The Professor Layton franchise is one of the most underrated puzzle game series of all time. The series consists of seven games, a tv show, a film and one spin-off game. Professor Layton is a puzzle adventure game series first released on the Nintendo DS and later on other Nintendo handheld platforms such as the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo Switch. The series follows professor Hershal Layton who seeks to uncover the mysteries of the world by solving puzzles. The core gameplay of the franchise consists of puzzle-solving alongside narrative sequences. As highlighted, there are seven games in the series; this article will highlight the Professor Layton games in chronological order.
The Professor Layton Games in Chronological Order
- Professor Layton and the Last Spectre
- Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
- Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
- Professor Layton and the Curious Village
- Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
- Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
- Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
- Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy
1. Professor Layton and the Last Spectre
In chronological order, Professor Layton and the Last Spectre is the first Professor Layton game but the fourth released. The game follows Layton as he uncovers the mysteries of the last spectre, which has been destroying the town of Misthallery. The first Professor Layton game chronologically tells how Layton and his sidekick Luke Triton first met. Both Professor Layton and the Last Spectre were received well by fans and critics, scoring 83 from critics and 8.3 from users on Metacritic.
2. Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask is the second game chronologically in the series. Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask follows on from the adventures of the Last Spectre, with Layton and his companions uncovering the mysteries behind the evil Gentleman of Miracles, terrorising the town of Montdol. Miracle Mask was the first game in the series to be released on the Nintendo 3DS, releasing in 2011 in Japan and 2012 worldwide. Overall, Miracle mask received an 82 from critics and an 8.1 from fans on Metacritic.
3. Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is the third game chronologically in the series releasing on the Nintendo 3DS between the years 2013-2014. The game follows Miracle Mask taking the professor and his companions on a grand adventure to discover the Azran civilisation and its treasure. Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy takes the professor to new places such as the city of Froenborg and introduces new characters such as the mysterious Aurora, a living Mummy! Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy reviewed well, receiving a critic score of 81 and a user score of 8.1.
4. Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Professor Layton and the Curious Village was the first Professor Layton game released and the fourth game chronologically in the series. The game was first released on the Nintendo DS in 2007 in Japan and 2008 worldwide, taking the video game world by storm due to its unique puzzle-solving mechanics and use of the Nintendo DS's touch capabilities. The game followed Professor Layton ad Luke as they sought to find the golden apple. The game reviewed well on Metacritic, achieving critic scores of 85 and user scores of 8.5.
5. Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box is the fifth Professor Layton game chronologically. Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box takes the professor on an adventure to discover the mysteries of the Diabolical Box, which curses anyone who opens it and has supposedly killed Layton's mentor. Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box was the second game in the series to release on the Nintendo DS, carrying on the strong performance of Curious village, with scores of 84 from critics on Metacritic and user scores of 8.5.
6. Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
As highlighted above, the Professor Layton series also consists of one spin-off game: Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a crossover game between Professor Layton and Pheonix Wright. The game uses classic characters from the two series and also adds brand new characters. Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney consists of two gameplay elements: puzzle gameplay carried out by Professor Layton, using similar gameplay mechanics as Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask and a Trials gameplay involving Phoenix Wright defending clients. The game is the sixth instalment in the Layton series and was reviewed well on Metacritic with user scores of 8.3 and a critic score of 79.
7. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
The seventh game in the professor Layton series chronologically is Professor Layton and the Unwound Future. Professor Layton and the Unwound Future was released on the Nintendo DS in 2008 as the third Layton game on the console. The game follows Layton and Luke as they uncover the mystery's behind a time machine in London, quickly finding themselves transported into the future and the past. The game features new puzzles, new locations and builds on the lore of the Layton games. The game received an 86 from critics on Metacritic and an 8.7 from users, making it one of the highest-rated Layton games.
8. Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy
Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy is chronologically the latest instalment in the series and the last game released. Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires Conspiracy follows the story of Layton's daughter Katrielle Layton as she seeks to find her father, who has gone missing. The game was released in 2017 and featured new puzzles and characters, and new mysteries to uncover. Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires is the worst-reviewed game of the series, with scores of 72 from critics and 6.6 from users.
Final Thoughts
This article has covered the Professor Layton Games in Chronological Order. As highlighted above, the Professor Layton games are some of the best-reviewed puzzle games of all time. Despite this, they are still widely unknown, deserving more attention. Nevertheless, the Professor Layton games are in the upper echelons of the best puzzle games of all time. For more Nintendo-related news and features, subscribe to our newsletter in the footer below.
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