Description

Please Note: 3DS titles are not compatible with standard Nintendo DS consoles

Archaeologist and puzzle-solver Professor Layton is set to return in an all-new adventure that will take players deeper into the professor's past than ever before: Professor Layton And The Miracle Mask.

Featuring 150 brand new brainteasers and a new set of minigames courtesy of the Professor's Trunk, Professor Layton And The Miracle Mask also boasts 365 additional Daily Puzzles distributed via the Nintendo Network - one puzzle a day for a whole year from the day of the game's launch.

The fifth game in the series sees you pick up with Layton, Luke and Emmy some time after the events of Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call. The intrepid trio is called upon to stop the mysterious Masked Gentleman from terrorising the city of Monte d'Or with magically dark miracles, such as turning citizens to stone. The professor suspects the involvement of the Mask of Chaos, a mask rumoured to bestow great power upon whoever wears it. The revelation takes Layton back to a dark episode of his past, which may hold the solution to the problems of the present. These flashbacks introduce Layton's parents and childhood friend Randall, and allow you to play as the 17 year-old Layton, who pays a high price for discovering his passion for archaeology...

While being presented in the charming hand-drawn style of previous games in the series, Professor Layton And The Miracle Mask on the Nintendo 3DS system uses 3D animations and character models to bring depth to the visuals. The game also features a brand new game mode that sees the young Professor Layton explore ancient ruins and requires you to help him reach the exits of a series of puzzling chambers while avoiding a variety of obstacles and mummy enemies.

There are also three new minigames available from the Professor's Trunk. The Toy Robot challenges you to control a wind-up toy robot that always moves three steps at a time. Navigating a series of contraptions along the way, can you guide it to the goal safely? The second addition is One-Stop Shop where your skills of stocking shelves in an appealing way are put to the test - you'll only succeed if you manage to entice customers to buy everything off the shelves in one go. Finally, in Rabbit Show, you'll help Luke train a circus rabbit that has been deemed unfit to perform by its angry ringmaster. Chat with and train the rabbit to teach it new tricks and perform in plays that will persuade its master to accept it back into the circus.

• Puzzles are the key: Unravelling the mystery of Misthallery in this thrilling prequel to Professor Layton and the Curious Village, and finding the truth behind this spectral saga won't be easy. You'll need to explore and investigate the setting, interview its people and (most importantly) solve any puzzles you encounter. Some conundrums will come from the townsfolk and some will be hidden around town - it's up to you to find them, because it's only by solving brainteasers that you will crack this case.
• Plentiful Picarats: Every puzzle you solve is worth a number of picarats, with greater amounts for trickier puzzles. If you give an incorrect answer, the number of picarats you'll receive may decrease - so think carefully before you put forth your answer.
• Helpful hint coins: Thankfully, you will find hint coins all over the place - simply search the Touch Screen with your stylus and they could spring out of anywhere! These handy tokens can be cashed in to purchase puzzle hints, and in a nifty turn of events, using them doesn't reduce the amount of picarats you will earn.
• Keats the Cat: Should a puzzle definitively discombobulate you, you can always step away with grace and come back to it later. Any puzzles you haven't completed, or sneaky hidden ones you didn't find at first, will be kept in waiting for you with Keats the cat (assuming you can find his current basking spot around town) since our usual great puzzle-hoarder Granny Riddleton has pushed off for a well deserved holiday.
• Download puzzles: Of course, on top of the intriguing and extensive main story, there's also the opportunity to download weekly puzzles via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection!