Ace Attorney Turns to 3D Owing to Influence of a Professor Layton Crossover

In a recent interview Kenichi Hashimoto, the producer of the soon-to-be-released Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, discussed the development journey of the much-acclaimed series. He shared that the transition from 2D graphics to a more contemporary, visually advanced 3D version, which was greatly inspired by the successful reception of the 3D imagery in Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.

While initially, no move towards 3D was planned for Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney's development, this notion was radically altered in response to the triumph of the 3D characters in the Professor Layton crossover. He noted that the development of the fifth series, Dual Destinies, shed light on how successful the 3D visuals were in the Layton crossover.

Kenichi Hashimoto explained that the use of up-to-date Nintendo 3DS hardware, coupled with the results of the Layton crossover, led to the consideration of exploring 3D possibilities. The team decided to experiment with 3D models that resembled 2D art, and the resultant visual style exceeded their expectations.

Set to hit the market on January 25, the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a perfect homage to the series' transition from 2D to 3D. The anthology is inclusive of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies, and Phoenix Wright: Spirit of Justice. The package is rich in bonus content, providing access to the games' soundtracks, additional tracks from the Ace Attorney 15th Anniversary Orchestra Concert and Ace Attorney 2019 Orchestra Concert, along with special episodes, costumes, an art library, and an animation studio.

The animation studio gives players the freedom to craft their dream scenario with character models, animations, background music, and voice lines from the games, all within their reach. If you're on the hunt for more engaging games, our lists of top single-player games and story games have you covered.