Parents' Guide to Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy

Aside from spruced-up graphics, there's nothing too surprising to be found in this collection of text-driven games, the oldest of which dates back to 2005 (or 2001 in the series' native Japan). The characters and storytelling still have that distinctive Japanese flavor that most Western players either quickly or never warm to, and legal cases play out the same way they always have. That limits this game's appeal to older players who've already worked through them and those who grow easily frustrated with the trial-and-error nature of these games' courtroom conversations.

But it could prove a delight for older tweens and teens who were too young to have played the original Phoenix Wright games when they first arrived. The courtroom battles remain dramatic and interesting, and methods that Phoenix comes up with to prove his cases remain as clever and satisfying as they ever were -- as long as you don't mind indulging the shenanigans he often gets away with, such as surprise witnesses and unexpected physical evidence. Still, there's no denying that the series remains an island of intellect in a sea of games that continue to rely primarily on combat and violence to solve protagonists' problems. Plus, the chance to get three games for the price of one is enticing.