one teach a VERY valuable lesson about the game's possibilities, but afterward he'll also always give you an item to take with you on your main journey. I know that in the SNES version, the item he gives is drawn from the entire pool of items that are available in the first quest, so this can be a huge advantage.