Ranking every Professor Layton game from WORST to BEST

[@miuaeko]

As a person who loves professor Layton from the start, unwound future was my absolute favorite. I have shredded so much tears on the game.

[@skyhighlander6447]

Yeaaaah, SHRED those tears brooo

[@TictTact]

SAME BROOOO

[@alexloes7567]

I'm now playing this game and at the moment, I'm loving it but I feel that Pandora's Box is better in the ambientation and puzzles

[@Epic_the_french_guy]

It is also mine, but I am biased as it is literally the first videogame I ever played

[@Lady_LazuIi]

I honestly couldn't agree with you more, the entire story had me hooked from the get-go and had me sobbing at the end.

[@artemis2227]

I was 5 when the first Layton game came out and I got DS lite for christmas. My mom bought me Curious Village because she saw the logo Level-5 and assumed that meant it was rated for kids 5 and up. She had to help me get through so many puzzles in that game, but as they kept coming out I asked for her help less and less. This will forever be a series dear to my heart, even if I probably played it a little earlier than I should have.

[@zangbang9886]

I think this game represents a special bond between us and our parents for so many of us, me included, because unlike most videogames the main gameplay was just about puzzles that any person could understand and try to solve, leading to parents actively collaborating with their kids on them. The days when me and my mom spent hours solving puzzles together will forever have a special place in my memories.

[@edmg7]

Hey, so long as you had fun there's nothing wrong with a challenge.

[@IdentifiantE.S]

Same with Pandora's box so many memories 😄

[@thereal4815]

Same, asked my dad for help so many times on curious village as a kid

[@desestscourge6240]

That was exactly my first experience with the game in every way too.

[@_doodles01]

Diabolical Box was the first Layton game I ever played, I was 9 years old and the story went right over my head. When I played it again as a young adult, I cried.

[@koolooc726]

Layton's theme is used frequently on Layton vs Phoenix precisely because its also an Ace Attorney game, and character's theme play at least a few times, not just once or twice

[@aperson6505]

Mystery Room doesn't get talked about much, but I'm a fan. Not as good as the mainline games, but it has a special place in my heart.

[@gdassspar6nar]

Amazing game

[@telespally]

Man I loved it... would replay it again and again

[@SunlightBeacon]

The main problem with that game is the final. Alfendi's mystery is solved so quickly in a pretty lazy way. Without counting that, it's a great game with endearing characters, although is a bit too short. But pretty good

[@cameronwallace8265]

Interesting that Miracle Mask is so low. A lot of fans, myself included, rate it quite highly!

[@sashazephiria3869]

Same here, I'd say it's in my top 3 with Unwound Future and Azran Legacy :)

[@gamesier2400]

Yes yes!

[@edgeworth097]

Yeah, same. I'm still working my way through the series (I haven't been able to finish Azran Legacy yet, but I'll do it once I've finished Professor Layton VS Phoenix Wright)

[@IdentifiantE.S]

From a musical point of view it is really my favorite the sad music of the disappearance is just incredible !!

[@starryslight7095]

YEAH I loved miracle mask!! I'm on game 6 now and really can't rate them, they're all so good :,)

[@qwenck8610]

I don't often see a lot of love for Last Specter, which is a shame, since it's probably my second or third favorite of the series. I love the atmosphere and the calm pace, plus the Black Market. Great video :)

[@muriellapropella]

frr its my fav, the black market was iconic and the ost is just wow

[@gogo_crunchy8926]

I feel the same! In my opinion a fantastic game with a great story fantastic music and mood. I loved the introduction of Emmy and the origin story of Luke. And of course the Black Market!!! I dressed up as the Black Raven on Halloween a few years in a row after playing that game. Definitely in my top 3

[@richardgurney1844]

Last Specter is so underrated! Out of the 4 Layton games on the DS, Last Specter is easily one of if not THE strongest iteration of the Layton formula

[@IKGProductions]

It’s always a treat to see you cover the Layton series. While I do passionately defend LMJ and Miracle Mask for their own strengths, I can definitely understand your critiques of both. It genuinely does my heart good to see creators like you continuing to talk about Layton from the perspective of someone who has passion for it to this day.

[@zangbang9886]

I sincerely hope that New World of Steam is just good enough to finally put the series in the public spotlight for the very first time (because let's be real, even back in the early 2010s Professor Layton was beloved by a pretty niche fandom and not very well-known).

[@bylukebrown]

I literally just uninstalled LMJ for TOTK 💀💀

[@Erastella]

Funny seeing you here!

[@shadowthehedgehog-l4g]

The sword fight between Layton and Aron in pandoras/ elysian box is soooooo nicely animated!!!!!!!

[@ProcrastinatingMasaYa]

So glad to see Diabolical/Pandora's Box at the top! Frankly, I thought I was one of the only ones that regarded it so highly, but it's nice to see that it made a great impression on you too! (Plus, that puzzle with the IRL ticket was a blessing. I felt so smart, lol) Many (if not all) of your points really point out why I adored the Professor Layton series. Once I heard the Professor's theme play at the finale of Curious Village, I fell in love with it and immediately bought the next two games. It was one of the first games that gave so much story and care into the NPCs, making the world around them feel so charming (even though the settings in most of the early games were desolate and depressing!)

[@ArisuBaskerville13]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who thinks Diabolical Box should be the best of all time! Also I really appreciated Time Hollow music as background💞

[@lavii3355]

Probably an unpopular pick, but my favourite will always be Last Specter. It was the first Layton game I ever got (lucky pick, I didn’t know it was the prequel) and I still remember just the absolute wonder and awe I felt playing it the first time. The story with its (a little out there? and kinda far-fetched?) plot twists blew my mind as a kid, kinda like how when you’re having a dream, all the nonsense scenarios seem to create like the most interesting and emotional story you’ve ever made. Whenever I see someone talk about their nostalgia with Curious Village, I can’t relate, but I feel all of it with Last Specter. And I got to play London Life because somehow, despite being Australian, my local game shop had the US version for Last Specter and ONLY Last Specter.

[@gogo_crunchy8926]

The Last Specter is also one of my favourites. I loved the plot twist, the backstory of luke, the introduction of emmy, and especially the atmosphere and music of the town. The Black market with the Black raven was so fascinating to me. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the first few cutscenes with Descole reading the tale of the flute and the Beast and the other one of the main trio hearing the flute and storming to the window to see this mysterious monster….. such a fantastic starting point that grabbed me instantly. The ending with the introduction of Descole and his connection to the golden garden was a little hasty and unexplained and not that well implemented into the rest of the story, but still - a fantastic game with a unique mood that you can’t find in any other game.

[@jesstrev1715]

Fellow Australian here - I also have the version with London Life! It’s so fun.

[@lucad9667]

For me, Professor Layton peaked with Lost Future and Specter's Call. They still had the 2d artstyle and were a lot more colourful than their predecessors. Specter's Call felt a lot like some form of dark fairytale come to life, with a giant, a witch, this mysterious foggy town...absolutely gorgeous. Lost Future on the other was THE fascination for me. I have a big love for steampunk aesthetics, and that giant clock in Midland Road was one of my favourite motifs to draw when I was a child. Heck, I drew it so many times I could probably list almost every detail of it. And I loooved the story, even if the third act felt disappointing to my younger self.

[@mikemac9217]

I can’t believe you were also so captivated by the clock on midland road, I would do the EXACT same thing, drawing iterations of it countless times because something about it grabbed my heart. That and the tower in curious village were frequent doodling for me

[@lucad9667]

@@mikemac9217 yeah, the tower was not doodles for me, it was Lego. Tried to replicate it using a mish-mash of parts from other sets.

[@pimkinn]

Off topic but I really want to thank you for introducing the Layton series to me, it has become one of my favorite video games series and makes me so much more hyped for the sequel, thank you!!

[@elizabethk007]

For the longest time, Mystery Room was my only exposure to the Professor Layton series so it has a special place in my heart. Glad someone else agrees the soundtrack is amazing

[@katherineberg4555]

Miracle Mask is ranked 2nd for me after Diabolical Box. Underrated game. I loved the backstory even though its predictable

[@gogo_crunchy8926]

Same here! I loved the theming in this magical carnival desert city. The backstory and the minigames connected to that were fire. And i loved the exposition of Descole’s character and motives after his introduction in the last spectre. Maybe not the most ‘layton’ in comparison to the original trilogy but i loved the idea of a bigger story that connects the prequel trilogy. But i have to admit that I hated the new 3D graphic even though it is outweighed by the positives of this game. So fun and mysterious and the city/setting alone puts this game into my top 3

[@MinnoSpam]

JESSSSSS this game did so much fun to play and i loved the characters. The whole atmosphere was just perfect

[@Spalfos]

Layton’s London Life is what finally made me play Mother 3. I loved the sprite work so much and it reminded me of what I’d seen from Mother 3, until I learned it was literally the same sprite artist

[@KatTheLavaGirl]

So my younger brother was really sick when I was a kid, and I didn’t know how to help him. I remember thinking that he must be bored sitting alone in that hospital all the time, so I brought my 3DS with me one day. It had the curious village in it. I sat there in his hospital bed and solved puzzles with him. We both took turns and we would both laugh every time we got one wrong (which happened a lot, because he was 6 and I was 10) My brother is doing a lot better now, and I can’t wait to play New World Of Steam with him from his own room, not the hospital room.

[@tealeaf_rice]

lolll the bit about Layton speaking in his theme song got me 😂 and also I’m a big miracle mask enjoyer cuz I eat that highschool friend group tragic backstory stuff up lolll but I can understand others’ opinions of it haha great video! always love content that keeps this fandom going and always hold nostalgia for these games

[@Arabrax29]

I was about to scream when I saw the place you had Mystery Room in, but when you say you meant as a Layton game... I forgave you. Also, YES, the MUSIC. God, I love that OST so much. Only bangers. As someone who played all Katrielle, uhhhhhhhhh, yeah, it sucks. The trama does get "deeper" but the plot twist is just.... man. I don't even know. And the puzzles are SO bad, I struggled so much through that game... but I liked dressing Katrielle up, I guess. I'm not the biggest fan of Miracle Mask (like, the history wasn't just as entrancing to me and the justification for the villain was just... oh man, atrocious), but tbh I did like *the* chapter if only because it felt like a different, refreshing puzzle. The 3DS did make me want to cry though. How I missed my 2D sprites, oh boy. Couldn't we had 2D people in 3D world, I wonder? I would rank the crossover higher, if only because I truly liked it more than Azran Legacy (a sacrilege, I know). Like.... I had so much fun, the puzzles were so good, the story was your classic whack but it felt very intriguing, oh my god the OST, I just loved it. I feel it did the mix-up right, but maybe that's me. You're right about the Layton theme, though. Somehow, in this game I liked more the AA part of the soundtrack than the Layton one. For other side, Azran.... just fell flat for me. The mini-stories were fun but didn't feel serious and made me lack connection, kinda? Also, I hated at least 3 of the last plot twists, so, uhh, there's that. The landscapes and music was very entrancing, but oh well. I LOVE, LOVE LAST SPECTER. THE MUSIC, THE AMBIANCE, THE ORIGIN BACKSTORY, THE LONDON LIFE AAAAAAAAA. I had like 100 hours on that thing alone. I would dare to put Curious Village below the Unwound Future, or at the same level bc tbh the puzzles in the 3rd one got me tired at some point lol. But we agree on the best game EVER MY FAVORITE MY BELOVED THE PANDORA BOX. Good taste folks, good taste.

[@rekiirii]

definitly baised, but Last Specter will always be my number one. i borrowed it from my local library in like 2013/2014 i think? i was kinda scared of the specter in the first cutscene, stuck on that damn fish tank puzzle so my mum had to google the solution, and i never actually finished it. But still, there's just so much i connect with this game, the music, the aesthetics, characters and that damn ending. i watched years later let's plays of it and my god, i cried like a baby.

[@BlueMoonGames07]

My favorite game is definitley Unwound Future. It's the first Professor Layton game I ever played and has made me cry ten times over. I even have the soundtrack for it and listen to it all the time. (Okay, not as much now, but I should be listening to it more often.)

[@vampirtulpe3606]

Layton Vs Ace Attorney actually got me into checking out Ace Attorney. I was obsessed with professor Layton and already played Miracle Mask like 3 times, so the plot of Layton vs Ace Attorney was really exciting, with the setting of Labirynthia and the new characters and I thought Phoenix and Maya fit really well into the dynamic of Layton and Luke, with Phoenix as the straight man and Maya to add more to the chaos going on. I also watched....that cutscene, at least once a day back then because I thought it was so good. I was so into the plot and the characters that I played until 2 am every day just to see how it ends. Unfortunately, the ending kind of ruined the entire story for me, which was unfortunate, because i literally loved everything up to that point. I still immensely enjoy the game and think it deserves a lot more recognition than it ended up getting back then. I cannot recommend it enough! It's the perfect game for Layton Fans to get into Ace Attorney or for Ace Attorney fans to get into Layton or just for casual enjoyment ^^

[@jrose5353]

Have you played ace attorney games? I played the cross over having played all the main games of both series and it was honestly delightful!

[@vampirtulpe3606]

@@jrose5353 I haven't played the main games yet, however, i did watch playthroughs of all of them and found them amazing as well!! Layton vs Ace Attorney was, for me, the perfect game to get a sneek peak and get the hang of the ace attorney formula. I had always been a big Professor Layton fan, but the Ace Attorney translation in my country was rough to say the least, riddled with typos and grammatical errors, which was one of the reasons I never checked the games out myself

[@jrose5353]

@@vampirtulpe3606 There are also a few typos in the UK version as well. At least you got the chance to experience all the plot twists and cases. I love both series, maybe ace attorney slightly more with its comedic value and ridiculous linking of everything. I'm definitely playing the new Layton game when it comes out, as well as hoping for a new ace attorney... one day... please...

[@vampirtulpe3606]

@@jrose5353 the typos werent as bad as the german version, trust me. its so bad in the third game, like there are whole grammatical errors that make the sentences unreadable partially. I'm still glad I got to experience ace attorney. I never expected a new layton game with the Level 5 branch that made the games closing down, so it was definitely an exciting reveal. I'm sure they'll make a new ace attorney game, the series has so many fans, there is just no way they won't make more

[@thelightstuff9478]

As a highly defensive and opinionated Professor Layton fan your takes are always so validating and make me laugh 👏👏 also don't finish LMJ. It felt like a chore and most all the mysteries were so predictable that I wondered why I was traipsing around town with a "brilliant detective" that hadn't figured it out yet- which is the exact opposite of its predecessors. Also she NEVER WORKS ON SHERL'S CASE. The talking dog is free labor.

[@zangbang9886]

Seriously, every single game has a driving mystery that has such an incredibly unexpected final solution (sometimes even TOO unexpected, as some might argue), so I seriously can't understand why the secret identity of the Masked Gentleman was so obvious in Miracle Mask. The first time I played the game I was ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE that it was a pretty obvious red herring and the identity of the masked man was another character so I was super curious... but no, it was him.

[@guy-sl3kr]

I feel so validated, it's the only game that I've ever paid for but didn't complete. I put it down once I could predict what the characters were all going to say before they even showed up. They're so tropey you can sum them up with a single word. Katrielle: ditzy, Butler: simp, Dog: puns

[@thelightstuff9478]

Thank y'all!! To be a bit more fair, I could definitely see it as a good introduction to the series for a player maybe a little younger or inexperienced, or just as a cool pilot for fans of the anime (because frankly it seemed to be created for the anime, not the other way around). But it definitely wasn't for people who were used to the challenging puzzles and gripping, literally unpredictable and bittersweet stories of the other games (which is also why Miracle Mask's super happy ending didn't land as well, as much as I enjoyed it).

[@MrZongalito]

Don't play LMS Watch the anime y'all

[@abigaildiamante9096]

​@@MrZongalitothe anime was my 1st first hand experience with any sort of Layton media, so I have a soft spot for it and the characters. Delving further into the fandom and learning that her game didn't do so well was disappointing, but even with only comparing their osts I could agree - Anime LMJ is better than game LMJ

[@emperorpalindrome]

I love them all but Lost Future and Miracle Mask have to be my favourites, Pandora's box is a close third.

[@lenalalane]

I'm fond of miracle mask. I played curious village when I was very small, but MM was the first game I *really* got into, and it holds the #1 spot in my heart. Second favorite is PLvAA just because of how batshit insane it was lol. I enjoy that kind of thing. Also, the music, hello? I've spent .. a few nights just listening to reuploads on yt and staring up at the ceiling

[@shar468]

@@harmkampstra5442 i could listen to monte d'ors theme until i die god i love miracle mask

[@HumbleTeller]

For me it's Azran Legacy, Miracle Mask, Diabolical Box, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, Curious Village, Unwound Future, Last Specter, then LMJ. The stories and puzzles of the last two prequels just clicked with me a lot more than the puzzles in say Unwound Future

[@j.cowart1999]

Great takes! I personally would have put PL v AA a bit higher and CV a bit lower, but another great video as always!

[@catc2222]

the way i immediately recognised the music at 11:50 is wild

[@dummythot]

I LOVE UR LAYTON VIDEOS SO MUCH THEY BRING ME SO MUCH COMFORT

[@oh_van_go]

7:34 IM DEAD💀

[@ormapa1206]

I couldn't choose a favorite but I the crossover is one I have close to my heart. I really like the charm and the mystery because I've played quite a while ago and I was blown away. I now play it again each summer. The diabolical box is also a close one since it is the first I played that made me fall in love with the series.

[@oh_van_go]

feel free to share your personal rankings, but here’s mine ^w^ : 9) lmj 8) lmr (I haven’t played this one) 7) miracle mask 6) curious village 5) azran legacy 4) unwound future 3) diabolical box 2) pl vs pw 1) last specter i understand why last specter isn’t adored by many but it was my very first layton game so i hold it dearly to my heart 🥹 this game alone introduced me to such a wonderful series. I’m beyond excited for the new world of steam

[@mp3artist]

Finally someone who likes last specter

[@guy-sl3kr]

It's funny how you ranked the game you didn't play above mystery journey 😂 Same, though

[@oh_van_go]

@@guy-sl3kr lmao 😂😂 i honestly don’t understand how ppl defend lmj but to each their own 🤷‍♀️ i personally couldn’t get through it

[@Ashirogi978]

For me the coolest thing about pandoras box was that you actually got the ticket with the game and one of the puzzles actually made use of it. 10 year old me was absolutely blown away

[@lilly1853]

I looove Last specter, the town is soo pretty and the Soundtrack so relaxing. I Love to Play it to Just leave the real world for some hours ❤❤

[@KennyKowalski]

Clearly I need to watch your videos more often, because I LOVED this. My mom bought me Diabolical Box first, so it was my first Layton experience, and it still captivates me even today. It's so nice to see someone giving it so much praise!! Also...I guess I'm not caught up on the Voyan Lore, because I have no idea what that Yo-Kai Watch reference was about...but as a huge YKW fan, I'm intrigued!

[@Sophiaaasophiaaa]

I remember that pandoras box meme 'Yes, Luke, everyone was on drugs!'

[@erSancheh]

I _fugging_ love Layton Brothers: Mystery Room. I was already a Layton fan, I even had previously played Kat's game (which I actually enjoyed, guess I'm the odd one out), but I've never had such a connection with a Layton game as with this one. The different concept, the storyline, the waifu (Lucy❤️)... All that was great, but God... the music... THE GODDAMN MUSIC... P.S.: The only problem was that there are no official translations to languages other than English, which didn't give me any problem, but, since I'm Spanish, I couldn't really recommend the game to any of my friends 'cause they'd rather play something in Spanish. Pity.

[@MrZongalito]

As a Katrielle layton defender myself, i gotta say that Her game was basically a half baked Azran Legacy, with several different stories there and there but failing to totally tie together for the conclusion. The anime however, in my opinion does work better for her format, since it's episodic, it makes sense for katrielle to work on different cases day by day, it even has the in game cases, and actually has the complete story about what happened to layton sprinkled through the season, because Rosa is who tells her everything as far as she can remember, leaving her the rest to follow the clues.

[@MrZongalito]

And yeah in the game you don't ever get to learn what happened to Layton, you just learn the plot twist that Katrielle is not actually Layton's daughter but rather her adopted Daughter, and Layton wants her to grow up in her own being, rather than someone who needs to rely on the title of "being Layton's daughter" Which is something that she clearly even struggles with on her first anime episode, because the client is expecting Layton to help him, not some random nobody girl.

[@MrZongalito]

In the anime you learn about Katrielle's birth You also learn what happened with Luke, he has a fiancee and invites Layton to join an investigation of a relic ruins, and he left to join, when Katrielle was grown up enough to take care of herself. But something happened [BIG SPOILERS] The relics had a self defense mechanism, freezing in time any intruders, which means in a span of around 10 years or so, Layton did not aged at all. When they eventually met, Layton looks exactly as we remember.

[@MrZongalito]

The only unexplainable thing was about Sherl the dog, yes he can talk, but there was never any background to it That being said, every layton fan agrees that he must have escaped from the experiment trials held in unwound future where several animals gained the ability to talk, like the rabbit and the bee.

[@lilanevada]

oooo we have a pretty identical ranking!!! great video the original trilogy is truly unmatched any order they're in i support

[@evilbrokovich1176]

No matter how many times I play Pandora’s Box, I still cry at the ending. Absolutely my favourite game in the series and I love the soundtrack - it’s my go-to for when I need to be focused at work

[@j.c.t.]

The Last Spectre actually was the first game of the series that I ever played. A friend of mine gave it to me because she was not really interested in puzzle games. At first, I was a bit sceptical because I usually don't really like anime stuff, but I love puzzle games and how could I possibly pass on a free puzzle game? And boy was I hooked! I'm glad that I didn't pass on this opportunity! My favorite game is the Lost Future, it's so f*ing beautiful and sad at the same time. I'm still not a fan of anime, but this game series holds a special place in my heart!

[@archerestarcher]

Pandora's Box, Spectre's Call, and Mystery Room are all my favourites, mainly due to different parts of nostalgia for different times. Pandora's Box was the first one I played, and I also played Spectre's Call at that time too. They're far more cemented into my childhood than any of the other Layton games I played back then (which was all of them except Miracle Mask and the spinoffs). I remember my Grandad talking to me a bit about the game whilst I played Pandora's Box, and I remember that for one segment of Spectre's Call I played it whilst out having curry in a restaurant (that now only does takeaway) with my family. Mystery Room is great nostalgia for pre-teen me. I remember getting my phone taken away from me midway through the second case when I first played, and sneaking into my parents room to finish it before my phone ran out of battery.

[@charliechimento852]

I’m so torn between Unwound Future and Azran Legacy. I know Azran isn’t like the rest but it’s probably the most memorable one to me because it’s so unique. I feel like it took risks that paid off super well. All the little towns and villages were each endearing and intriguing and I just love it. And Unwound Future just goes without saying. Curious Village will also hold a very special place in my heart for nostalgia, and Miracle Mask was quite fun for me. I think Diabolical Box and Last Specter were my least favorite but I still loved them anyway

[@heidibarker9550]

Professor Layton and Pandora's Box broke all 4 chambers of my heart, and I love it for it. That Folsense music is perfect. Layton Brothers Mystery Room is underrated, I love it so much. The jazz, the surprising gore, Alfendi and Lucy are too cute, but I can understand why people rank it low.

[@BassForever]

I'd swap 1 and 3, but overall I agree with this list. I want to say 3 is the best cause it's the only game to make me cry, but Diabolical Box is just perfectly paced.

[@MystiKuroneko]

For those who dont know yet, theres gonna be a new layton game in 2025 called professor layton and the new world, with the professor and luke as main characters :)

[@Quetzal00358]

I go: 1) Unwound Future 2) Last Specter 3) Curious Village 4) Diabolical Box 5) Azran Legacy 6) PL v PW 7) Miracle Mask 8) LMJ I’ve only played each game one time so my memory on some of them is quite foggy (especially Diabolical Box) but this is how I rank them right now Looking forward to 2025 for the Last Specter retrospective

[@StrawberryShorty]

I did finish the Katrielle game...and then I did a rant video on it. That pretty much says it all.

[@cherryneb]

azran legacy was my first layton game (except for the ace attorney crossover) and i still hold it very dear to my heart 💜

[@tsuzyx9672]

My introduction into the Professor Layton fandom was with diabolical box. When I got to the ticket puzzle, I was...almost awestruck. I'd never had a game involve real world objects so well with it's puzzles, because the MAUNAL OF THE GAME, held the solution to that puzzle perfectly! After I got diabolical box, my mom had a copy of Curious Village (to which I stole from her and now still have) and then my Step-Grandma on my dad's side got me Last Specter. I never had a physical copy of Unwound Future, but I did rom it on an R4 card, and of all four games, I've beaten All four. Just finished Curious Village about half an hour before typing this, actually. Of all of four, I have to say, I 100% agree with this video, in that Diabolcial Box is honestly the greatest Layton game in the series. It had such wonderful atmosphere anywhere, the puzzles, regardless of sliding or not, were super fun and the ticket puzzle, again, did that real-world integration very well. My second place is actually Last Spectre. It was the first one I actually beat, but it had the most interesting minigames so far, and it perfectly sets up the meeting of Luke and Layton. I still have yet to play Azran Legacy and Miracle Mask, but I am more than ecstatic to begin those journeys. Maybe eventually I could try to make a fangame for Professor layton...eventually.

[@tsuzyx9672]

Aight, I've played the last two, but I'm still working through Azran Legacy, and so far, I absolutely love the gameplay changes made with Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy. Once I beat Azran Legacy I will add my opinions on those two

[@spider-uh5ws]

Great Ace Attorney was heavily affected by PLvsPW, it took those features and made it 10x better. I love PLvsPW, but GAA1 &2 is very good and you can see the influence of layton. Azran legacy made me cry 😭😭😭

[@silvantwout]

I really love Pandora’s Box but the only bad part is that you’re searching for a dog for 2 hours long

[@calidee847]

Is that Super Princess Peach music I hear?! Someone other than me remembers that game exists! Hooray!😁😁 And some Tomodachi Life too! 2:21 OOF🤣🤣 Happy to see Diabolical Box as number one, it's my personal favorite. I personally rank MM second, actually, because even though the plot twist was predictable I thought the ending was just really bittersweet and I actually enjoyed the ruins part. Monte Dor is just awesome by the way. Unwound Future matches it though, for all the reasons mentioned above and that ending. 😢😢 Azran and Specter are tied for me for four, because I enjoyed both a lot. I actually put Curious Village in last, not because it's worse than the others but I preferred the other plots more, though it's fantastic in it's atmosphere and zany villagers. Katrielle is just....boring. The whole game is just not that interesting and any actual important stuff happens at the very end. Plus there were some actual crimes that were overlooked when it shouldn't have been. And the fact Katrielle runs on "instinct" and just stumbles onto the truth somehow. At least the music was good.

[@sundaerainbow]

Folsense was the best experience in a video game I've ever experienced.

[@sunnyaliceart]

Really good list! I think I'd switch a couple games around purely due to my preference and experiences playing these games when I did. While I love Diabolical Box, there are minor gameplay nitpicks that keep it from being a top for me. It's small, but it always annoyed me that they'd have Layton and Luke discuss what to do next and then an unnecessary text box comes up to reaffirm they're gonna do the thing they just said they'd do. It's cute, but not needed, which I'm glad was scrapped the next game. Hamster minigame is top tier tho. Unwound Future's story compelled me more and it being the first glimpse into Layton's past blew my mind as a college kid. The ending still makes me cry to this day. Don't know if we ever recover from our first playthrough. I actually fell off the series after Last Specter. While I enjoyed the game, loved Emmy and Grosky, and couldn't believe Luke could be even smaller, my focus shifted elsewhere. It being a calmer game after UF is a really great point I hadn't considered before. It's nice to pull it back a bit when starting another trilogy. To catch up on the series and get the games before the 3DS eShop died, I FINALLY played Miracle Mask, Azran Legacy and the Phoenix crossover this past year. The crunchy 3D models in MM were so jarring, I was surprised I got used to them, but the setting itself kept my interest. Incredibly predictable story, but I liked the concepts enough. Honestly, while Azran Legacy was bittersweet, it left me more hollow than anything probably because it was over and that it ended with such messy writing even for a Layton game. Probably it was the rushed production, but it left me dissatisfied with how everything was just dropped in our laps for the sake of dramatic writing for an ending. They could've dripped fed hints to Layton's past like in UF and MM rather than being like "OH BTW TWIST OK BYE!!!" It honestly felt like the prequel trilogy was trying to outdo itself each game and up the stakes which was odd since there's still the original trilogy they had to keep in line with. It's jarring to go from saving humanity as their last game in the series to immediately, let's go to a quiet and curious village to complete the timeline. They wanted to go out on a bang and it petered out. Also, a minor note I heard from someone is that because AL has multiple set pieces instead of one main setting, it makes remembering locations and story beats a bit difficult which I agree with. I probably only remember them since it's still fresh in my mind. I know nothing about Phoenix Wright, but playing PLVSAA after AL filled that hollow feeling in my heart because it was so bizarre and unapologetically silly. The character interactions were fantastic for me and I'm eager to check out the Ace Attorney series when I have the chance. Sometimes ya just need a crossover game that goes wild and have fun and I needed that when I first played this game. The fan service was incredibly entertaining for me. Never played LMJ or LBMR, but I don't consider them Layton games despite the names and insistence that they are. They're just not for me and that's ok. Maybe I'll check them out later, but I know the reputation well enough. Here's hoping New World of Steam will be an enjoyable step in the right direction! Thanks for reading this (apologies for the wall of text lol) and I'm looking forward to the next video!

[@emmav.deutekom9392]

You should do a video about like your top 10 favorite layton OST’s. Like main themes, character themes or just tracks from in game. Whenever i feel overwhelmed I just put on an hourly playlist and just let the music consume me

[@lj8135]

I borrowed The Pandora’s box from a friend some years ago and it made such an imprint. I played it again later but still don't own it which makes me very sad. To see it on top of your list is very pleasing. A few days ago I saw A Curious Village in a shop and thought I should really try it out. Let's see if I am able to get a cheap second hand copy somewhere. Great video! The nostalgia really hit so hard.

[@b0neless992]

I'm gonna go off a little bit but Azran Legacy is by far my fav and the points you make about it are only half the reason. The music giving you the "this really is the end vibe" is so true and while the plot did feel a little scattered throughout there was something so charming about it for me? Maybe it was the hype of it all. Much like my reasoning for my fav Pokemon games being XY this game was getting trailer drops and so much hype buildup during my senior year of high school so there was already a lot of sentimentality being put into it for me. I still remember when the trailer with the main theme dropped and it literally became an obsession for me that song has no business making me feel the way I do. I also really loved the characters that were given to us like Aurora is my fav Layton character hands down (sorry Randall) and thinking about how this entry ends just makes me have to white knuckle it to keep the tears from flowing. Anyway good ranking! I love to see what other people think even when it doesn't line up with my own bias its still so fun! But yeah Azran holds my heart to this day with Unwound Future and Miracle Mask not that far behind. These games are all wonderful despite their flaws in my book I truly love this series.

[@pippastrelle]

Crazy that PL could transition to 3D so well in the Ace Attorney crossover, but in doing so kinda outshadowed the subsequent games

[@briar_rose7569]

You make some compelling points, but I can never recover from the trauma of the lost future, so that's the best Layton game for me.

[@TyllToons]

This video has been in my watch later playlist forever and I've finally gotten around to watching it. Here's my list: 1. Spectre's Call. I LOVE this game - mainly because of the setting and the atmosphere. It's so calm and peaceful, yet also very eerie and melancholic. It doesn't do anything crazy, it's just a cozy little game that executes the Layton formula extremely well. A small town in the English countryside, a great villain, lovely atmosphere, great puzzles, beautiful music. It perfected the handdrawn artstyle of the 2D games and it has the best set of puzzles in the entire series imo. Also it introduced some of my favourite characters, Emmy and Descole. 2. Miracle Mask. I know, the plot is predictable but I think it's alright to have a mystery the player can actually figure out for once. And it's such a beautiful story!! Throughout the entire game you'd expect it to end tragically, yet it turns out to be the most wholesome game in the entire series. It has probably my favourite set of characters out of all the games, I adore the setting of Monte d'Or, it's so colourful and happy, yet even in its main theme you can hear a layer of sadness that represents the town's backstory. I enjoyed the new gameplay mechanics it brought to the table and I like the shift from the depressing and eerie tone of the DS games to the vibrant style of the 3DS games. The soundtrack is also excellent and has a lot more variety than the previous ones. 3. Lost Future. This game is just perfect. A most tragic tale about greed, power, corruption, and a lost love (and future...). Very good set of puzzles. Awesome characters. Great music. This is the quintessential Layton game, the one that I would recommend the most. 4. Pandora's Box. The atmosphere in this game is quite something else. This is by far the most unnerving game in the series. I love the contrast between the Molentary Express and Dropstone which are very care-free, and Folsene which is anything but. It's a sad tale with a bittersweet ending. Big fan of the mentioned puzzle types. 5. Azran Legacy. Huge gap here between numbers 4 and 5. This game was a massive letdown when it came out but I've gotten to like it more over time. I really do not like the episodic structure of chapter 4, some of the plot twists have already been revealed in MM, and the plot is just a wraparound for the journey across the world that really does not feel like Layton. The puzzles are forgettable, some of the weakest in the series. The music is great though, and the locations have a ton of charm. 6. Curious Village. This was actually my first videogame ever, but it's also my least played Layton game. For some reason, it's also the least nostalgic for me. It's really hard to go back to it because of how limited it is compared to its successors. The lack of a memo function really hurts it, the puzzles are ridiculously hard and lack the variety of the later games. Most of it is just math puzzles that are too much for my little brain. The front-facing Layton sprite is super uncanny. Still a great game though. 7. PLvsAA. I really enjoy this game, but the ending kind of ruins it. The AA cases are the best part of the game, the puzzles are bad. There was a lot of wasted potential regarding the crossover aspect. It's fun but it's also a gigantic mess that's very unsatisfying to finish. 8. LMJ. Yeah this game sucks

[@euphoriacover2653]

Really liked your ranking ! (The Time Hollow music 🥰)

[@alsuriz9462]

I started playing Professor Layton when I was like 7 years old with either The Lost Future or Pandora's Box because I used to rent games at a local store from Friday to Monday. I couldn't finish the former one, but Pandora's Box was a TREASURE for me, I was obsessed and I cry so much when I finished it in that 3 days. Later on my parents got me when I was 9 my first official 2 games: Ace Attorney, which has a place in my heart and it's one of my favourites, and Azran Legacy (which in Spain, for any reason, is called Ashalanti's legacy), and even though I hadn't played all of the previous ones, knowing that that was the last one made it feel nostalgic to me. I'm currently replaying/playing for the first time every game in order of launch (just finished The Lost Future) and it's the perfect fusion between childhood memories and a totally new experience, because The Curious Village or The Spectre's Call were completely new for me, and I get to finish the ones that I didn't (Lost Future (I cried so much ) and Miracle Mask) before buying a Switch just for the new game. (I'm also kind of trying to enter the fandom because I only know like 5 people that know the saga and the Spanish Fandom is a bit dead). However, The Lost Future felt like an ending for me because it won't be the same with The new world of steam as Professor's voice actor in Spanish (from Spain) passed away last year, so we won't be able to hear it again and every second I think of it it's just too sad.

[@darthsanz3701]

Jordi Varela siempre estará en nuestros corazones 🫡

[@yannatoko9898]

I entirely agree with your list! I've played all the good games a lot. Pandora's Box is so brilliant with that subtle sense of having to move on, a weird sentiment but it does it so well (maybe unintentionally), it's delightful. Just ignore the hamster.

[@seanster0919]

The first Layton game I ever played was Unwound Future, I had got it for Christmas because my parents knew I liked puzzle games. Been loving these games ever since

[@Greennoob2]

A solid list. Great video. I didn't immediately agree with some choices but your reasons won me over

[@genericyoutubecommentchann7418]

Interesting list. Mine is very different, so it’s nice to hear a different take. In case you were wondering, my list is: 7. Layton vs Wright (Awesome Game. Would’ve ranked it higher, but the plot twist has so many holes it nearly ruined it) 6. Azran Legacy (Loved the overall story and the side quests. The final chapter is one of my favorite parts of all these games. But the middle felt like a series of unrelated episodes. And the puzzles were a bit on the easy side for me.) 5. Curious Village (Iconic Game. Has its shortcomings, but great nonetheless. I don’t think the twist is bad. I think I know the solution to every puzzle in this game by heart now.) 4. Diabolical Box (Great sequel. The most involved minigames in the series, and good music. But I wish the “villain’s” screen time wasn’t limited to the 11th hour of the story, and the plot twist doesn’t even make a lick of sense. Also, I hate how this game treats Flora.) 3. Unwound Future (Has the best premise for a story, and I like the professor’s backstory. Would be my number 1, but the last act of the game is such a hot mess to me. And once again, I hate how this series treats Flora.) 2. Miracle Mask (At first I didn’t like it that much for the 3D models and the predictability of it, but upon replaying it, I found myself really loving the characters and the world. I love the past sequences.) 1. Last Specter (Great puzzles. I think it does the best job introducing characters and making me care about them. The only game aside from the AA crossover where I care about Luke as a character (not sorry). And it has my favorite climax and a tearful ending. Not as epic as Unwound Future, but it nails everything for me.) I haven’t played Layton Brothers or Mystery Journey yet. Based on what most people say about them though, they probably wouldn’t rank higher than the games I have played. But I’m still open to playing them.

[@localfolkwitch]

last specter is the first game i played as a young child. i found the puzzles difficult at that age but replaying it now they’re easy peasy (especially now i can just search up the hints, or answers if it’s too difficult, lol) that one has a special place in my heart.

[@Handles_suck444]

Luke: *blinks* Professor Layton: *_THAT REMINDS ME OF A PUZZLE!_*

[@khazz33]

I liked some of the twists in Diabolical Box except for the penultimate one. The final big mystery was kind of disappointing in my opinion. I would've ranked Unwound Future first, then Last Specter because I loved the Black Ravens and the introduction of Emmy and especially Luke. Not to mention the inclusion of London Life which could've been a stand-alone game it was so good. I would've ranked Mystery Room much higher also, because I'm a sucker for relationship stuff and I really enjoyed the Phoenix Wright-esque crime solving. I also really liked seeing Alfendi's mysterious past unfold. I'd love to see him come back in a future game. The 3D models in the prequels were horrendous, and I feel like after the insane puzzle difficulty, limited hint coins, and sometimes unhelpful clues in the original trilogy, they went the other direction and made them way too easy. I hope they can find a happy medium. I'm curious to know where you would put Eternal Diva in the line-up storywise.

[@Roscar.]

What I love about Layton is that everyone can have a completely different top 6 and it still makes sense, my brothers least favorites are Pandoras box and lost future and his favorites are curious village and Miracle Mask and I can understand why

[@rose5984]

I know I've said this on your diabolical box retrospective but that's my favourite layton game too! to me everything about it was perfect, the puzzles, the story, the ending is so heart wrenching it always makes me cry, and now I want to go back and play it! I agree with the rest of your list as well, I also didn't even finish layton's mystery journey, it was that dog shit!

[@MissCbenav]

I’m currently playing the crossover and, so far, I’m enjoying it! Though they do play his theme hard, but I find it hilarious like your joke abt it

[@thebossbaby7402]

Diabolical Box and Unwound Future are both peak. I can’t decide which one I like better. God the atmosphere and story is amazing in both. I also remember really liking Azran Legacy when I played it but it’s been a while. Overall, such good memories of these games. I fondly remember going on long car trips and bringing my DS and just playing the shit out of the whole saga. I was obsessed with these games and I remember showing them to my family, as goofy as that is. It might be time for me to replay the games after all these years.

[@ladyxesphio3128]

Okay but the Hotel Dusk/Last Window music during the Layton Brother's though 😍😍😍

[@starryslight7095]

Its so hard for me to pick a favorite out of the series so kudos to you for making a list. I'm on the 6th game right now (not super far yet) and i just feel like each game expands the world and refines its presentation. 1 introduces everything, i really enjoy the ludonarrative-tied puzzles and lore of 2, 3 has the hardest push in writing the main characters, 4 has my absolute favorite side characters, 5 has sick clown vibes and the underground puzzles which i ate up, and 6 is HUGE. worldwide adventure??? Holy FRICK. I love the series, i really can't pick between games 😭 maaaaybe 4 if i had to purely because Crow is in it and i adore him

[@MLittleBrony]

huh, i thought more people would agree with Miracle Mask's placement. it's my personal least favorite, one of those twists was a stretch even by Layton standards. i _did_ like the dungeon crawl, though.

[@guy-sl3kr]

Yeah I appreciated the gameplay switch up in the dungeon and didn't know that others thought differently. What I couldn't get over is how every character's life centered around some guy who totally sucks. The ending was so twee and predictable and undeserved that I was honestly upset that they didn't drop him in the pit when they were given another chance.

[@flo4223]

I feel like most people have Lost Future as their favourite, so I'm really pleased that Pandora's Box is your favourite like mine too!

[@Engardian]

It’s crazy to me the contrast between how likable Lucy and Alfendi are vs how dull and annoying Katrielle and Ernest are.

[@Favtsahik]

So am i the only one who cried all the damn afternoon over the last Loosha scene? Like, i was balling my eyes out, i loved her...

[@Ruhel-ty3bx]

Miracle Mask was the only game where I could predict the outcome. My favourite of the series was Curious Village. It was the game that got me in the series.

[@theminebloxcraft5779]

3:55 I wasn’t expecting Luminous arc music

[@voyanonbreak8584]

you are the first person in all of my video comments to ever point out the Luminous Arc OST. great taste. cheers!

[@anntakamaki1245]

my parents used to play the professor layton saga when i still wasn't born, and then my dad introduced me this game by letting me play curious village with his DS. I always loved that game, i couldn't stop drawing characters from the game (Ramon was my favourite and i still dont know why lol) and i would play that game for hours, trying to solve every single puzzle even if i was 10 years old xd. Now i finished all the games, and everytime i have to study latin, my dad puts on layton music to study with me. I will always love the Layton games, and im looking forward to buy the new game as soon as it comes out. Thanks if you finished reading :D

[@b_megamaths]

5:19 Is that Style Savvy music? Did not see that coming, honestly.

[@ritsumikas]

i think objectively diabolical box is ABSOLUTELY the best one but the one i find myself wanting to play the most is unwound future. every time i discover a new plot hole i just laugh because the atmosphere and characters make up for it

[@stephdcss]

I was too surprised that Unwound Future wasn't first place, I bet anything that at least 80% of the fandom considers it the best Layton game :0 but my surprise was even bigger when I saw The Diabolical Box in the first place, the first Layton game I played and my favorite forever 🫶

[@roxlala16]

Professor Layton and the Curious Village is the first game of the serie I played, and still my favorite. That's just... amazing. The story, the atmosphere, the music, the characters... everything is SO good !

[@bimpadimp]

i just recently replayed unwound future and absolutely confirmed that it is still my favorite videogame of all time. i could cry just thinking about it i just love it so much

[@FinalGamerJames]

I will say, The Ace Attorney crossover was exactly why I got into Layton. I bounced hard off Curious Village and didn't enjoy it, but the Ace Attorney crossover made me go "huh, wow the Layton puzzles feel a lot better than last I remember" and then oops I bought five more Layton games on sale and finished them all, so the crossover did exactly the job it was made for!

[@luffypilled]

I think my personal favorites are Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy. I know Unwound Future is universally beloved and held dear, and rightfully so, but I did find that the last act had some sloppiness that I feel like a lot of fans (myself included) kind of choose to ignore because the rest is so good. I mean, I did always feel deep down that what Clive did is batshit insane and never properly acknowledged the way it should, if that makes sense. Also they honestly had no clue what to do with Flora in that game and it showed. But, I do love that game, I swear. I think I just love the prequel trilogy because in my opinion, it really does work as a trilogy. I love the overarching characters and Emmy is probably my favorite character in the series (pleasecomebackpleasepleaseplease). I don't see Azran Legacy talked about much compared to others but I absolutely adored the small band of Layton, Luke, Emmy, Sycamore, and Aurora. I got really attatched to the dynamcs Sycamore and Aurora added to the prequel trio. Speaking of the prequels, the movie is so amazing. Genuinely a top notch piece of media with an enchanting vibe that would draw many people into the series, even without having played a game imo. I was thinking about this earlier but Layton having three different backstories explored in three seperate games reminds me of Apollo Justice, except Layton's were far more believable and worked together much better imo. Layton was my gateway to playing AA and that has become a beloved game series for me, but I've acutally never finished the crossover! I played part of it awhile ago before I played any AA so I should probably get back around to it now that I'm more invested in both casts. (okay sorry for rambling even more but... I honestly forget the LMJ of PL. Such an odd time. Remember when we actually got to see grown up Luke and he had a WIFE???? Whack. Would not mind if LMJ is retconned out of existence personally.)

[@GrimTheGrimReaper]

Dam 1 year ago... I remember when this first came out... -18 of June 2024

[@CitrusArchitect]

Glad you acknowledge how much Mystery Room's soundtrack and how much it SLAPS

[@kittykat9691]

i am sad that the collab sits low. I loved that game, hated the math puzzles, but the story was wow for me and i fell in love with the animations. i have a love hate thing with the ace attoerney parts because you had to think diffrently as from normal. Instead of proving some just guilty you had to prove someone else guilty and that was alway the hardest part. I also love the german voice acting.

[@Flashyflashlight]

7:33 Watching this just made me wheeze (Yeah but the theme playing alot is true)

[@joost3210]

Miracle Mask was suprisingly my first Layton game so it has a really special place in my heart.

[@lozygamer7071]

Gonna have to disagree with Miracle Masks placement. I do agree with your points about the animation but thats what made me love it. It was my first introduction to the franchise so there is possibly some bias but I absolutely loved the characters, Layton's backstory as it also shown why he became an archaeologist, and also for the childish reason that I solved the case before they announced it (even though it was obvious but I was like 10 so shush) My fav game, 10/10 (Also the main theme is the main reason I wanna learn how to play the violin, is sooooo good)

[@DerCrankypanda]

Every time i go through my games, i am surprised that i own Miracle Mask and i even remember some scenes in it, yet im still not sure if i really played it. Thats how forgettable it was for me.

[@josiahmaglott6149]

You got the order right. I've probably played the 2nd one more times than the curious village. These games are my childhood and I everytime I play them, it's like I'm reminded of the good old days.

[@elijahpark5344]

What I'm seeing is that ALL of the games are good (minus Mystery Journey). Regardless of each game's flaws, every single one has given us a powerful story, charming characters, and of course the calm, relaxing, yet fun and interesting puzzles. The music is great, the graphics are great (though some disagree on the front of the 3d games, I don't personally mind it actually, at least it wasn't soulless, a ton of care is put into them), everything about Layton is special. With Layton and the World of Steam coming out in a couple years (hopefully as a flagship game for a Switch 2, judging by the way they do traditional note-taking still), I really hope this series as a whole becomes more popular in the eyes of more people. These are truly beautiful games, and deserve a special place in the world.