Meta:Game Structure

Game Structure refers to the way content is presented and unlocked in Mystery Dungeon games.

Fetch Structure

Fetch game structure.

The player is tasked with reaching a certain floor in a dungeon, find an item or character, and then bring it back to the beginning of the dungeon by backtracking.

Revisit Structure

Revisit game structure.

The player is expected to visit locations in a main dungeon multiple times. Along the way to the end of the main dungeon, villages, characters, quests, and entrances to other dungeons may be found, unlocked, and progressed, by revisiting the same locations multiple times.

Linear Structure

Linear game structure.

One story event consistently leads to the next, and content is unlocked as the story progresses

Free Progression

The player is allowed to keep playing side content before progressing the story to unlock more.

Forced Progression

When story events progress, the player needs to complete the current part of the story before being allowed to do anything else in the main game mode.

Branched Structure

Branched game structure.

The game opens multiple branches of stories, quests, and dungeons with their own unlock requirements, such as finding specific items, or completing part of another branch.

Appearances

Dragon Quest Mystery Dungeon

Torneko 1		Torneko 2		Torneko 3		Young Yangus
		PS1	GBA	PS2	GBA
Fetch

Shiren the Wanderer

Shiren 1			Save Surala				Moonlight Village				Shiren 2		Magic Castle		Asuka		Shiren 3		Shiren 4		Shiren 5				Tower of Slumber	Shiren 6
SFC	DS	SP	1	2	3	4	GB	PC	PCI	SP			GBC	DS	DC	PC	Wii	PSP	DS	PSP	DS	Vita	2020	SP
Revisit	Revisit	Revisit	Linear	Linear	Linear	Linear	Fetch						Branched	Branched			Linear	Linear	Revisit	Revisit	Revisit	Revisit	Revisit	Revisit

Final Fantasy Mystery Dungeon

Chocobo 1		Chocobo 2		Chocobo 3
PS1	WS			Wii	DS	EB

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon

Rescue Team			Explorers			Adventure Squad			Gates to Infinity		Super MD
Red	Blue	DX	Time	Darkness	Sky	Blazing	Stormy	Light
Branched	Branched	Branched	Free Linear	Free Linear	Free Linear				Free Linear		Forced Linear

Etrian Odyssey Mystery Dungeon

Etrian 1	Etrian 2
Linear