Phoenix Wright Doesn't Object to a HD iOS Port

[The Wooster]

Phoenix Wright Doesn't Object to a HD iOS Port

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy HD features HD graphics and "fine-tuned" controls.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is currently available on iOS, but while the game's GBA-era sprites look great on the iPhone, they don't hold up quite as well on the larger screen of the iPad. The version collected in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy HD doesn't necessarily look better, but it does look crisper. The collection was released in Japan back in February and is scheduled for a NA release this Autumn.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy HD includes the NDS versions of the first three games in the series, complete with "upgraded" HD graphics and "fine-tuned" controls for iOS systems. Each game can be bought separately or as part of a bundle, which should cost around $15 if the pricing of the Japanese version is anything to go by. The first game's first two chapters will be available as a free demo.

Unlike another NDS game [http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/world-ends-you-solo-remix/id544695089?mt=8] that just got ported to iOS, Ace Attorney Trilogy HD is a universal app.

You can judge the game's new HD art style for yourself by taking a look at these screenshots [http://www.capcom-unity.com/xantista/go/gallery/view/3559625?pref_tab=photos], but purists may find them upsetting. The games seem to have gone through the same trace-over-sprites-with-thicker-lines process that Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix went through, and their clean cell shading has been replaced with the same blur-tool-heavy shading you often see in Sonic the Hedgehog fan art. Unless these screenshots have been hastily resized - which is certainly possible -there's also some heavy duty aliasing going on around the game's line art and text.

The games can be played in portrait mode, which offers a simulated two-screen experience similar to that of the NDS releases, or you can turn your iPad sideways, in which case the app will bookend the screen with artwork. The game also includes a new feature called "Everyone Object," which lets you harass your friends via twitter or email by bombarding them with quotes and animated clips from the games.

Source: Polygon [http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/8/29/3276863/phoenix-wright-ace-attorney-trilogy-hd-coming-to-ios-this-fall]



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[Signa]

As much praise as PW gets, I don't think it gets enough. There just aren't a lot of other games out there that are even CLOSE to its design

 

[Waaghpowa]

So they'll port the Ace Attorney games for iOS, but they wont localize Investigations 2 or Layton vs Wright. Seriously?

Wouldn't it be more work to port and re work controls for a touch screen than it would be to translate the damn game from Japanese to English?

Oh wait, they're Japanese, English is harder for them. *Joke and not intended to take seriously*

 

[Kekkonen1]

I object! Well I guess I dont really, but I never liked the iOS-ports of Phoenix Wright. I am a HUGE PW-fan, but the iOS-ports just feels off, the HD-look just makes it look like a cheap flash-game, it feels laggy and I miss the sound of the text blipping forward. I would much rather have Investigations 2 or a new Phoenix Wright-game actually starring Phoenix Wright.

 

[RanceJustice]

I like that many formerly "dedicated gaming handheld only" titles are showing up with "upgrades" on smartphones and tablets, but I do wish that Capcom, SquareEnix and others especially would realize that iOS isn't the only mobile platform out there! At absolute minimum, where is the Android version? Some may "Oh, Android is harder because of lots of devices with different specs etc..." but considering that Apple's products have all the compatibility to throw varying aneurisms even with their limited hardware and software profile, I really don't think Android is more difficult to work with (and actually can say, scale properly as the OS was designed to work on a multitude of devices.

I'd really like to see a lot more games move off the 'dedicated' proprietary handhelds and onto convergence devices that often eclipse them in hardware power and features. However, I've long ago left my foray into Apple's walled garden and I'm certainly not going to go back for a few games. I'm not asking that these titles all be ported to Maemo/MeeGo, but at very least bring them to Android. At the moment, it is not only the most "open" mobile smartphone/tablet platform around, but also has a larger market than iOS.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Awesome. Are these ports of different games than the iPhone Phoenix Wright game? I have the iPhone one and love it, but I'm not paying $15 for the same game poorly made HD.

 

[excalipoor]

If this is iPhone 4 and up only like TWEWY, I'm going to punch an iPhone.

Awesome. Are these ports of different games than the iPhone Phoenix Wright game? I have the iPhone one and love it, but I'm not paying $15 for the same game poorly made HD.

It's the first game plus its two sequels. I'd say it's worth it even if you're wasting 5 bucks.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

If this is iPhone 4 and up only like TWEWY, I'm going to punch an iPhone.

Awesome. Are these ports of different games than the iPhone Phoenix Wright game? I have the iPhone one and love it, but I'm not paying $15 for the same game poorly made HD.

It's the first game plus its two sequels. I'd say it's worth it even if you're wasting 5 bucks.

Ok. Well if they're sold separately I'll just buy the sequels. I really liked Ace Attourney on iPhone.

 

[RaikuFA]

I'll only buy it if it can help AAI2 release everywhere else.

Just fuck off Capcom for making us do this.

 

[MyNameIsNowNotMyName]

You know what I wouldn't object to? A GODDAMN OVERSEAS RELEASE OF ACE ATTORNEY: INVESTIGATIONS 2!

What's with all the goddamn iOS ports? First the bullshit tease countdown site for The World Ends With You, now this?!

I am severely pissed...

Well, hey, at least there are localization teams working on AAI:2 on the court record forums, so, if it never actually does come out we can still play it in English...

 

[4RM3D]

As someone who doesn't own a NDS and still likes Phoenix Wright very much, this is (mostly) good news. I'll definitely be picking this up, once released.

I like that many formerly "dedicated gaming handheld only" titles are showing up with "upgrades" on smartphones and tablets, but I do wish that Capcom, SquareEnix and others especially would realize that iOS isn't the only mobile platform out there! At absolute minimum, where is the Android version? Some may "Oh, Android is harder because of lots of devices with different specs etc..."

That is not the main reason. I can't speak for every dev, but Android is just less attractive for many devs compared to iOS.

1) iOS users buy more games and spent more money on the games than Android users.
2) Android has a much higher piracy rate.
3) iOS was first and (the iPhone) had better hardware, making an initial rush towards iOS. When Android became popular many devs were already sticking with iOS primarily. Although it is slowly shifting towards Android.

 

[fissionmoon]

So they'll port the Ace Attorney games for iOS, but they wont localize Investigations 2 or Layton vs Wright. Seriously?

Wouldn't it be more work to port and re work controls for a touch screen than it would be to translate the damn game from Japanese to English?

Oh wait, they're Japanese, English is harder for them. *Joke and not intended to take seriously*

I actually think it would be more work for them to translate it. They already have at least the idea of how the touch controls work laid out from the DS version, so the don't have to completely come up with a new control scheme. Not to mention the port of the first game they already made for iOS probably already has the controls all set up, so they just needed to apply those two the other two games.

Really the thing about translation though is that it isn't just translation, it's localization. They aren't just taking the Japanese words and translating them exactly into English. They also have to research and change things like pop-culture references to better suite the audience in whichever country they are localizing for. There are also often other changes besides just pop culture references, such as names, sayings and turns of phrase that are lost in translation and need to find an equivalent, and I am pretty sure that the present Phoenix Wright translations a have even changed the setting from somewhere in Japan to L.A., California.

Just changing the controls and whatnot around a bit for iOS for a game already available outside of Japan is probably much simpler (and also probably cheaper, to be honest. Although don't quote me on that, as I am just guessing on that one) than localizing a new game.

 

[itsausernamewhatofit]

I hate to be "that guy" but as someone who has played all three of these games, I do find the HD version of the graphics upsetting. It's just sort of weird and disquieting to see them like that for me.