DS Review: Phoenix Wright 3

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney 3: Trials and Tribulations.

As a daily commuter on the Sydney Rail system, I rely heavily on some form of visual distraction in order to tolerate the trip. When you're tucked into the triangular crevice between Johnny Spread-Knee the human shoulder bag convoy and Timmy Type Two the 120 kilo Insulin time bomb, the only view you're going to get is of what you're holding in your two hands.

At this point, it's important to mention arm mobility. On an average train ride, one should expect their elbows to be effectively pinned to their sides, much like those creepy tall guys in Daft Punk's "around the world" video. This most certainly renders any titles requiring complex button presses and timing out of the question.

Any Brain Training titles are out of the question as well. While the Tourettes-afflicted are by no means banned from public transport, even the most somnambulent commuter would find a fellow passenger screaming, "BLUE! BLUE! BLUE!" at his shiny white book to be somewhat lacking in etiquette.

This is where the pink-tied, owl haired Phoenix Wright comes in. His popularity has meant that his original Gameboy Advance titles have been respun for the DS twice before, and I can almost guarantee it's greasy haired Cityrail benchwarmers like myself spearheading the movement.

Why? The Phoenix world is filled with twists and turns worthy of any pound of airport fiction. The translation is flawless bar the one or two spelling errors that only the most obsessed grammasochists would notice (apparently). The graphics have that classic japanimation "economy of expression" look, whereby a single frame of obscenely exaggerated posing counts for up to a minute of sticky backed action.

The characters themselves are more than up to this task. Phoenix has had about three poses total in the last 30 hours of gameplay, so it's encouraging to see him take the main stand in a pink knitted jumper and surgical mask. For the first episode, you even get to play as Mia Fey, who up until now has made most of her appearances as a curve laden spirit channelled from the dead into an eight year old's clothes. In case you're wondering, yes, the signature weirdness in this nature has remained for part three.

But after all, this is a game about being a lawyer from the land of Hentai and ninja game shows. You know it, I know it, and best of all, the translators know it. There's a constant knowing wink to the player about just how ridiculous some of the characters are, and far from detracting from the game, it adds to it.

In terms of difference, there really is nothing that much new in terms of gameplay. The learning curve is certainly a bit shallower than Phoenix Wright: And Justice for All, which makes little sense as it's only current fans that are going to be picking up what is essentially just a new episode of the series. The main changes this time round are the two chances to play as Mia Fey and the fact that this title has one more episode than the last game. Anyone hoping for something akin to the bonus episode of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, which contained full motion video and 3D gameplay elements, is going to have to wait for the first DS exclusive iteration. Sadly, by then, Phoenix will have hung up his badge to make way for his protégé, "Apollo Justice". But if you are one of those types who believe the closer a protagonist's name gets to an alien porn star's the better, then it should be worth waiting for.

But If we can just go back to the whole "train play" thing I mentioned earlier, there should be no need to be disappointed by a lack of new features. Phoenix Wright is not so much a game as a series of interactive novels. Your money isn't going on a team of voice over artists paid to mimic the voices of the original cast, it's going on the sake, mushrooms and entertainment that clearly inspired the Japanese writers to such creativity.

So if Terry Pratchett is allowed to live in a castle made of gold and rare woods for his latest endeavour, (OMG! A magical version of the INTERNETS!) then Capcom's writing team should at the very least receive a nice holiday home overlooking the sea.