Professor Layton and the Curious Village Nintendo DS

Beautiful artwork and challenging puzzle-solving is combined in this handheld title from Nintendo.

This endearing title manages to combine the best of both worlds from puzzle and adventure titles, creating a meld of point-and-click action with the occasional brain teaser. When Augustus Reinhold, a rich baron from the town of St. Mystere, passes away, his hidden treasure must be found by clues left in his will. Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke are called in to explore the town and solve its mysteries. Rather than give players an ongoing string of puzzles to solve, Professor Layton links them together with an interesting plot that slowly develops along the way.

This combining of gameplay styles is held together by the game’s art style, which uses fluid, hand-drawn art and animations to tell its story. Full voiced cut scenes and a collection of crazy characters scattered across the village give the title production values not often seen in a handheld title.

With its striking visuals and original brainteasers, Professor Layton & the Curious Village successfully combines adventuring and puzzles into one charming and humorous handheld title.