Summary
TheAce Attorneyfranchise is one of the more unlikely ones to catch on. A defense lawyer sim? How could that compare toNew Super Mario BrosorSonic Rush? By introducing scores of players to its visual novel/adventure game hybrid gameplay, where solving a murder wasn’t enough. Players had to nail them in court too, which was made all the more appealing by its stunning artwork and great writing.
The gameplay has held up across its different entries, whether it’s the mainline series, the detective-based spin-offs, or the occasional quirky crossover, establishing it as one of thebest visual novel-style seriesever made. That said, they’re not all made equal, as some offer stronger stories than others, or introduce more endearing characters like Miles Edgeworth or Trucy Wright. How do they compare against each other?
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Updated June 16, 2025, by David Heath:TheAce Attorneyseries didn’t reach the rest of the world until 2005 via its Nintendo DS ports. However, the originalPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorneygame first came out on the Game Boy Advance on October 12th, 2001. So, the series is now 23 years old, and has come a long way since Phoenix stammered his way through court in ‘The First Turnabout.’
Though there haven’t been any new games to add to this list, Capcom producer Kenichi Hashimoto said “TheAce Attorneyseries won’t stop producing content.” This could mean new games, or new merchandise, tie-ins, or cameos in other games. Once a new game or spin-off turns up, it’ll pop up here. Until then, this article has been refreshed for the series' 23rd anniversary, with info tweaks, galleries, and other changes.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorneymay be ranked higher thanJustice for Allby Metacritic, but fans generally place Phoenix Wright’s second outing above Apollo Justice’s debut. It should have been a slam dunk, as it was basically more of the classicAAgameplay with the new mechanics fromPW1’s DS-exclusive case ‘Rise from the Ashes.’ The improved sprites have aged astoundingly well over the years, which is no small feat. Still, zooming in on those sprites to search for their ‘tells’ wasn’t very fun, nor were the game’s cases.
The first case, ‘Turnabout Trump,’ is the peak as Apollo Justice defends the now-disbarred Phoenix Wright on a murder charge. On the other hand, ‘Turnabout Serenade’ involves replaying the same scenes over and over and suffers from a poor conclusion and plot holes. It doesn’t help thatApollo’s backstory and motivationsweren’t all that fleshed out in his debut game. He’s more of a tool everyone else uses for their own needs. Still, it did introduce fan favorite characters like Klavier Gavin and Trucy Wright, so there’s still fun to be had.
Serving as the second entry in the franchise,Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For Allis a fine game if players disregard the third out of four total cases. ‘Turnabout Big Top’ features Phoenix and Maya trying to absolve magician Max Galactica of murdering the Big Berry Circus' ringmaster, and the circus features some particularly annoying characters. Larry ‘Moe’ Curls tends to get most fans' ire, as he annoys the judge so much that he gives players only one shot to point out his contradictions during testimony. If they fail, they’ll have to reload the save.
The first two cases are fine, if nothing spectacular, with the final case, ‘Farewell, My Turnabout,’ being worth the price of the game alone, as Phoenix deals with a hitman and a conspiracy between rival actors. The game also introduced the “psyche-lock” mechanic, where players could press witnesses during the investigation stages to gain new info. There are some great puzzles featured throughout, and despite the third case being somewhat atrocious, it’s still a fine game.
9Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
Solve Crimes With the Perfect Prosecutor
As the first entry in theInvestigationsspin-off series,Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworthhad some big boots to fill, and to be fair, it did a decent job. It can be hard to introduce gamers to new changes after they’ve gotten used to how things work, like giving them Apollo Justice instead of Phoenix Wright. Miles Edgeworth had an advantage over his rival’s understudy, as he had been an established fan favorite from the beginning. But this time, he offered players a new way to investigate crimes.
Players control him around an overworld setting likea top-down adventure game, going up to people to question/interrogate them. Then, on top of finding clues, he’d piece together bits of info via the new Logic system to get new deductions. However, it did remove taking the crimes to court, which separatedAAfrom other detective/point and click games. Still, it acts as a great first title for Miles Edgeworth and takes players across an engaging storyline with intriguing cases. Its sequel just improved greatly on what the firstAAIoffered.
Phoenix WrightandProfessor Laytonbecame mainstays on the Nintendo DS, offering similarly quirky detective-style scales from different angles. But they were similar enough to make their fans wonder what a crossover between the two series would be like, andProfessor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorneydelivered on that premise. The two end up in the medieval town of Labyrinthia, where they must exonerate their client for murder using their puzzle-solving skills and old-school court proceedings. No fingerprints, no autopsy reports, just pressing.
Given the massive ambition and sheer potential, many fans were slightly let down by the final product, as it wasn’tLaytonenough forLaytonfans, norAceenough forAce Attorneyfans. For example, it could’ve done with a plot that let players suspend their disbeliefAA-style instead of snapping it completelyLayton-style (water that induces specific sound-based narcolepsy!). Still, the story has some powerful moments, and thepuzzles are as brain-testing as ever, as are the new multi-witness cross-examinations. The game just falls short of its potential overall.
After years of being left in the wilderness,Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destiniesbrought the series back in 2013. Phoenix himself was back in the legal game, but he also got to delegate cases to Apollo Justice, whose character finally got some much-needed fleshing out, and new character Athena Cykes, who introduced the game’s new Mood Matrix mechanic. Through her Widget, players can determine the witness' emotional state to unlock new testimony.
Yet as the years have gone by, the game has become slightly less well-regarded than others due to its shorter length and simpler game mechanics. The investigations feel more railroaded compared to previous (and subsequent) titles, as they became set segments instead of an option players could access for each setting. Nonetheless, it features some of the darkest and most interesting cases in the franchise, and the 3D graphics made the culprits' freak-outs particularly dramatic compared to what came before.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justicecarries on whereDual Destiniesleft off. Phoenix heads off to the mystical kingdom of Khura’in, where his old assistant Maya Fey’s ancestors came from. When she gets in trouble, Phoenix heads over there only to be pulled into multiple court cases, where he discovers the nation hates defense attorneys and puts their lives on the line alongside their clients during trials, which is just the tip of the plot’s iceberg as its conspiracies come to light.
The game brings back some old favorites in 3D, like the aforementioned Maya Fey, as well as Wright’s best frenemies Larry Butz and Ema Skye. Apollo also comes back and learns more about his (increasingly convoluted) past, but Athena Cykes only gets one playable case, as she didn’t fit into its more fantastical plot, mixing legality, religion, and divination via seances. It might all sound a bit far-fetched, butSpirit of Justiceis a strong game that combinesthe graphical upgradeofDual Destinieswith the classicAAgames' pacing and investigations.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulationswas the third entry in the franchise and concluded the originalPhoenix Wrighttrilogy. IfApollo Justicehadn’t disbarred the iconic lawyer, this game would have beenhis perfect send-off. It showcases how he got involved with his old mentor, Mia Fey, how she became determined to stop the vile Dahlia Hawthorne, and how this past affects Phoenix in the present as he defends his clients against the mysterious coffee-loving prosecutor Godot.
Gameplay-wise, little changed fromJustice for All, as Wright and co. could still break psyche-locks and shout objections. But it was an improvement story-wise, asTrials and Tribulationsfeatures greater emotional depth in comparison to earlier entries. Mia’s quest to stop Dahlia, why she dedicated herself to her work, and her connection to Godot really hooked players, leading to some of the most memorable cases in the series. But as beloved as the game is, there are some games that fans rank higher.
The title that started it all is still one of the best in the franchise, and it’s not just because of nostalgia.Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorneyis a genuinely captivating game that perfectly introduces the titular defense lawyer and sets up the staple gameplay format that fans have come to know and love. It’s quite incredible to think that this game was originally released back in2001 on the GBA(though Westerners wouldn’t get it until it appeared on the DS in 2005), yet it still holds up today as one of the best visual novels ever.
The title createda perfect blend of mystery,humor, and drama, all mixed into a legal setting. The courtrooms, characters, and plotlines are all iconic in their own right, told with some great artwork. It features a completely immersive story that sweeps away players as they uncover various twists and turns, alongside one of the most iconic soundtracks in gaming. It also features its strongest villains, with the conflicted prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, his fearsome mentor Manfred Von Karma, and a certain strange boat rental operator.
3Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit
The Best-Kept Secret In the Series is Finally Revealed
For years,Gyakuten Kenji 2was a Japan-only title.Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworthjust hadn’t sold enough copies to make porting it westwards worth it, or so the story went. So, fans had to use fan translations (notably a patch by Auryn) just to see what it was about. But thanks to the success of theAACollections, it will finally receive an official localization asAce Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit,and was included in theAce Attorney Investigations Collection.
It’s worth the price of the bundle on its own. Through both the fan translation and its new official release, it’s one of the strongest entries in the franchise, consisting of five utterly gripping cases that are some of the best in the whole series. Miles Edgeworth returns and is fleshed out further with cases that go into his past, particularly with his late father, Gregory. The puzzles featured throughout the cases are also top-notch, as Edgeworth can now open witnesses up with Mind Chess, using the game’s pieces to break through their defenses.
2The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures
Living Up to Its Name
LikeAce Attorney Investigations 2,The Great Ace Attorney: Adventuresand its sequelwere Japan-only entriesfor years. The sales weren’t strong enough to justify localization, and the 3DS was on the wane at the time of release. Once the development team split, it seemed like it would be stuck in the land of fan translations. Instead, however, they were both released as part ofThe Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, where they gave theAAfranchise a new burst of life.
The game follows Phoenix Wright’s ancestor, Ryunosuke Naruhodo, as he learns to solve crimes and defend clients in 19th century Japan and England in the stead of his friend, Kazuma Asogi. Directed by series creator Shu Takumi, it had that nice mixture of zany humor (particularly through Herlock Sholmes) and grounded drama that felt imbalanced during the non-Takumi games. It also spiced up the gameplay with the Dance of Deduction, where the player corrects conclusions with new observations, giving the series a breath of fresh air.
