I think one of the weird things about the iOS gaming market is how big games can seemingly come out of nowhere and be on sale without much of a word from anyone. The latest example comes from Capcom, who recently scored a serious hit with their release of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite ($14.99). Following in the footsteps of that dedicated handheld-to-mobile port, none other than Ace Attorney 5 suddenly appeared on the Japanese App Store today.
Previously exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS, Ace Attorney 5 tells the story of Phoenix Wright’s return to the defense attorney’s bench after his early retirement in Ace Attorney 4. He’ll be facing off against the death-row convict-turned-prosecutor Simon Blackquill, a man with more than a few dark secrets. Phoenix will have a little help from the previous game’s protagonist, Apollo Justice, and the newest member of their team, Athena Cykes. The game spans five cases, with a sixth bonus case available as downloadable content.
Ace Attorney 5 is a free download that allows you to play a special trial version of one of the cases. You can buy the entire main scenario via a 2,000 yen IAP, the bonus case for 600 yen, a set of extra costumes for 100 yen, and a bonus quiz mini-game for 300 yen. Check out the launch trailer for the Nintendo 3DS version to get an idea what the game is like.
Unlike the three sprite-based games included in last year’s Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright Trilogy HD (Free), this game was created in 3D with polygons, and the iOS version renders them with a dramatically improved resolution. This game already looked fantastic in its original form, and it looks even better here.
That also offers a likely explanation as to why we’re getting Ace Attorney 5 without so much as a hint of the sprite-based Ace Attorney 4. While that game is something of a black sheep in the series, it does have some strong story ties to this game, so it’s odd to skip over it.
Given Capcom’s recent track record and the existence of an English script for the 3DS version, I’m almost certain Ace Attorney 5 will make its way to English iOS fans sooner or later. We’ll update you with more details as we get them, so please keep TouchArcade open in your court records to make sure you receive all the most recently updated testimony. In the meantime, you might want to warm up your objecting finger by pointing it at your beloved family pet, because you’re going to need it for this game.
