Series guide
All Professor Layton games in order
Six mainline games across two trilogies, released between 2008 and 2013 on DS and 3DS — and because the second trilogy is a prequel, release order and story order are not the same thing. Both orders below, plus the detail most lists miss: the European boxes carry different titles than the American ones.
The short answer
Play in release order: Curious Village (2008) → Pandora’s Box → The Lost Future → The Spectre’s Call → Miracle Mask → Azran Legacy (2013). The last three happen earlier in the story, but the games were written to be discovered in this order — the finale of The Lost Future is the series’ best moment precisely because of what you do not yet know.
Release order — the way to play them
Years are the European releases. The first three form the original trilogy, the second three the prequel trilogy.
- Professor Layton and the Curious Village · 2008 · Nintendo DS
- Professor Layton and Pandora's Box (US: Diabolical Box) · 2009 · Nintendo DS
- Professor Layton and the Lost Future (US: Unwound Future) · 2010 · Nintendo DS
- Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call (US: Last Specter) · 2011 · Nintendo DS
- Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask · 2012 · Nintendo 3DS
- Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy · 2013 · Nintendo 3DS
Story order — the in-universe timeline
For a second playthrough, or if you simply must know where everything sits: the prequel trilogy comes first, and The Lost Future is the chronological end of the story.
- The Spectre's Call — Layton meets Luke for the first time
- The Miracle Mask
- The Azran Legacy — the end of the prequel arc
- The Curious Village
- Pandora's Box
- The Lost Future — chronologically the finale
Fair warning: starting with the prequels defuses several of the original trilogy’s twists. Level-5 numbered the series in release order for a reason.
The crossover and the spin-off
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (3DS, 2014) blends Layton’s puzzles with Ace Attorney’s courtroom battles — best played after the original trilogy, and the hardest of the lot to find physically. Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy (3DS, 2017) stars Layton’s daughter and stands completely on its own — a fine entry point if you just want puzzles without the backstory. Both turn up in our Layton collection when stock allows.
Buying these second-hand
The 3DS titles are the ones climbing in price
Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy were sold digitally as well as on cartridge, and since the 3DS eShop closed the cartridge is the only way left to buy them. Physical copies of the later games were also printed in smaller numbers than the DS trilogy. If you are completing the series, those two are the sensible ones to secure first.
DS cartridges are region-free, 3DS cartridges are not
The four DS games play on any DS, DS Lite, DSi, 3DS or 2DS from any region. Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy are 3DS cartridges, and the 3DS is region-locked — a European cartridge needs a European console. Everything we sell is the EU (PAL) version, so on a European 3DS you are fine.
Check the box language — it matters more here than in most series
Layton is a story series with thousands of lines of dialogue and text puzzles, and European copies were printed per language. Our stock comes from the Dutch market, so many boxes are the Dutch-language version. Every listing states exactly which version you are looking at — worth checking before you order if you want to play in English.
The crossover is the rare one
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (3DS, 2014) sits outside the main series but is genuinely good, and physical EU copies do not turn up often. If you see one for a fair price, it rarely stays in stock long — ours included.
Every copy tested before it is listed
Booting, saving, label and board — checked on real hardware. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked to all 27 EU countries. Originals only; if something ever turns out not to be genuine, you get your money back.
Browse tested Layton gamesQuestions we get asked
How many Professor Layton games are there?
Six mainline games: the original trilogy on Nintendo DS (Curious Village, Pandora’s Box, The Lost Future) and the prequel trilogy (The Spectre’s Call on DS, Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy on 3DS). On top of that there is one crossover (Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, 3DS 2014) and one spin-off starring Layton’s daughter (Layton’s Mystery Journey, 3DS 2017).
In what order should I play the Professor Layton games?
Release order: Curious Village → Pandora’s Box → The Lost Future → The Spectre’s Call → Miracle Mask → Azran Legacy. The second trilogy is a prequel, but the games were written to be played in release order — The Lost Future contains reveals that land much harder if you have not played the prequels first.
What is the chronological order of the Layton story?
In-universe: The Spectre’s Call, Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy happen first (young Luke), followed by Curious Village, Pandora’s Box and The Lost Future. Playing that way spoils several of the series’ best twists, which is why we — and Level-5’s own numbering — recommend release order for a first playthrough.
Why do the games have different names in Europe and the US?
Three of them were renamed for the US market: Pandora’s Box became Diabolical Box, The Lost Future became Unwound Future, and The Spectre’s Call became Last Specter. The games are identical — only the box title differs. Cartridges sold here are the European versions, so the EU names are what you will see on the box.
Do the DS Layton games work on a 3DS or 2DS?
Yes. Every Nintendo DS cartridge plays on the whole 3DS and 2DS family, and DS cartridges have no region lock. The two 3DS entries (Miracle Mask, Azran Legacy) need a 3DS or 2DS from the matching region — our copies are EU versions for EU consoles.
Is there a new Professor Layton game coming?
Level-5 has announced Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, the first new mainline entry since Azran Legacy (2013). Release details have shifted, so we would rather point you to Level-5’s official announcements than print a date here.
Do you ship outside the Netherlands?
We ship to all 27 EU countries with track & trace. Parcels leave from the Netherlands, there are no customs charges within the EU, and your country’s exact rate appears at checkout before you pay.
Years given are the European releases. Deze gids in het Nederlands.
