Layton and Ace Attorney Creators talk about their crossover title

Level 5 CEO Akihiro Hino and Capcom Director Shuu Takumi had the chance to talk in detail about bringing Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright together for their crossover title at Tokyo Game Show 2011 giving some insight into the development of the universe-bending puzzler.

At the stage show Level 5's Hino revealed that he considers himself a fan of the Ace Attorney series and reveals that when Level 5 set out to create Professor Layton they had the Ace Attorney series in mind as a title to beat with the puzzler. As such, he'd wanted to see Layton and Phoenix join forces for some time.

Capcom's Takumi told the crowd at the panel that he felt that that the idea of a collaboration where characters from each series would meet and work together would be something they'd never seen before.

At the panel the two go into detail about why the game is set in a medieval world, stating that such a world has a 'chaotic' trial system which would frustrate and challenge both Phoenix and Layton alike despite them both being intellectual characters. Trials in this title take place via 'mob' - instead of cross examining one witness as in the Ace Attorney games the two heroes will sometimes be faced with several witnesses at once all shouting over each other, making them harder to extract information from.

Takumi also reveals that he was doubtful that the transition of Phoenix Wright and Maya into 3D would go successfully at first but now believes the art and animation style settled on for the title fits the lawyer perfectly.

Siliconera has a more fully-featured translation of the panel as well as the full video if you can understand Japanese. Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney is set to be released in 2012 in Japan; a Western release is yet to be talked about at all. We can expect fresh information on the game out of Japan in October, when Level 5 hold Level 5 World 2011, a hands-on event.