Line #146 VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/PMD_EOS_9077.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Imagine a world where only Pokémon roam.[softreturn]Including YOU.]]
3
4	->''"Introducing the newest Pokémon … ''YOU!''''"
5	-->--'''{{Tagline}},''' ''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red/Blue Rescue Team.''
6
7	A ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' themed entry in Creator/SpikeChunsoft's (originally Chunsoft's before the merger with Spike) ''VideoGame/MysteryDungeon'' (''Fushigi no Dungeon'') {{Roguelike}} franchise. The games center around a world populated ''exclusively'' by Pokémon (with no humans to be seen), who live in towns and cities, run shops, and go on adventures in [[RandomlyGeneratedLevels randomly generated dungeons.]]
8
9	''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon'' as a whole is notable from the main series for two reasons, one being that it's the first entries in the entire Pokémon franchise to place special emphasis on CharacterDevelopment and a compelling StoryArc (as opposed to the series's usual quest ToBeAMaster and to GottaCatchThemAll), typically involving humans who [[FishOutOfWater awaken in the Pokémon's world]] to discover that they've somehow been transformed into Pokémon themselves. They become best friends with another Pokémon, form an adventure team, and go on a QuestForIdentity over the course of many adventures, as clues about their MysteriousPast reveal that their ultimate destiny is nothing less than [[SaveTheWorldClimax saving the world]] from imminent destruction.
10
11	The second reason this spinoff series is notable? Because it's the first time we get to hear exactly ''what'' the Pokémon are saying underneath all the PokemonSpeak we've come to expect.
12
13	The gameplay is what you would expect from a {{Roguelike}}, except with battle mechanics loosely resembling those of the main Pokémon series: All 700-plus individual species (which you can "recruit" to become members of your team), all [[ElementalRockPaperScissors 18 elemental types]], moves, abilities, and StatusEffects from the main series show up in a manner better suited to the different nature of gameplay. The Pokémon themselves are represented faithfully with 8-directional walking and attacking sprites and dialogue portraits (an impressive feat in and of itself!).
14
15	The series comprises these installments:
16	* ''[[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonRescueTeam Red and Blue Rescue Team]]'' were released for the Platform/GameBoyAdvance and the Platform/NintendoDS in 2005. Like the main series, there were [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo a few minor differences]] between the ''Red and Blue'' versions, but both were required for true OneHundredPercentCompletion [[note]]if one didn't have the proper Wonder Mail codes[[/note]]. A remake for Platform/NintendoSwitch, ''Rescue Team DX'', released in March 2020.
17	* ''[[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers Explorers of Time and Darkness]]'', another pair of games with minor differences between them, released in 2008 and featuring Pokémon from the fourth generation, a tighter StoryArc, and many tweaks to the underlying gameplay. An UpdatedRerelease, ''Explorers of Sky'', was released in 2009 with additional features, including bonus chapters focusing on side characters. The ''Explorers'' games have become somewhat notorious for the ''sheer amount'' of frightening situations contained therein.
18	* ''[[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonAdventureSquad Adventure Squad]]'': A third installment released [[NoExportForYou only in Japan]] for UsefulNotes/WiiWare in 2009, comprising three versions with elementally-themed starter Pokémon (Fire, Water, and Electric), with [[VideoGame3DLeap 3D graphics]], and a LighterAndSofter story involving chocolate.
19	* ''[[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonGatesToInfinity Gates to Infinity]]'': The fourth installment in the series, released on the Platform/Nintendo3DS, with fully 3D graphics. Unlike previous installments, this game is a standalone title. It makes use of items called Magnagates, which are generated based on AugmentedReality minigames. It was released in Japan on November 23rd, 2012, while North America had their release on March 24, 2013, Europe on May 17, 2013, and Australia a day later on May 18. Notably enough, this entry is responsible for a major overhaul of many mechanics, that has since been kept.
20	* ''[[VideoGame/PokemonSuperMysteryDungeon Super Mystery Dungeon]]'': The fifth installment of the series, released for the Platform/Nintendo3DS on September 17, 2015 in Japan, November 20, 2015 in North America, February 19, 2016 in Europe, and February 20, a day later, in Australia. The choices for the two PlayerCharacters are the starters from gens 1-6, plus [[SeriesMascot Pikachu]] and [[BreakoutCharacter Riolu]].
21
22	The first two installments also received their own [[Manga/PokemonMysteryDungeonGinjisRescueTeam manga]] adaptations and [[TheAnimeOfTheGame a few anime episodes based on them]]; the fourth also received an anime-style two-episode short movie.
23
24	----
25	!!The series as a whole provides examples of:
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27	[[foldercontrol]]
28
29	[[folder:A-D]]
30	* AdaptationalBadass:
31	** In the mainline ''Pokémon'' games, Kecleon is a fairly middling Pokémon with a gimmicky ability that's highly exploitable. In the ''Mystery Dungeon'' games, however... steal from a Kecleon shop, and unless you're very powerful or very well-prepared, chances are [[ShopliftAndDie it'll be the last thing you ever do.]]
32	** Skitty is a JokeCharacter in the main series games, with terrible stats for how rare it is to find. However, it's considerably stronger in the ''Mystery Dungeon'' series — it learns [=DoubleSlap=] early on and so can take advantage of the increased power of multi-strike moves, and in ''Rescue Team'' in particular, its Cute Charm ability and access to Attract lets it easily disable enemy Pokémon which aren't immune to infatuation.
33	* ADogNamedDog: Characters will generally be named after their species. Despite this, it never creates any confusion, even when more than one Pokémon of the same species is present, such as the three Magnemite or the two Jumpluff early into ''Rescue Team''. The player can defy this trope by nicknaming their own Pokémon just like in the main series games.
34	* AdventureGuild: Rescue teams, Explorer teams (explicitly so with Wigglytuff's Guild), adventurer teams, and the Expedition Society.
35	* AmbidextrousSprite: Averted; Pokémon with asymmetrical designs have different sprites for all eight directions.
36	* AndYourRewardIsClothes: More or less the benefit of evolving at Luminous Springs in ''Explorers of Time and Darkness''. Aside from a stat boost or two, your character and partner don't get to evolve until ''[[BraggingRightsReward absolutely everything is over]]''. You might as well not bother, unless you want to tackle the more challenging dungeons.
37	* TheAnimeOfTheGame: In the form of a few one-off specials - ''Go-Getters out of the Gate!'', ''Explorers of Time and Darkness'', and ''Explorers of Sky: Beyond Time and Darkness''.
38	** Also, ''Ginji's Rescue Team'' and ''Blazing Exploration Team'', two six-chapter mangas by Makoto Mizobuchi based on the first two games. The latter has [[NoExportForYou not been translated]].
39	* AntiFrustrationFeatures: In missions where you have to bring a specific item to a Pokémon in a dungeon, you will always find one of that item in the same floor the Pokémon is in. This way, you can complete the mission even if you didn't have the item beforehand. [[NotTheIntendedUse Of course, this does not stop you from taking advantage of it and getting guaranteed items in every visit, as long as you don't complete the mission]].
40	* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: You're only allowed to bring 4 (3 in ''Rescue Team'' and ''Super Mystery Dungeon'') Pokémon into dungeons, with some restricting you to just the player and partner due to story reasons. This is further complicated by the size category system preventing the player from taking more than one Pokémon considered "large" (such as Onix), which also reduces the maximum party size to 3 when one is in the party.
41	* ArtificialStupidity:
42	** If you run out of PP for a move, the game prevents you from selecting or using it; but if an AI Pokémon (partner, recruits, and opponents alike) run out of PP, they may continue attempting to use that move, wasting their turn. The "PP Checker" skill prevents this, but the ''Rescue Team'' games don't equip it by default (it must be learned). ''Gates to Infinity'' did away with IQ skills and generally greatly improved Pokémon AI, but their PP conservation is still questionable at best, as they are very eager to use ranged or room-wide moves as soon as possible.
43	** Disabling the "Course Checker" IQ skill can result in death by friendly fire if you're not careful. (But unlike "PP Checker," this one ''is'' equipped by default.)
44	** If for some reason a party member is separated from you, they'll happily wander off elsewhere in the dungeon, engaging other Pokémon in combat, level discrepancies or ElementalRockPaperScissors being considered irrelevant. You can tell them to "wait there" while you track them down, but you have no way of telling them "wrong way, turn around".
45	* TheAtoner:
46	** [[spoiler:Gengar]] in ''Red/Blue''
47	** [[spoiler:Drowzee, Armaldo, and, eventually, ''Dusknoir'']] in ''Time/Darkness/Sky''
48	** [[spoiler:Nuzleaf and Beheeyem]] in ''Super Mystery Dungeon''
49	* AutoRevive: Reviver Seeds will automatically revive a KO'd party member as long as you have one in the inventory.
50	* AwesomeButImpractical: Zigzagged with the Trawl Orb, which draws in all items on the floor to you. However, this includes items from any potential Kecleon Shops, which will cause you to be accused of theft and have to face a horde of superpowered Kecleons trying to stop you. Most of the time, as a result, a Trawl Orb would be used right next to the stairs so the party could grab all the items and leave floor before a Kecleon can reach them. As of ''Gates to Infinity'' onward, however, shop items are no longer affected by the Trawl Orb.
51	* BadassAdorable: The player and partner are only cutesy first stage Pokémon, yet as the games go on they are eventually forced to fight (and beat) professional explorers, criminals, and [[OlympusMons Legendaries]].
52	* BagOfSharing: All team members have access to the same inventory regardless of their location on the floor. In ''Explorers'' the [[TimeTravel nature]] of the plot allows the storage system to outright ignore the law of causality, with items able to be put in storage and then taken out [[MindScrew before they were even put there]].
53	* BallisticDiscount: {{Subverted\|Trope}}. While you can steal from the dungeon-dwelling Kecleon merchants and use their items against them, they are so powerful that most items will barely do anything to them and they're guaranteed to KO you if you're not at or near the level cap.
54	* BattleThemeMusic: There is one for standard {{Boss Battle}}s, a second for {{Climax Boss}}es (and other legendary Pokémon), a third for Monster Houses. ''Explorers'' adds another for encountering Outlaw Pokémon, plus themes for the main antagonists.
55	* BigDamnHeroes:
56	** In ''Explorers of Sky'', when Bidoof is accosted by a villainous team during his special episode, the entirety of the Wigglytuff Guild shows up to rescue him.
57	** In ''Gates to Infinity'', when the Pawniard brothers summon two Galvantula and two Venipede to fight you, your partner, Dunsparce and Emolga, a surprise visit from Virizion, Gurdurr and the Timburr brothers initiates to gang up on them.
58	** Also, at Daybreak Ridge after defeating Toxicroak, Gigalith and Chandelure, just as two Excadrill and Salamence are about to gang up on you, [[spoiler:Hydreigon]] swoops in to save your character.
59	* BlessedWithSuck:
60	** The Run Away ability [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere will cause Pokémon to flee if they take enough damage]]. While this is useful for the player if it's on an enemy, it also affects party members. Once they reach that threshold, you can't stop them from ditching you in the middle of combat until they heal enough to put them back over it. This is {{Averted\|Trope}} starting in ''Super'' as it simply prevents the Pokémon from being [[YouWillNotEvadeMe Stuck.]]
61	** Prior to ''Super'', Pokémon with the Illuminate ability (like Staryu, Chinchou, or Volbeat) will "blink" if they take damage during a turn, causing a hostile Pokémon to spawn somewhere on the floor. This includes damage from hostile weather and StatusEffects, and also applies even if they're on your team.
62	** The Stall ability prevents hitting opponents unless they're next to the ability's owner.
63	* BloodlessCarnage: No blood ever comes out of the brutal attacks.
64	* BoringButPractical: Geo Pebbles and Gravelerocks deal rather low damage (and they have a chance to miss or get caught, and not deal any damage at all), but they are the only reliable way to damage enemies while confused, as they will never target allies.
65	* BountyHunter: Downplayed. Some missions ask to defeat an "Outlaw" Pokémon, troublemakers hiding in dungeons.
66	* BrutalBonusLevel: A surprisingly high number of them for the games' length. The ultimate dungeons include:
67	** Purity Forest in ''Red and Blue Rescue Team'', forcing you to Lv. 1 with 0 IQ, without any items or money, and all alone, unable to recruit anything. You need to go like this through 99 floors, with darkness limiting field of sight to 1 tile in hallways. The remake softens it a bit, as you now start at Lv. 5, the game does not remove Rare Qualities and you can recruit Pokemon along the way. Regardless, it's still a difficult trek.
68	** Zero Isle South in ''Explorers of Time and Darkness'' is basically the same, except enemies on later floors now have IQ skills, as per standard for endgame dungeons in these games.
69	** ''Explorers of Sky'' thought that was not enough, as Destiny Tower is basically a souped-up version of Zero Isle South: on top of the usual, you cannot be rescued at all, IQ skills are disabled (no Reviver Seeds), it has the nasty Random and Grudge Traps, and traps won't be made visible unless you directly step on them.
70	** The ultimate dungeon in ''Gates'', Path of No Return, is more in line with Purity Forest. This is also the first time the level regression put you at 5, and not 1.
71	** Ironically, the ultimate dungeon in ''Super'', Sacred Ruins, is only 39 floors long (as the only two 99 floor long dungeons don't have such harsh restrictions); it makes up for the length by starting right away with enemies that can easily wipe you.
72	* ButThouMust: In textbook fashion, most prompts for player input will result in only slightly altered dialogue leading to the same outcome, or require the player to go back and select the "correct" choice again.
73	** In ''Red/Blue'', there is are at least two points (When the player [[spoiler:is accused of being the human from the Ninetales curse]] and at [[spoiler:Mt. Freeze]]) where the player's only options are (literally) VisibleSilence.
74	** Near the end of ''Explorers of Sky'', while trying to explain that something feels wrong about the mysterious dreams, you're given a choice between "Something seems strange..." and "Something seems weird..."
75	** Taken to an extreme in ''Bidoof's Wish'' where Jirachi offers Bidoof a wish, and the player is given a ''slew'' of possible options (even [[TakeOverTheWorld World Domination]]), all leading to the same result -- Bidoof doesn't want to wish for it any more, and [[TakeAThirdOption wishes for something else]].
76	** Chimecho provides a LampshadeHanging in ''Sky'': "Even if you select a "No," you eventually have to select the "Yes," so it always ends up the same anyway..."
77	** Late in the ''Explorers'' games, during a major plot point a selection dialog pops up … and there's ONLY ONE OPTION to pick from!
78	** It's also played straight in ''Gates to Infinity'', though there is a point where you can get a NonstandardGameOver for picking a certain response.
79	* CallingYourAttacks: The Pokémon do this in the animated specials, as well as in ''Rescue Team DX''.
80	* CantCatchUp: In ''Rescue Team DX'', everyone you have based in a camp (so everyone except for enemies, clients, and Pokemon you've only just recruited) gains EXP from every Pokemon you defeat. This means earlier Mystery Dungeons and the Pokemon you get from them can become pretty insignificant as you progress, especially if you keep recruiting new Pokemon from the tougher Dungeons, though there are Level-Up items for your teammates to binge on.
81	* CastFromCalories: Your hunger stat drains throughout a dungeon, and drains faster when you use attacks, especially if you are using linked moves. When that goes, your HitPoints will follow unless you eat.
82	* CharacterPortrait: In all of the games (Except for the Wii titles), with a [[https://www.spriters-resource.com/resources/sheets/23/24968.png surprising amount of different expressions]]. At least for the player, partner, and plot-important characters, anyway.
83	* CivilisedAnimal: The Pokémon have shops, adventuring organisations, live in rudimentary houses, and seem to only eat fruit, but they're still just as capable at fighting as wild Pokémon.
84	* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: The Wigglytuff in ''Explorers'' and ''Rescue Team''. They're separate Wigglytuff by the way.
85	* ClimbingClimax: All four handheld ''Mystery Dungeon'' games [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon end]] the main story with a tower climb; the first one is the [[LevelInTheClouds Sky Tower]], the second is [[spoiler:Temporal Tower]], ''Gates to Infinity'' ends with [[spoiler:Glacier Palace - Great Spire]], and ''Super Mystery Dungeon'' ends with [[spoiler:the Tree of Life]].
86	* ContinuingIsPainful: Defeat means losing approximately half the items (randomly selected) in your active inventory and all of your money on hand (half in ''Explorers of Sky'').
87	* ContractualBossImmunity:
88	** Orb items explicitly cannot be used in boss battles due to "[[HandWave a strange power]]", although Seeds and StatusEffects still generally work.
89	** While ''Gates to Infinity'' allows you to use Orbs on boss battles, it's still played straight in that the Legendary Pokémon bosses are immune to status effects. Also, standard bosses recover from ailments far quicker then normal, and group bosses frequently possess an IQ skill that prevents more then one of them having a given status effect at the same time on top of this.
90	* ConvectionSchmonvection: [[ZigZaggedTrope Zig-Zagged]]. Standing next to lava incurs no penalties, but Pokémon that are flying/levitating over it will still get inflicted with a [[StatusEffects Burn]] unless they're a Fire-type.
91	* CowardlyMooks: Prior to ''Super'', any enemy Pokémon with the "Run Away" ability will try to escape battle once their HitPoints drop below the halfway point, similar as with "Wimp Out".
92	* CrapsaccharineWorld: Sure the world looks pretty and colorful, but what about the natural disasters/time distortions that are [[HatePlague turning mons against each other]], or what about [[spoiler:the embodiment of nightmares who puts children into everlasting nightmares for his own amusement and is attempting to turn the world into a world of darkness?]]
93	** Ironically, even though ''Darkness/Time/Sky'' seems fairly kiddish at face value, it is often viewed as the grittiest and darkest ''Pokémon'' game ever made.
94	** Same with ''Gates to Infinity'', except ''EVEN DARKER''.
95	* CriticalExistenceFailure: The end of both ''Red/Blue'' and ''Explorers''.
96	* CurbStompBattle: Boss battles can range from very easy to very difficult depending on the player's strategy and (for some cases) the boss's own AIRoulette; for example, combining StatusEffects with ElementalRockPaperScissors can result in defeating the boss without giving it a chance to even fight back.
97	* CursedWithAwesome: Your character is a human turned into a Pokémon. Why go back to being a human when you can do things like shooting fire from your HANDS?
98	** Somewhat averted in the first game though. [[spoiler:The LaserGuidedAmnesia was the real curse, not the transformation]]. The player agreed to both but shows no problems with being a Pokémon. The player can choose whether or not he/she wants to become a human again. Of course, [[spoiler:your choice is irrelevant at the end of the game. The player character wisely decides that ThePowerOfFriendship and various other awesome powers is more valuable than life on the boring human world which he/she has no memory of anyway.]]
99	*** Played straight in the next game where [[spoiler:Darkrai's attempt to kill Grovyle led to the PC getting turned into a Pokémon]]. On the other hand, the player is never particularly bothered by whether or not he/she can ever become human again.
100	*** In ''Gates to Infinity'', [[spoiler: your character ends up being able to travel between both worlds at will]].
101	* DarkerAndEdgier: In general, the ''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon'' games are the darkest games in the ''Pokémon'' franchise. ''Blue and Red Rescue Team'' might be lighter but it has its moments too. Surprisingly, [[{{Permadeath}} character deaths]], a roguelike standard, isn't in ''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon''.
102	* DarkIsEvil:
103	** ''Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky'' Zig-Zags this trope and DarkIsNotEvil all over the place. TheManBehindTheMan, [[spoiler:Darkrai]], is a very straight example of the trope, while Primal Dialga (the presented BigBad) is more of a subversion. Then you've got downplayed versions like Team Skull and Team AWD (which mostly consist of Dark- or Poison-Types), who are kind of jerks but not really ''evil'' per se. Finally, [[spoiler:''Dusknoir'']] of all characters ends up subverting it in one of ''Sky''[='s=] bonus chapters, along with [[spoiler:his Sableye minions]], who were mostly acting out of fear.
104	** ''Gates of Infinity'' involves a big scary Hydreigon who is shown chasing an innocent-looking Munna. [[spoiler:Opposite to the above example, this turns into a case of Dark Is NOT Evil when we discover Hydreigon is the friendly and polite BigGood, while Munna is the ManipulativeBastard servant of the BigBad.]]
105	* DefeatMeansFriendship: The most common way to recruit other Pokémon into your team is by beating them while dungeon crawling. The chance that they'll ask to join you is usually random.
106	* DiagonalSpeedBoost: One of the first Pokémon games to allow diagonal movement, which can end up saving the player steps when moving through larger dungeon rooms. It's very handy when considering dungeons have overall step limits in them.
107	* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: The player character and their partner will eventually have to fight and defeat Legendary Pokémon [[spoiler:and maybe an EldritchAbomination]] in every game.
108	* DisappearsIntoLight: [[spoiler:The player character]] does this after completing the main arc in the first three games (''Rescue Team'', ''Explorers'', and ''Gates to Infinity'') games, albeit for slightly different reasons. In ''Super Mystery Dungeon'', it's instead [[spoiler: the partner]].
109	* DisproportionateRetribution: Don't try to steal from Kecleon in ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'' unless you're very sure you can get away with it. Because when he knocks you out, every item in your bag is replaced with Plain seeds.
110	[[/folder]]
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112	[[folder:E-H]]
113	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: In ''Rescue Team'', ''Explorers'', and ''Adventure Squad'', many moves worked different from the main series; for example, Future Sight caused all of the user's attacks to deal a fixed amount of damage for the next few turns, and Disable paralyses the target. Starting in ''Gates to Infinity'', moves such as these were changed to be more in-line with the main series; Future Sight now damages the Pokémon in front of the user on the next turn, while Disable seals the last move the target used.
114	* EasilyAngeredShopkeeper: Kecleon running a DungeonShop will attack you if you all you did was fail to have enough money to pay for their wares.
115	* EasterEgg: In games past ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'', try running around your partner a lot. [[spoiler:They get dizzy and fall over.]]
116	* EasyLogistics: Zig-zagged in ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'' and ''Gates to Infinity'' with regard to the rest of the team, played straight in the others. See, each time the player starts recruiting a team, they wind up with dozens if not hundreds of Pokémon, all of whom are implied to spend their time doing nothing but exploring dungeons with the player or waiting to be called to help explore a dungeon. But all of these Pokémon would logically need food and shelter at the bare minimum, and only two games try to show that (in ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'', all members of the team are housed in Friend Areas, though no food is shown; in ''Gates To Infinity'', some idle members of the team can be found wandering around Paradise, though not all of them, and again, no food is shown). ''Super Mystery Dungeon'' and ''Explorers'' don't bother with even that much.
117	* ElementalRockPaperScissors: More or less similar to the main series during gameplay. It is specifically hinted at during Sunflora's special mission in ''Sky'', where she is warned that Spring Cave is likely to contain Fire-type Pokémon [[note]] Ironically, not only are there no Fire-type Pokémon in Spring Cave, but 2/3 of the Pokémon there are actually ''weak'' to Sunflora's attacks[[/note]], and her type disadvantage against the outlaw Haunter [[spoiler:(plural).]]
118	* EscortMission: A frequent form other missions can take, not helped in any way by the client's [[GlassCannon lower level]] or the inability to give them tactical commands in case they get separated. Oh, and the mission is an automatic failure if the escort faints at any time.
119	* EvilIsDeathlyCold: [[spoiler:Kyurem]] in ''Gates to Infinity''.
120	* ExpressiveHealthBar: When your belly is empty, your health bar will start flashing.
121	* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Dusknoir]] in ''Explorers'' and [[spoiler:Munna]] in ''Gates to Infinity''.
122	* FakeDifficulty:
123	** In the first game, after a certain point the enemies in the dungeons just won't be able to damage your characters enough (since you can raise your stats with gummies very fast), so the game fills the dungeons with traps and present enemies that instead of going for direct damage, will try to use OHKO moves or poison you so you'll have to rush to the stairs.
124	** The second one just runs wild with it. In the ultimate challenges, you're reduced to Lv. 1, have all your IQ skills removed, cannot bring items, and the dungeons are 99 floors long with the highest trap density, and the latter floors are covered with enemies that can kill you indirectly with ease. Add this to the fact that there are only a handful of Pokémon that are effectively usable while at Lv. 1, and you'll realize that not only will you not be able to use your favorites in those challenges, but they are effectively [[LuckBasedMission Luck-Based Missions]].
125	* FantasyWorldMap: Displayed primarily in conjunction with the dungeon-select menu.
126	* FireBreathingDiner: Blast Seeds, if eaten. They can alternatively be thrown, causing them to explode on impact for somewhat less damage.
127	* FixedDamageAttack:
128	** Quite a few attacks, even more than those of the main series (Dragon Rage, Night Shade, etc.).
129	** Geo Pebbles and Gravelerocks inflict a fixed 10 or 20 points damage, while throwing or knocking enemy Pokémon around inflicts a fixed 4 points.
130	** Selfdestruct and Explosion inflict a fixed 40 or 80 points on hostile Pokémon.
131	* ForcedTransformation:
132	** The player character in most of the games is a human-turned-Pokémon.
133	** The Transfer Orb transforms an enemy Pokémon into a different species found in that dungeon.
134	** The Decoy Orb transforms an opponent into a Substitute Doll that other enemy Pokémon attack.
135	** The Itemizer Orb turns a Pokémon into an item.
136	* FourTemperamentEnsemble: Each of the partner characters in the main entries fit together as this:
137	** ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonRescueTeam'' ('''Melancholic'''): Ambitious of starting their own Rescue Team at the beginning, and committed to helping the hero character.
138	** ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers'' ('''Phlegmatic'''): Starts out shy and timid, but is always analytical and kind throughout the journey.
139	** ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonGatesToInfinity'' ('''Sanguine'''): Driven to make friends, hospitable enough to start their own village, and is constantly optimistic.
140	** ''VideoGame/PokemonSuperMysteryDungeon'' ('''Choleric'''): Reckless and rambunctious, along with being determined and willing to risk their lives to save others in need.
141	* FriendlyFireproof: Many (but ''not all'') moves that target an entire room will conveniently damage only opposing Pokémon. On the other hand, moves that inflict damage on a "straight line of sight" will damage the first thing they hit, friend or foe alike, and when a Pokémon is confused, all moves that are FriendlyFireproof stop being so.
142	* FunnyAnimal: Mirroring any examples from the main Pokémon series.
143	* FunWithAcronyms:
144	** Team ACT of ''Rescue Team'' stands for Alakazam, Charizard, and Tyranitar. (The Japanese Version is Team FLB for Foodin, Lizardon, and Bangiras.) Likewise, ''Explorers'' has Team AWD comprised of Arbok, Weavile, and Drapion.
145	** ''Gates to Infinity'' gives us the Helping Adventurous Pokémon Prosper Institute - or "HAPPI" for short.
146	* GameplayAndStorySegregation: At one point in ''Gates'', the abovementioned HAPPI's rules force one member of your team to stay behind while the rest journey. This is treated like it has to be one of the core team, ignoring the potentially ''dozens'' of random non-characterized Pokémon you've recruited from dungeons.
147	** In ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'', the Friend Areas are scattered all over the map, which would imply that at least some of them are quite far away. However, the player can get there, add or subtract a team member, and get back to Pokémon Square in minutes, with no explanation as to how they did so (and given that some of the Friend Areas are underwater or on islands, there's also no explanation as to how they got there.)
148	** In ''Gates to Infinity'', some dungeons (particularly the ones that initially required the Entercards) are explicitly a long way away from Post Town, taking the main characters days to get there and back. Once the main storyline is done, however, any version of the team can get from Post Town to a far-off dungeon and back in a day, with no explanation as to how.
149	** In ''Super Mystery Dungeon'', the dialogue of the player and partner's first outing to the Air Continent implies that it took Lapras quite some time to cross the relatively short difference. After that first trip, though, one can go to all the continents in one day, before actually going to a dungeon, and no mention is made of how much time it took.
150	* GetBackHereBoss: Certain outlaws will [[OhCrap freak out when they see your exploration team]]. One notable example is Abra, whose response is to use the one move he knows, Teleport, making you have to search for him first. Thankfully, he won't Teleport again when you do find him.
151	* GlassCannon: The ComMons tend to be like this, having attacks which can take out a decent chunk of your party's HP, but going down in only a few hits. Bosses hit equally hard, but can soak up a lot more punishment.
152	* GoodMorningCrono: Every game in the series begins with the human-turned-Pokémon getting woken up from a slumber, usually by their partner Pokémon.
153	* {{Greed}}: Some of the characters seem quite obsessed with treasure.
154	* GrievousHarmWithABody: Hurl Orbs, Strength, and Fling pick up one hostile Pokémon and toss it towards another, inflicting damage on both.
155	* GuideDangIt: These games have their own share of these moments, [[GuideDangIt/{{Pokemon}} listed here]].
156	* HardLevelsEasyBosses: The levels are invariably the most difficult parts of these games — many of them are very long, contain lots of dangerous Pokémon as enemies, and have few items for the taking, while those that do have bosses can usually be shut down with consumable items or chipped down from a distance. This is most prominent in the early games, with later ones both shortening the dungeons and giving the bosses more HP and ContractualBossImmunity to cheesy strategies.
157	* HatePlague: According to the characters, it is the natural disasters/distortions in time that are turning mons hostile. Sometimes a good [[BeatTheCurseOutOfHim beatdown]] can make them come to their senses.
158	** [[spoiler:The Bittercold]] in ''Gates of Infinity'' is more of a plague ''caused'' by hate (well, despair, actually, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference). But it also causes despair…
159	* HealThyself: Oran Berries, available from the start of the game, heal the user by 100 HP, despite healing by only 10 HP in the main series. Or'''e'''n Berries, on the other hand, cause you to [[PoisonMushroom lose 10 HP]].
160	* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Gengar]] in ''Red/Blue'', [[spoiler:Dusknoir]] in ''Sky'', [[spoiler:Munna]] in ''Gates to Infinity'', and [[spoiler:Nuzleaf and the Beeheeyem]] in ''Super Mystery Dungeon''.
161	** Also, [[spoiler:the Sableye stick with Dusknoir no matter his allegiance.]]
162	* HeroAntagonist:
163	** [[spoiler:Team ACT]] in ''Red/Blue''.
164	** In ''Time/Darkness/Sky'', [[spoiler:Palkia just wants to stop spacial distortions from warping the world. Too bad Darkrai manipulated him into thinking ''you'' were the cause of it.]]
165	* HelloInsertNameHere: The player and partner, and to a lesser extent the "nicknames" of recruited Pokémon.
166	* HeadTurningBeauty: This happens when the player sees Virizion for the first time. Yes, she's a frickin' Legendary. But the majority of males in Post Town seem to all have a crush on her, even though she's legendary. "She's out of your league" INDEED.
167	** Even though every male in Post Town have a crush on Virizion, they all [[spoiler:(including Dunsparce) have been rejected. However, Virizion joins the player and his/her partner's team after defeating the two Pawniard and their goons.]]
168	* HeroicMime: Played with. The player can read the [[InnerMonologue protagonist's thoughts]], but when they actually speaks to the other characters, most often what occurs is a HyperactiveSprite and ParrotExposition from the other Pokémon.
169	** ''Explorers'' averts it precisely once after completing the main story arc: [[spoiler:The player actually gets to say goodbye to their partner right before the changes in history erase them from the timestream.]]
170	** In ''Red/Blue'', it's averted several times, actually: the hero speaks during the dream sequences, [[spoiler:at the end of the main story]], and after a level-up. (Though the dream sequences may be a borderline example.)
171	** However, in the postgame, if you are in a dungeon and playing as another character (such as your partner or a recruited Pokémon) and you speak to your player character, the only response is "...".
172	** ''Gates to Infinity'' averts this several times, as the player does get a few lines of (non-soliloquy) dialogue, though it's mostly just short "what was that?" types of responses whenever an NPC introduces a new term. Even so, HyperactiveSprite and ParrotExposition still apply.
173	* HeroicSacrifice:
174	** The Ninetales legend in the ''Rescue Team'' games, where a Gardevoir took the Ninetales's curse herself to save her human trainer.
175	** ''Explorers of Time''/''Darkness'' has no less than ''three'', with one of the Special Episodes in ''Sky'' adding a fourth.
176	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Officially, the player and partner are merely friends who work together on the same team. This doesn't stop the {{Shipping}} fandom from numerous pairings of HoYay, LesYay, (etc.) between them, but that aside… That or ensure that their [[HoYay player and partner]] [[AvertedTrope are opposite genders]].
177	* HitPoints: But at least (in most conditions) they regenerate automatically.
178	* HubLevel: Each game features one town in which you have several [=NPCs=] that offer various services, and they are often the only non-dungeon locations in the entire game. ''Super'' has the peculiarity of offering ''six'' different hubs.
179	* HungerCausesLethargy: The hunger seed gives the "Hungry Pal" status, preventing them from moving. It has a different effect on the current leader, though.
180	* HyperactiveSprite: A variety of Pokémon don't have distinct {{Idle Animation}}s.
181	[[/folder]]
182
183	[[folder:I-N]]
184	* IdleAnimation: A variety of Pokémon. Poochyena's animation, for example, depicts the Pokémon barking, and Alakazam's is to levitate in place.
185	* InGameBankingServices: Persian in ''Rescue Team'' and Duskull in ''Explorers'' both run banks that the player can visit to deposit their money.
186	* InjuredPlayerCharacterStage: In ''Explorers of Sky'', during the special episode that focuses on Sunflora, she is on fire and has the Burn status during one of the boss battles.
187	* InnerMonologue: All of the player's lines are either this or ParrotExposition from other characters, save for a few scenes where they actually talk directly -- which is usually reserved for dreams and other places where no other Pokémon are around.
188	** Averted several times in ''Gates to Infinity'', as the player character talks directly much more compared to previous games.
189	* InsaneEqualsViolent: In the animated special, ''Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate'', it's implied that some of the rescue missions are a result of Pokémon going insane and abducting other Pokémon and holding them against their will for no good reason.
190	** In the Special Episode ''In the Future of Darkness'', the world's paralysis has had a devastating effect on the psyche of almost every Pokémon that is still alive. Most have given in to despair and become feral from insanity. Others have become self-isolated and have no sense of loyalty even unto themselves. And there are those that follow Primal Dialga out of the fear of disappearing.
191	** In ''Gates to Infinity'', The Bittercold is a malevolent entity that extends a corrupting influence across the world known as the Winds of Despair to stir up violence and discord among Pokémon. It then feeds on their resulting hate and negative emotions to grow stronger.
192	* ItsAllUpstairsFromHere: Most of the outdoor dungeons and the towers.
193	* KidHero: Every player and partner are completely unevolved. They still somehow manage to defeat Legendaries and can [[CurbstompBattle curbstomp some of them,]] [[RandomNumberGod if the RNG is nice to them.]] Most of the entries make this a plot point, while Super Mystery Dungeon zigzags this with a ScarfOfAsskicking.
194	* {{Knockback}}: Blowback Orbs (and the moves Roar and Whirlwind) specifically send a foe flying across the room, causing them to take damage if they hit a wall or opposing Pokémon.
195	* LampshadeHanging: Happens with some frequency. To give one example:
196	-->'''Armaldo:''' [The boss of a dungeon] probably won't listen to what you have to say. You'll likely be attacked often.\
197	'''Igglybuff:''' Dungeon bosses don't have much patience, do they?
198	* LargeHam: Dugtrio, Palkia, and Spiritomb probably all count.
199	* LaserGuidedAmnesia:
200	** The main character in both ''Rescue Team'' and ''Explorers'' wakes up knowing absolutely nothing beyond their name, and the fact that they used to be a human. In the former, this is revealed to be because [[spoiler:the player specifically requested it, to prove ''to themselves'' whether they really were TheChosenOne]].
201	** Also in ''Red/Blue'', the final postgame mission involves rescuing Gardevoir, who loses all memory of her human trainer.
202	** Likewise, Uxie in ''Time/Darkness/Sky'' has power over memories, so the player assumes Uxie might have something to do with their forgotten memories. [[spoiler:Nope, but it was worth a shot asking.]]
203	** Unknown whether this is the case in ''Gates to Infinity'' - the player doesn't seem to have amnesia about who they are, they just don't think about their human past at all.
204	** In ''Super Mystery Dungeon'', the player character enters the world with no memories. [[spoiler:Their Pokemon partner turns out to have been an incarnation of Mew]].
205	* LastChanceHitPoint: As with the main series, the "Endure" technique allows the holder to retain 1 HP if an attack would otherwise KO them. (Curiously, in ''Rescue Team'' and ''Explorers'' it lasts for several turns, making the user almost invincible until it wears off). In ''Gates to Infinity'', the "Sturdy" skill (a standard feature of some species) allows the user to retain 1 HP after attack if their LifeMeter was full before taking a hit, and it's available as a "team skill". There is also the "Tough" team skill which provides a random chance of this at all times.
206	* LeaningTowerOfMooks: The [=WiiWare=] versions allow you to do this with your team.
207	* LevelDrain: Doom Seeds cause you to lose one level.
208	* LevelInTheClouds:
209	** The Sky Stairway in ''Explorers of Time'' 'Explorers of Darkness'' and ''Explorers of Sky''. is a major location erected over a large terrain made of clouds. Rayquaza, one of the OlympusMons, can be challenged and recruited here.
210	** The Sky Tower in ''Red Rescue Team'', ''Blue Rescue Team'' and ''Rescue Team DX''. Made almost entirely of clouds, it serves as the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon, and has 34 floors (of which the last 9 are part of a sub-area known as the Sky Tower Summit). Defeating Rayquaza will be necessary in order to convince it to save the world.
211	* TheLoad: Almost any Pokémon in an escort mission. They're typically underleveled (escorts in ''Rescue Team'' in particular are always Level 1 even if they want to explore a high-level dungeon), with bad stats and moves, suicidally aggressive AI, and won't hesitate to waste every single one of your Reviver Seeds (remember, they kick in automatically) if given the chance. It's probably the number one reason many players AVOID escort missions entirely. ''Explorers'' is the biggest offender, requiring you to face the Dark-type TrueFinalBoss with an underleveled Psychic-type in tow.
212	* LuckBasedMission:
213	** The personality quiz at the beginning of ''Rescue Team'' and ''Explorers''. The selection of questions is randomly determined, and depending on what you get it may not be possible to get the starter you want. This is relieved in ''Gates to Infinity'' onward, which allow you to choose your starter directly (although the quiz is still present in ''Super'' and ''DX''; you are simply allowed to reject the starter the game gives you).
214	** The Lv.1/0 IQ/No items dungeons, especially in ''Time/Darkness/Sky''. The game might not spawn enough HP/PP recovery items, you might start in a trap-filled room (or worse, a Monster House), some enemies in the late floors are nigh unkillable… really, skill is required, but if luck isn't also on your side, you WON'T complete those dungeons. On the flip side, not being allowed to take items into a dungeon means you have (literally) nothing to lose when attempting them.
215	* MadeOfIron: Aside from the BloodlessCarnage, every single character seems capable of TakingTheBullet with little more than short-term unconsciousness as a result.
216	* ManualLeaderAIParty: The player only directly controls the lead Pokémon.
217	* MarathonLevel: The 50- and 99-floor dungeons.
218	* MixedAnimalSpeciesTeam: The games are about a group of Pokémon, who live in an actual Pokémon world with no humans, living in different towns and cities and going on adventures in different dungeons.
219	* MoodWhiplash: The series is good at going from cute and quirky to extremely creepy, especially in ''Explorers''.
220	* MushroomSamba: X-Eye Seeds.
221	* MythologyGag: The mechanics featured in the recurring {{Brutal Bonus Level}}s (NoGearLevel, LevelDrain, etc.) are basically the game's way of giving the player a taste of how dungeons work in the original ''Mystery Dungeon'' titles, such as ''Torneko'' and ''Shiren the Wanderer''.
222	* NeverSayDie:
223	** Pokémon don't "kill" other Pokémon, they "get rid of" them. (Sometimes "for good"...)
224	** Also in situations where one would bring up death, they avoid actually mentioning it. Usually with lots of ellipsis and question marks. For example "Is he...?"
225	* NoHeroDiscount: Even after [[spoiler:saving the world ''twice'']], Kecleon ''still'' doesn't give discounts.
226	* NonStandardGameOver:
227	** Taking too long to leave a floor gets you and your allies forcibly removed from the dungeon by an "Unseen Force," which is treated as a defeat.
228	** The Itemizer Orb [[ForcedTransformation transforms whoever you throw it at into an item.]] [[SchmuckBait Throw it at a Pokémon using Mirror Move]] and ''you'' get transformed instead, instantly ending the dungeon run - your revival items can't help you, since you aren't unconscious.
229	* NotCompletelyUseless: Most items have some use, even if not apparently useful.
230	** Edibles with negative effects (which ''Super Mystery Dungeon'' made mostly [[TheArtifact redundant]] with Wands) can be tossed at foes, to have them suffer said effects.
231	** Doom Seeds, which lower one's Level by 1, can be repeatedly dumped onto difficult bosses to make them easier; starting in ''Explorers'', the effect on them carries over between runs, though [[RedemptionDemotion even after you recruit them]]. There was also an [[GoodBadBugs exploit]] in ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'' where you could learn a move learned through level-up more than once, having a duplicate in your move list and thus having twice as much PP for the move in question. Doom Seeds were also the only way to recover level-up moves on Deoxys, at least in ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'' and ''Explorers''.
232	** ''Explorers of Sky'' has Spinda's Cafe, which offers two ways to get use out of your disliked items; the Juice Bar [[BettingMiniGame sometimes]] converts edibles into stat boosts (or stat ''penalties'' if they're Lookalike Items), always doing so for Gummis, while the Recycle Shop lets you condense piles of items into [[BettingMiniGame lottery tickets]] that give you one random item each.
233	** Plain Seeds can be converted back into Reviver Seeds in ''Gates to Infinity'' with the move Recycle, or into random items in ''Super Mystery Dungeon'' onwards.
234	** ''Rescue Team DX'' adds the "Small Stomach" Rare Quality, which fully refills the Belly when ''anything'' is eaten. Without it, most edibles restore only 2 Belly points ([[{{Nerf}} down from 5 in previous entries]]), so this Quality makes them up to fifty times more effective.
235	* NothingIsScarier: If you spend too much time on one floor, an "Unseen Force" will slowly start getting closer and then blow you out of the dungeon on the very last turn. The intentions and identity of the "Unseen Force" are never explained, leaving everything about it to the player's imagination.
236	[[/folder]]
237
238	[[folder:O-R]]
239	* ObviousRulePatch: Escape Orbs won't work if you've stolen from Kecleon.
240	* OneCurseLimit: A variation in ''Gates to Infinity'': The "Prevention" Team Skill means that if one Pokémon on your team gets a status ailment, nobody else on the same team can get afflicted by it at the same time.
241	* OneGameForThePriceOfTwo:
242	** Just like the main series, there are only subtle differences in item and Pokémon appearance rates. (Additionally, the ''Rescue Team'' games are on differing systems, which means there are a few touchscreen features in ''Blue'' that aren't in ''Red'', and Pokémon can be traded between them with just one system.)
243	** Interestingly, ''Sky'' actually includes all the Pokémon from ''both'' Time/Darkness, along with all its other bonus features, averting the main series' trend of the [[UpdatedRerelease third version]] strategically omitting enough Pokémon to 'force' trading with past versions.
244	** ''Adventure Squads'' makes it One Game For the Price of ''Three'', with each game having 133 Pokémon exclusive to it (or in Stormy's case, 13''5''), and a completely different set of dungeons.
245	** Starting with ''Gates to Infinity'' though, this seems to have been a process that was dropped, as both it and ''Super Mystery Dungeon'' have no counterpart game. It was also averted in the remake of the ''Rescue Team'' games, where there is only one ''Rescue Team DX'' for the Platform/NintendoSwitch, whose box art features the art from both versions of the original game.
246	* OneSteveLimit: Thanks to the SpeciesSurname, rarely does the player encounter more than one NPC of a given species. {{Lampshaded}} in ''Explorers'' after [[spoiler:Teddiursa]] evolves and finds others are having trouble telling them apart from their already-evolved buddy.
247	** There are two Timburr in ''Gates to Infinity'', though… and both are addressed the same way.
248	* OneManArmy: A single character is able to plow through dozens of enemies, especially if they are a lower level than him/her. By the time you reach level 80, the enemies are practically unable to so much as ''touch'' you.
249	* PercentDamageAttack: The Blast and Big Blast traps damage the affected targets by half their remaining health (Fire-type Pokémon are only damaged by a quarter instead).
250	* PlayableEpilogue: Just like the main series, the game isn't over after the credits roll; there are still more missions and new dungeons (even some more story progression) waiting for the player to wrap up. And, of course, the quest to [[GottaCatchThemAll recruit 'em all]] truly begins at that point.
251	* PlayerExclusiveMechanic: All Pokémon — playable and enemy — share the same set of mechanics. One advantage player characters have is the ability to collect items in their Bag.
252	* PlayerPersonalityQuiz:
253	** Appears in the first two games. Gender is also a factor; for instance, in the ''Explorers'' series, a Brave male becomes [[ShockAndAwe Pikachu]] while a Brave female ends up as [[PlayingWithFire Charmander]], and certain starters are only available to one gender.
254	** ''Adventure Squads'' averts this by letting the player pick their hero and partner from the starting roster for each squad, with preset genders for each character. ''Gates'' averts this, letting you outright pick your player and partner characters (and their gender in the Japanese versions.) ''Super'' plays with this; while the quiz is back, you can pick something else if you don't like the result.
255	* PlotHole: It is never explained how the Mons know what a "human" is when there aren't any humans around. (Though the Ruins friend zone in the ''Rescue Team'' games seems to hint at a case of HumanitysWake.) In ''Gates'' and ''Super'', some characters claim that humans show up in Fairy Tales. Still does little to clear this up.
256	* PragmaticAdaptation: Most of the game's mechanics carry over from the main video game series, but some get reworked:
257	** Because gender isn't recognized outside of cutscenes, moves that require a specific gender work on all Pokémon (even Pokémon that are officially genderless). Rivalry gets reworked to trigger on typing rather than gender.
258	** Stats don't get modified upon evolution, so species with DivergentCharacterEvolution don't actually diverge. For instance, Gallade still focuses on high special attack while being a physical attacker in the main series.
259	** Happiness is not a mechanic, so Frustration and Return use other metrics to scale their power--IQ or Connections, depending on the game.
260	** False Swipe is useful in the original games, where HPToOne is optimal for catching Pokémon, but the ''Mystery Dungeon'' series does not allow the player to collect Pokémon that way. ''Gates to Infinity'' changes the mechanic to increase the chance of recruiting a Pokémon by knocking it out with this move… but then ''Super Mystery Dungeon'' is forced to reverse the change due to the lack of a recruiting feature. ''DX'' then brings back ''Gates''' mechanic for this move.
261	** The player's team always moves before the enemy, so moves that depend on speed such as Vital Throw, Payback, or Quash have different effects instead.
262	** Moves that use the mechanic of switching in a battle have different effects. Pursuit receives a damage boost on a status condition instead. Ally Switch, Baton Pass, and After You switch Pokémon locations, and the latter two moves give the switched Pokémon a stat boost.
263	** Chlorophyll, Swift Swim and Sand Rush allow a Pokémon to attack twice in a turn while using only one [=PP=] due to every Pokémon having the same speed.
264	** Beat Up warps all ally Pokémon to the user's location while in ''Super'' and ''DX'' it instead warps ally Pokémon to surround an enemy in front of the user.
265	* PurelyAestheticGender: Although you can choose gender in ''Rescue Team'', it doesn't matter much and isn't even part of gameplay (making Attract very abuseable). Averted in ''Explorers'', where males have a higher crit rate while females have higher evasion.
266	* QuestForIdentity: Every game starts with the player becoming a Pokémon and losing their memories. They story involves regaining them and finding out why they are in this situation, as well as saving the world.
267	* RandomEncounters: While the dungeons generally rely on wandering opponents inside dungeons, later dungeons occasionally toss in "monster houses" where a [[ZergRush swarm of Pokémon]] drop in on the player for a surprise attack. If you manage to survive this and take down the swarm, you can pick up the items they drop and rack a ton of experience points.
268	* RandomlyGeneratedLevels: As one would expect from a {{Roguelike}}. ''Gates to Infinity'' takes it up a notch with "Magnagates" - focus the 3DS's outer camera on a round object and the game will generate an entire dungeon from it.
269	* RankInflation: Missions can be ranked anywhere from E to A, followed by S and 1 through 9; although how far it goes depends on the game.
270	* RareCandy: Joy Seeds. There are also the same vitamins as the main series, and Sitrus Berries can increase a Mon's maximum HP if taken at full health. Ultra-rare Golden Seeds boost you up ''five'' levels!
271	* RecurringRiff: A few tracks, the "Danger!" theme for example, are used throughout the series.
272	* RedemptionDemotion: Enemies in ''Rescue Team DX'' have deeper HP pools than your teammates, to account for the general lack of resources and teamwork between them compared to your team. Once the enemies are recruited, they lose that edge.
273	* RegeneratingHealth: Team members gradually regenerate HP as you move around the dungeons. Holding A+B at the same time causes your HP to regenerate faster, if only by standing in place and fast-forwarding time. Poisoning (and certain weather conditions) inhibit this, though, and certain IQ skills and the Heal Ribbon can increase the rate.
274	* ReincarnateInAnotherWorld: Most of the games start with the protagonist waking up as a Pokémon in a world with no humans with a vague memory of once having been human.
275	* ReincarnatedAsANonHumanoid: It isn't clear if you actually died in the human world but at the very least you don't have a lot of memories of your past life.
276	* RequiredPartyMember: The player character and their partner are required in all dungeons until the post-game content is unlocked.
277	* {{Retcon}}: ''VideoGame/PokemonSuperMysteryDungeon'' confirms all the previous games take place in the same world.
278	* {{Roguelike}}: To cater to the younger demographic, though, it's actually a fair bit easier than most Roguelikes. At least, until the end credits roll, then the kid-gloves come off. In ''Super Mystery Dungeon'', the spike seems to be there ''[[NintendoHard right from the start]]''.
279	[[/folder]]
280
281	[[folder:S-Z]]
282	* SavePoint: "Kangaskhan Rocks" found during some of the longer expeditions. Some even allow access to the player's item storage, and they also double as a checkpoint if the player is defeated.
283	** The ones found outside dungeons are usually the ones with item storage access; the ones used as mid-dungeon checkpoints only let you save.
284	** In ''Gates To Infinity'', Kangaskhan Storages and their mini-versions Kangaskhan Rocks were all replaced by "Deposit Boxes", which also allow money to be deposited.
285	* ScratchDamage: Most commonly seen when revisiting low-level dungeons on optional missions.
286	* SecretAIMoves: Bosses tend to be at a higher level (with the corresponding stats and attacks) before you recruit them. Depending on the game, they might also be able to nullify an attack or recover from status conditions more quickly, which recruited Pokémon can't do.
287	* ShopFodder: Gold Ribbons and Lost Loot exist to be sold for massive money (and if you do this in a DungeonShop, you can steal it back again for free, save for the EasilyAngeredShopkeeper).
288	* ShopliftAndDie: You can occasionally find Kecleon running a DungeonShop. If you take an item from his shop without paying or destroy it, he (and often many of his friends) will attack you until you leave the floor.
289	* SlidingScaleOfSillinessVersusSeriousness: The ''Pokémon Mystery Dungeon'' series has gone up and down like a yoyo. The ''Rescue Team'' mixed both to a great effect, ''Explorers'' is more serious and dark, ''Adventure Squad'' played a big silly fun, and ''Gates to Infinity'' and ''Super Mystery Dungeon'' are a lighter shade of seriousness than ''Explorers''.
290	* SpeciesSurname: Most [=NPCs=] are named after their respective Pokémon species (only the player and partner, plus any recruited Mons you choose to nickname, are assigned actual names).
291	* StatusEffects: In addition to the ones from the main series (poison, burn, paralysis, sleep, freeze, confusion, etc.), there is also "fear" (Pokémon flees battle), "petrify" (full paralysis until struck by an enemy attack), "slow", "cringe" (lose one turn), and so on.
292	* SuspendSave: Before ''Super'', it was possible to create "quick saves" inside dungeons that were deleted once the game was resumed. ''Super'' replaces the feature with Progress Points, which serve a similar purpose but you need to step into a particular tile to use, and ''Rescue Team DX'' completely removes the feature, and instead autosaves every single turn.
293	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Rumored about Kecleon, one of the merchants: "He wouldn't get free items in dungeons and sell them at a higher price..."
294	* SuspiciousVideogameGenerosity: If you see more than one or two items in the same room from a distance, it's likely to be either a Kecleon Shop (good) or a Monster House (bad or very bad). Luckily for you, Kecleon Shops have a different floor color so you can identify them.
295	* TalkingAnimal: Invoked by the player at the start of the game when they realize the first voice talking to them belongs to a Pokémon instead of a human.
296	* TakeYourTime: Indeed, although if the player is defeated in a boss battle, both the partner ''and'' boss will acknowledge that the player is back "again" for a rematch.
297	** In ''Explorers of Darkness/Time/Sky'', you must save the Temporal Tower from collapsing, causing time to freeze. But when you attempt to climb the tower, you might end up find yourself underleveled. Thankfully, you can just go back to Treasure Town and complete several jobs to level up your Party and the condition of the Tower will not have changed at all.
298	** Averted in ''Super Mystery Dungeon'' - If there's a story mission available, [[ButThouMust you're forced to do it]].
299	* TechPoints: Eating Gummis increases the user's "IQ", allowing them to learn and equip new (mostly passive) skills, such as healing quicker from status problems or walking on water/lava.
300	* TrappedInAnotherWorld: Each entry has you as a human transported into a Pokemon-exclusive world, where you become a Pokemon yourself. Averted with the [=WiiWare=] games, where you're just a random Pokémon from the village. [[spoiler:Also subverted with ''Explorers''; while you used to be human, you actually came from the future.]]
301	* TreasureRoom: The last room in a dungeon is usually this. There are even some hidden stairs and doors that lead to rooms full of riches.
302	** ''Explorers of Darkness/Time/Sky'' introduces escort jobs where you must help the client find a room that is covered in gold but only contains two chests.
303	** ''Gates of Infinity'' introduces Detours that contain very rare Deluxe Boxes but are blocked by an obstacle (a locked door, some kind of fog, etc.). If you manage to open the door/remove the fog, you will find yourself beset by Braviary or some other fully evolved Pokémon that will just '''wreck your party''' if you enter into the detour at an insufficient level.
304	* UnidentifiedItems: Wild Pokémon in dungeons may drop Treasure Boxes when defeated; these boxes come in various colors but the only way to know (and use) what's inside them is to take them to a specialized Pokémon back in town after leaving the dungeon.[[note]]''DX'' removes the appraisal shop in favor of opening the boxes as soon as you successfully leave the dungeon.[[/note]] Until then, they occupy space in your inventory, but if the dungeon includes a floor with a SavePoint, you can transfer them to your item storage so you don't have to keep lugging them around.
305	* UniversalPoison: As in the main series, there's Poison and Strong Poison (from moves like Toxic or Poison Fang). Both block the usual HP regeneration while inflicting damage, but Strong Poison inflicts damage far more quickly. Poisons wear off when you find the stairs to the next floor, but whether your Pokémon will survive long enough to get there is another matter.
306	* UnexplainedRecovery: If you get turned into an item due to using the Itemizer Orb on a Pokémon with Mirror Move active, the next scene cuts to you having already turned back.
307	* UselessUsefulSpell: Like the main series, most StatusEffects are equally effective against enemy Mons (and even bosses) as they are against you. Unlike the main series, there are numerous other skills that qualify....
308	** False Swipe's ability to deal damage while never KO'ing the target was useful in the main series where Mons had to be captured alive. Not so much here, where you must KO a Pokémon to have a chance of recruiting it to your party.
309	*** ''Gates to Infinity'' fixed this by changing the effect to increasing recruit rate if you KO a Mon with this move.
310	** Item-grabbing moves such as "Thief" or "Covet" are rarely worthwhile since enemy Pokémon can only carry one item at a time, and they just drop it when KO'ed anyway. [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard On the other hand]], ''you'' have a large inventory that enemy Mons can steal from … but at least they still drop the stolen item when defeated. Except for the moves "Pluck" and "Bug Bite", which not only steal a food item (like Oran Berries and Reviver Seeds) from your inventory, but ''use it up'' at the same time.
311	** "Sleep" is a generally effective status effect early on, but becomes less so in the late game due to moves (like Uproar) or IQ skills ("Nonsleeper") that prevent it.
312	** "Transform" doesn't copy the opponent's moveset, so the user (e.g. Ditto) must resort to using [[EmergencyWeapon Struggle]], which has a low attack power and generates recoil damage. ''Super Mystery Dungeon'' fixes it to be just like the main games, with the added bonus of confusing the target's teammates.
313	** "Worry Seed" gives the target "Sleepless" status. In the main series, this suppresses the target's normal Ability, but here, it is just an added (not to mention positive) status effect -- in other words, you should be using it on your team members, not enemy Mons. Ironically, this doesn't stop the AI from [[ArtificialStupidity attempting to "attack" you with it]].
314	** Inverted with "Selfdestruct" and "Explosion", which inflict fixed damage on hostile Pokémon and 50 percent damage on the player's team, regardless of whether it is used by the player or a hostile Pokémon. Meaning that a hostile Pokémon will suffer a KO after one or two uses, while the player can use it almost indefinitely (thanks to RegeneratingHealth and [[AutoRevive Reviver Seeds]]).
315	* VideoGameTime: Venturing through a Dungeon is one day, and clearing one will reset the shops and job lists the following day. This includes traversing the mazes in the Makuhita[[note]]but only in the first games since ''DX'' overhauls them into [[TimedMission 50-60 second dungeon rushes]] for [[PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling big and quick XP gains]][[/note]]/Marowak Dojo, so grinding in them can reset the shops and job lists as many times as you want before entering a dungeon. Sometimes, you are required to go through at least one dungeon run before the story continues. The plot itself doesn't progress until you take a mission that is relevant to the story.
316	* ViewersAreGoldfish: Prepare for a ''lot'' of flashbacks whenever the player character recalls a previous event, even if the flashback was just from ''the previous cutscene''. ''Explorers'' is particularly egregious about it.
317	* VileVillainSaccharineShow: Averted in the first game, due to it not having a specific BigBad, but played straight in the second onward.
318	* ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption: Expect to hear something like "he's not listening to reason" any time you reach the final floor of the latest dungeon.
319	* WakeUpCallBoss: ''Red/Blue Rescue Team'' has a rather massive one in Mt. Thunder, a Zapdos over twice your level. The remake diminishes this by letting you challenge it with [[ZergRush twice as many Pokemon as before]] (if you're not unlucky), but still takes steps to [[AntiPoopSocking reduce the urgency a little]] so you can prepare.
320	* WalkOnWater: All Water-type Pokémon can cross bodies of water during dungeon crawls. Other species have (or can learn) this ability as well (and a similar rule applies to Fire-type Pokémon crossing lava). Flying-type Pokémon and those with the Levitate ability can fly over water or lava instead, though non-Fire-types will still be burned if they attempt to cross lava.
321	** Taken to its logical extreme with the IQ abilities Super Mobile and Absolute Mover: it not only allows any Pokémon to cross any normally-impassable terrain, but it also allows you to ''move through walls''.
322	* WalletOfHolding: Your inventory space may be limited, but your money stash (not counting the bank) sure isn't.
323	** As of ''Gates to Infinity'', your wallet is limited to 9,999 Poké, making the Deposit Box a necessity.
324	* WaterfallIntoTheAbyss: ''Explorers'' features the floating island where Fogbound Lake is located.
325	* WeBuyAnything: But the prices you get for resale are extremely low - like 10%(!) of its retail purchase price.
326	* WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou: If either the player or their partner Mon are knocked out in a dungeon, the mission is immediately over. After the credits roll, this is reduced to whomever the player designates as the party leader. This is {{averted\|Trope}} in ''DX'', where if the leader dies, then next Mon in your main party will substitute for them, and the process repeats until everyone is wiped out.
327	* WizardNeedsFoodBadly: The Belly meter. This was completely removed in ''Gates'' (save for three post-game dungeons which are clearly labeled as such.) The familiar Apples saw a return there.
328	* TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed: The revelation in ''Super'' that all Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games take place in the same world means that said world is suffering from this trope.
329	* WorldOfFunnyAnimals: Unlike in other ''Pokémon'' games, this game series takes place in a world populated entirely by Pokémon and no humans, though the main character was originally a human him/herself.
330	* WouldHurtAChild: Like the main series, there is no gameplay distinction between "baby" Pokémon (like Caterpie or Azurill) and adults when it comes to fighting. You're free to knock 'em all out.
331	* YouAllLookFamiliar: Somewhat lessened by a [[OneSteveLimit One Species Limit]], but still shows up occasionally.
332	* ZergRush: ''Rescue Team DX'' limits you to three Pokemon upon entry of any Mystery Dungeon, but it allows you to snowball your forces with recruits in the very same Dungeon, allowing you to have as many as ''eight'' Pokemon by the time you reach the boss at the top.
333	[[/folder]]

Context VideoGame / PokemonMysteryDungeon