The Ace Attorney series has been going strong for over 20 years. For those who need help keeping track of it all, Capcom has revealed an official timeline for the Ace Attorney franchise.
Take a look at where the various titles in the series take place via the official X post from Capcom:
If you are wondering why there are two pictures, Capcom messed up initially, placing the two Investigations titles further apart than intended.
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As you can see, the series spans many years. It starts with the two The Great Ace Attorney games, featuring Phoenix Wright’s ancestor, Ryunosuke Naruhodo. These take place in the late 19th century. Then we move ahead 100 years to the trials and tribulations of Phoenix Wright, where he stars in a trilogy of adventures. Next, we have the two Ace Attorney Investigations spinoff games featuring everyone’s favorite prosecutor, Miles Edgeworth. Finally, we have the Apollo Justice trilogy taking place seven years after Wright’s last game, with the titular character becoming the series’ new protagonist.
It’s helpful of Capcom to release this timeline, especially with the Ace Attorney Investigations titles making their way to North America next month. However, notice how one important crossover isn’t mentioned on the timeline. The 3DS game Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is nowhere to be seen. What gives? I guess it is not considered canon, seeing as how the team-up messes with the Phoenix Wright chronology.
Regardless, it is interesting to see how the range of courtroom visual novels all fit together. Nowadays, multiple platforms play host to the Ace Attorney series, but nothing comes close to the DS games. Not being able to shout “OBJECTION” or “HOLD IT” into a microphone doesn’t feel right to me.