While it was only a short teaser, fans of the Professor Layton franchise finally have something to cheer about after LEVEL-5 and Nintendo confirmed everyone’s favorite gentlemanly puzzle-solver is finally embarking on a new adventure after nearly a decade of being sidelined.
Professor Layton and the New World of Steam looks like it will bring Professor Hershel Layton and his apprentice Luke Triton to the Nintendo Switch properly for the first time, though it won’t be the debut of the franchise on the system.
Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy was the latest release for the Layton franchise and followed Katrielle Layton, the daughter of Professor Layton. It was released in 2017 on 3DS and mobile before making the jump to the Switch a year later.
Prior to that, the last time the good Professor starred in a game was Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy on 3DS in 2013 or 2014, depending on your region—unless you count the Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney crossover, though that released in English in Aug. 2014, nearly two years after its Japanese release.
As for The New World of Steam, we know basically nothing about the game other than that it is now in development and Professor Layton is making his return in the coming years. The designs shown in the trailer do show a new, distinct art style and some steampunk elements for the world, but that is about it.
You can expect LEVEL-5 to put in the work in order to bring Layton to a new generation of puzzle-solvers. Hopefully, that will mean new mechanics, a deep story, and the same fantastic character writing the franchise is known for.
We should hear more about this game in the coming years as development moves forward, and The New World of Steam should be the first Professor Layton title to release with a shared global launch rather than a staggered window.
