Why you should definitely play the Ace Attorney Trilogy

April has its fair share of big video game releases with the likes of Mortal Kombat 11, Days Gone, and a Switch version of Cuphead. While all of those will be fantastic and worth a pick up, I cannot stress enough how one collection of three games dropping on April 9th should be on your radar if it isn't already: the Ace Attorney Trilogy.  The collection is available to buy on your platform of choice, whether its PS4, Xbox one, or Nintendo Switch, and is reasonably priced at $30 for three games - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Ace Attorney: Justice For All, and Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations. In them, you'll follow the rookie defense lawyer Phoenix Wright as he takes on seemingly impossible cases to prove his clients' innocence in gladiator-like court room banter battles. These mystery visual novel games are packed with zany cases, a range of colorful and memorable characters, and some of the best writing I've come across in video games.  The rerelease also comes with a fresh coat of paint, replacing the nostalgic art style with a cleaner, sharper look. A revamp in the menus is also implemented for a more streamlined experience. I'm currently playing the collection on Switch, and the game looks fantastic in both handheld and docked modes. While I do miss the original look of the games, the HD collection effortlessly delivers the best parts of these games I remember so fondly - the catchy music and sounds, hilarious over the top character moments, and a fun narrative to follow.

You would think calling out contradictions and presenting evidence in legal cases would be tedious and boring, but the Ace Attorney games actually make it exciting and surprisingly satisfying even the second time around. Once you figure out which crucial piece of evidence you need to call out that contradiction and present it, Phoenix Wright yells, "Objection!" and the music ramps up, creating this rush of adrenaline during a pivotal point in the trial - you have the lying witness on the ropes and are closer to the hidden truth.  When you're not in courtroom battles, you're going from location to location gathering evidence for the spontaneous cases Phoenix gets and piecing together the murder mystery. It's in these sections of the game where you'll meet new characters, come across recurring ones, and learn more about our spiky-haired defense lawyer Phoenix Wright and his medium-in-training assistant Maya Fey through the excellent writing. 

Once you a complete a case, you have the option to replay them in an episode-like layout. But of course, you would have to progress through the story first to have the freedom to play any episode at any given time. With three games, you're looking at a lot time uncovering murder mysteries and exciting courtroom drama. Each game can take you roughly 15 - 20 hours to complete, making the collection at least 45 - 60 hours overall.

In my time of being a fan of the Ace Attorney games, one thing is clear: it's always a pleasure to drop into the quirky lives of Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey. I feel at home in these games, and I hope you take the chance to experience them yourself!