Video Game Review: Professor Layton and the Curious Village

When I first saw the ads for "Professor Layton and the Curious Village", I was a bit skeptical. After all, who hasn't seen the dozens of games out there for the Nintendo DS that involve mind games and puzzle-solving? What can you do to add to the plethora of brain teasers out there already, and make it fun and entertaining?

But this Nintendo DS game, created by Level 5, goes far beyond anything I've seen before. You start off with the arrival of Professor Layton and his young apprentice, Luke, in the area of St. Mystere. The good Professor has been asked to solve the mystery of a missing inheritance. Once he arrives at the Village (and getting there is trouble enough!) he finds himself dealing with a murder, missing people and a variety of characters who may want to help or hinder him in his search for the answers.

Which, by itself can be easily mistaken for any number of detective games. But what makes this game unique is the puzzles that you face at almost every turn. There aren't your usual two-minute puzzles; these are brain teasers that range across the board from number games to visual puzzles to matchstick tests and are guaranteed to have you stumped or at least reaching for a piece of scrap paper. With over a hundred puzzles imbedded in the Village you're sure to spend hours searching every nook and cranny to find and solve them all - because the items you find behind the puzzles help you solve the mysteries! Along the way you can also collect "hint coins" that can be cashed in to help you solve the tougher puzzles - and you'll need them, trust me!

The visuals are breathtaking, to say the least. The developers not only used the resources of the Nintendo DS double screen to the utmost, they also included many animated scenes that are sure to have you pining for a full-length movie! From the initial entrance of the Professor to a thrilling chase by a Ferris Wheel (yes, I said chased BY a Ferris Wheel) to the eerie illumination of the mysterious tower in the center of St. Mystere, the animated shorts are worth the price of the game two-fold. Professor Layton and the Curious Village also utilizes the Nintendo DS stylus to the best of its abilities, allowing you to draw on the screen to input numbers, letters and to draw figures or to circle items depending on the puzzle. I'd advise anyone purchasing this game to be sure to cover your screen with some sort of protection due to the amount of drawing that you'll be asked and prompted to do, however - if only to scribble notes on the bottom while trying to decipher the puzzle!

But this game isn't all just about the puzzles - there's also a painting to be reconstructed, two rooms to be furnished and other tasks that need to be completed on your quest to find out the secrets behind St. Mystere and the Golden Apple. This really is a game that will have you rushing to start it again after completing it to see if you can not only better your time and your score, but to also complete the most puzzles in the least amount of time overall!

Nintendo is also supporting this game with FREE downloadable puzzles through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection available at most outlets. This means that while you're stuck with the puzzles in the game you can download and attempt even more puzzles! The support for this game includes a wonderful website with animated shorts allowing you to view the characters and experience a bit of the complexity of Professor Layton and the Curious Village.

Filled with brain teasers and intricate puzzles that will have you working for hours on the Nintendo DS, Professor Layton and the Curious Village is sure to be a hit with older video gamers looking for something to strain their grey cells. In Japan there are plans for a trio of Professor Layton games and I only hope that we will see them translated and released overseas for the rest of us! Between the excellent graphics, unique gameplay and patience-trying puzzles, Professor Layton and the Curious Village is a must-have for the serious Nintendo DS gamer who likes to test their puzzle-solving skills!