Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Nintendo DS, 2005)

Ever since I was 6 years old I've been playing video games as my hobby. When I first saw this game at the game store I work in I thought, heck it can't be anything special. So I got Trauma Center instead (wich also is a very decent DS game). But after a couple of weeks a friend of mine who also works in that store told me I had to at least try the first case in this lawyer game. So I sat down for about an hour and played through case 1. I was addicted. I bought the game, played it through, and I have to say. This game is like a extremely great, funny, challenging and sometimes even a bit scary book. In the game you play the role of Phoenix Wright. Phoenix is a rookie deffense attorney who just took his first case. You get to learn difrent personalities very quickly. There's 5 cases in total, the first 4 cases are taken directly from the first GBA game (only released in Japan) of Phoenix Wright (called Gyakuten Saiban). The fifth case however is a brand new case where the game takes good use of the Touch screen and the microphone that the DS has. You have to use special fluid in certain rooms to find clues when investigating a crime scene, you have to use the touch screen and microphone together to find fingerprints. And its really fun walking around finding clues before going into court to defent your client.

Another function that takes good use of the DS microphone, is in court when you are cross-examining the witness to press the witness for more information. When you are showing evidence to prove an error in a testimony. You scream "Objection!", "Hold It!" or "Take That!" wich is really fun and makes you feel like you are living in the game at times. Of course there is a little button on the screen that you can push if you are on a bus and don't want to get alot of weird looks =)

All in all I think Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney for the Nintendo DS is one of the best DS games there is, and is without a doubt a must-have game. Its guaranteed to take you to a world where law is extremely fun and addictive.

5/5
9/10
97%
Excellent!

It is not easy to find a game that manages to not require any reflexes, complex controls, and is very thought involving. That is what the adventure genre provides. Japanese text adventures often do not make it to the US, but Capcom took a chance and brought this DS port of a GBA game here.

In Phoenix Wright, you play a young defense attorney who is trying to get a start on his career. You are charged with defending criminals from murder charges, and you must prove their innocence and find the real murderer. There are court sequences where you cross-examine people and present evidence to find contradictions in their testimonies, along with adventure sections where you search areas for evidence that will help your case.

Phoenix Wright might be fun enough with the lawyering alone, but it also features great story and character design. You get to learn about the personality and history of each character, and none of these cases are without something strange and scandalous.

The music in Phoenix Wright goes along very well with the dramatic cases, and the game has a comic book look to it, with a variety of animations for characters. As a DS port, Capcom could have added some more animations to characters, but the art direction is appealing and the graphics are sharp and clean.

Overall, Phoenix Wright is an engrossing text adventure, and although it requires a fair amount of thought, the difficulty is fair and the game will not place you in many overly challenging or unintuitive positions, though sometimes the game seems to be thinking of a different answer to a question than you would. Overall, a very involving adventure game.

Who would have thought pretending to be a lawyer could be so much fun?! Capcom created a hit series with this title. You can collect evidence, interview witnesses, and cross examine people on the stand. Some cases are pretty straight forward, but one you get to the third or fourth case you really have to put some thought into things that seem mundane. Why was the camera facing this way intsead of that way? Find out! Go buy this game!

... But it always looks good

This game is unique... I think that best describes it. It has very nice graphics, OK sound, decent gameplay, and an incredibly wacky storyline. It may seem like a short game but in actuality it's pretty long. One of my favorite features of the game was saying Objection or Hold it in to the DS microphone.

In this game you play as Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, a defense attorney. You get clients evey chapter, and the goal is to get a Not Guilty verdict for them. You have an investigation phase, an interrogation phase, and you present evidence to help you in the process.

I started off thinking this game is ok, but it somehow really grew on me. And towards the last 2-3 chapters I really got into it. So I raised my score to 8.3.

I can't really recommend buying this game because it has zero replayability. But it's a good rent, and if you have nothing better to play this really is a decent game to run through.

Reviewed for Big Boss Games by: KBN

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney for the Nintendo DS is the story of a rookie defense attorney. Fresh out of Law School, Phoenix isn't quite as confident on the bench as he needs to be. Luckily, he has his mentor and veteran lawyer Mia to assist him through his first trial. Phoenix, Mia, Maya (Mia's younger sister), and a slew of other characters will come into play throughout the 5-chapter adventure. Phoenix must not only prove himself in court, but also out in the world where he and Maya must gather evidence, talk to witnesses, and finger the real culprit.

Phoenix Wright is one of those interactive story type games that are so prevalent in Japan. When at a crime scene, you must search the area for clues. Using the stylus, you will scan suspicious areas, 'borrow' vital clues from people trying to hide them, and expand your knowledge of an area for when you're in court.

The microphone also comes into play in Phoenix Wright. When in court and Cross-Examining a witness, you have the option to either call for more information or raise an objection. You can do this via the touch screen buttons, or by yelling: "HOLD IT" or "OBJECTION" into your DS system. It doesn't sound like a feature you'd use too often, but some of the prosecuting attorneys made me angry enough to enjoy yelling at them, before debunking their tower of lies!

The stylus also comes into play with the evidence itself. Often, you will be given a map or a photo in which you need to identify the flaw in a witness' testimony, or a trial-altering fact, which has been overlooked.

Phoenix Wright is broken into five chapters of play. Each one is a unique case, but fits into the overall story. For example, the murder weapon from case one will come back into play in case two, where it was again used as a weapon of murder. The characters you meet, help, and intimidate in earlier chapters will come back to help you again in later stories, and sometimes characters will follow you between stories, being a constant help or a constant hindrance. By chapter 5, you will not only be investigating crime scenes and interviewing witnesses, but you'll also be using puzzle solving, and forensics tools to help pinpoint a killer and save your client from incarceration.

Phoenix Wright is a classic-in-the-making and a game that I'll be glad to hang onto for a long time to come. The courtroom proceedings can run a bit long, so it's not a game you can really just pick up at anytime, unless you have a great memory for detail, as the game does utilize a save anytime feature. It sounds short, but can give you hours of entertainment. Sadly, there isn't much replay value. Once you figure out how the murder was done and how to prove it it's not as easy to forget. In some instances, you'll be stuck in a cross-examination when the answer suddenly hits you. After hours of thought, you're not likely to forget it, but you'll have a great sense of achievement nonetheless.

Phoenix Wright is an overall great game, worth the money to play through it at least once, and an asset to classic gameplay with a great Touch-Screen spin.
Sometimes it's hard to decide how to prove a witness is lying, even if you know what they're lying about. You need to be VERY specific at times, which can often lead to a 'Guilty' verdict for your client and a 'Game Over' for you.

Overall Score: 5 out of 5 STARS!

Once in a while, a Japanese game gets translated, takes the scene by storm, and makes people wonder why it didn't happen earlier. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is that game. It's an amazing game that has to be played by everyone. Originally released only in Japan, "Gyakuten Saiban" (loosely translated as "reversal judgment") is a popular legal simulation game for the GBA that gives you a chance to become a defense attorney. The series has already spanned three instalments, with one more being slated for release for the Nintendo DS next year. Before that happens, however, Capcom released "Gyakuten Saiban: Yomigaeru Gyakuten" in September to pave the title's transition from the GBA to the DS. The game included a fully translated English version, which is eventually released in the US as Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (PWAA) recently. The game takes place primarily in two platforms - investigation and court proceedings. In the earlier scenario, you go from place to place, talking to people and examining crime scenes to gather evidence that may be important in proving your client's innocence. Although the investigation process could be tedious at times, it's never dull since the game throws up so many colourful characters and stereotypes to keep you busy with. Also, despite a large number of items to examine in the various locales pertaining to a certain case, the game is rather helpful as it automatically includes all evidence that will somehow have some bearings on the case. This means that you'll never really need to wonder what's useful and what's not, thus reducing information overload. It also essentially leaves you with the task of finding out why these evidences are important, which gives the game a better focus. Information that you gather during the investigation will be added to your court record, which is one of your greatest weapons in court. The court record also provides additional information about the evidences that are collected. For example, you may score an autopsy report from the detective in charge of the case, but it's only when you look into this report in the record that you'll get a summary of the contents. This applies to most, if not all the evidences at your disposal, and because of that, reading the court record becomes an important task that you should never forget. The game also has the knack of turning the most insignificant looking clue into a decisive one, so you should take heed that a screwdriver, for example, could turn out to be that one clue that nails the truth for you in court. A must have for any DS owner.

They make video games about just about everything now, it looks like.

I picked up Phoenix Wright because I'd heard it had witty writing and great characters. It definitely lived up to that! Everyone in-game was so colorful and the script was indeed very clever. While many games rely largely on skill and reaction time, or skill -and- wits, this one relies -entirely- on wits. You don't need to be a skillful player to navigate the menus or get through the dialogue, but you do need good reasoning. The game actually teaches you to look at all the angles. It's pretty cool.

Additionally, this is single-player game, but a friend could easily sit with you and read what's going on to provide you with some more perspective on a court case you're having trouble with. There are parts where you have to wander around to talk to people and gain evidence, but it's a nice change of pace in between trials, I thought.

Super game. Would highly recommend you play it if you enjoy snappy dialogue and a good game of wits.

5/5

This is a game to buy for sure! There is the best story for a video game for a long time, with intruiging characters, and being capable of recieving every emotion. A truly amazing game.

After hearing many wonderful things about this game, I purchased it last week. At first, the gameplay does seem very much exciting, and you are absorbed in the game. However, at the second case it's novelty began to wear off and I realized that the game was really not as great as the glowing reviews make it out to be.

THE GOOD: It definitely has an interesting premise. Solving cases is a lot of fun...you need to actually think about the evidence you have and see how it contradicts the witness's testimony or whatever you are trying to prove/disprove. It's not always obvious, although sometimes you do receive quite an obvious hint. But there were many times where I had to think for a little and review the evidence a few times in order to know what to do next.

The graphics are ok; it's an anime' style game, so if you are looking for animation, this isn't for you. It's mostly static drawn scenes with the characters moving something like their mouths, etc. This doesn't really detract from the game though, as it's point is solving cases, not the scenery...having said that, the characters and backdrops are nice to look at, and are drawn well.

THE BAD: What really bored me about this game is that more than half of the game is simply clicking the 'next' button...and reading. I understood from reviews that this was a text-based game, and heavily so, and that was ok..as long as you are somewhat involved. But a large portion of the game is NOT spent in court. When you are in court, generally you are involved, because you are reading testimonies and trying to spot clues and loopholes, but out of court....you just click on a location and click on a character, read, read, read, next location, click on character, read, read, read, next location, and so on. It's very tedious and boring. The story is interesting at times, but I felt like I had purchased a book for the DS and was just sitting there reading it. Click. Click. Click. Where's the action? I tried to hurry back to court as fast as I could, since it seemed that that was the only place where you actually *played* the game.

Also, the game is very short. I haven't beaten it yet, but I've only been playing it for a few days, a couple of hours here and there, and I'm at the end of the fourth case; there are only 5. It doesn't quite seem worth it's high price tag to me, when for that price you can get a superb game for another console with better graphics and longer gameplay.

OVERALL: Overall, the game does have it's fun moments, but I was highly disappointed in it's gameplay, especially after reading all of it's praising reviews and the awards it's won. It's too short, and doesn't have enough of what actually makes the game good...solving cases. I get to a point when I play where I just don't feel like just hitting next and reading text, and shut it off. So it is an ok game, but I don't highly recommend it. If you have some cash to burn, I say why not...or better yet, buy the new one instead, hopefully that one will be a little improved. But if you're deciding between a few games, I would suggest you not get this, it's really not all that great. I HIGHLY recommend Elite Beat Agents...it's one of those games that I wouldn't have bought had I seen it in stores, but after watching an online review of it I purchased it, and it remains one of the few games that are seriously fun and I'm still NOT sick of playing.

This puzzle game will keep you going for hours. If you like to solve things then you will love this same!
The game is lacking when it comes to graphics and defiantly lacking animation. Make sure you are prepared to see the same room again and again. When you have to go out and collect evidence you will encounter some tedious place to place then back to the same place and back again after going to another place you already been searching type of fun. You meet a few people along the way which may brighten up your day. I gave the game a 3/5 because it is fun to play when you are in the mood, passes the time and it is also fun to solve a given part. At the end of the day you have to go back and forth so much it will annoy you and there was no reason for the lack of animation.

... But it always looks good

This game is unique... I think that best describes it. It has very nice graphics, OK sound, decent gameplay, and an incredibly wacky storyline. It may seem like a short game but in actuality it's pretty long. One of my favorite features of the game was saying Objection or Hold it in to the DS microphone.

In this game you play as Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, a defense attorney. You get clients evey chapter, and the goal is to get a Not Guilty verdict for them. You have an investigation phase, an interrogation phase, and you present evidence to help you in the process.

I started off thinking this game is ok, but it somehow really grew on me. And towards the last 2-3 chapters I really got into it. So I raised my score to 8.3.

I can't really recommend buying this game because it has zero replayability. But it's a good rent, and if you have nothing better to play this really is a decent game to run through.

i give this game 3 out of 10 hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

This game is so addicting, you can't help but work through the trials in one sitting. It's difficult to go around to find evidence and witness testimonies, but satisfying to holler "objection!" and "hold it!" at the DS. Although it gets tough, it's fun to work through all the chapters and see the hilarious reactions of the lawyers, judge, and witnesses.

When I first heard about the Ace Attorney series, I was a little hesitant. It sounded really difficult: I have to gather evidence and present it in court to prove my clients innocence. Doesn't sound like fun to you, right? Wrong!

The story line is so unique and different. The characters are endearing and funny (a funny lawyer, who woulda thunk). The cases aren't too hard, but there are enough plot twists to keep you guessing. Each game has about 4-5 cases, which will last you plenty of time. These aren't games you are going to breeze through. You have some serious thinking to do. I have to say, there is nothing like the feeling when you present the right evidence at the right time to get your client off the hook. The only thing that would make this game better, is if you got a lawyer's paycheck at the end of the day.

If you've been thinking aobut picking this game up, I suggest that you do. There is alot of reading involved (you might feel like you are reading a novel) but it is the most fun you will ever have reading this side of Playboy!

Any game that lets me sit there and yell "OBJECTION" at it is freakin' awesome. Having the chance to convict criminals and feel good about myself and scaring people around me while I'm playing is great.

I bought it not really having any expectations as to how the game play would be. To my suprise it was as fascinating as the premise led on it would be. A little verbose at times, but logically it always follows a steady stream of thought. I would recommend this title to anyone who is seeking a different kind of title.

I had wanted to buy Phoenix Wright for a very long time. Every auction of it was selling for least forty dollars. This Seller had a Buy-It-Now for 25 dollars!! What a sick deal!! Not only that but I received it 3 days after purchase. The game itself is absolutely fantastic. It features voice recognition and four missions w/ one hidden mission at the end. This is one of the best games for Nintendo DS.

This is a new way of playing, and an interesting one! You play the part of an attorney, and have to make the right decisions to win your case. It's a mixture of roleplaying, adventure game and movie, a real treat!

this game is really really good. i was not expecting much when i got this game but i got hooked into it, its a smart game with lots of hours of game play. longer then expected. you havo to get this one.
there is one little problem with it, once you pass this game there is not much more to it, it wouldnt be fun for a second time.

Who knew investigating bizarre murder cases would be so much fun? Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is actually a port of the original GBA game, "Gyakuten Saiban" which was only released in Japan, with a new (DS specialized) fifth case added to this DS edition. Despite the fact that it's a port, it displays amazing graphics and sound, and makes of use of the special DS functions to the maximum, even using the mic to yell out "OBJECTION!" and two other phrases if you wish!

Whether you're into crime scene investigations and court cases (or not!), you'll be treated with excellent, intriguing, and very fun gameplay. No prior knowledge of law is necessary to play - anyone can get into it just like that! There isn't even a jury! You play as the protagonist, 24 year old Phoenix Wright, a brand new rookie lawyer trying to make sense of his profession.

This is a very simple game (not including the logical thought process of analzying the cases, which requires you own thinking, of course) to get into with extremely simple controls. The graphics and sound are great. The game also consists of quriky and very clever dialogue for the various characters you'll run into. You even grow to love the groan-inducing puns of some character names. In its entirety, the game is a wonderful pick-up, and will keep you entertained for hours...so whip up some evidence and, "TAKE THAT!"

This game is worth its high value in play quality. Do not be turned down by its purely textual formula, this game will envelope you within the first few minutes of playing. There is truly no downside to the game. The only gripe I had was why the developers decided to bring several very unique attributes into the game at the very end as opposed to gradually introducing them to the player. Of course this game also lacks in replayability, but the number of hours you spend on each case will surely make up for that.

I bought this game because I kept hearing rave reviews about it on game reviewing sites as well as on sites devoted to adventure games and games for the Nintendo DS. I am SO glad I purchased it! I could not find it in any store (Capcom keeps re-releasing it and it keeps selling out immediately) but eBay saved the day.

This game is engrossing, funny, and challenging. I adore it and cannot wait for the second Phoenix Wright game for the DS to come out next year.

This game is incredibly fun and challenging. As rookie lawyer Phoenix Wright, you are challenged to defend people who, it seems, are 100% guilty. But, with a keen eye for detail and a belief in the innocence of your client, you can beat all odds to find them innocent and ensure that justice is done.

My only true complaint about this game is its lack of replay value. Once you've solved a case, it's quite easy to solve again and is not very entertaining. It can also be somewhat boring to gather evidence and interrogate the characters (this process can last hours), but that is only because it's less fun in comparison to the best part of the game: the court cases.

During these cases, you are forced to make quick decisions by finding contradictions in the testimonies of the witnesses, deciding when to object and what evidence to use. This is the best part of the game, as it can be rather difficult and you are, in fact, in danger of losing the case and getting a Game Over.

With imaginative cases, interesting characters, an intriguing underlying plot and difficult mental puzzles, Phoeniz Write: Ace Attorney is a game everyone should play at least once. Since it is currently rather rare, it's unlikely to be found to be rented and is probably worth buying. After all, you can always sell it back on eBay. ;)