Nintendo’s latest Direct was surprisingly long, featuring over 40 minutes of non-stop reveals, catch-ups, and updates, and while not all the announcements were of the same caliber,Professor Laytonfans certainly came away happy. For years now,Professor Laytonfans have had to make do with whatever knock-offs come their way, but Nintendo has finally listened to its fans, anda brand-newProfessor Laytongameis finally set to release on the Nintendo Switch.
It’s been almost 10 long years since the last fully-fledgedProfessor Laytongame, and fans are desperate to get their hands on any scraps of information about the newly announcedProfessor Layton and the New World of Steam. But while fans wait for Nintendo to reveal more about the new mystery puzzle game, it’s the perfect time to look back on the series' humble beginnings.
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A Brief History of the Professor Layton Franchise
A franchise originally designed for the Nintendo DS,Professor Laytonfirst debuted in February 2007 in Japan and February 2008 in the rest of the world. The first game in the series, titledProfessor Layton and the Curious Village, perfectly set the tone and formula for the rest of the franchise. InProfessor Layton and the Curious Village, players control the titular detective andhis young assistant Lukeas they attempt to uncover the mystery behind the small village of St. Mystere, and embark on the hunt for the Golden Apple.
Gameplay inProfessor Laytonfollows a fairly simplistic but addictive formula, whereby the player interviews a character or investigates an object, and then must complete a puzzle to uncover the mystery behind them. These puzzles range from simplelogic puzzles to sliding puzzles to brain teasers, all of which have multiple different variations. Completing a puzzle successfully will either progress the story or reward players with materials to make a robot dog that can sniff out hidden clues and puzzles. From the art style to the calm and simple approach to puzzles,Professor Layton and the Curious Villageis a perfect introduction for the series, immediately showcasing just how cozy and relaxed this series can be.
The firstProfessor Laytonwas an immediate success, and it was quickly followed by a sequel just over a year later titledProfessor Layton and the Diabolical Box. Following its predecessor closely in terms of gameplay, this entry sees Professor Layton and Luke travel across the country via train to discover the mystery behindthe titular Diabolical Box. The only real criticism for this game at the time was that it felt very similar to the first, though its puzzles were still very addictive, and its charm was undeniable. The third entry in the series released another year later. TitledProfessor Layton and the Unwound Future, this entry gets a little more experimental, with some time-hopping shenanigans thrown into the mix.
In 2011,Professor Layton’s prequel trilogy begins, withProfessor Layton and the Last Specter. The final Nintendo DS game of the series,The Last Spectertakes place three years before the original game and details Layton and Luke’s first meeting and adventure. This entry followed the same formula as the rest, albeit with a unique built-in RPG side game titledProfessor Layton’s London Life. Moving on to the 3DS,Professor Layton and the Miracle Maskreleased just a year later, and while it was another great title, critics believed it could have done more with the console’s 3D functionality. Two years later, in 2014,Professor Layton and the Azran Legacyreleased for the 3DS, marking the last fully-fledgedProfessor Laytongame.
A mobile spin-off,Layton Brothers: Mystery Roomreleased in 2013, following an adult version of Layton’s son Alfendi as he embarks on his own adventures. In 2014 the crossover gameProfessor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorneyreleased, pitting the two iconic sleuths against one another. Another spin-off released in 2017 for the 3DS, titledLayton’s Mystery Journey, and centering around Layton’s daughter Katrielle. And now, Nintendo has finally announced a brand new game centering the original Layton himself titledProfessor Layton and the New World of Steam, which will presumably come to Nintendo Switch.
Professor Layton and the New World of Steamis currently in development for Nintendo Switch.
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