Hold It! Did you know that today is the 20th anniversary of the entire Ace Attorney franchise? October 12th, 2001 is when the franchise’s first entry was released for the Game Boy Advance in Japan (and it’s currently the 12th in Japan!). Originally known as Gyakuten Saiban (Turnabout Trial), the Capcom-developed series was Japan-only until a rerelease of its first three games for the Nintendo DS, starting with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney in 2005. Since then, the franchise has seen numerous sequels, two spinoff series, and adaptational manga, anime, stage plays, and even a live-action movie.
Initially starring beleaguered everyman defense lawyer Phoenix Wright and his quest to find his various clients innocent of murders they didn’t commit, the cast of playable and non-playable characters has ballooned over the years. The games have become iconic in large part due to their exaggerated and goofy characters, tight writing, and of course the memetic shouting of “OBJECTION!”
For anybody looking to get into the action, the Ace Attorney Trilogy is on the Nintendo eShop, as is the recently released spinoff The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. Both come recommended and are well worth your time, whether you’ve lawyered up in the past yourself or are a fresh-faced attorney.
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
