Rescue Team:Shiren Inspiration and References

Much of / Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Team takes inspiration from early games in Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer series.

General

• Item categories are based on those featured in Shiren (Arrows correspond to Projectiles, Scrolls to Wonder Orbs, Herbs to Seeds). The move Wide Slash is based on the Weapon Razor Wind. The Move Boost mechanic is based on the Upgrades for Weapon and Shield.

Monster of Moonlight Village

• Pokémon Square (Japanese: ポケモンひろば, Pokémon Hiroba) may also be translated as "Pokémon Plaza". The Internet edition of Moonlight Village introduced an MMO titled "Monster Plaza: Mystery Dungeon - Shiren the Wanderer Community Door, and the official website featured Fay's Plaza. Pokémon Square might have been a callback to either or both of these.

Shiren 2

• Building the Rescue Team Base is somewhat reminiscent of Shiren building Shiren's Castle.
• Friend Areas are similar to the Monster Kingdom.

Both are environments in which the monsters collected by the player walk around in their habitat and the player can visit them.

• Recruiting Pokémon in Dungeons is reminiscent of the Monster Catching Jar (Japanese: モンスターの壺), which can be used to capture monsters and turn them into allies.

Joyous Tower and Shrine's Hidden Hole are both dungeons designed around the monster collecting mechanics.

• Shiren 2 features a Shiren Statue, which is similar to the Lucario Fig., Mime Jr. Fig., Bonsly Fig., and Weavile Fig..
• Makuhita's Dojo is reminiscent of the Training Grounds.
• Redeeming passwords for rewards was a mechanic introduced in Shiren 2.

Magic Castle of the Desert

 Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer GB2 - Magic Castle of the Desert introduced rescues to the franchise in 2001, players who perform rescues are called the "Wanderer Rescue Team" (Japanese: 風来救助隊).