Professor Layton and the Curious Village

I have been playing Professor Layton and the Curious Village on my DS for the past day, and I am totally into it. I have completed 18 puzzles so far, out of a total of 130. These puzzles are so great. They are basically brainteasers that you grew up with, but presented within the context of a mystery. The combination of plot mixed with puzzles, unique artwork, and great soundtrack (I love the accordion music) make for a wonderful gaming experience. The puzzles themselves are varied in difficulty, but I have been able to solve all of them so far while only receiving one hint. Another plus is that the puzzles aren’t timed (at least so far as I can tell), which makes it a relaxing game. My favorite games for the DS are Animal Crossing, Hotel Dusk, and Trace Memory. Professor Layton jumps to the top of the list for me, and I am glad that there are sequels coming out for it. Another cool feature is that in addition to the 130 puzzles that come with the game, you can download a new puzzle via Nintendo Wi-fi each week. As long as you have your wi-fi set up, the process is painless and easy.

In the game, you follow Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke as they travel to the town of St. Mystere to solve a mystery. Along the way, you pick up smaller quests, and find items that you keep in your inventory. The movement around the town is semi-free form, but actually very guided. If you want to explore the town, Luke will hint that you should be following a different path. I kind of like this approach. I really enjoy the puzzles, but don’t want to be endlessly searching for them around the town. For me, the game mechanic is perfect!

If you are into brainteasers and have a DS, this game is a definite must-have. It’s so awesome.