Professor Layton versus Ace Attorney

A while back, Capcom and Level 5 Entertainment announced a crossover involving Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright. Initially, it was declared as a Japan only release. Because Capcom were stupid idiots who were afraid because the Ace Attorney games had not done as well in the US as they would have hoped, and they thought there wouldn't be a market. After someone with a brain sat down at the Capcom website, however, they decided to actually ask the fans, who responded so overwhelmingly positively that they have decided that they will go right ahead with the translation without even bothering to see how it goes in Japan first.

So, since we can finally rest easy and know that we are going to get it, I'm going to share the trailer. Professor Layton versus Ace Attorney. My gosh, is this thing not gorgeous? I mean, the visuals and music are breathtaking, the idea is brilliant, and the execution seems flawless. Best of all, it's a serious attempt at a crossover with solid plot and character focus. I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to this game. It is going to be brilliant.

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Originally Posted by Skyblade

Initially, it was declared as a Japan only release. Because Capcom were stupid idiots who were afraid because the Ace Attorney games had not done as well in the US as they would have hoped, and they thought there wouldn't be a market.

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That seems like it would be a fairly valid concern to me, one that asking fans "would you buy this" wouldn't solve. Of course fans will buy it.

That said, if/when i get a 3DS, I will be picking this up. Won't be for a while though.

The Phoenix Wright games may not be top sellers, but since his first appearance ten years ago, the character has become one of the most recognizable characters in gaming, and has a huge cult following. The games were poorly promoted, and are nearly impossible to find, yet you won't find a gamer out there who doesn't know Phoenix and his trademark "Objection". Professor Layton, on the other hand, has sold incredibly well, despite having far fewer games released, and is one of the most successful series the DS has, period.

Given that both characters are universally loved by gamers, the idea of a character-central crossover would seem to be an obvious cash-in attempt. Especially when the styles and gameplay would mesh so well together. Capcom's not exactly been shy about porting its other crossovers, despite some of the games involved not being huge financial successes, and to not even consider this one until fans bring it to your attention and then getting surprised by the incredible demand is just foolish.


But enough about that. I'm just enjoying the pure awesomeness of that trailer. This is exactly how a crossover shoud work. The big problem with making fighting game crossovers is that fighting games have so little story and character development that the point of a crossover, watching the different characters interacting with each other, is lost. Oh, they have been getting better, but we have yet to see any crossover with this degree of character development and interaction, and I can only see this as a good thing. Hopefully, it will be brilliantly successful, and pave the way for more such games in the future.

Having watched the trailer and knowing the excellence of the Prof Layton series from first hand experience I may just contradict one of the other threads and say that this game is possibly the best reason so far to get a 3DS console, aside from the fact that the console is just smurfing awesome anyhow.

I think it's interesting that they're keeping the different art styles for both series.

Oh god, I went all giddy inside before I clicked that link and I'm still feeling it.
So excited, I cannot wait!