Capcom recently thrilled Ace Attorney fans by confirming that the beloved visual novel adventure game series is here to stay, with more games currently in development. This welcome news comes alongside the impending release of the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy collection for modern platforms.
Background on Ace Attorney and Apollo Justice
The Ace Attorney games follow attorneys Phoenix Wright and later Apollo Justice as they investigate crime scenes, gather evidence, and defend their clients in dramatic courtroom showdowns. Known for their eccentric characters, twisting storylines, and tense trials where one false move can turn the entire case around, the games have built a devoted cult following since the first entry debuted on Game Boy Advance in 2001.
Overall the main Ace Attorney series has sold over 8.7 million units worldwide. The most recent mainline release was Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies in 2013, with a handful of spinoff titles hitting shelves since then. Fans have been eagerly awaiting a true sequel for years.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney was released in 2007 as the first game to star a new protagonist, the titular Apollo Justice. Apollo took over from Phoenix Wright as lead attorney after Phoenix was disbarred. The game featured major changes to the formula, ditching Phoenix’s team of assistants and introducing a new juror system. Reviews were mixed on release but fans have warmed up to it over time.
Trilogy Brings Three Stories to Modern Platforms
The upcoming Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy bundles the original game with its two sequels, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice. All three tell connected stories that have only been available on DS and 3DS before now.
Bringing the trilogy to modern platforms opens it up to a wider audience. As Capcom producer Motohide Eshiro told VGC, “We expect that there are still Ace Attorney fans even among users of various home video game consoles who have not played the Apollo Justice series.” Reviews of the trilogy collection on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and Steam have so far been glowing.
Glowing Reviews Praise Updated Visuals and Content
| Platform | Score | Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Life | 9/10 | “Apollo never looked better” |
| Game Informer | 8.8/10 | “Doing Ace Attorney Justice” |
| PushSquare | 8/10 | “A satisfying trilogy packed with content new players shouldn’t miss” |
Multiple reviewers praised the improved visuals, which have been bumped up to 1080p resolution while keeping the games’ classic 2D art style intact. The Nintendo Life review calls it “a great way to either catch up on or relive Apollo’s debut and subsequent adventures,” while Game Informer says series fans “shouldn’t hesitate to grab this collection.”
Producer Confirms Exciting Future for Franchise
The trilogy’s launch comes alongside a major announcement about the future of the franchise. In an interview with VGC, Ace Attorney producer Motohide Eshiro promised fans that “the Ace Attorney series will never end.” He confirmed that multiple new Ace Attorney projects are already in development.
While no further details on what shape these new games will take have been shared, producer Janet Hsu told NWR that the team pays close attention to fan feedback and tailors new releases accordingly:
“We like to listen to fan opinions and reactions and take those into account when thinking about what to make next,” she explained. “For example, Dual Destinies focused more on clearing up loose ends and plot lines from Apollo Justice, while Spirit of Justice brought back more standalone episodic cases that fans enjoyed.”
She also hinted that the team tries to switch up settings to keep things fresh, referring to how Spirit of Justice took Phoenix Wright overseas to the kingdom of Khura’in.
What’s Next After Trilogy?
So with confirmation that more Ace Attorney is on the way, what might fans expect next from the series? Several possibilities come to mind:
Phoenix Wright 7: Fans have clamored for a full sequel continuing the story of Phoenix Wright ever since Dual Destinies wrapped up Apollo Justice’s loose ends. This seems like the most likely next step. Story threads left dangling and new characters introduced in Dual Destinies provide plenty of hooks for Phoenix’s next adventure.
Athena Cykes-Led Game: The newest attorney on Phoenix’s team, Athena Cykes, made her debut in Dual Destinies. Her unique mood matrix ability, which lets her analyze witnesses’ emotions, brought a fun new mechanic into courtroom battles. Athena is popular with fans but hasn’t had the spotlight to herself yet – a game with her as protagonist has strong potential.
Apollo Justice Sequel: While Apollo’s direct tale has seen a satisfying conclusion, fans would certainly welcome seeing him team up with Phoenix, Athena and Trucy again. The Trilogy’s rerelease sales could help gauge interest.
Miles Edgeworth Investigations 3: The fan favorite prosecuting attorney starred in two well-received spinoff investigation titles. However, poor sales seem to have stalled plans for a third installment. If the Trilogy finds an audience, it may improve these prospects.
New Trilogy: Both Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice’s sagas has now received a complete collected trilogy. Continuing this trend, Capcom’s mysterious new projects could take the form of an Athena Cykes trilogy with an overarching story told over three games.
Series Primer for Newcomers
Between the impending rerelease of three Apollo Justice games and confirmation of new Ace Attorney games in development, there’s no better time to get into Ace Attorney. For newcomers drawn in by the recent news or long-time visual novel fans considering finally giving the acclaimed series a look, here’s a quick primer on getting into the long-running franchise:
Where To Start: The original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (available on most platforms) offers the best jumping in point. Playing these three games gives you grounding on core characters and gameplay before jumping into later entries spinning off in new directions.
Play Order: After finishing the original Phoenix Trilogy, next up is the Apollo Justice Trilogy coming on 1/24, then Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice to catch up completely. At that point you’ll be primed for any new installments Capcom announces next! Investigations spinoffs can be played anytime after finishing game one.
What To Expect: Heavy story focus centered around visual novel-style investigation phases and tense courtroom showdowns, colorful eccentric characters, dramatic twists and turns in previously simple-seeming cases, a unique sense of humor highlighting the absurdity of the legal system – Ace Attorney games have something for almost everyone!
So there you have the latest on the future of Ace Attorney – with modern re-releases for Apollo Justice’s adventures, confirmation from Capcom that more games are coming for the beloved franchise, and various possibilities of what shape they make take! Whether you’re a returning fan hungry for more or someone looking to dive in for the first time, there’s never been a better chance to jump into the ever-growing epic saga of Phoenix Wright and friends. With mysteries still to solve and courtroom battles to win, Ace Attorney is sure to remain an exciting series for years to come.
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