The Ace Attorney games are filled with Shout-Outs. They can be almost from any popular sources, especially in the English translation. These range from Phoenix telling Franziska "Well, excuuuuse me princess!", to a security system named "S.P.A.R.D.A", to a clown who sings an altered intro of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Justice For All
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations
- Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
- Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice
General Franchise Shout-Outs
- The plant named Charley in Phoenix's office is likely a shout out to Chuck the plant
, a mascot/Running Gag in LucasArts adventure games. - The Orestheia is an ancient Greek play wherein the character Orestes is defended in the first ever court presided over by the goddess Athena and defended by the god Apollo who won the case and earned himself the title, god of justice among other things. For the ancient Athenians, this made the god Apollo the first ever defense attorney. And suddenly the name Apollo Justice becomes a brilliant, high-brow wink to the well-read gamer.
- Not only was Apollo the first defense attorney, but the first defense attorney ever with a jury system. And the crime Apollo defends Orestes for? A child's murder of a parent.
- The Steel Samurai is about half reference, half parody of tokusatsu shows like Kamen Rider, though once it gets the Iron Infant that it carries around in a cart, it becomes a full on Lone Wolf and Cub reference.
- There are multiple references throughout the games to earlier investigation serials like Perry Mason or Sherlock Holmes. Unlike most other references on this page, these were usually in the original Japanese dialogue as well.
- Several characters across several games like to use the word "inconceivable" when denouncing a theory or when a hole is poked in their case.
- Another phrase that comes up quite a bit, usually when a shocking revelation is about to be made and/or the speaker is at a clear disadvantage, is "I've got a bad feeling about this."
- The Ace Attorney pachinko machine of all things contains a subtle but unmistakable nod to Danganronpa, amusingly enough.
