Skip to main content

Capcom brings back Phoenix Wright in Ace Attorney 5 for Nintendo 3DS

Ace attorney 5
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Objection! Actually no, wait, I don’t object at all. That would imply that I’m less than excited by Capcom’s news on Wednesday that Ace Attorney 5, the previously announced but un-detailed sequel to Shu Takumi’s long-running series of absurd lawyer adventures, will be out on Nintendo 3DS in 2013. That’s not true! Indeed I am very excited.

Capcom announced the deets in this week’s issue of Japanese gaming mag Famitsu (via Siliconera). Phoenix Wright, the spiky-haired bad ass star of the original Ace Attorney games, returns as the lead character. The fourth game in the series, 2008’s Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, starred a young turk named Apollo Justice but he proved less popular than his predecessor so Capcom’s bringing him back. The game’s first case, or Turnabout for any nerds reading, sees Phoenix defend Shinobu, a young lady accused of blowing up a courtroom. A new assistant will replace Phoenix’s gal Friday, Maya.

Recommended Videos

The first 3DS entry in the series will introduce some tweaks to the usual crime scene investigation and interrogations that make up the bulk of Ace Attorney games. One screenshot of the game in the article shows Phoenix’s collection of evidence, but rather than simple examination commands, there are four emoticons on the screen, suggesting things can be examined from different mental perspectives.

The staff heading up Ace Attorney 5 is a little concerning. Series creator Shu Takami is sitting this one out as he finishes working on Capcom and Level-5’s collaboration Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney. Takeshi Yamazaki, planner on the original Ace Attorney, Apollo Justice, and director Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, is writing the story for 5. His production partner on that game, Motohide Eshiro, is producing Ace Attorney 5 as well. Yamazaki is talented but Investigations lacked much of the wild drama that made the original Ace Attorney games so memorable. It’s been eight years since the last Ace Attorney game starring Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney 3: Trials and Tribulations for Game Boy Advance, so Yamazaki and Eshiro have much to live up to.

The whole Ace Attorney series is going through a renaissance. Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney will be out in Japan this Novemeber. Capcom also recently announced that its remastering the series for iPhone and iPad as the Ace Attorney HD Trilogy, sprucing up the old DS versions with new art.

Anthony John Agnello
Anthony John Agnello is a writer living in New York. He works as the Community Manager of Joystiq.com and his writing has…
Steam delists hundreds of adult games
Steam Games

Why it matters: Vague policies on platforms like Steam risk chilling developer creativity, especially for indie creators tackling edgy themes, while raising broader concerns about content freedom in gaming amid global regulations.

The news: Valve quietly updated its Steamworks guidelines to ban content violating payment processors' rules, targeting "certain kinds" of adult-only material that's not properly labeled or age-gated.

Read more
Loved Expedition 33’s combat? You should try this indie rock RPG
An evil corporate throne room in Fretless.

It's been over a month since I finished everything there was to do in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and yet I still found myself craving more. I had my qualms with what direction the story took in the final act, but the combat had me hooked and never let go. The satisfaction of mastering parry timing and crafting the perfect build with the Pictos and Luminas was more than enough motivation to finish the story and take down every optional challenge the world had to throw at me.

While I could go back and mess with the difficulty modifiers for a new challenge, I instead found a hidden gem of an RPG that scratches that same itch for tactical but reactive combat, but with a few unique twists that have more than filled that void.

Read more
How long is Donkey Kong Bananza?
Donkey Kong and Pauline blast the enviornment in Donkey Kong Bananza.,

We only had to wait one month after the Nintendo Switch 2 launch to get our first shiny new 3D platformer. However, it isn't a new Mario game like you might've assumed, but DK taking center stage. Donkey Kong Bananza is all about smashing and digging your way with Pauline to the planet's core while facing off against a cast of villains. Being able to terraform the levels completely changes the pace of a normal platformer, but does it mean you can bypass everything and finish the game in a few hours? What if you are the type of person who wants to get every collectible there is? In either case, you might be surprised at how Donkey Kong Bananza actually is. After playing the game from start to finish, here's how long you can expect to spend playing Donkey Kong Bananza.

How long to beat Donkey Kong Bananza?

Read more