Summary
- The Ace Attorney series has a lot of excellent games, but some are definitely better than others.
- The best Ace Attorney games feature a nice blend of gripping mysteries, intriguing puzzles, and three-dimensional characters.
For over 20 years, Capcom's Ace Attorney series has allowed you to step into the manicured shoes of a lawyer, busting criminals and absolving clients with reckless abandon. Granted, it probably bears little to no similarity to the work of a real-life attorney – but it's tough to care when the stories are this good.
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Posts 1 By PJ MolloyPhoenix Wright, Apollo Justice, and Miles Edgeworth are just a few of the budding desk-slammers you control in this iconic series. But with several games to choose from, where do you start? Here they all are, ranked (albeit not by legal accuracy.)
Updated on September 24, 2024, by PJ Molloy: After 13 agonizing years, Capcom finally localized Ace Attorney Investigations 2 thanks to the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection. But how does Edgeworth's latest adventure compare to the other entries?
13 Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
Edgeworth Is Great, But This Game Isn't
Ace Attorney Investigations is the first game to feature fan-favorite Miles Edgeworth as the main protagonist. Having been playable for a short period in Trials and Tribulations, it seemed that Shu Takumi was testing the waters, making it almost inevitable that Edgeworth would receive his own series of games.
The game attempts to organically connect an important backstory to present-day cases, though some confrontations feel more technical than exciting. It's no fun spending upwards of three hours arguing the finer points of diplomatic immunity. For all of Edgeworth's intelligence, the Logic mechanic can also be obtuse and confusing.
12 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
Who'd Have Thought You'd Get Scared When A Roof Caves In?
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies
Visual Novel Adventure Released October 24, 2013 ESRB t Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Platform(s) Android, iOS, Nintendo 3DS Genre(s) Visual Novel, Adventure Powered by Expand CollapseDespite many fans expecting a direct sequel to Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Capcom took a very different route for this fifth mainline installment. Sure, Apollo's here and even has a backstory to uncover, but Phoenix gets top billing once more. The first entry on the 3DS, Dual Destinies, makes adequate use of its hardware. Unfortunately, from a graphical standpoint, the game suffers from uncomfortable 3D models, with some characters looking unexpressive and stiff.
The introduction of Athena Cykes held a lot of potential, but ultimately, her storyline rehashes the original Ace Attorney's "defense attorney has a troubled history with the prosecution" schtick. Athena's application of psychology throughout is exciting, though sometimes lacking in substance.
11 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Justice For All
The Music Is Great, Though
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For All
Visual Novel Puzzle Released October 18, 2002 ESRB Teen // Blood, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Platform(s) Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PC Genre(s) Visual Novel, Puzzle Powered by Expand CollapseJustice for All is a classic case of 'so close, yet so far.' On a surface level, it's a worthy sequel to the original - the intrigue of Edgeworth's disappearance, combined with the introduction of a new von Karma instills a curiosity that can only be sated by poring over every word of the dialogue.
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Posts By PJ MolloyHowever, it's hindered by a truly atrocious bad-case-to-good-case ratio. The tutorial chapter is laughable, especially with its uninteresting villain. And Turnabout Big Top is populated entirely with the most intolerable secondary characters ever conceived. Well, the less said about that, the better.
10 Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Talk About A Dream Crossover
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Puzzle Adventure Released November 29, 2012 ESRB t // Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Mild Violence, Use of Alcohol Developer(s) Level-5, Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Platform(s) Nintendo 3DS Genre(s) Puzzle, Adventure Powered by Expand CollapseProfessor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a prime example of how to combine two disparate series to create something bigger than the sum of their parts. Both protagonists rely on puzzles and strategic thinking but in different ways. Layton is a logical deducer, whereas Phoenix has the gift of the gab, which complement each other perfectly.
The game is set in Labyrinthia, a medieval fantasy town where witches and magic are part of the daily routine. It's up to Layton to unravel the truth behind the town while Phoenix defends people during witch trials.
Despite its brilliance, the game ranks lower on our list due to it being a crossover: there's less actual Ace Attorney gameplay than there is Layton puzzle-solving. Nevertheless, it's a worthy tribute to both universes that's more than worth your time.
9 Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Finally Remade
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Adventure Visual Novel Released April 12, 2007 ESRB t Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Platform(s) Nintendo DS, iOS, Android, Nintendo 3DS Genre(s) Adventure, Visual Novel Powered by Expand CollapseApollo Justice was meant to represent the passing of the torch from Phoenix to his "apprentice" figure, signaling that Phoenix's saga had come to a close (or so it seemed). Fans were able to see how beloved characters had grown and evolved during the seven in-universe years that had passed since the last game.
So Apollo's debut occupies a strange middle ground. It's technically his game, but Phoenix keeps popping up and ultimately is instrumental to the story's resolution. It's a shame since Apollo's character is engaging and lovable. This title also introduced Trucy Wright, a bubbly new assistant who's Phoenix's adoptive daughter, along with Apollo's new Perceive ability.
8 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
The Game That Started It All
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Adventure Visual Novel Released October 12, 2001 ESRB t Developer(s) Capcom Production Studio 4 Publisher(s) Capcom Platform(s) Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, PC, Wii, iOS Genre(s) Adventure, Visual Novel Powered by Expand CollapseMade in only ten months by a team of seven people, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney allows you to meet such iconic faces as Phoenix, Maya, and Edgeworth, all with wonderful arcs and resolutions. The unforgettable music and poignant ideals and messages emanate throughout its whole being.
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Posts By PJ MolloyWhether it's exploring a crummy knockoff TV studio, helping Lotta Hart find the Gourd Lake Monster, or nailing a guy literally named Frank Sahwit on a lie, it's all top-class. Re-launched with its bonus case, Rise from the Ashes, the game quickly became a hit with Western audiences and paved the way for all the other games.
7 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney − Spirit Of Justice
The Grand Finale To Apollo's Story
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit Of Justice
Visual Novel Science Fiction Released June 9, 2016 ESRB t Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Platform(s) Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows Genre(s) Visual Novel, Science Fiction Powered by Expand CollapseSpirit of Justice shifts to the kingdom of Khura'in, where a corrupt autocracy has assumed control and made a butchery of the legal system. It's up to Phoenix, Apollo, and Athena, who just so happen to be visiting Maya, to set things right. A few plot points from previous Ace Attorney games continue to go unaddressed, and appearances from the likes of Maya and Edgeworth come off as fan service rather than actual contributions to the story.
Apollo finishes the adventure with more backstories than any poor soul should have to burden, leaving little time for exploring his relationships with already existing characters. However, the new testimony mechanic, Divination Séances, lets you see the victim's final moments and is ambitious and unique.
Despite the game's flaws, Khura’in’s hatred of defense lawyers creates an enthralling atmosphere of tension; and really, how many games can you name that end with a greenhorn attorney toppling a government?
6 The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Why Not Add Ancestors To The Mix?
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Adventure Visual Novel Released July 27, 2021 ESRB t Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Platform(s) Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows Genre(s) Adventure, Visual Novel Powered by Expand CollapseFew people expected that The Great Ace Attorney would ever see a Western launch. The series had spent the better part of two decades attempting to convince Anglophonic players that the games were set in Los Angeles instead of Japan. Never mind that Maya claims she loves burgers while patronizing a noodle stand or all the cherry blossoms everywhere.
Initially launched on the 3DS in Japan, this was meant to be a trilogy but shrunk down to two after budgets ran over. You play Ryunosuke Naruhodo, a Japanese ancestor of Phoenix Wright in Meiji-era Japan, as he navigates the pitfalls of immigrating to London in a time of great racial tension.
He and his assistant, Susato 'Susie' Mikotoba, are subject to prejudice from the second they step off the boat, and it's refreshing to see such a lighthearted, bouncy series tackle such mature themes. Top that off with a satisfyingly complex narrative, the inclusion of a legally distinct Sherlock Holmes, and more puns about ladders than you could ever comprehend, and this was well worth the wait.
5 Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor's Gambit
This Is How You Do A Sequel
Before it was officially localized in the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, Prosecutor's Gambit was only available in English through an outstanding fan translation. It's worth all the attention it can get, standing out as a sequel better than the original.
The game features improved puzzle mechanics, such as Mind Chess, and all its cases are, thank goodness, connected to the plot in a meaningful way. Relationships formed in the first game are furthered, deepened, and tested in some genuinely heart-wrenching ways. Plus, the third-act plot twist is among the most sublime in the entire series, if not the visual novel genre.
4 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials And Tribulations
A Masterclass In Mystery Writing
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations
Adventure Visual Novel Released January 23, 2004 ESRB Teen // Mild Blood, Mild Violence Developer(s) Capcom Production Studio 4 Publisher(s) Capcom Platform(s) Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Wii, PC Genre(s) Adventure, Visual Novel Powered by Expand CollapseThe widely agreed-upon crown jewel of the Ace Attorney series, Trials and Tribulations, allows you to act as three different attorneys throughout the game, which jumps between time periods with breakneck frequency. If being able to play as Mia Fey wasn't enough to get you excited, then Phoenix Wright's college backstory most certainly is.
The game wrapped up every loose thread in the original Phoenix Wright trilogy with style while feeling effortless and heartfelt as it did so. The enigmatic new prosecutor, Godot, lends suave charm and intrigue to the overarching mystery and ties back to the prior titles seamlessly. It would have been the perfect conclusion to everything the series had been building towards if it had been the final game in the series.
