Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright logo

At their 'Vision' press conference earlier today, Level 5 finally announced the title that DS gamers across the globe have been waiting for: a collaboration between the two strongest characters on the system, Professor Layton Vs Phoenix Wright, coming to a Nintendo 3DS near you sometime in the future.

Written by Shu Takumi, writer of the original Ace Attorney titles, Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright will see the two characters finding themselves in the medieval Labyrinth City, a place where "reality and illusions are intertwined." In a story that sounds positively Layton-esque, Labyrinth City is a place where magic is real and where witches exist, but hide in the shadows.

The game's main villain looks to be 'Story Teller' (viewable in the gallery below), a character who controls the future of Labyrinth City with the stories that he writes. It seems that Layton will use his trademark puzzle-solving skills in order to outwit his enemy, while Wright has a parallel story involving a young woman accused of witchcraft, who he must prove innocent.

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright artwork

Though the reasons for their two worlds colliding are unclear (it appears that Phoenix arrives in Layton's world with the intention of proving he is the better character), I must admit to being extremely excited by Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright. As a huge fan of both the Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney titles, I'm incredibly pleased that Level 5 and Capcom are teaming up to create a game that will, hopefully, appeal to both the Layton and Wright fans. It's no secret that the Professor Layton and the... series has a huge fanbase, particularly among the 'casual gamer', and the idea that more people will finally be able to experience the genius that is the Ace Attorney universe is incredibly satisfying.

The trailer below shows the two characters' first meeting, and while I can't understand Japanese, the overall mood of the trailer is one that looks exceptionally intriguing. The score has an epic, though subdued, feel to it, and the final image in the trailer is one that's both shocking and incredibly exciting. Check it out, right here;

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gufhYicCUs4

If there's just one reason to be excited by this news, dear reader, it's this: both the Professor Layton and Ace Attorney series are well-known for their intricate plots, well-written dialogue and simple-yet-satisfying gameplay systems. I've missed Phoenix's awkward humor since Trials and Tribulations (the third in the Ace Attorney series), and the opportunity to be reunited with my favorite lawyer, and his trusty (read: ditzy) sidekick Maya, is one that's too good to pass up. Even though it's not yet clear about how the gameplay will be divided, Level 5 has alluded to both puzzles and contradictions being present in-game, meaning that neither series will lose its touch when joining the other.

Pictured below are the official screens and artwork pieces that Level 5/Capcom have released, and they look pretty darned nice. Assuming these are in-game screenshots, then it's clear the leap in graphical fidelity that has occurred between the DS and 3DS, particularly with regards to the courtroom's shadows. In other words, in my eyes, these screens look stunning.

[gallery columns="2" exclude="47339,47356,47355,47358,47360"]

And here's the official artwork for Luke, Maya, Phoenix and Layton.

[gallery columns="2" exclude ="47339,47357,47359,47361,47362,47363,47364,47365,47366"]

That's all the news we have for you at the moment, readers. The teaser site will be going live tomorrow, so if there's anything new to report, be sure that Game Rant will have you covered.

Are you excited by this news? Are you happy about the forthcoming collaboration, or would you prefer a new Ace Attorney/Professor Layton title? Let us know in the comments below.

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright will be transforming your Nintendo 3DS into a mystical courtroom sometime far in the future (hopefully late 2011).

Source: Andriasang