Ace Attorney (universe)

Ace Attorney (universe)
Publisher(s)	Capcom
Designer(s)	Shu Takumi
Genre(s)	Visual Novel
Console/platform of origin	GBA
First installment	Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (2001)
Latest installment	Ace Attorney Investigations Collection (2024)
Article on Wikipedia	Ace Attorney (universe)

The Ace Attorney universe (逆転裁判, Turnabout Trial) refers to the Super Smash Bros. series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from Capcom's famous courtroom battle series, Ace Attorney. A visual novel set in what Capcom describes as the "Courtroom Battle" genre, it is considered one of Capcom's flagship series, and sees support and new releases to this day. It is a relatively new addition to the Super Smash Bros. universe, with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate being the first game to feature any content from the series, starting with the inclusion of the series' main protagonist, Phoenix Wright.

Franchise description

Ace Attorney is a franchise centered around a series of adventure video games developed and published by Capcom. It began as a trilogy of comedic legal thrillers known as Gyakuten Saiban (逆転裁判; lit. "Turnabout Trial") created by Shu Takumi and released for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance handheld game console in Japan between 2001 and 2004. The trilogy was later ported to the Nintendo DS between 2005 and 2007 and released internationally, becoming known as the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy. These games follow the exploits of a passionate rookie defense attorney named Phoenix Wright (Ryūichi Naruhodō in Japan) who fights for his clients in a courtroom setting loosely resembling that of the Japanese legal system, using investigative skills, cross-examinations, and evidence.

Subsequent games have branched off and altered the formula of the original trilogy, as well as starring different protagonists. Among these, a duology of detective games known as the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection (逆転検事 Gyakuten Kenji; lit. "Turnabout Prosecutor") place the player in the role of Phoenix Wright's rival, a genius prosecutor named Miles Edgeworth, as he investigates crime scenes using evidence collection, logic, and arguments. A prequel duology set in Meiji-era Japan and Victorian London called The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles (大逆転裁判1＆2 -成歩堂龍ノ介の冒險と覺悟-; lit. "The Great Turnabout Trial 1＆2 -The Adventure and Resolve of Ryūnosuke Naruhodō-") stars Ryunosuke Naruhodo, an ancestor of Phoenix Wright, and a version of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes as two of the main characters. There is also a cross-over title, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, a game outside the main story continuity of the other titles, which sees Phoenix Wright team up with the legendary Hershel Layton from the Professor Layton series.

The original trilogy has also been ported to WiiWare, iOS, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PCs through both physical copies and the Steam digital distribution platform. The original Gyakuten Saiban formula has continued with Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes as new recruits seven years after Phoenix Wright's original adventures.

The Ace Attorney games are officially described as a sub-genre of adventure games known as Courtroom Battles. They trace their inspiration from mystery games played by Takumi in his youth.[1] The key element of most of the games' gameplay is a loop of alternating "investigation" and "trial" parts/acts, with investigations functioning much like a typical point-and-click mystery game and trials progressing somewhat like a linear visual novel aside from the cross-examination mechanic. The Ace Attorney Investigations games are instead officially described as Deductive Adventures and merge these two aspects into one, with the cross-examination mechanic appearing as "arguments". Unlike many Eastern visual novels, the games are linear and do not have any significant branching paths, the goal generally being to solve the mystery and any other outcome being relegated to short bad ending / Game Over scenes or slight variations of no real consequence.

The game is presented primarily in the style of an Eastern visual novel and uses manga-like art through either two-dimensional sprites or three-dimensional animated models, with text dialogue, sound effects, and minimal spoken clips to simulate speech. Each game is made up of four or five episodes; the games and episodes have some interconnection, recurring minor characters, and similar crime elements. The episodes typically become longer and escalate in complexity over the course of each game.

The Nintendo DS releases of the original trilogy added real point-and-click technology, originally via the DS touchscreen, in addition to, and as an alternative to, the normal button-based controls. A microphone function is also available in some releases, allowing the player to shout "Objection!", "Hold it!", "Take that!", or "Gotcha!" at the appropriate times.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Characters

• 
  Phoenix Wright: Phoenix Wright, the Turnabout Terror, makes his debut as a downloadable playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as the second addition to Hinata's personal modded Fighter's Pass. His appearance is based on his iconic blue suit from the original three Ace Attorney games, and he fights using his wits and whatever evidence he can find in the battle.

Music

Source Tracks

Compositions and arrangements directly sourced from the Ace Attorney series with no alterations.

• Pursuit ~ Cornered
• Pursuit ~ Cornered (Cadenza Remix)
• Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2001
• Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2013
• Apollo Justice ~ A New Age of Trials! 2013
• Athena Cykes ~ Courtroom Revolutionnaire 2013
• Pursuit ~ Keep Pressing On
• Pursuit ~ Lying Coldly
• Pursuit ~ Wanting to Find the Truth
• Pursuit ~ Overtaken
• Pursuit ~ The Great Turnabout
• Great Pursuit 2017 ~ The Resolve of Ryunosuke Naruhodo
• Naruhodo Ryunosuke ~ Objection!
• Joint Reasoning (Type A)
• Steel Samurai ~ Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo
• Steel Samurai (Cadenza Remix)
• Great Revival ~ Miles Edgeworth
• Pursuit ~ Cornering Together

Media with elements from or in the Ace Attorney series

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

• Playable Characters:
  • Phoenix Wright originates from this game. Many of his moves reference staples of the Ace Attorney series that started in this game. Maya Fey also appears in some of his moves and victory poses.
  • Phoenix's burgundy alt references Miles Edgeworth, his most frequent rival in the courtroom who also originates from this game.

• Music
  • "Pursuit ~ Cornered": The main "Pursuit" theme of the game, sourced directly.
  • "Pursuit ~ Cornered (Cadenza Remix)": A remix of the above track, made by the band Magical Trick Society.
  • "Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2001": Phoenix's theme in the courtroom when pressing a minor advantage, sourced from this game.
  • "Steel Samurai ~ Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo": The theme of the Steel Samurai TV show, a very popular show in the Ace Attorney universe, sourced from this game.
  • "Steel Samurai (Cadenza Remix)": A remix of the above track, made by the band Magical Trick Society.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All

• Music:
  • "Great Revival ~ Miles Edgeworth": Edgeworth's theme, sourced from this game.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations

• Playable characters:
  • Phoenix's green alt is based on Godot, the rival prosecutor of this game.
  • Phoenix's orange alt is based on Furio Tigre, a character who bears a striking resemblance to Phoenix and uses this to his advantage in order to pose as Phoenix in court.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney

• Playable characters:
  • Phoenix's red alt is based on Apollo Justice, the protagonist of this game who goes on to work under Phoenix at the Wright Anything Agency.

• Music:
  • "Pursuit ~ Overtaken": The main "Pursuit" theme of the game, sourced directly.

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth

• Music:
  • "Pursuit ~ Lying Coldly": The main "Pursuit" theme of the game, sourced directly.

Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor's Path

• Music:
  • "Pursuit ~ Wanting to Find the Truth": The main "Pursuit" theme of the game, sourced directly.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies

• Playable characters:
  • Phoenix's yellow alt is based on Athena Cykes, a rookie defense attorney who Phoenix takes under his wing in this game.

• Music
  • "Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2013": Phoenix's main theme from this game, sourced directly.
  • "Apollo Justice ~ A New Era of Trials! 2013": Apollo's main theme from this game, sourced directly.
  • "Athena Cykes ~ Courtroom Revolutionnaire 2013": Athena's main theme from this game, sourced directly.
  • "Pursuit ~ Keep Pressing On": The main "Pursuit" theme of the game, sourced directly.

The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures

• Playable characters
  • Phoenix's brown alt is based on Ryunosuke Naruhodo, Phoenix's ancestor from Meiji-era Japan, who debuted in this game.

• Music
  • "Pursuit ~ The Great Turnabout": The main "Pursuit" theme of the game, sourced directly.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice

• Music
  • "Pursuit ~ Cornering Together": The main "Pursuit" theme of the game, sourced directly.

The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve

• Music
  • "Great Pursuit 2017 ~ The Resolve of Ryunosuke Naruhodo": The main "Pursuit" theme of the game, sourced directly.