 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
- Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi
- Price: $29.99
- Genre: Puzzle
Common Sense Media says
More great brain-teasers, with a dark but exciting plot.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the plot-line of puzzle-based adventure Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, just like that of previous Layton adventures, is rather dark, with an eerie foreboding atmosphere. There are a few scary moments -- including explosions, machine gun firing, and booby traps -- depicted in animated scenes. The game itself is full of clever puzzles and brainteasers and provides a great mental challenge for kids.
What's it about?
In PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE UNWOUND FUTURE, the world-famous puzzle-solving detective and his young apprentice, Luke, attend a public demonstration of a scientist's new invention: a time machine. After the time machine explodes, and the inventor and Britain's Prime Minister both vanish, Layton is on the case. Eerie and mysterious happenings occur all over London and Luke starts getting letters from his future self. As the adventure progresses and Layton seeks out the mastermind behind the time-travel abductions, players get glimpses into Professor Layton's past and learn a bit more about his character.
Is it any good?
With this being the third Layton game in the past couple of years and with the basic formula being pretty much unchanged, you might expect the quality of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future to suffer at least a little bit -- but you'd be wrong. While the format is essentially the same as in earlier games -- Layton and Luke explore the city and interview suspects and witnesses who inevitably want to challenge them with puzzles -- the plot here is perhaps the most compelling yet. The animation and voice acting are top-notch, as usual. And the puzzles are all clever, with tons of variety among them. The "super hints" are also a very nice addition that should be great help to players who may tend to get stuck on a certain type of puzzle. So while Unwound Future feels very much like its predecessors, it is still just as good as they were (if not a smidgen better).
What families can talk about
Families can talk about puzzle games vs. action games. Can games that reward fast brains as opposed to fast thumbs be just as exciting? What attracts you to a brainy game like Professor Layton?
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AGE
Fun and exciting
I absolutely love this game! It was interesting, engaging and a lot of fun. The plot twists were incredible. Some of the puzzles might be difficult for younger kids, but that just goes to show you the quality of the game. The animation and "movies" were fun. I couldn't put it down!
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Kid, 12 years old
October 16, 2010
AGE
love love love it. to hard for under 11 though
i LOVE this game. it was really hard (i admit i went online 4 some solutions) but it really felt good after u solved a puzzle by yurself. no concerns at ALL but i will say that in the the prequel to this (the diabolical box) there is a woman who works for a caberet and dresses iffily. love this one tho
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AGE
love love love it. to hard for under 11 though
i LOVE this game. it was really hard (i admit i went online 4 some solutions) but it really felt good after u solved a puzzle by yurself. no concerns at ALL but i will say that in the the prequel to this (the diabolical box) there is a woman who works for a caberet and dresses iffily. love this one tho
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Kid, 11 years old
October 16, 2010
AGE
love love love it. to hard for under 11 though
i LOVE this game. it was really hard (i admit i went online 4 some solutions) but it really felt good after u solved a puzzle by yurself. no concerns at ALL but i will say that in the the prequel to this (the diabolical box) there is a woman who works for a caberet and dresses iffily. love this one tho
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AGE
A kind gentlemen encouraging children to keep their brains active
If you're looking for an educational and yet fun game for tweens and older, you're looking at the right series!
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AGE
A GREAT game
This is a wonderful, wonderful game. I love all the puzzles and characters, and the story is the best, and at times can be very touching. The animation and voice acting is also great. I think it's the best game of the series....(so far) Long live Layton!!
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AGE
The Best Yet!
This was a VERY good game. These are the type of games good to play on a long trip because 1. They make time go by fast. 2. Because you just cant put it down! I got it for Christmas and had a very hard time waiting to start it on the morning of our 9 hour drive. The game has about 40 hours of game play (but that is me it could take longer or shorter for someone else.) to complete all puzzles and mini games. But once you are done you have tons of bonus features and bonus puzzles. You can even download weekly puzzles. If you have the prequel you can get more bonuses! I an now awaiting the release of the next game: "Professor Layton and The Specters Flute" that is what it is called in Japan.
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Kid, 11 years old
October 2, 2010
AGE
that is tho bust game
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AGE
Amazing story, good execution, gut wrenching end.
There's a scene that is important to the story in a casino, and guns are fired everywhere. nobody is shot, and a puzzle is required to continue. some of the puzzles are incorporated rather well into the story. the Big Bad of this story is a bit twisted, trying to destroy the entire city. The ending is like wathing a marathon of the pixar movie "Up". A nice mechanic is the option to get a hint, but this could be abused, as amassing "hint coins" and splurging them allows for easy passes, to what could be a great challenge.
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AGE
Rating this game an A-plus: "That's what a gentleman does."
This is an absolutely brilliant game chock-full of puzzles. It was very hard for me not to play the whole thing in one sitting - the game was so good, I didn't want to put it down! Some of the puzzles can be very difficult, and even with hint coins, this game is probably best for someone over the age of ten or eleven so that they aren't constantly frustrated. There are very good role models (the professor constantly emphasizes being a gentleman). The plot is darker than some of the other games in this series: there are explosions, a rude group of people who fire guns at the main characters, a puzzle involving making a gun that shoots coins, and a man is held hostage. It should be fine for anyone twelve and up. If you like puzzles, this game is definitely worth owning.
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| Platforms: | Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Puzzle |
| Developer: | Nintendo |
| Release date: | September 12, 2010 |
| Price: | $29.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E10+ for Mild Violence |
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