Professor Layton

[Maelstrom]

So, how good is this series?     If I'm interested, what should I start with/is there a good demo?

[SlowPokemon]

Well, my motto is always to start from the beginning (Professor Layton and the Curious Village for DS), but it's true that you won't really miss anything if you start with the 3DS games. The two 3DS Professor Layton games are the 5th game (Miracle Mask) and the 6th game (Azran Legacy), and I'd recommend getting Miracle Mask if you'd like to try it out. Azran Legacy is good too but if you haven't played Miracle Mask you likely won't understand a large part of the story.

The other option is to get Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney, since you know you like Ace Attorney and that can at least introduce you to the Layton style to see if you like it. That one's also $10 cheaper than the others.

As far as is the series good, I mean it's my personal favorite video game series. I can't say that they'd be good for everyone (Olimar12345 played the first game and hated it), but the entire series has stood the test of time for me and I've played them all several times.

[Maelstrom]

Are there demos on the eshop?

[SlowPokemon]

Hmm, I don't think so? I'm not sure.

As far as what the series is, though, they all follow some sort of simple formula: Layton gets a letter from an old acquaintance, he goes with his apprentice Luke (and depending on the game, his assistant Emmy) to visit the town this acquaintance lives in, and proceeds to work to solve all the mysteries the town holds. There are also a lot of random NPCs milling around that will throw puzzles at you, which can be anything from a maze to navigate to a math problem to a logic problem.

The stories are usually really entertaining even though the endings are always totally out of left field and usually completely unguessable. Oh, also, you know those anime cutscenes that they use every so often in Dual Destinies? Layton did that first, and they're about twice as frequent as they are in Dual Destinies.

If you like puzzle games, I don't think there's a better one than this just because it offers so much variety.

[Nebbles]

Also, the music is really, really amazing.

[SlowPokemon]

heck yeah

[Kman96]

As far as what the series is, though, they all follow some sort of simple formula: Layton gets a letter from an old acquaintance

I never realized this until just now. It's true in EVERY GAME. Except Vs. Ace Attorney

EDIT: NO, I'M WRONG, EVEN THEN.

[SlowPokemon]

I never realized this until just now. It's true in EVERY GAME. Except Vs. Ace Attorney

EDIT: NO, I'M WRONG, EVEN THEN.

Weirdly, the only exception is in the very first game, Curious Village. Layton's never met Dahlia before.

[SlowPokemon]

yoooooo I made this thread three years ago today

[Pit0010]

Wow! Awesome sauce!

And I finished PL VS PW! It 'twas a great game! But I didn't cry like other professor layton games though (yes I'll admit...i cried in every single PL game except curious village xD)

[Waddle Bro]

So, how good is this series?     If I'm interested, what should I start with/is there a good demo?

Really goooooooooood~

It might be best to start with the chronological order, because the more modern and detailed 3DS games are really alluring and easier to acquire imo, and if you decide that you like the series, you could continue on to the DS era. Downside of this is that you have to play at least 5 other games until you get to Unwound Future, which has probably one of the most interesting and heart-crushing stories.
Professor Layton and the Last Specter (DS, you should watch Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva) after that, it's a nice movie!)
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (3DS)
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (3DS)
Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)
Professor Layton and Pandora's Box/the Diabolical Box (DS)
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (DS)

PLvsAA goes between Curious Village/Diabolical Box or Diabolical Box/Unwound Future, not sure. But it's still playable imo at any point as it's a spin-off.

[SlowPokemon]

Honestly just play them whatever order you want as long as Miracle Mask comes before Azran Legacy. I'd still recommend starting with the oldest game if you can but it's not something to get worked up about.

Also waddle Last Specter is definitely DS not 3DS.

[Waddle Bro]

derp for some reason I had a thought in my head that the prequel era was 3DS era

[Bubbles]

And I finished PL VS PW! It 'twas a great game! But I didn't cry like other professor layton games though (yes I'll admit...i cried in every single PL game except curious village xD)

I feel like I'm the only person who cried in Curious Village lol

[Nebbles]

The only game I didn't cry at was Miracle Mask, actually.