phoenix-wright
Latest
Apollo Justice doesn't object to Feb. 19 release [update]
We already knew that Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, the first batch of cases for Capcom's new lawyer, was coming in early 2008, and Capcom let us know exactly how early today. Phoenix's successor is going to make his debut on February 12 February 19. If you haven't been keeping up with series, you might be interested to learn that this is the first edition of the game built from the ground up for the DS. If you want to get a sampling of the new gameplay, you'll be able to find a web demo at this site at some point this month. If you're the impatient sort, you can just check out this fan-made version here.[Updated: Capcom's original press release mistakenly had the game releasing on the 12th and not the 19th.]
Promotional Consideration: Dual screen theatre
Promotional Consideration is a weekly feature about the Nintendo DS advertisements you usually flip past, change the channel on, or just tune out. The following DS Lite ads were taken from a series of Nintendo-sponsored station identification pieces (idents) aired over a year ago on Channel 4. For those of you unfamiliar with idents, they're short spots, often themed, stuck in between television shows to help "brand" the channel. In the case of this set, the UK public-service TV station bookended its comedy programs with Japanese theatre-styled advertisements for the DS's features and games. They're some of the most creative commercials we've seen for the handheld, so don't skip this post!
Harvey Birdman video bonanza
Believe it or not, Capcom's Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law is actually going to be the first PSP game released in 2008, and judging by everything we've seen up to this point, it could be everything Phoenix Wright fans and PSP owners have been waiting for. However, some critics might argue it's more of an interactive cartoon than a full-on mystery/courtroom sim, but we won't know for sure until we get our hands on it when it releases Jan. 8. Either way, we're sure fans of the series will be in for a treat.
Best of the Rest: Ludwig's picks of 2007
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (Wii) Though its puzzles may occasionally infuriate, the real source of frustration regarding Zack & Wiki stems from the fact that nobody bought it. Every year has its share of titles that deserve an audience yet never find one, and in this regard, Zack & Wiki is easily one of the most tragic games to put an uncontrollable smile on your face. Relentlessly charming and beautifully presented, the debut of Capcom's choc-chomping pirate and his simian sidekick challenges the mind and warms that cynical, meh-spouting lump in your chest. How refreshing it was to overcome obstacles and bosses by choosing the power of the mind over an impossibly large bazooka.
DS Daily: Video game crushes
Warning: This video contains spoilers While playing Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations, we came across this hilarious scene in which the game pokes fun at the "frothing female masses" devoted to Miles Edgeworth (which, sadly, includes this blogger). We know that they're embarrassing to admit to, since -- as you well know -- video game characters aren't real people. Yet, many of us must concede to having a video game crush at some point in our lives, and it's time to 'fess up and come clean. So, what video game characters have you had (or do you have) a crush on?
Phoenix Wright: Fourteen Bucks for All
The last time we featured a bargain for Phoenix Wright: Justice for All, Amazon was hosting a sale for the courtroom adventure title for $14.99, five dollars less than its list price. That was a pretty great deal for the Ace Attorney sequel, but recent developments in DNA testing and modern technology advancements have made it possible for the online shop to further increase its discount; Justice for All is now available for $13.99! Joys be thine![Via CAG]
Ace Attorney cited as evidence against games as the enemy of reading
The Mirror recently posted an article positing games as the reason for a decline in reading. The "research" seemed to indicate that because a rise in video game playing was taking place at the same time as a perceived drop in reading time. But what if ... you read while playing? Like you do in every video game?In a Guardian blog entry, Trigger Happy author Stephen Poole discusses exactly that. You guys are aware of this, having actually played a video game (unlike most of the game "experts" that the mainstream media listens to) but games have lots of words in them. One specific example: the Phoenix Wright games, each of which "contains at least as much text as your average children's novel." For that matter, they are novels. Does reading not count when it's done on a screen? If anything, you're constantly tested on the information you've just read, meaning that a game like Phoenix Wright could significantly help with reading skill. If the games weren't about murders, that is. They aren't appropriate for the earliest readers, let's say.But The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is entirely kid-friendly and jam-packed with text. As Poole says, "A child playing this game is probably more passionate about reading its prose for clues and taking detailed notes, than he is about doing his homework." Kids passionate about reading? But they should be reading instead!Poole sums up the post with a sentiment that is close to our own feelings: that literacy is not decreasing due to new technologies, but rather expanding into different and varied forms that aren't always on paper, and aren't always in the form of insulting children's literature.
Papercraft is awesome. That's one of my rules.
Using the official Capcom Phoenix Wright and Edgeworth papercrafts as a template, some brilliant artist has expanded the Phoenix Wright papercraft universe with spot-on Damon Gant and Prosecutor Godot figures. Every detail is perfect, down to Gant's weird gloves (for which he is named) and Godot's ubiquitous coffee mug (Phoenix Wright 3 spoiler: Godot enjoys coffee).It is officially time for this genius to go papercraft crazy and make templates for every character in the Ace Attorney universe, as well as a courtroom set. You know, so we can play with them display authentic recreations of our favorite scenes. Since all that ever happens is talking and pointing, these would be perfect.
Can Capcom's Ace Attorney contest has winnarz?
Capcom has announced the winners of their Ace Attorney LOLcat contest, and released all of the entries into the LOLcat's natural habitat, the Internet. There, they can roam free and pop up randomly as responses on message boards. There's a big old Flickr gallery of Ace Attorney art combined with popular Internet parlance to browse through. Lulz and objections abound. The winning image, from Kimberly Powell, is actually quite funny. Funny enough to earn a copy of Phoenix Wright 3 and some stuff signed by Minae Matsukawa. Any of you responsible for one of these entries? Confess to the crime of creativity![Via Capcom Blog]
Man lays into DS microphone, we leap to heroic defense
Over at Next-Gen, Ben Reich has penned an article on the worst ideas to hit gaming, with two Nintendo creations in his choices. The first, Friend Codes, we can kind of roll with. They're unwieldy, awkward, and let's face it: there are better solutions. Perhaps they deserve to be there, but the DS's microphone? Not so much. See, we quite like the mic. OK, it's not as widely used as other parts of the handheld's unique feature-set, but we're struggling to swallow the argument that it's one of "gaming's worst ever ideas." Not in a world where the Roll & Rocker exists.Two things seem to irk Reich about the DS's mic: that it can be embarrassing to use in public, and that not enough game developers have used it well. We partially agree with his first point -- e-nun-ci-at-ing "Buh-loo!" into your handheld while on the bus to work would make most people feel like a bit of a nugget. Then again, nobody is forcing you to play such games in public. It's all a question of choosing an appropriate location.Secondly, plenty of games find a good use for the microphone. Being able to yell "Objection!" just before you start dismantling your rival in the Ace Attorney games is a fantastic touch! Summoning your hound in Nintendogs with a whistle or a shout of their name is equally nifty. My French Coach, which Alisha is covering all this week, makes terrific use of the microphone, allowing users to record themselves, in a bid to achieve greater fluency.In other words, Mr Reich, we're going to have to politely disagree with you.
The Joystiq Weekend: November 9-11, 2007
Objection! This Phoenix Wright Munny doll is guaranteed to represent you in court should someone decide to sue you over its existence. Check out the highlights for today:JoystiqueryDS Fanboy Lite: Nov. 3 - Nov. 9Japanese hardware sales, Oct. 29 - Nov. 4: Once in a life cycle editionJoystiq Podcast 024 - Hobo editionLast week in Warcraft: November 4th - November 10thToday's IP-never-dies video: Lucy and HoneymoonersToday's bone-crushing video: PainWeekly Webcomic Wrapup: I can has webcomic?NewsThe Simpsons Game: Glancing a mainstream reviewWireless Guitar Hero 3 controller functions with PC versionNew Burnout trailer welcomes us to 'Paradise'Xbox 360 outsold PS3 in Japan last weekMark Wahlberg to play Max PaynePAL Uncharted demo coming Nov. 22; US region lock a mistake40GB PS3s have 65nm Cell chips, 90nm GPUsSony, MS downplay high-def movie warNine things you may not know about Rock BandAssassin's Creed ad perfects macho slo-mo walkJapanese Wii Fit trailers show snowboarding, jogging, moreNew 'No More Heroes' spots show off coconut, garbage collectingEdge: Animal Crossing Wii is a social networking MMOMass Effect ad talks choice, we choose OprahApollo Justice: Ace Attorney gets 'early 2008' releaseBeat Portal's final challenge in one minuteUpdates for Bungie.net, Halo 3 Matchmaking, DLC on their wayUncharted demo fixed for European PS3sNGamer rounds up first WiiWare titlesMass Effect launch trailer elevates excitement to critical massTake Two chairman clarifies statement on GTA IV release dateWii Guitar Hero III outputs only mono soundCheck out Wii's "Check Mii Out" ChannelRumors & SpeculationRein: UT3 PS3 likely for this year (in America)Devs think Fox could get back into gaming Rumor: BioShock on PS3, new Metal Gear on PSPKmart reportedly breaks Mass Effect street dateRumor: Rock Band delayed in Canada until Dec. 19Culture & CommunityAnatomy of a disaster: Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness Gamer nabs his Mistress Chief with Halo 3 proposalNominees for Spike TV's 'Video Game Awards 2007' revealedGary Coleman's GameCube for sale on eBayPresident Bush plays video games with injured soldiersGod destroys young man's PS3 with dustIssue #0 of World of Warcraft comic onlineControl the Wii with your fingertipsMake your own Blu-ray phaser
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney gets 'early 2008' release
We openly admit that naming your child Apollo Justice borders on cruelty and severely limits his choice of career path to either a lawyer or a cast member on a remake of American Gladiators. Thankfully, however, Capcom has subscribed to the former, with the appropriately named upstart attorney Justice taking center stage in what the math eggheads upstairs tell us is the fourth game in the Ace Attorney franchise, which will make its way to North America sometime in "early 2008" according to Capcom.Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney marks a departure from previous games by abandoning Phoenix Wright, the ace attorney we have grown to know and love. Additionally, Capcom notes that the game, which has apparently been selling like hotcakes in Japan, is the first to be designed specifically for the Nintendo DS, the previous three titles originally having been released for the Game Boy Advance in Japan before getting their touchable courtroom makeovers. The game will come with a host of new characters and cases, and despite missing Phoenix (as the main character, anyway), we know we'll be yelling "Objection!" and "Hold it!" the whole time, usually to the ire of those sitting next to us on the bus.
Final Fantasy IV gently mocked by Ace Attorney
The Ace Attorney games have always sported first-class localized dialogue, managing to be witty and original in whatever language they choose. What's more, some of the references are delightful -- check out this oh-so-subtle nod* to Final Fantasy IV's dodgy Engrish translation, as it appears in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations. Blink and you'd miss it.If you're currently staring at your screen, slack-jawed and with a look of utter befuddlement, then head here for an explanation, so that you can feel as geeky superior as we do for getting it.* Our apologies for the rather blurry pic, but it gets the point across.
Phoenix Wright producer Matsukawa on being a woman in the Japanese game industry
Gamasutra's Brandon Sheffield spoke with Ace Attorney series producer Minae Matsukawa, mostly on the subject of being a female producer in the Japanese game industry. It's a situation that is about as rare as a US-localized visual novel series about lawyers.As unusual as it is in Japan to be a female producer (she is the only one at Capcom), Matsukawa makes it sound as if she had little difficulty attaining the position. "I worked at a security company... I worked at Nintendo, and in the IT and online game distribution department. That's when I started to get into trying to do mobile phone games and applied at Capcom." From there, she started as an assistant producer, and graduated to producer status on the PSP Darkstalkers Chronicles. She eased into original game development by producing the new case for the DS port of the first Phoenix Wright game, under the supervision of Atsushi Inaba and Shinji Mikami. And now she's in charge of the Ace Attorney series!
Law school prof recommends Ace Attorney games to students
Enjoyable and quirky as they are, we'd never seriously claim that the Ace Attorney titles are representative of courtroom life in the real world -- that's what Judge Judy's for, right? Which shows how much we know, because Capcom producer Minae Matsukawa says one professor at a Japanese law school advocates his students using the games to assist them in their studies.Speaking about an encounter at this year's Comic-Con to MTV's Multiplayer blog, Matsukawa recalled how "A gentleman came up to me and said that he was a professor at a law school. He told me that as an educator of lawyers-to-be, he highly recommended the Ace Attorney games to his students."According to Matsukawa, while Phoenix Wright and friends may not be much use for teaching the finer details of the law system itself, they are pretty handy at relaying "the basic ideas that a lawyer should trust their client, and to expose lies to find the truth."Nice! So not only is Nintendo's versatile handheld able to instruct us how to tend bar, firm our faces, and generally become acceptable human beings, it can now make ace attorneys of us all.[Via Kotaku]
Last-minute costume ideas for hard workers
GamePro Family has posted a collection of game-inspired Halloween costumes, in case you'd like to dress up, but just haven't had the time to make a costume until today. Of course, you'd need to spend pretty much the rest of the day making some of these, but at least you won't have to go to a party as "Off-Duty Police Officer" or "Alien in a You Suit." If you start right now, you still have time to go be a huge nerd in public!Some of the Nintendo-related suggestions include a Rabbid, Phoenix Wright, and (perhaps easiest) Cooking Mama. Unfortunately, the suggestions don't include suggested methods of costume creation. For something like Cooking Mama, it's obvious (apron, bandana, disapproval), but how do you render Paper Mario in clothing? Maybe sandwich yourself between two large foam/posterboard Mario shapes? [Via Game|Life]
An important Phoenix Wright plush update
If you didn't buy Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations last week, or if you did but didn't get the preorder bonus item, you may not have this important information. Those of you in possession of the bonus plush doll have already been apprised, but we feel that it is our duty to inform the rest of the public of what we have learned.The doll is freaking tiny. We were expecting maybe five or six inches tall, somewhere around Beanie Baby size. What we got, while still adorable, is surprisingly pocket-sized. We're a bit disappointed with some of the details, like the visible glue on the outside of the hair, and the uneven pant legs, but the thing is cute and free. We're not complaining too loudly. Thanks for the thing, Capcom!We've posted more pictures after the break to help you gauge scale.
Capcom does smart thing, delays Harvey Birdman game
Well, it seems both EA and Capcom have gotten this crazy idea that people still purchase games once the holiday season is over. Joining Army of Two in the November bail-out is catastrophic courtroom comedy, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. Posting on Capcom's community forums, senior director of strategic planning and research, Christian Svensson, validated his professional title with the following (under)statement: "The game is and has been finished, submitted and approved, however we felt releasing the game on the same day 112 other SKUs released was not ideal for its chances. Retail buyers agreed."Based on the television show of the same name, Harvey Birdman follows the eponymous attorney at lawl as he bungles his way through unusual cases and awkward silences. If you're thinking gameplay amounts to Phoenix Wright with an extra dose of non sequitur oddity, you're not too far from the truth. Luckily, you have this week's superb Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations to keep you occupied until the Birdman gets on your case. Retailers currently say they'll get the thing Capcom sent them in January.[Via Wii Fanboy]
More fan-created Phoenix Wright: Ace Apparel
We're slowly gathering entries for our yet-to-be-announced Phoenix Wright Shirt Makers' Club. These elite crafters have decided to express their fandom for Capcom's graphic adventure series and its characters in the most reverent way they know: by giving Phoenix Wright a place of honor on the front of a t-shirt. The latest, from reader Maxy, goes beyond the limitations of home crafting. Maxy's sister has access to professional apparel-printing machinery at a uniform company, and transferred this iconic image of Phoenix on what looks like a 3/4 sleeve baseball shirt. Maya Fey, as pictured on the Gyakuten Saiban boxart, appears on the back. It's kind of unfair that we can't follow Maxy's example and make one of these! It may be unfair enough to warrant an OBJECTION! No, it's just kind of unfair.
Phoenix Wright: Sales for All
Amazon has cut the price of Phoenix Wright: Justice for All, the sequel to everyone's favorite court-based adventure game, bringing it down to $19.99. We don't expect this deal to last for long, so race your shopping cart to the checkout lane as fast as your feet will allow.If for some reason, God forbid, you haven't played Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney yet and are hesitant to start the series midway through, don't forget that you can also pick up a used copy at GameStop or EB Games for as low as $21.99! We admit, that's still pretty expensive for a game as old as this one, but it's better than paying full price. All you'll need to take advantage of this sorta-bargain is the coupon we posted earlier this morning.
