Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle

Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle (レイトン教授と奇跡の仮面 Reiton-kyōju to Kiseki no Kamen?) is a puzzle video game for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the fifth game in the Professor Layton series, but the third story chronologically. The game is a prequel to the series, set after Professor Layton and the Specter's Flute, and continues the story of the search for Jean Descole.
Contents [hide]
1 Plot
2 Characters
3 Development and release
4 Reception
5 References
[edit]Plot

Professor Layton series chronology

The Specter's Flute
The Eternal Diva
The Mask of Miracle
The Curious Village
The Diabolical Box
The Unwound Future

Professor Layton and Luke head to the town of miracles, Montdol in search of the Mask of Miracle. The mask has the ability to grant wishes to its wearer. Layton and Luke arrive at the town to see they are too late, as a mysterious man is using the power of the mask to turn people to stone. Its up to Layton and Luke to solve the mystery of the town. The truth is hidden deep inside the Mask.
[edit]Characters

Main article: List of Professor Layton characters
Professor Hershel Layton – His skill in mastering puzzles and solving mysteries has earned the professor popularity all around the world. He is a professor of archeology in London at Gressenheller University. This professor didn't always have an interest in archaeology!
Luke Triton – Layton's apprentice and son of Layton's good friend, Clark Triton. He accompanies Layton throughout his adventures. He is 11 years old, and is more than a help when it comes to solving puzzles.
Emmy Altava – This 25 year old assistant to Professor Layton has quite the fighting spirit. She is able to defend the party, and is described as a heroine.
Lando Ascad – This rich young man seemed to be the Professor's best friend. He seems to have sparked Layton's interest in archaeology.
Sharon Leidle – Writes a letter to Professor Layton asking for his assistance in the case about the Mask of Miracle. Her true age (35) is masked by her beauty. She married Montdol's millionaire, Henry Leidle.
Broneph Reinel – This man is shrouded in mystery. He knows the relationship between Layton and Jean Descole.
Jean Descole – This evil archaeologist's true motives are unknown. He knows Layton, but how?
Henry Leidle – The 35 year old man helped create the Montdol it is today. Through the town's success, he is now a millionaire, though when he was younger, he was a servant for the Ascad family.
Alfredo Dalston – Another millionaire resident of Montdol, and somewhat of a rival to the Leidle family. He attended secondary school with Hershel, Sharon, and Lando.
Clamp Grosky – Inspector from Scotland Yard. He is very strong and energetic, though he lacks many proper reasoning skills.
Shibarof – Montdol's Chief of Police. He has a lot of respect, despite not being a native to the city. He lacks the many qualities of a detective.
Brummel – One of Scotland Yard's most prominent and experienced inspectors. He was sent to Montdol along with Grosky to investigate the supernatural events. He has the ability to see through criminal's tricks and deception.
[edit]Development and release

The game was announced during Nintendo's E3 2010 press conference, as Level-5's representative game for Nintendo 3DS. During Nintendo's September 29 press event, new screenshots and a trailer for Mask of Miracle were released, showing that the game has received a visual and gameplay overhaul since its jump to 3DS: the typical hand-drawn 2D sprites have been replaced by 3D models of the characters; the player can now examine areas in a 3D perspective; and some puzzles now take advantage of the 3DS' unique features, such as its motion sensor. Despite its new visual style, the series' iconic animated cutscenes remain intact.[1] Mysterious Flower, a song sung by Yumi Matsutoya, is featured during the credits. [2]
[edit]Reception

Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle was the best selling 3DS game on the day of launch, selling 117,589 copies.[3