Phoenix Wright vs. Professor Layton

 Ace Attorney and Professor Layton are two of the most popular – and arguably best – puzzle adventure franchises for the Nintendo DS.  In a way, the two series are quite similar as they both focus on mystery stories and puzzle solving, and with an upcoming crossover for the Nintendo 3DS (Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney), I decided to make a post comparing different aspects of the games.  This, of course, is based on personal preference.  Both series are great, and they are well worth checking out.

Gameplay: The gameplay is pretty simple in both series.  The games of the original Ace Attorney trilogy are actually GBA ports, so they don’t utilize many of the capabilities of the DS.  Their gameplay involves mostly point-and-click investigation and basic dialogue.  It is also possible to present evidence to people you encounter or witnesses in the courtroom to get more information.  Later entries in the series, such as Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, have some interesting game mechanics, such as the capability to rotate pieces of evidence to examine every part of them, and features that utilize the microphone, such as dust fingerprinting.  The Professor Layton games were originally DS titles, so they take advantage of the capabilities of the DS.  Many of the puzzles involve dragging and rotating blocks and pieces, circling the right answer, writing out your answer with the stylus etc.  Overall, the gameplay of the Professor Layton series feels much smoother, so point goes to Layton.  Ace Attorney 0 – Professor Layton 1

Puzzles: Of course, the gameplay in both series is based on their puzzles.  In the Ace Attorney games, you have to use the witnesses’ testimonies and your evidence to find the solution to the mysteries you have to solve, while the puzzles in the Professor Layton series are mostly brainteasers, slider puzzles, logic puzzles etc.  Personally I feel that, while very enjoyable, Layton’s puzzles are usually disconnected from the story and it is possible to complete the game without really following the storyline.  On the other hand, the Ace Attorney puzzles are inextricably connected with the story.  You have to understand what’s going on, and it actually feels like you are trying to solve the mystery.  There is a genuine sense of accomplishment when you figure out the solution.  Point goes to Phoenix.  Ace Attorney 1 – Professor Layton 1

Artwork (Graphics and Music): This is another area where the Ace Attorney series suffers probably because of its GBA roots.  The backgrounds are nice and colorful and the characters designs have an anime feel, and the music can be infectiously catchy.  However, I believe they should have been upgraded a little for their DS counterparts.  Still, the graphics and music are fitting for the overall mood of the games.  In the Layton series, the artwork is on a whole different level.  The backgrounds and characters are beautifully designed, there are parts with voice acting, that is actually pretty good, and the video cutscenes are so good that they seem like they could have come from a Miyazaki film.  Point to Layton.  Ace Attorney 1 – Professor Layton 2

Characters: Both series have a diverse cast of main and recurring characters.  Both Wright and Layton have a sidekick (Maya and Luke, respectively) and other friends and adversaries.  My choice here is based on character development.  In the Ace Attorney series, each character has an interesting backstory and personality, and by the end of each game you feel like each of the characters has changed and learned something from the events that occurred, and you have followed them through their journey.  In the Layton series, I didn’t really get that.  Layton, Luke and the rest of the cast are very likable characters, but aside from some character quirks, they don’t seem to develop much throughout the series.  Point to Phoenix.  Ace Attorney 2 – Professor Layton 2

Story: Honestly, the most important part of these games for me is the story.  Both series have great and gripping storylines and it mostly comes down to personal preference.  Throughout their original trilogies, the stories of both games kept improving, and the third entries (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations and Professor Layton and the Unwound Future) are arguably the best of their respective series.  The stories in the Layton series deal with themes of loss and redemption and have some pretty emotionally heavy moments.  The Ace Attorney games also tackle these issues, along with ethical issues and the importance of friendship and family.  Overall, I was fascinated more by the Ace Attorney storylines, that managed to find a perfect balance between engaging mysteries, gruesome murders and lighthearted humor.  The tone of the games is perfect.  Even in the darker parts of the stories, they don’t lose their sense of humanity.  Point goes to Phoenix.  Ace Attorney 3 – Professor Layton 2

Even though the winner of this little showdown was the Ace Attorney series, I urge you to try out both and make up your mind.  Both of them have some great games and will undoubtedly please fans and newcomers to the genre.