Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, is a text adventure game released by Capcom in October of 2005 for the Nintendo DS (released a month earlier in Japan under the name "Gyakuten Saiban ~ Yomigaeru Gyakuten). It is a remake and adaptation of the GBA game Gyakuten Saiban (often translated as "Tournabout Court" or "Comeback Court"), which was released only in Japan in 2001. Gyakuten Saiban 2 and 3, also released on the GBA (and again only in Japan), came out in 2002 and 2004 respectively. The series was received with moderate success and has spawned a modest amount of merchandise, including soundtracks, collectable figures, art and fan books, and a short, promotional manga.
The series has grown by a considerable margin since its release to the DS. With a fourth game in the works Capcom has even started putting out an original manga in Bessatsu Young Magazine. Even Capcom employees on their official fansite have remarked on the unusual amount of word-of-mouth advertising that has spurred Ace Attorney to sell out in the USA again and again. What started as a small adventure series is turning into a cult hit with a small, but steadily growing and very passionate fan base.
PW:AA is an adventure game where you play the part of Phoenix Wright, a novice defense attorney on his first case. It consists of investigation and courtroom sections, in which you gather evidence, speak to witnesses, and then take your findings to court where you "battle" opposing council to get an acquittal for your client. The fifth case takes advantage of the DS features by allowing you to view evidence and character profiles on the bottom screen, along with 3D evidence manipulation and voice recognition.
Gameplay is focused almost entirely on investigation and reasoning, and it's lack of traditional "action" and huge amount of text is off-putting to some gamers. It is often described and marketed as an "interactive novel". The game's strengths are almost entirely in its story and characters, which are brilliantly done with in depth cases and colorful, stylized animations. Those that have compared it to the Sega CD cult hit "Snatcher" are not far off. Phoenix Wright is a charming and unique gaming experience and a must have for any fan of the genre.
