Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney for Nintendo DS

GF Rating

8

Very Good

Like A Great Book (it's hard to put down).

posted by Kimoon (BROOKLYN, NY) Apr 27, 2006

Member since Jan 2003

28 out of 31 gamers (90%) found this review helpful

Phoenix Wright is like a great book you can’t seem to put down. There is an intriguing story line nicely broken up into chapters. There is a cast of characters you can’t help but love. There is a climax that takes place in the court room. Even though your interaction seems minimal at best it is a great adventure to sit yourself through.

The game is quite lengthy. The game’s story will help you push yourself through to the end. The game also keeps things fresh because you will learn a new technique to solve your crime every chapter. The techniques vary from learning how to press the witness for more information to dusting for finger prints.

The game is Easy though. The game makes it almost impossible for you to lose. This is because you can’t move forward to the next day without collecting all the evidence you need. So once you make it to trial you know you have at disposal everything you need to win the case. The only way you can lose is to object at the wrong time during cases. Since the save system lets you save anytime you have no fear of actually making too many mistakes and losing the case.

The game’s ease I guess works to its favor though since it is the story that seems to draw you into the game so much. The minimal game play works well enough with the stylus and touch screen. You are given a static image to where you can click on object to gather clues or talk to witnesses. It is also fun to look through the dialogue of a witnesses’ testimony and try to prove that they are lying.

In the end this lengthy adventure is a great game to play through. The story line is great and the dialogue is awesome. The game doesn’t seem to have any replay value though since it is like a reading a book but that is only me since I don’t like to read something more than once.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

Unbelievably Great

posted by SammyT (ALBUQUERQUE, NM) Apr 15, 2006

Member since Jul 2005

14 out of 15 gamers (93%) found this review helpful

I didn’t expect much from this title and boy was I pleasantly surprised. This game had me hooked from the beginning and never let up. It actually improved as it progressed with one surprise after another. The final (hidden) chapter is worth the price of admission alone. You won’t be disappointed if you get it a chance.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

Surprised how much I enjoyed this

posted by adv2k1 (ARLINGTON, TX) Oct 12, 2006

Member since Jun 2005

2 out of 2 gamers (100%) found this review helpful

This game all you do is basically read and some mild clicking nothing hardcore but in its simplicity its fun. You are given evidence and you have to spend time talking to people and looking around rooms to see clues. It's very simple overall but the best part is the courts were you have to prove yourself with the eveidence. Some of it is guessing, but most of it is by logic that you win.

It really makes you feel rewarded when you win the case, but also it can be fustrating when you can't think up a solution.

Totally rent this game, i might even buy it because it was that fun

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

10

Perfect

A classic!

posted by Ziminaiman (POWAY, CA) Jul 29, 2006

Member since Jul 2006

2 out of 2 gamers (100%) found this review helpful

This game completely drew me in from the very beginning! The thing about this game that makes it stand out so much is the plot more than anything else. The actual gameplay feels more like an extension of it more than the base fun factor.

The premise of the game is being the defense lawyer who must dig up the evidence and then present it at the appropriate time in court. the actual gameplay mostly involves being in the courtroom, particularly cross-examining witnesses. During cross-examiniations you press the witness for more info, and then present evidence you've gained from the other part of the game (searching for info and clues during the evening) to show contradictions in their testimony.

The whole game is basically controlled by the touch screen; you touch the court record button in court and then touch a specific piece of evidence, etc. I actually almost never used the D-pad at all, and only used the A button to speed up conversations (for a while I was just touching the screen to go through them.)

There isn't exactly much for action or raw gameplay, which is why I made my initial point that the plot is what makes this game so great. it's engrossing. I could hardly put the game down, and I literally was up i the early morning becuase I couldn't just stop while I was still in the middle of a case! This game is an experience that every DS owner should have.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

I can't think of a witty title. Great game though!

posted by gonzo3333 (LAS VEGAS, NV) Jul 15, 2006

Member since Aug 2003

10 out of 11 gamers (91%) found this review helpful

Phoenix Wright is a text game. Yes, that means talk, talk, talk, talk!! So if you don't like text games, you won't like this. I, however, love this game. First of all, it's a very lengthy game. It's like, 20-30 hours for most people. The only bad part is that there really is no replay value unless you actually wait a really long time up to the point where you forget the cases. The story is great, and there are 6 cases. The first is very short, should only take about half an hour. But starting from the second, they get long and the story is great. I thought it was just going to be six random cases. But they all had something to do with the main characters. The only unfortunate part to this game is that you can't ask for bathroom breaks :(

The graphics in this game are okay. If you like anime-style graphics, you'll love these graphics. Everything is full of color and good description. It has a little bit of comedy in the character's facial expressions.

The music in this game is nice. Nothing too special. There's not a lot of music in this game, but what there is, is good.

The gameplay isn't REALLY gameplay in a way. Like I mentioned above, all you really do is press a few buttons to move the text forward... Oh! And you touch items on the screen with the stylus to observe the item. But still, it's really long as I said before. And the story is very entertaining and has a few gasp moments.

This game has practically no replay value. I mean, once you know the stories and how to solve them, there really is no point in playing them again. However, you can come back like a year or so later, and play when you forgot everything. That's still pretty lame though.

This game isn't too hard. You have to think before you show evidence that contradicts the witness' testimony or something. You might lost a case once or twice, making you go back to the last save point. But that's really it.

So overall, this game is defenitely worth at least renting!

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

8

Very Good

Extremely good.

posted by TheSHizNic (NOVATO, CA) Jun 28, 2007

Member since Jul 2006

1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful

Basic Points
Story: 9
Gameplay: 6
Multiplayer: N/A
Music: 8
Difficulty: Very, very easy although very tedious in some situations.
Length: Approximately 25-40 hours, depending on your reading speed and how fast you can put two and two together.

Phoenix Wright was a very fun play through. The characters are lovable, the stories are filled with twists, and the game feels very satisfying. The game is essentially an adventure title with tons and tons of reading, clicking, and looking for clues. The detective work can be a headache, looking for the right person to talk to or trying to figure out what clue you're missing can be a pain. The courtroom segments also have their fair share of headaches, but since you're playing as an attorney call it realism. The game is never overtly difficult though, the story will keep you addicted and wanting to find out whodunit regardless of the bumps in the road. If reading for hours is appealing to you, then this is the game for you.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

10

Perfect

Great Game! Better than the 2nd one!

posted by cb80361p (YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY) Apr 26, 2007

Member since Feb 2007

1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful

Hey, I played Phoenix Wright Justice for All and loved it so I decided to play the first game of the series also. Loved it more than the 2nd. What I liked is that this version is more interactive with evidence. It is just as interesting and exciting with plots twists and turns. I hope that you rent this game because it is awesome. I have no "OBJECTION!" to this one! :-)

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

One of the Best DS Games Ever!

posted by Koujin (TUCSON, AZ) Apr 19, 2006

Member since Aug 2005

9 out of 10 gamers (90%) found this review helpful

Phoenix wright for the DS was one of the best DS games I've ever played,it may not be long, but its really funny and I hope they come out with more.
For my Final Word:
Pro: This game is really funny and really fun to play.there are 5 cases and they are a little long

Con: The Only Con that I really found was that the game is to SHORT! and the Mic is doesn't work THAT well, but its pretty Good

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

5

Fair

I OBJECT!

posted by THATguy (BROOKLYN, NY) Sep 17, 2006

Member since Nov 2005

2 out of 3 gamers (67%) found this review helpful

I knew i was getting into a mostly textual game when i rented this title but i assumed it would hold my interest... It failed. The 1st few trials were good for learning about the ins and outs of the courtroom but they were pretty tedious and i figured the game would pick up after a while... It didn't. The cases were mildly entertaining but even close to where they needed to be in order to keep me involved enough to care what happened. rent this game if you must check it out for yourself but DO NOT purchase this one.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

7

Good

Phoenix Wright

posted by Shadow13 (NEWINGTON, CT) May 8, 2006

Member since Mar 2005

1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney was a solid title. I enjoyed the story and the way in which it was delivered. You really do get the feeling your solving a crime.

The game can start to feel drawn out in my opinion, however I'd definitely rent it at least.

Biggest flaw little if any replay value. Once you've beaten it; you have no reason to play it through a second time.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

3

Bad

I really wanted to love this game...

posted by bmonkey (NEWCASTLE, WA) Sep 27, 2006

Member since May 2006

2 out of 5 gamers (40%) found this review helpful

I really wanted to love this game but I just couldn't. I felt like the entire game was clicking through screen after screen of dialog. And then you had to try to "guess" what you were supposed to do because the logic behind the evidence didn't make any sense. I found myself just clicking for hours on everything hoping that eventually something would happen. I really like the art style. It was visually a beatiful game. But it wasn't enough to make up for the rest. I'm a huge mystery fan. I love Law & Order. But this game was absolutely the most boring game I have ever tried to play. I only made it through half the second case before I decided I'd rather beat Advance Wars again instead.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

6

Above Average

Good characters, bad game

posted by iguana (GREENBELT, MD) Dec 10, 2006

Member since Dec 2006

1 out of 3 gamers (33%) found this review helpful

The best part of this game are the wacky characters. Every character has two or three animations that really bring out her personality, and I smiled and chuckled frequently at the beginning of the game.
Unfortunately the game doesn't hold up its promise.

The main problem is there's not much of a game here. I'm an old fan of adventure games, which this basically boils down to. But it's too easy - it's pretty obvious what to do next most of the time, and when it isn't your cohorts basically shove the clues in front of you.

Which leaves the story and dialogue...which aren't enough. Especially the dialogue. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, but far too often it failed to hold my interest. So I stopped playing.

So why did I rate it a 6? It's a worthy effort and definitely worth giving a try. But I suspect the high ratings are because people liked the writing, not the game. If you find the writing boring as I did...there's not much left.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

Low rating

posted by mondogamer (SAN JOSE, CA) Dec 31, 2007

Member since Dec 2007

1 out of 4 gamers (25%) found this review helpful

There was too much text for me.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

1

Horrible

ANOTHER LAME DS TITLE!

posted by REVGOD (WALPOLE, MA) May 1, 2006

Member since Apr 2006

4 out of 31 gamers (13%) found this review helpful

I know people like this game but that is b/c they never played a real text adventure like Zork or Planetfall. Those games are 25 years old and are lot more interesting than this sorry excuse for a game. I rented it and I thought I was going to fall asleep. The game is extremely linear and has absolutely no play value. The cases play the same exact way each time: interview suspects, get evidence, trial. Basically it's just trial and error to see what works in the court room. It should follow some sort of logical train of thought but it doesn't. There are going to be times when you know exactly what evidence to show and why but you have to make sure you submit it at the right time and that is not always clear. Also, there are many times when you have no idea what evidence to present and when you figure it out you are like "how the heck does that makde sense?". Anyway, I know this game got good reviews from the Nintendo Fanboys but trust me, skip this game. Hopefully Mario is better.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

Worth playing, but lackluster towards the end.

posted by lonewolf1991 (WINDER, GA) Nov 22, 2012

Member since Mar 2012

This game is fun, intriguing and at points very difficult. It has a great story line and will take up about 4 days or so to finish, but the only issue is the 5th trial. The 4th trial Turnabout Goodbyes was just so captivating (SPOILER) and that's actually the end of the game credits and everything, but then there is the 5th trial Rise from the Ashes seems like a bonus story which just isn't as intriguing as before and just seems unnecessary, but even with that I recommend this game and I give it a 9 out of 10.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

10

Perfect

great game

posted by ponylover (LONDONDERRY, NH) Nov 5, 2012

Member since Sep 2012

this game made me want to be a defence aturny yes it was that awesome

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

ALMOST PERFECT

posted by frownyguy (DAMARISCOTTA, ME) Aug 9, 2012

Member since Jun 2011

First, of all, WHY HAVEN'T YOU PLAYED THIS GAME!?!? It's basically an anime Sherlock Holmes kind of mystery game, filled with humor, twists, and contradictions. Ultimately, your goal is to prove you're client innocent, but you also have to find out who the real killer is, and sometimes, who they really are. To do that you search for evidence, and find holes in testimonies from characters like Detective Gumshoe to Mr. Sawit(or should I say... Mr. Did it?)
The only downside is there are five episodes. most are six to eight parts, but the first one is one, resulting in four episodes. Oh, and expect to have it for a while: it's a challenge!

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

8

Very Good

TAKE THAT!!

posted by AnimaidCafeCEO (RIVERSIDE, CA) Jul 5, 2012

Member since Jul 2012

It is only after I watched the live action movie (Ace Attorney) that I start playing this game. I have been wanting to play any of the Ace Attorney titles, but I keep forgetting when I have time.
I wanted to give this series a chance because I like the concept of trying to defend your client by pressing on the witness, raising objections with evidence, and finding clues. The game play where it takes place in the court room is where the game becomes most interesting although it doesn't last as long as the investigation. Capcom does their best to throw in all kinds of humor, interesting twists, and game play that has the player wanting to go deep. Although there is too much dialogue, I don't mind at all. If Ace Attorney was anything like a first person shooter or platformer, it would have ruined the point this game is trying to make; this game forces you to think, "think outside the box, exhaust every possibility." After playing through as far as I can go, I can't help but feel like I'm playing a 80's lazer disc game where I try to pick the right choice and hope to proceed. Its trial and error in the heat of the court. The save feature is pretty convenient, it allows you to save on the spot (but then the game is suspended until you load), and you can pick up where you left off. It is exciting when one can prove that the witness is lying. The replay value for this is minimal for me. Its a good game, but not one I would play everyday, but its still worth playing after a long while.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

Blown away!

posted by Iwasfrozentoday (WILLIAMSBURG, VA) Apr 26, 2012

Member since Jan 2012

I heard this game was good, so I gave it a try. I wasn't expecting much but as soon as I got my first cross-examination I was hooked! This game is a fresh new thing that I have previously never experienced before. I was amazed at just how well done this game is. Original characters, compelling story, addictive gameplay, It exceded all of my expectations! My only complaint is that there should have been more cases and maybe a less tedious travel system, but that's just me. I loved every moment of this game!

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

The Game Is AWESOME!!!!

posted by CJOB988 (EAST FALMOUTH, MA) Feb 20, 2012

Member since Jun 2007

You have to rent this! Sure it might have blood, swears, and hard puzzle solving. But, it is a fun puzzle solving court game! I really recommend this to people who also like Professor Layton Games. Also, Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney is coming soon!

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

amazing story but no replayabilty

posted by garrett1004 (KENNEWICK, WA) Dec 10, 2011

Member since Dec 2011

I love the story but no replayabilty so not a ten because the game is not worth a buy but intresting twists and turnes sso you should rent it

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

7

Good

No objections

posted by MetalMario (ALTON, NH) Feb 11, 2011

Member since Apr 2010

It took me a long time to come around to "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney". To be honest, I never thought I'd enjoy the point-and-click genre so much, but after getting a kick out of "Hotel Dusk", I knew I had to try my hand at this popular franchise from Capcom. Happily, I found "Phoenix Wright" to be quite enjoyable, as well as difficult to put down. It's smart and addictive, with pretty graphics, neat plot twists, a wonderful sense of humor, and a cast of supremely endearing characters (even the bad guys are likable in their own way!).

I look forward to delving into the rest of the series.

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

10

Perfect

Hands Down the Most Fun I have Ever Had on the DS

posted by Cowmaster2 (AUSTIN, TX) Oct 26, 2009

Member since Jul 2006

This game is extremely fun, but only if you are into this kind of entertainment. If you enjoy watching Law and Order or CSI or anything like that, then this is the game for you! If you love playing Nancy Drew games or reading Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys, then you will enjoy this game. It's all about solving mysteries and trying to prove why your client is innocent.

Play this game only if you enjoy games with a great story!

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

9

Excellent

Great Rental Not much Replay Value

posted by AnimeFreak (MOUNTAIN PINE, AR) Oct 19, 2009

Member since Oct 2009

Great Pick-up-and-play game. it could have been better with voices talking instead of all the reading but it was still really fun with lots of twists and turns in it like a murder/mystery novel it's hard to put down

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

GF Rating

10

Perfect

Who knew being a lawyer would be so much fun

posted by StarWars94 (BAYONNE, NJ) Jun 17, 2009

Member since Sep 2008

I rented this title after a friend told me about it. I wasn't expecting much but I was addicted to this game from the very start. You have to use logic and anaylize witness testimonies to find any lies that contradicts your evidence. While from this perspective, you're probably thinking "wow this game sounds lame" but when you actually play it, you'll be shocked at how awesome this is. The mic functions are really cool and I find myslef screaming "objection!" all the time now. The fifth chapter exclusive only to the ds is simply awesome and alone is worth the rent. I highly recommend it!

Was this review helpful? Report Abuse

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney for Nintendo DS Reviews by Gamers

Release Date

GF Rating

Number of Players

ESRB

Buy