History VideoGame / ProfessorLaytonVsAceAttorney

[[quoteright:335:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/layton_vs_ace_attorney_2899.jpg]]

Something strange is going on in the city of Labyrinthia. The townspeople live in fear of witches and magic, and celebrate the "Storyteller", an enigmatic figure whose writings become reality.

In a courtroom deep within the city, a young girl stands trial for witchcraft. The inquisitor (the town's equivalent of prosecutor), [[Franchise/ProfessorLayton a dapper gentleman with a top hat]], accuses her of being the witch that has brought havoc to the city.

Across the room, the defense attorney smirks and taps a sheet of paper, then stands.

''"'''[[Franchise/AceAttorney OBJECTION!]]''' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpxEQIe5jdw Professor, there is a huge contradiction in your argument!]]"''

So goes the story of ''Professor Layton VS. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney'', a UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS title by Creator/{{Capcom}} and [[{{Level 5}} Level-5]]. A {{Crossover}} between the jaw-droppingly popular ''Franchise/ProfessorLayton'' puzzle games and the ''extremely'' well-written ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' courtroom adventure series, ''VS'' seeks to combine the two playstyles, warning that "this time, the puzzles are filled with contradictions".

The game has two official websites, courtesy of [[http://gamesites.nintendo.com.au/professor-layton-versus-phoenix-wright-ace-attorney/ Nintendo Australia]] and [[http://layton-vs-gyakuten.jp/index.html Capcom Japan]]. It was released in Japan on November 29th 2012 and later localized to Europe on March 28th 2014. It came to US shores later that year on August 29th.
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!!This game features examples of:
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* AlwaysMurder:
** Averted (for the first time in an ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' game); the trials are Witch Trials.
** More directly, even though the witch trials involve someone biting it as a result of said witchery, the prologue case in London is simply one of assault and robbery, and the victim even testifies.
** In addition, [[spoiler:all of the murders by witchcraft were faked. The only deaths are in the backstory: one from a suicide and the rest from an accident, so there's actually ''not a single murder in the entire game''.]]
* AnachronisticClue: As you explore the storyteller's tower, you find a photo. Up to this point, everything has been medieval in technology level.
* AntiFrustrationFeatures:
** The ability to use hint coins if you get stuck during trials: if you use one, it'll tell you what action to take on the suspicious statement and blank out some of the incorrect choices. Phoenix and Maya talk amongst themselves a lot if you go through all the statements as usual, making the right solution pretty obvious at times.
** The number of hint coins available and number of hidden puzzles for every location are also shown in the location description when walking around on the world map; and like in every Layton game so far, any puzzles you miss can be solved later at your leisure, although without the dialogue that would normally accompany it.
** At least one of the puzzles specifically notes that you cannot lose picarats for a wrong answer to that particular puzzle, and invites you to use "Check" as often as you like.
** At some points where you cannot access the Great Archive to complete unsolved puzzles that have been sent to Ridelle Mystere, the Archive’s librarian, she will appear somewhere else and allow you to complete them.
* BackgroundMusicOverride:
** In the third case, Birdly the bard sings as he gives his testimony. When he does so, the background music switches to a ([[SoundtrackDissonance usually dissonant]]) piece of music he plays on his instrument until he's done singing. After that, the normal background music continues as normal.
** When you play the final main story puzzle, [[spoiler:"The Last Spell"]], the background music doesn't switch to the puzzle-solving theme. Instead, the music from the cutscene before it, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lYFVpso4E Pursuit ~ Casting Magic]], continues to play while you solve it.
* BackToBackBadasses: When Professor Layton joins Phoenix in the witch trials, they get to pull off some [[MundaneMadeAwesome pretty epic]] [[GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger pointing]].
* BaitAndSwitch:
** The "story" heard upon first entering Labrynthia mentions "two companions" being attacked by a witch. Even people in-universe think it might be referring to Luke and Layton, and warn them to stay out of trouble. [[spoiler: It turns out to be two random robbers we've never seen before.]]
** When Layton gets summoned by the Storyteller he writes a story in which [[spoiler: a man from afar is killed by a gold curse. The scene implies the victim will be Phoenix, but the story actually refers to Layton.]]
** [[spoiler:The game pulls a nasty fast one near the end, making the player think Espella really ''is'' Bezella (by causing the great fire), and thus suggests the possibility that the player has been defending a ''guilty'' girl for the whole story! This is because, near the end of the story, Espella seems to remember her whole past, including visiting the silver bell with her friend Eve when they weren't supposed to, and ringing the bell. Nope, actually it was ''Eve'' who rung the bell that indirectly caused the fire; Espella didn't do it after all, but Eve pinned the fire on Espella because Eve blocked out her memory of doing it.]]
* BewareTheNiceOnes:
** Phoenix when he's [[spoiler:mourning the apparent death of Maya]].
** Layton after he [[spoiler:saves Maya]]. He easily beats back and disarms five thugs armed only with a [[ImprovisedWeapon stick]], and when it looks like they're about to regroup, he stands his ground and asks, "Now, which one of you is first?".
* BigBad: Both the Storyteller and the Great Witch Bezella are set up to be these. [[spoiler:However, Bezella is merely a legend and the Storyteller has no real power. The only one close to being a real "bad guy" is Darklaw, who tried to twist the Story so it hurt the Storyteller out of revenge and in fact was the one who started the mess in the first place, even if she didn't realize it]].
* BigDamnHeroes: Layton when he [[spoiler: saves Maya after the audience was led to believe both of them were dead.]]
* BigWordShout:
** "Objection!" "Hold it!" and "Take that!", of course, but also in this game are "Got it!" (also used in Dual Destinies, but for a different reason), used when pointing out a contradiction in a picture, "Hang on!" when questioning another witness during the multiple-witness testimonies, "Welcome!" used [[spoiler:when Phoenix thinks he's a baker]], and finally [[spoiler: "Have a look!" used when Layton presents evidence in the final trial.]]
** The bit when [[spoiler: Layton and Wright dispel the illusion over Labyrinthia once and for all by shouting the final spell - Taelende!]]
* BlatantLies: One puzzle involves finding the culprit of an incident which caused red liquid to be splashed everywhere. One suspect is splashed in the same red liquid, which he claims happened in an entirely unrelated incident and he was actually the last guy to arrive on the scene. [[spoiler:Subverted, he really is telling the truth.]]
* BorrowedCatchphrase: The first person to say Layton's {{catchphrase}}, "that reminds me of a puzzle", is actually Phoenix, who ironically hasn't solved any puzzles at that point.[[note]]Unless you happened to find one optional puzzle for him by that point.[[/note]]
* BreakingTheFourthWall: Every now and then in the main game. In the Special Episodes however, it gets utterly demolished.
-->'''Layton:''' Yes, puzzles dropped from the main game... Ahem... I mean, specially prepared for our further enjoyment.
* BrickJoke: [[spoiler:If you finish the game a second time starting from a clear file, the cameo scene featuring Edgeworth is swapped with a scene of Flynch finally finding his glasses.]]
* BurnTheWitch: See Cruel and Unusual Death below.
* BusmansHoliday: Phoenix is in London for a cultural exchange program with the bar association when he gets roped into defending a client anyway... and then transported to Labyrinthia.
* TheButlerDidIt: [[spoiler:Subverted in case 3, where Jean Greyerl, the butler of the diseased Sir Belduke, was accused of turning Professor Layton into gold and framed Maya Fey for being a witch. Turns out, although she was a witch, she was not responsible for the former and accidentally caused the latter.]]
* ButtMonkey: Phoenix. Best exemplified [[spoiler: at the end, when Eve explains that Layton coming to Labyrinthia was all planned from the beginning -- she had heard of his fame, and knew that if anyone could unravel the mystery, it was him. As for Phoenix -- that was a complete mistake. Cue Phoenix looking depressed and wishing he hadn't asked.]]
* CallBack:
** Luke's habit of touching fire or hot things comes up again.
** This is the third time that [[spoiler:Maya has been put on trial]].
** Phoenix gets to [[spoiler:cross-examine a parrot]] again.
** [[spoiler:This isn't the first time the trick with the fire pit has been shown -- in ''Miracle Mask'', pretending to set people on fire was actually one of the tricks the Masked Gentleman used.]]
** Some of the major plot twists are similar to those of previous games in both the ''Layton'' and ''Ace Attorney'' series, including [[spoiler:the entire town being subject to hypnotic suggestion caused by a gas]] from ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheDiabolicalBox'' and [[spoiler:young children witnessing traumatic events which lead them to misinterpret their memories and put the blame on the wrong people]] from ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney''.
** Layton presents [[spoiler:a photograph of Darklaw]] at one point in the final case. When Phoenix objects to [[spoiler:the evidence's apparent anachronism]], Layton claims that "the end justifies the means" -- a commonly used phrase in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies'', and one used to depict that game's Dark (Age of the) Law.
* CannotSpitItOut: As of the special episodes, it is pretty heavily implied that Barnham is this to [[spoiler: Eve Belduke, a.k.a. Lady Darklaw]]. He spends over an hour standing in silence just trying to give her a birthday present.
* ChekhovsSkill: Layton makes a comment early on about taking fencing up again (also serves as a CallBack, as we know the Professor is an excellent swordsman). [[spoiler:It becomes necessary later on after the Storyteller sets robotic knights on him and Luke, although there is also an element of this in his defense of Maya when she is being chased by Shades.]]
* ContinuityNod:
** Luke Atmey's catchphrase "ZVARRI!" from ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Trials and Tribulations]]'' is quipped by Maya.
** The Blue Badger was apparently so successful, he became the mascot for London's police department. [[Franchise/AceAttorney Gumshoe]] would be proud.
** Maya jokes that the Professor "never drinks more than 17 cups of tea during a puzzle", a reference to the coffee-loving Godot from ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Trials and Tribulations]]''. {{Lampshaded}} by Phoenix, when he [[BreakingTheFourthWall broke the fourth wall]] by calling her out after she explicitly used "A certain Ace Attorney Reference".
** Phoenix's love for grape juice has been mentioned in ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'', and returns here with Phoenix himself lampshading it.
* CrazyPrepared: There's no other way to describe the various methods by which [[spoiler:"magic" is made to function in Labyrinthia]]. In particular, part of the story that the Storyteller writes for Layton involves [[spoiler:the Shades making a ''solid gold statue'' of the professor in order to carry out the illusion of him being gold-ified]].
* CreatorsPet: Humourously, Espella has traits of this trope in-universe. She is loved by the writer (as The Storyteller's daughter), while the townsfolk look upon her with contempt.
* {{Crossover}}: Obviously.
* IntercontinuityCrossover: Including the addition, it seems, of a third world for the characters of the first two to jump into. [[spoiler:It turns out that this isn't the case at all - Layton, Wright and Labrynthia all exist in the same world.]]
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: What's promised for anyone convicted of witchcraft. Should someone be convicted of witchcraft, that person will be sealed in a cage complete with a mask fitting over the cage's "mouth", and the cage will be lowered into a pit of flames. [[spoiler:A side character named Kira (who turns out to be the second case's culprit) is lowered into the flames, and then ''Maya Fey'' of all people ends up lowered into the flames when trying to save Espella from that fate. Both Kira and Maya ''show up alive anyway'' later on.]]
* CryIntoChest: When facing their first witch trial, Maya and Phoenix walk in on the end of the previous one, just in time to see the girl in question lowered into the flames; Maya buries her face in Nick's chest, presumably sobbing in terror or sympathy for the (likely innocent) girl.
* CueTheSun: It is written that if the Great Witch Bezella is sentenced to death, a new day will dawn on the city of Labyrinthia, uncovering its secrets so they can start anew. [[spoiler:This is accomplished by pure sunlight exposing the previously-invisible machines throughout town once Layton and Wright have spoken the final spell -- Taelende.]]
* DarkerAndEdgier: For both the Ace Attorney and Layton series.[[spoiler:...until the final episode reveal, when it becomes much softer and lighter, especially for Ace Attorney.]]
** In universe, The Story was much lighter initially and has taken a particularly dark turn recently. [[spoiler: Consider The First Story. The Witch causes mischief by transforming inanimate objects instead of actually harming anyone, and a little girl defeats her by stealing her stick, no burning necessary. Compare this to Muggs and Robbs attacking a traveler in the woods and being burned to ashes, or the Storyteller's dramatic death scene.]]
* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Losing all your lives allows you to restart from an earlier point in the trial, with all your lives restored. Since you gain bonus Picarats at the end of a trial for each life you have left, deliberately losing can actually improve your score.
* DreamTeam: C'mon, it's ''Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright.''
* DrivenToSuicide: Multiple times throughout the story. [[spoiler:The second witch attempted to drown herself as a young child, the Alchemist poisoned himself three months prior to the story and Espella attempts to leap off the belltower during the climax of the story.]]
* DudeWheresMyRespect: PlayedWith. Despite the fact that many of the townsfolk openly dislike Phoenix for defending accused witches and he spends the entire first witch trial being mocked by everyone [[spoiler: for being a baker]], the second witch trial opens with the Judge and Barnham acknowledging him as Barnham's equal... meaning that ButtMonkey Phoenix gets more respect in a KangarooCourt that had probably never acquitted anyone before he came along than he normally does in the more-or-less due process-based real-world court. [[spoiler:Phoenix & Maya's role in the overall story does pretty much amount to being important, but definitely less so than Layton & Luke's. Darklaw even admits that the Ace Attorney characters didn't really have a role in her plan. The Storyteller also considers Layton to be his foe, saying almost nothing about Phoenix until the end of the game when the truth finally comes out]].
* DullEyesOfUnhappiness: [[spoiler: Espella several times throughout the story. She has them for the entirety of the first case, and then gets them during flashbacks, and the final case.]] These are the result of either [[spoiler: mind control (usually by Darklaw) or the return of her repressed memories about the Legendary Fire.]]
* EarnYourHappyEnding: It took a great deal of suffering (years of it in certain characters' cases), but thanks to Layton and Phoenix, the story is brought to a happy ending. [[spoiler:The truth behind Labyrinthia is uncovered, everyone's FakeMemories disappear, their real memories return, the Shades go back to normal, Eve is reconciled with the Story Teller, who brings the Labyrinthia project to an end, and they and Espella finally start living happily.]]
* EasyAmnesia: [[spoiler:Wright and Maya lost their memories, and through heapings of FakeMemories, believed they had been spending five years in Labyrinthia when they were really only there for a few days. It doesn't last long, as they recover their true memories soon afterwards.]]
* EverybodyLives: [[spoiler: With the exceptions of [[DrivenToSuicide Newton Belduke]] and the victims of the Legendary Fire, everyone survives the events of the game. Yes, even the murder victims.]]
* EvolvingTitleScreen: The main screen either shows the courtroom dark (when the cast is investigating and solving puzzles) or lit with fire (if you left off during a trial). During the endgame it shows [[spoiler: the special outdoors court set for trying Bezella]].
* FaceOfAThug: Cutter, a minor character, has this problem. He's actually a kindhearted sculptor despite his appearance.
* FakeCrossover: The special episodes couldn't possibly exist within the Ace Attorney timeline. Besides the fact that those episodes gleefully break the fourth wall, Maya uses Luke Atmey's BorrowedCatchphrase "Zvarri!" and [[spoiler:Phoenix still clearly has his badge]], so it can be concluded that the main events of the game must take place between Case 3-2 on October 11-14, 2018 and [[spoiler:Phoenix's disbarment]] on April 19, 2019. While this gives ample time for the events in Labrynthia to take place, it's explicitly mentioned that the special episodes take place a year afterwards, putting them in late 2019 or early 2020. By this point, [[spoiler:Phoenix is disbarred and Maya is off serving as the Master of the Fey clan]], so there is no logical reason for the Ace Attorney characters to be in London at all.
* FakeMemories: As mentioned above, this is the cause of [[spoiler:Phoenix and Maya's]] EasyAmnesia. [[spoiler:Later, at the end of the game, it's revealed that nearly everyone in town has them.]]
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: See CruelAndUnusualDeath above.
* {{Fanservice}}: Pretty much the entire reason the game exists in the first place.
* FantasticTimeManagement: [[spoiler:Magic in a nutshell. In actuality, it takes the Shades time to set up and enact the illusions with their machines and props, but the citizens of Labyrinthia "black out" thanks to little silver bells being rung, making the moment between the spells being invoked and then affected look perfectly instantaneous.]]
* FawltyTowersPlot: [[spoiler: Project Labyrinthia began this way - in order for Espella to recover from the trauma caused by the fire, Arthur (the Storyteller) made a story about a witch being punished...then told Espella that witches were real and that his stories become true. It started out with a few people acting out roles in his stories, and as both the town and the story expanded, it ended up with an entire town with its population hypnotized and made open to suggestion.]]
* FictionalColor: [[spoiler: Anything meant to be invisible to Labyrinthia's inhabitants is painted in a color called "pure black" (as opposed to regular black, which is why normally black things like Nick and Maya's hair aren't invisible). Aside from the invisibility (which is psychological and has nothing to do with the color itself, anyway), [[DownplayedTrope this is actually]] [[AluminumChristmasTrees not all that fictional]], since [[TruthInTelevision such a color could theoretically exist]]; science just hasn't gotten there yet, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vantablack though it has gotten close.]]]]
* FightingYourFriend: The main story's final case pits you as Phoenix against [[spoiler:Professor Layton as the prosecutor against Espella. But it's not because Layton actually believes such; the case would've ended against Espella's favor if there was no inquisitor, so Layton filled that role in addition to using the case to uncover Labyrinthia's [[TownWithADarkSecret masquerade]].]]
** In the third case, [[spoiler: Luke]] takes the stand as one of the Inquisition's witnesses [[spoiler: against Maya because he is so upset about Layton's apparent death.]]
* ForDoomTheBellTolls: Heard frequently in [[spoiler: Espella's]] flashbacks. [[spoiler: Because of the bell tower that suddenly appeared in town.]]
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:Darklaw's name, hair pieces and clawed gauntlets give her appearance a striking similarity to that of Eve the cat - Espella's "one true friend".]]
* FrothyMugsOfWater: Strangely [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] in Rouge's bar. Rouge offers Phoenix two puzzles regarding "tomato juice", and [[ContinuityNod Nick even makes reference to how he's more of a "grape juice" fan.]] Upon offering the second one, Phoenix tries to pass it off to Luke, but Rouge insists Nick solve it, stating the puzzle isn't for kids, apparently due to the "alcohol" references. After solving it, Luke inquires as to why exactly it wasn't for kids, if the drink involved was just tomato juice. [[spoiler: Rouge replies with how the drink actually ''was'' tomato juice, but she wanted Nick specifically to solve it, as she claims whoever can solve her riddle would be her soulmate.]] Nick swiftly moves on.
* GameplayAndStorySegregation: Sometimes during a trial it's made fully clear the accused is not really a witch early. But gameplay-wise the game still needs game overs. So no matter what happens during a trial, when you run out of shields and get a game over, the person accused for being a witch will be sentenced to death. This is REALLY egregious during the last trial where [[spoiler: even long after it's been made fully clear that there is no such thing as magic, the town is a project, and Espella is not a witch, you can still get Espella sentenced to death if you mess up and get a Game Over as Layton, who is on the PROSECUTION'S side!]]
* GasMaskMooks: [[spoiler:The Shades. It keeps them from inhaling the vapors of the hypnotic ink that might interfere with their assigned missions.]]
* GenreSavvy: When [[spoiler: Kira]] is so obviously the culprit, Luke questions why no-one else besides the defense notices this. This is in fact true with the Phoenix Wright games, as you usually prove the villains completely guilty without a doubt, as they go on a massive angry/laughing rant. Yet the court can still let them go (with an apology for wasting their time) if you fail to present the final condemning evidence.
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar:
** In the German version, the female bell tower guard who looks like a, well, Domina, is called Dominika, and her "subs" are called "von Schlag" ("to hit (with your hand or an instrument") "zu Tritt" (from zutreten, "to kick something, somebody", or "zu Tritt", "to step on something/somebody"). von Schlag even taunts Phoenix with the words "You don't have any prejudice against our preferences, do you, Mister Lawyer?", with the word for preference ("Vorliebe") also meaning "kink". Also, Dominika threatening to spank Phoenix, you know, for kids aged 6+. She also says she is a "naughty girl" and likes it when others watch...
** In the English version, the guard is named Foxy, and her right-hand man Treddon. She also makes a comment about climbing the stairs in the belltower, regarding her "[liking] to be on top". Meanwhile, her two "admirers" beg her to walk over them in her stilettos, while she perches on the witness stand, constantly crossing and uncrossing her legs a la ''Film/BasicInstinct''. This is one of the reasons the game got a "Teen" rating in North America.
** Despite the occasional nod to FrothyMugsOfWater in the game, it makes no attempt to hide the fact that Emeer is a drunkard. He drinks constantly throughout his testimony and all but admits that he visited the alchemist's house to get a remedy for his hangover.
** Insults in the last trial include "[[GoshDangItToHeck you son of a]] [[WitchWithACapitalB witch]]".
** In the final trial, the explanation of how the Shades [[spoiler:replaced the real Layton with a gold statue]] is accompanied by a picture (presumably neither a sketch by the court artist nor a photograph, but just a visual for reference). After the picture disappears and action returns to the courtroom, [[spoiler:Maya Fey]] makes the seemingly off-topic comment, "Look at where that Shade's hand is!" and then continues with sensible commentary. [[spoiler:One of the Shades had its hand on the gold statue's butt.]]
** In one of the special episodes, the group discovers that Lottalance has changed his name. Maya quips, "You know what they say about guys with long names: they're hard to pronounce."
* GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger: It's ''Phoenix Wright'' and ''Professor Layton''; of ''course'' there's a lot of pointing going on. In addition to the regular puzzle and court pointing, every Witch Trial has a climactic moment where both simultaneously point as BackToBackBadasses. [[spoiler:This happens even when the Professor's a gold statue, as he's already in a pointing pose and Espella and Luke rotate him to give the same effect.]]
** Layton's pointer finger even becomes a ''key piece of evidence'' in one trial, giving everyone the opportunity to compliment how strong and authoritative it is. (Meanwhile, Phoenix [[ButtMonkey complains to himself that he's known for pointing, too...]])
* GivingUpOnLogic: When Phoenix, understandably, is flabbergasted at how all of Labyrinthia's judicial system are so readily accepting of witchcraft, and even attempts to use fingerprints as a means of identifying who touched a Talea Magica, Layton tells him that notions such as forensics just won't work here -- they will have to treat the magical accusations as being legitimate and argue their case with it in mind, no matter how little sense it would make in reality.
* GoingThroughTheMotions:
** Played for laughs during the special episodes. An example would be in episode 4: Barnham started working in the bakery. He is shown with full armor on ({{Handwave}}d by him saying that the reason why he's wearing his armor is because Aunt Patty said a apron is the baker's armor), and he still brandishes sword needlessly when talking to the gang. Naturally, given the silliness of the special episodes, this got {{Lampshade}}d when Phoenix got very startled by him brandishing his sword up close.
** A few of the Vigilante's animations were made with the witness's stand in front of them in mind. They weren't changed when they reappeared during a special episode - Shakey apparently leans on nothing when he gets up and Foxy's animations still depict her in a sitting pose. The latter's {{Handwaved}} to her sitting on Treddon when [[LampshadeHanging Professor Layton points it out]].
* HateSink:
** Emeer, thanks to his generally obnoxious personality and [[spoiler:due to him ''stealing Layton's broken-off arm after he was transformed into a gold statue'']].
** Ms Primstone in the same case only exists to be an ''extreme'' {{Jerkass}} at every opportunity. [[spoiler:Since she's the only female witness initially, this is probably so you suspect she's the witch at first. Unfortunately she's a RedHerring.]]
* HisNameReallyIsBarkeep: You won't know that Mailer really is the mailer's last name until she says that her name is "[[PunnyName Lettie Mailer]]".
* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler: Espella being led to believe that she is Bezella causes this, several times. This also happens to Eve after she discovers that it was her who rang the bell and caused the Legendary Fire. Also Luke when he thinks Layton is gone forever. Though it's half this trope, half BreakTheCutie]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: A very complicated example in case 3. First, Jean Greyerl confesses to being a witch and is set to be executed... but then Maya and Espella intervene and then ''both'', individually, try to offer themselves in her place. Maya pretends to be the original culprit to save her, Espella uses her status as Bezella to cancel out her sacrifice, and ''then'' Maya tries to TakeAThirdOption and free Espella from the flame pit at the last second. It ends in a colossal screw-up with Jean and Espella safe, but with Maya (supposedly) executed.]]
* HeroicSafeMode: [[spoiler:Having just watched Maya been executed in front of his eyes, Phoenix is understandably upset. However with two children to look after, the Professor gone and the knights of the court on their trail, he simply doesn't have time to break down.]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: Phoenix being treated like a joke by others is nothing new, but here it's pretty clear that the [=NPCs=] are outright ''scornful and outraged'' over his attempts to prove his clients innocent, and are clearly infuriated whenever he scores against the inquisition. [[spoiler:At one point, the knights of the court outright ''hunt him down'' because they're tired of him defending "witches". Fortunately, he eventually does get the respect of the townspeople when he and Layton team up to reveal the truth about Labyrinthia.]]
* HopelessBossFight: [[spoiler:Puzzle 64, The Bell Tower, is unsolvable at first. Though, you still have to solve half of it to move on; once you've found the missing piece to the puzzle during the trial, you return to it and can solve it correctly.]]
* HuddlePower: Formed by a mob of villagers who stand as witnesses in the trial as they collude with each other to undo the massive holes Phoenix has ripped in their previous testimony.
* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: The title of the second prologue chapter, "English Turnabout", is a nod to the tendency for each case in ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' to include the word "turnabout" in its title.
* InterfaceSpoiler: Two, in fact:
** [[spoiler:When Professor Layton was turned to gold, the mysteries page updated itself with Golden Layton inside of it. While he had no comments due to, you know, apparently being a golden statue at that time, his face graphics, in contrast, was not golden. Also doubling as Foreshadowing, this proves that Professor Layton wasn't turned to gold after all.]] The very fact that it's the first magical crime to be added to your "mysteries" list implies it'll get the DoingInTheWizard treatment eventually.
** The exclamation mark cursor in investigation mode chimes in a particular way whenever the interaction would result in a puzzle to solve, even if you wouldn't have known otherwise that it would do so. Particularly egregious with plot-related interactions.
* InvisibleToNormals: [[spoiler:A sort of inversion. Due to hypnotic suggestion, anything coloured pure black cannot be seen by the denizens of Labyrinthia. This makes the witchcraft work, as Shades, cloaked in pure black robes, interact with pure black machines all over town to create the effects of magic.]]
* ItsAllUpstairsFromHere: A staple of the Layton games, in this case: [[spoiler:The Storyteller's tower, and the Bell Tower, as investigated by their respective parties -- Layton and Luke; Maya and Phoenix.]]
* ItWasADarkAndStormyNight: Title of the prologue and the setting.
* KangarooCourt: Taken UpToEleven. The Judge is not biased towards the inquisition--he is ''impatiently looking forward to calling your client guilty'' as soon as you make one wrong turn, so he can gladly condemn them to [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath burn in the fire alive and watch them reduced into ashes]]. Meanwhile, the audience cheers for the inquisition even while you are destroying their arguments and the witnesses will change their testimony a hundred times and make up any lies necessary to prove that the defendant is an evil despicable witch who deserves to be burnt alive. [[WitchHunt Witch Trial, indeed.]] In particular, the first witch trial involves Phoenix arguing with a group of witnesses for over an hour over whether or not they saw an invisible stick that none of them were capable of seeing (with Phoenix arguing that they did not, as their original testimonies said). Spoiler: [[spoiler:They didn't.]] Oh, and there are multiple witnesses at a time, and they're colluding with each other to try and match up their stories. Obviously, this is all [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that the game takes place in a middle ages town [[spoiler:(at least everyone in town thinks they're from the middle ages)]], and the trials are trials involving witches and magic. These kind of trials are realistic to how witch trials would have actually been like.
* LeftHanging: We never do find out who whacked Aldente on the head.
* MagicAIsMagicA: Magic in the setting has a strict set of highly specific limitations. First, a witch must use a special scepter with two gemstones in it. Which stones are placed in it determine which spells they can cast. When the witch wants to cast, she must proclaim the incantation for the spell. Each spell has its own limitations as well, such as a portal spell only working on a green surface. [[spoiler: These strict limitations are to make it easier for the Shades to set up the illusion of the spell being cast. Because each witch has their own scepter, the Shades need only equip themselves to fake two spells. The incantation is a signal for the Shades to go to work]]. [[NecessaryWeasel It's a good thing, too.]] Magic being [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability falsifiable]] is pretty much the only tool Phoenix has to keep the [[WitchHunt witch trials]] from turning out like their historical counterparts.
* MagicWand: The Talea Magica, which witches use to cast their spells.
* MakeTheDogTestify: [[spoiler:Case three features Phoenix cross-examining a parrot, using him as a makeshift medieval tape recorder. Case four has Eve jump up onto the stand and take up a witness slot, and though she never actually testifies, Phoenix questioning her results in Espella mentioning a crucial detail.]]
* MassHypnosis: [[spoiler:On a city-wide scale. Every citizen of Labyrinthia is subjected to the vapors produced when a special type of ink used to write the Stories dries, making them believe in what they are instructed about. The Storyteller's parades are specifically dated for when the hypnosis is due to wear off, with his newly penned Stories renewing the effect.]]
* MeaningfulName: It's an ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' game.
** Mahoney [[spoiler: マホーネ or 魔法姉 magic sister]]. English version, E''spell''a.
** Jeeken [[spoiler: ジーケン バーンロット 事件 Case Burns a lot]]. Translated as Zacharias Barnham. First part of the surname sounds similar to "burn". All of Barnham's translated names are a play on fire, or red.
*** The crowd has a habit of chanting Barnham's name whenever he has the upper hand in a trial. Considering the gamut of regional brogues the audience has, it's very easy for "Barnham, Barnham, Barnham!" to be heard as "Burn 'em, burn 'em, burn 'em!"
** Madara [[spoiler:マーダラ being a long vowel away from murderer. Fitting seeing as how her case turns out.]] In the English version, her name is [[spoiler: Kira. Not exactly subtle.]] In French, her name is [[spoiler:Rose Morthem]]. It's not as obvious, but it doesn't take a genius to realize the implications behind it either.
** Darklaw's name is, obviously, the words "dark" and "law". In addition to arguably applying to Labyrinthia's laws, it may also refer to her metallic claws.
** Dewey, a library worker -- a reference to the [[PunnyName the Dewey Decimal System]]
** Newton Belduke, the alchemist and local doctor. Named for Isaac Newton, who -- as well as being a prominent mathematician and scientist -- was very much into the subject of alchemy.
** In the Spanish version, Espella is called Aria ''Fable''. An aria is a piece of melody, usually with singing, used in opera.
*** Darklaw is Diana, Roman goddess of the Moon. Meanwhile, Espella's cat is called Selene... ''Greek'' goddess of the moon, [[spoiler:hinting at the fact that both are actually the same character]].
*** Barnham is Flamair, obviously referencing flames.
** Espella Cantabella is called "Sophie de Narrateur" in the German version. This overlaps with BilingualBonus as [[spoiler: "Narrateur" is the French equivalent of "Storyteller", hinting at a connection between the two characters. However, because the Storyteller is called "Der Schöpfer" (The Creator) in the German version, it isn't immediately obvious.]]
** In French, Espella is named "Aria Novella". In addition to the aforementioned meaning of "Aria", "Novella" refers to a literary style. [[spoiler:Her father's name is "Roman Novella", with "roman" being another literary term (more specifically, it's French for "novel").]]
** Wordsmith's name comes from the term for someone who applies almost craftsman-like skills to word use. His French name "Philocrate" is a portmanteau of "philosophe" (philosopher) and "Socrate" (How the Greek sage Socrates is called in French).
** Ridelle Mystere's name comes from "riddle" and the French word for "mystery". In Japanese, she was "Nazomi Steria", from the Japanese "nazo" for "puzzle" and the Latin "misteria" for "mysteries".
** Mary the goatkeeper is meant to evoke Mary had A Little Lamb.
** Jean Greyerl the butler, in two ways. First, Earl Grey is a popular type of English tea. Second, [[spoiler:Jean Grey is the name of one of the original members of [[Franchise/XMen a certain other group]] that is often persecuted for having superhuman abilities.]]
** Of course, almost every single one of these names [[spoiler: might be fake names given to them when they adopted new identities, so they may or may not be ''intentionally'' [[MeaningfulName Meaningful Names]]]].
** Similarly, every magic spell evokes imagery of what effect it creates. "Ignaize" creates fire, "Famalia" summons a witch's familiar, and "Dimere" causes someone to vanish from sight. [[spoiler:"Granwyrm" summons an immense fire dragon. "Taelende" brings an end to the Story.]]
** A former student of Layton's named '''Car'''mine '''Accident'''i gets into some automobile trouble.
** Lottalance is an obvious reference to Lancelot. In Japanese, he was Loncelat.
** [[spoiler:The Storyteller's real name is Arthur Cantebella, a pun on "author".]]
** In addition to a plot-related meaning to his name (see Mondegreen below), the character who ends up being the butt of many a joke is named "Emeer Punchenbaug" (a mere punching bag).
** Lampshaded in one of the special episodes, where several villagers get together to complain about the names the developers stuck them with; including Mary (who has a ''goat'', not a lamb), Kira (who thinks that naming her "[[spoiler:Killer]]" was just lazy), and Emeer (who was named for the sake of the aforementioned {{Mondegreen}}). Emeer thinks "Punchenbaug" is a good strong name, though, and when Luke starts to work out its meaning Layton advises him not to share with Emeer.
* MindScrew: The truth behind Labyrinthia. [[spoiler: It was created both as a top-secret research facility investigating the powers of a drug that causes those who inhale the vapours to be heavily prone to suggestion and hypnosis, and as a haven to protect the mind of a young girl who believed that she was possessed by a witch]].
* MissingSecret: A variation with puzzle 20. Because it isn't available until after puzzle 39 can be completed, the player may think they missed a puzzle somewhere. The only indication that this is not the case is that Ridelle doesn't have it.
* {{Mondegreen}}: In-universe. [[spoiler:The "Amere" incantation gets confused for the name of one witness, Emeer. Similarly. there's two spells with very similar names which have wildly different effects; "Goldor" transforms things into gold, while "Godoor" creates a portal between two walls which are painted green.]] Naturally, these become critical contradictions during witch trials.
* MotionlessChin: Layton originating characters have this, despite that original and Ace Attorney characters do not.
* MythologyGag: When discussing Phoenix's combat potential in a Special Episode, Phoenix mentions that his fighting catchprase would be something like "It's time to pay for your crimes". He uses this quote during his Ace Attorney Hyper Combo in ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3]]''.
* NeverTrustATrailer: The first trailer had a number of aspects that are now completely contradictory, such as Layton being the one to prosecute Espella, Luke using his design from ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheLastSpecter'', and the scene described at the top of the page. [[spoiler:While he does prosecute Espella in the last case, it's to prove her innocence rather than her guilt.]] Even the parts that are used qualify as {{Missing Trailer Scene}}s, as the events were completely redrawn.
* NiceHat: The Professor, who comes to be known as "Sir Top Hat" because of it.
* TheNicknamer: Barnham, of all people. He refers to Wright continually as, "Sir Blue Knight", and Layton as, "Sir Top Hat".
* NoFourthWall: The Bonus Episodes start with a discussion of "puzzles dropped from the main game", and the fourth wall only weakens from thereon out.
--> '''Phoenix:''' Hey, Professor. Is it really okay for everyone to be so, err... self-aware like this?\\
'''Maya''': Ease up, Nick! Sometimes a little self-awareness is fun. Isn't that right, [[FakeInteractivity avid video game player]]?
* NonStandardCharacterDesign: Noticeably, both sets of heroes look distinct from the rest of the people, although all the important characters share AA's art style while the side characters are closer to Layton games in design.
* NostalgicMusicbox: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hbiQzWGkXA "Turnabout Sisters ~ Music Box Melody"]] takes Maya's theme from her home series and turns it into a slow music box piece. Extremely fitting, considering it plays [[spoiler:when Phoenix is lamenting her apparent death]].
* OhCrap: Chapter 4 and 5 has two major ones related to [[spoiler: Professor Layton and Maya being supposedly dead.]]
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness:
** After the third case, Phoenix looks positively enraged when he meets [[spoiler: Barnham]], so much that it looks like he's about to punch him. It's the first time in the series we get to see an angry Phoenix Wright.
** When Professor Layton [[spoiler:supposedly turns traitor and becomes the inquisitor during the final case]], he becomes somewhat sterner and more harsh than you would expect. Much like Phoenix, he also takes up smacking the bench to punctuate his points
** The Storyteller becomes much harsher toward Wright and Layton during the last few chapters.
* OriginalGeneration: In addition to being set in an entirely new world, the game introduces a new braided, blonde girl (Espella) to be the focal point of the game. There is also a new inquisitor who dresses like a knight, named Zacharias Barnham.
* OverlyLongName: One of the witnesses in the final trial is named [[TheUnpronounceable Dzibilchaltunchunchucmil]]. Unsurprisingly, everyone opts to call him "vigilante number nine" - except for Maya.
* PersonAsVerb: Parodied in the final trial, where the vigilantes describe using the name of vigilante number 9 as a synonym for [[EpicFail potentially lethal failures]], specifically the action of locking oneself inside a dangerous situation. The villagers proceed to pick it up during a [[MoodWhiplash tense scene]].
--> '''Townsperson:''' Darn it! She's gone and [[TheUnpronounceable Dzibilchaltunchunchucmilled]] herself!
%%* PhraseCatcher: A lot of people pick up on Layton's "that's what a gentleman does" and start using it themselves with their profession of choice in place of 'gentleman'.
* PungeonMaster: Barnham, particularly during the first case, where spends a lot of time cracking [[spoiler:bread-related]] jokes.
* PyrrhicVictory: The characters really, ''really'' hate themselves after the ending of the first witch trial because they proved Espella innocent [[spoiler:only to send Kira to the flames in her stead]]. The second witch trial would have ended the same way if [[FromBadToWorse things didn't get far worse instead]].
* RearrangeTheSong: Several bits of music from ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheDiabolicalBox'' are re-used and updated in this game, which is quite thematically appropriate seeing as [[spoiler:both games deal with towns where the occupants are under the influence of hypnotic chemicals]].
* RealityWritingBook: The ''Historia Labyrinthia'', which sucks the principal characters into the eponymous town. The book is being continually written there, and everything penned comes true. [[spoiler:Because it's written with hypnotic ink and the town is being manipulated in various other ways on top of it.]]
* RedHerring:
** [[spoiler: "Five years" is brought up a lot. Five years ago, Espella began living at the bakery, five years ago, Phoenix and Maya began work as apprentice bakers, five years did Jean work for the alchemist... it doesn't actually mean anything]].
** It's never pointed out in-game, but Foxy can be considered this when she and her fellow Vigilante guards are on the witness stand because of her hair color, how it hangs in the front, and the fact that a given case's culprit is usually one of the witnesses.
* RewritingReality: The villain in control of the town, "The Storyteller," seems to have this ability, via the RealityWritingBook mentioned above. [[spoiler: Except he doesn't, he just has an army of invisible minions and hypnotic ink to make people THINK that he has this power.]]
* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: Barnham's pet dog Constantine.
* RuinsForRuinsSake: [[spoiler: The underground ruins below the Great Witch's abode.]]
* RunningGag:
** [[spoiler: Once again, a parrot takes the stand.]]
--->'''Phoenix:''' The defense summons its new witness, [[spoiler: Mister Cracker the Parrot!]]
** Maya makes {{Continuity Nod}}s to the ladder/step-ladder arguments in all the AA games.
** Poor Maya can't escape her curse of being the defendant [[OnceAnEpisode at least once in every game she's in]], even in Labyrinthia.
* SamusIsAGirl: Figures into the solution of one of the early puzzles.
* SaveScumming: Subverted. Doing this in the Trials doesn't take you to where you saved, but to a somewhat earlier moment, meaning that the old "save and reload" trick from Phoenix's home series doesn't work here.
* SceneryPorn: It's a puzzle game utilizing {{Level 5}}'s artists. SceneryPorn is an inevitability.
* ScoringPoints: The ever-present ''Layton'' picarats make a return. Phoenix's portions have his available penalties each being worth picarats, as well.
* ScrewDestiny: Layton's reaction when the Story implies [[spoiler:that Phoenix will be killed is to interrupt the prophecy before it can come true. Unfortunately, he misinterpreted the Story and is turned to gold himself.]]
* SecurityCling: After winning the first trial, the real witch is sentenced to be tossed in the fire pit; the heroes attempt to stop it (despite the fact that this witch was convicted of ''burning two men alive''), but are unsuccessful. Both Maya and Luke cling to Phoenix and the Professor's arms, respectively, and cower behind them as the flames shoot up.
* SequelDifficultyDrop: The Layton portions of the game have puzzles that are significantly easier and less varied than those in the main games. Nearly all of them can also be solved by using brute force too.
* SequelDifficultySpike: A weird case. The Phoenix portions of the game are considerably harder than ''Dual Destinies'', which was released earlier outside Japan but developed after this game. Though the fact that the penalties are back to the "5 strikes" system as opposed to health bars combined with SaveScumming being less convenient (there's no easy way to reload saves during a trial, so it requires a full reset, you have to go through the recap dialogue every time and you reload at the start of the testimony rather than at a specific statement) does make it harder than most entries in Phoenix's home series. Thankfully there is a Hint System in place during trials.
* ShooOutTheClowns: Following [[spoiler: Kira's]] very FamilyUnfriendlyDeath [[spoiler: (or, more specifically, her Family-Unfriendly DisneyDeath)]] at the end of the first witch trial, the game takes a decidedly dark turn. Although the comedic elements are still present, they are notably downplayed and before long you'll see [[spoiler: Professor Layton turned to gold, Maya accused of witchcraft and threatened with Kira's fate, Luke turning against Phoenix and Maya in his grief over the Professor, and Maya seemingly ''killed'' in the fire pit, pushing Phoenix into HeroicSafeMode.]] ''Damn!''
* ShoutOut:
** Espella's black cat, Eve, bears a striking resemblance to a certain cat from ''VideoGame/GhostTrick''. Said cat is also featured as a plush doll in Espella's room, complete with red scarf.
** Mildly, with Espella being called {{M|rMagoriumsWonderEmporium}}ahoney in the Japanese version.
** Jean Greyerl's name seems to be one to Jean Grey from X-Men. Bonus points for interacting with a character named Phoenix. [[note]] Phoenix was the name of Jean Grey's evil ultra powerful alter ego [[/note]]
** The game's WhamEpisode reveals that the Storyteller is [[spoiler:the president of a pharmaceutical company called Labrelum Inc., which is the name of [[Franchise/ResidentEvil a pharmaceutical company from another Capcom franchise]] with the first and last syllables swapped out]].
** Observing Professor Layton in action causes Phoenix to muse that they should make a movie of [[Franchise/IndianaJones an Archaeology Professor who goes on epic adventures in his spare time]].
* SpellBook: Of a sort. The Grand Grimoire contains a list of every known spell in a witch's arsenal, including its name, effect, incantation, and what color gemstone must be set in the Talea Magica in order to cast it.
* SpringtimeForHitler: [[spoiler: Phoenix was not meant to succeed in the case in Britain; hence his being put into a trial without prior notice, and without even a background in the British court system. He was told to go along with the guilty plea and the prosecutor even lets it slip that "this wasn't how it was supposed to go" when he declares his client not guilty.]]
* SuddenlyVoiced: Shouts of "Objection!", "Hold it!", and the like are ''all'' voiced in this game, no matter how minor the character saying them. In previous ''Ace Attorney'' games they were limited to the lawyers, with other characters only getting the associated sound effect.
* SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic: How Phoenix learns to argue against magic. Does the accused have the necessary EyeOfNewt required to cast the spell they're accused of?
* StealthPun:
** When the crowd cheers "Barnham! Barnham!" it sounds like they're shouting "[[BurnTheWitch Burn 'em! Burn 'em!]]"
** Maya is the only one able to pronounce the name Dzibilchaltunchunchucmil. In the real world, Dzibilchaltun and Chunchucmil are the names of Mayan ruins.
* StoryBreakerPower: [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] by Maya during the final trial when it's revealed [[spoiler: the Great Witch Bezella can use ''all'' spells without needing a Talea Magica.]]
* SwallowTheKey: Dzibilchaltunchunchucmil does this in guarding the Bell Tower, which causes some problems in retrieving the key to unlock the door.
* SwordPointing: Inquisitor Barnham likes doing this, in lieu of GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger.
* TakeMyHand: [[spoiler: When Espella goes to jump off the top of the bell tower, it's Darklaw who catches her in midair and holds her there.]]
** TalkingIsAFreeAction: The conversation they share in that position is probably a lot lengthier than should be allowed given [[spoiler:the Storyteller's observation that the railing that they're holding onto is too rotted to support both their weight]].
* TakenForGranite: Professor Layton gets turned into solid gold, and Maya gets put on trial for his death. [[spoiler:Of course, the Professor isn't really dead - [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt like they would really kill off a main character in a crossover game]] - but the crime scene is a good enough fake that everyone gets fooled. This hits Luke extremely hard, and it has much greater implications for the rest of the story.]]
* TempleOfDoom: [[spoiler: The aforementioned ruins under the Great Witch's abode.]]
* ThemeNaming: Several Labyrinthian characters (Mary, Cinderelia, Patty, and Muffet) have names inspired by fairy tales and nursery rhymes.
* ThereAreNoTherapists: The game's epilogue [[spoiler:reveals that most of Labryninthia's ruse was created to comfort Eve and Espella after the Great Fire, and convince the former that she was not Bezella. Possibly justified, as he and Newton couldn't send them to a legal therapist, because that would leak the story of the fire to the public, which would not only push Espella further over the edge, but destroy Mr. Cantabella's career/fortune/reputation. In addition, the people desperate enough to sign up for the Labyrinthia experiment fall under this.]]
* TimeSkip: The special episodes take place a year after the events of the game, and follow the gang as they meet up with the characters of the game again.
* TitleDrop: Well, not for this game in particular, but Phoenix is referred to several times as an "[[Franchise/AceAttorney ace attorney]]."
* ThrowTheDogABone: Phoenix has been mocked and penalized endlessly for presenting wrong evidence in his own games, but when [[spoiler:Layton takes up the inquisitor's position at the end of the last trial]] and you're tasked to present evidence as him, presenting the wrong evidence makes Phoenix object before he even gets to say anything, saying his argument made no sense and expects him to use a lame excuse to cover up for it, clearly enjoying every single second of the moment.
* TownWithADarkSecret: Labyrinthia [[spoiler:was created by the Storyteller for two reasons - the first to provide therapy for two little girls, and the second to test the effects of a hypnotic drug on an entire city.]]
* TrappedInAnotherWorld: The premise of the story. [[spoiler: However, as per Layton tradition, it's actually a very elaborate facade.]]
* TheUnpronounceable: Dzibilchaltunchunchucmil. In Japanese, he was named "ンパカパポコルペヌ" -- note that no word or regular name in standard Japanese begins with ン.
* UnusualEuphemism: Layton is at one point called a "son of a witch".
* VersusTitle: Ironically, Phoenix and Layton spend the vast majority of the game as ''allies''. [[spoiler:It's only in the very last trial that Layton opposes Phoenix. Even then, it's part of a gambit to do what Phoenix is after anyway, which is to clear Espella of guilt.]]
* VideoGame3DLeap: The game still is in VisualNovel style, as in the ''Franchise/ProfessorLayton'' and ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' adventures, but this time around the character models are in 3D. While it didn't end up being the first for ''Layton'' as ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheMiracleMask'' beat this game to release, this was the first for ''Ace Attorney''.
** Although this is not the case for the western release as ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies'' was released before this game.
* VillainousBreakdown: As it turns out, these return from the AA series, at least during "trial" segments. However, unusually for the AA series, the breakdowns are sometimes filmed from different camera angles, not just facing the witness from the player's perspective. [[spoiler: For example, during the first breakdown the camera starts facing the witness, but when the witness falls to the floor after the breakdown is over the camera cuts to an overhead view. The second culprit's breakdown, meanwhile, is filmed from a "close up" angle.]] They're also ''fully voiced'' too.
* WaterSourceTampering: [[spoiler:Though it's naturally occurring as opposed to being maliciously put there, Labyrinthia's water source is contaminated with a substance that causes citizens to pass out at the sound of pure silver and, when channeled through the plants, produces a substance that, when mixed into ink, makes them extremely vulnerable to suggestion.]]
* WhamEpisode: In Chapter 3's climax, [[spoiler:Layton is transformed into a gold statue.]] Then in chapter 4's, [[spoiler:Maya is executed after saving Espella from the same fate.]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
** [[spoiler: The main game doesn't actually explain how Carmine's car accident happened. One of the Bonus Episodes has Chelmey explain that the statues in the park were in fact robots designed literally for this exact purpose, in what is probably an intentional AssPull based on Wright's reaction.]]
** The first victim of the "Goldor" spell was [[spoiler:Greyerl's goat. Since we know the magic isn't real, what did they do with the real goat? Did they just move it to another farm? Did they sell it? Did they eat it?]]
* WhatTheHellHero: Phoenix receives this speech from Rouge [[spoiler:after Maya's "death"]], and is told to GetAholdOfYourselfMan. [[spoiler: Should be noted that her speech actually ''isn't'' the typical "get ahold of your emotions" speech, but the exact opposite. She gets on Phoenix's case for holding onto his emotions TOO MUCH and never self-pitying, which is an original, yet also profound and rather nice, variation]].
* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: Labyrinthia seems to be completely self-enclosed, with no access to the outside world as we know it. [[spoiler:The truth is that it's in a region of England owned completely by a pharmeceutical company who collaborate with the government to keep its location a secret and off of public maps.]]
* WitchHunt: For the most part, this is what the game centers around.
* AWizardDidIt: In-universe, obviously. This is what witch trials are all about, and this kind of "logic" is accepted as commonplace in the game's world, meaning Phoenix has to approach logic from another point of view.
* YouCantFightFate: Everything the Storyteller writes is destined to come true. [[spoiler: It's not, since it's not magic, but pretty much everything happens as the text says, with a few obvious cracks, such as Layton not being killed by statues and Bezella not being burned.]]
----

** The "story" heard upon first entering Labrynthia mentions "two companions" being attacked by a witch. Even people in-universe think it might be referring to Luke and Layton, and warn them to stay out of trouble. [[spoiler: It turns out to be [[DisposableVagrant two random robbers we've never seen before.]]]]

* BigBad: Both the Storyteller and the Great Witch Bezella are set up to be these. [[spoiler:However, Bezella is merely a legend and the Storyteller has no real power. The real "bad guy" is Darklaw, who tried to twist the Story so it hurt the Storyteller out of revenge and in fact was the one who started the mess in the first place, even if she didn't realize it]].

* ButtMonkey: Phoenix. Best exemplified [[spoiler: at the end, when Eve explains that Layton coming to Labyrinthia was all planned from the beginning- she had heard of his fame, and knew that if anyone could unravel the mystery, it was him. As for Phoenix- that was a complete mistake. Cue Phoenix looking depressed and wishing he hadn't asked.]]

%%** IntercontinuityCrossover: Including the addition, it seems, of a third world for the characters of the first two to jump into. [[spoiler:It turns out that this isn't the case at all - Layton, Wright and Labrynthia all exist in the same world.]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: For both Ace Attorney and Layton series.[[spoiler:...until the final episode reveal, when it becomes much LighterAndSofter, especially for the Franchise/AceAttorney franchise.]]

** Maya is the only one able to pronounce the name Dzibilchaltunchunchucmil. In the real world, Dzibilchaltun and Chunchucmil are the names of a Mayan ruins.

So goes the story of ''Professor Layton VS. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney'', a [[Nintendo3DS Nintendo 3DS]] title by Creator/{{Capcom}} and [[{{Level 5}} Level-5]]. A {{Crossover}} between the jaw-droppingly popular ''Franchise/ProfessorLayton'' puzzle games and the ''extremely'' well-written ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' courtroom adventure series, ''VS'' seeks to combine the two playstyles, warning that "this time, the puzzles are filled with contradictions".

* RuinsForRuinsSake / DungeonCrawling: [[spoiler: The underground ruins below the Great Witch's abode.]]

** Maya makes {{callback}}s to the ladder/step-ladder arguments in all the AA games.

* SequelDifficultySpike:
** A weird case. The Phoenix portions of the game are considerably harder than ''Dual Destinies'', which was released earlier outside Japan but developed after this game. Though the fact that the penalties are back to the "5 strikes" system as opposed to health bars combined with SaveScumming being less convenient (there's no easy way to reload saves during a trial, so it requires a full reset, you have to go through the recap dialogue every time and you reload at the start of the testimony rather than at a specific statement) does make it harder than most entries in Phoenix's home series. Thankfully there is a Hint System in place during trials.
** Averted in the Layton portions of the game, with the puzzles being significantly easier and less varied than those in the main games. Nearly all of them can also be solved by using brute force too.

** Observing Professor Layton in action, causes Phoenix to muse that they should make a movie of [[Franchise/IndianaJones an Archaeology Professor who goes on epic adventures in his spare time]]

* StealthPun: When the crowd cheers "Barnham! Barnham!" it sounds like they're shouting "[[BurnTheWitch Burn 'em! Burn 'em!]]"

** The "story" heard upon first entering Labrynthia mentions "two companions" being attacked by a witch. Even people in-universe think it might be referring to Luke and Layton, and warn them to stay out of trouble. [[spoiler: It turns out to be [[RedShirt two random robbers we've never seen before.]]]]

** Ironically, however, in a few small ways the court is shown to be more reasonable than the normal Ace Attorney courts. Namely in the first witch trial, where when Phoenix shatters the credibility of the witnesses, the Judge and Inquisitor Barnham briefly both strongly consider throwing out the whole case and letting Espella go (despite not having found the actual culprit) because the eyewitness testimony they are relying on is clearly completely worthless as proof of Espella's guilt. Normally the court treats the witnesses with sufficient credibility to condemn the defendant until their entire story is demonstrated to be physically impossible, and if you can't find the true culprit, the court almost never lets your client go free.

* NeverTrustATrailer: The first trailer had a number of aspects that are now completely contradictory, such as Layton being the one to prosecute Espella, Luke using his design from ''ProfessorLaytonAndTheLastSpecter'', and the scene described at the top of the page. [[spoiler:While he does prosecute Espella in the last case, it's to prove her innocence rather than her guilt.]] Even the parts that are used qualify as {{Missing Trailer Scene}}s, as the events were completely redrawn.