The Professor Layton (レイトン教授 Reiton Kyouju) series is a series of puzzle/adventure video games for the Nintendo DS and 3DS centered around Professor Hershel Layton and his apprentice, Luke Triton. They were created by LEVEL-5 CEO Akihiro Hino with the help of puzzle master Akira Tago, and are developed and published by LEVEL-5 in Japan. The games are localized for the other regions by Nintendo.
The Professor Layton series currently includes seven main games, divided into two trilogies and one upcoming title, and several spin-offs. The series also has mangas, novels, and an animated film.
The Professor Layton series has been very well received, selling over 15.5 million copies worldwide[1]. It is the best selling franchise of LEVEL-5, and one of the most popular Nintendo DS game series overall.
Games[]
Original trilogy[]
Professor Layton and the Curious Village[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Curious Village
The late Baron Augustus Reinhold had recently passed away, leaving only a single message as his will. Somewhere in the village, he has hid his greatest family treasure, the Golden Apple, and whoever finds it will inherit his entire fortune. As Professor Layton and Luke make their way through the curious village of St. Mystere, they uncover the secrets of the seemingly quaint little place.
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box / Pandora's Box[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Professor Layton gets an urgent call from his former teacher, Dr. Andrew Schrader but, when the Professor finds him, he is lying dead in his study with pieces of torn photograph in his hand. The only clue he finds is a used ticket for the luxurious Molentary Express. He sets out to find the person who killed Dr. Schrader and also stole the Elysian Box, the artifact that the game is set around and the item that Dr. Schrader was researching before his death.
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future / Lost Future[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
Professor Layton and Luke receive a mysterious letter supposedly from a grown-up Luke from 10 years into the future. The duo is told to go to Midland Road Clock Shop, where they enter a complete new world.
Prequel trilogy[]
Professor Layton and the Last Specter / Spectre's Call[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Last Specter
Professor Layton receives a letter from an old friend telling about the myth of a Specter that acts on command of a mysterious flute. He decides to investigate this case with his new assistant Emmy and go to Misthallery, home of his old friend Clark Triton.
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
Professor Layton and co. head to Monte d'Or to find the Masked Gentleman, an unknown person who uses the Mask of Chaos, which is said to have the ability to grant wishes to whoever wears it, to make evil, like turning people into stone or make them float in the air. They solve several mysteries as they meet Professor Layton's friend Angela and her husband Henry Ledore.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
The final game of the second trilogy. It revolves around the ancient "Super Civilization" Azran. The game marks the final appearance of Emmy Altava.
Layton's Mystery Journey[]
Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy[]
Set many years after the last adventure of the professor in the original trilogy, the story follows the daughter of Professor Layton, Katrielle Layton as she solves mysteries in London.
Professor Layton and the New World of Steam[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the New World of Steam
When Luke is stumped by a mystery in his new home of Steam Bison, he decides to send Professor Layton a letter so that they may investigate it together once more.
Spin-offs[]
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney[]
- Main article: Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
In a world where both the Professor Layton series and the Ace Attorney series co-exist, Professor Layton, Luke Triton, Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey find themselves in Labyrinthia, located in another dimension. They must solve all kinds of mysteries, battle or reunite with each other to return back, including one about a mysterious girl named Espella accused of witchcraft, and the Storyteller, a man who makes everything he writes become reality.
Layton Brothers: Mystery Room[]
- Main article: Layton Brothers: Mystery Room
Lucy Baker is a beginning detective who is transferred to Scotland Yard. Here, she works under Inspector Alfendi Layton, son of the renowned Professor Hershel Layton. Together, they investigate various murders occuring in London for Scotland Yard's "Mystery Room".
Of all the spin-off titles, Layton Brothers: Mystery Room currently seems to be the only one at least partially tied to the main series of games, as it was directly mentioned in both Millionaires' Conspiracy and its anime adaptation.
Professor Layton and the Mansion of the Deathly Mirror[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Mansion of the Deathly Mirror
Professor Layton, Luke and a plethora of other high-class citizens (including Inspector Chelmey) are invited to an auction of a mirror that is said to bring death upon those that look into it. The auction is hosted by Murdoch. Upon arrival, they are greeted by Murdoch's Butler, Randy.
Professor Layton and the Mansion of the Deathly Mirror has yet to receive any mention, directly or otherwise, in the mainline game series.
Professor Layton and the Phantom Thieves[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Phantom Thieves
Professor Layton Royale[]
- Main article: Professor Layton Royale
Movies[]
Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva
Professor Layton gets an invitation from one of his old students, Janice Quatlane, who needs his help with the "strange things" that have been happening. He and Luke attend Janice's opera while Emmy remains in London to search for the young girls that had gone missing recently.
The movie is considered part of the storyline of the mainline game series, with its events being partially referenced in Miracle Mask, and Azran Legacy.
Television[]
Layton Mystery Detective Agency: Kat's Mystery-Solving Files[]
Professor Layton's daughter, Katrielle Layton, runs the Layton Detective Agency together with the talking dog Sherl and her assistant Ernest, and solves strange cases that happen everyday in London. Originally, she started the job with the purpose of finding her father, Hershel Layton, who had disappeared suddenly, but her incredible ability to solve puzzles made her well-known and she receives numerous requests.
Due to Layton Mystery Detective Agency: Kat's Mystery-Solving Files being overall a substancially altered and expanded adaptation of Millionaires' Conspiracy, it is currently difficult to say how the animated series will influence and tie-in with the mainline series of games.
Books[]
Artwork[]
The Secrets of Professor Layton: Series Trilogy Official Fanbook[]
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Art Works[]
The World of Professor Layton: Official Fanbook[]
- Main article: The World of Professor Layton: Official Fanbook
Manga[]
Professor Layton and the Cheerful Mystery[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Cheerful Mystery
Novel[]
Professor Layton and the Wandering Castle[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Wandering Castle
Professor Layton and the Phantom Deity[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Phantom Deity
Professor Layton and the Illusory Forest[]
- Main article: Professor Layton and the Illusory Forest
Chronology[]
- Main article: Timeline
This is the current in-universe chronology of the series:
- Professor Layton and the Last Specter
- Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva (movie) (some months after Last Specter)
- Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (around 1 year after Last Specter)
- Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (around 1 year after Miracle Mask)
- Professor Layton and the Curious Village
- Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box (some months after Curious Village)
- Professor Layton and the Mansion of the Deathly Mirror (spin-off)
- Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (non-canon spin-off)
- Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (some months after Diabolical Box, around 3 years after Last Specter)
- Professor Layton and the New World of Steam (1 year after Unwound Future)
- Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy / Layton Mystery Detective Agency: Kat's Mystery-Solving Files (anime) (23 years after Unwound Future)
- Layton Brothers: Mystery Room (spin-off) (23 years after Unwound Future)
The exact chronology of the other games and the books is unknown.
See Also[]
References[]
- ^ New Titles Announced at “LEVEL-5 Vision 2016: New Heroes” Event - LEVEL-5 International America