Parents' Guide to

Professor Layton and the Last Specter

By Mark Raby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Captivating puzzle game makes doing brainteasers a blast.

Game Nintendo DS 2011
Professor Layton and the Last Specter Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

age 12+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 13+

*sigh* Was the sexual talk really necessary?

My middle school boys are not yet permitted to play one of the few educational games I can find nowadays due to the sex humor. Why, developers, why?
age 12+

Couldn't Put This Down

My 12 year old daughter couldn't put this down. She loved it and wants to play the other Professor Layton DS games.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (8):

Professor Layton and the Last Specter continues to live up to the outstanding reputation of the franchise, with an all-new round of captivating and truly unique puzzles and riddles. This latest entry continues to use the same addicting formula of puzzles that are instantly accessible but sometimes seemingly impossible to figure out. Just like its predecessors, players earn more points if they can solve the puzzle on their first try and without a hint, making the rush of submitting an answer for each puzzle as addicting as ever. The story is likewise brilliantly told and captures the imagination. This game is a must-have for puzzle aficionados and is sure to bring hours of fun and enjoyment to Professor Layton veterans as well as newcomers to the franchise.

Game Details

  • Platform: Nintendo DS
  • Subjects: Math: measurement, patterns, sequences
  • Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: analyzing evidence, collecting data, logic
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Nintendo
  • Release date: October 17, 2011
  • Genre: Puzzle
  • ESRB rating: E10+ for Alcohol Reference, Mild Suggestive Themes, Mild Violence, Simulated Gambling
  • Last updated: August 29, 2016

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