Layton Layton remains, even on the 3DS

In Monte d'Or, the city of wonders, drives the Masked Gentleman mischief that has seemingly magical powers and sometimes even people transformed during his performances in horse or stone freezes. As Professor Layton receives a call for help from an old friend, he sets out with assistant Emmy and apprentice Luke in mind, to uncover the secrets of the mask wearer. Here, the professor gets on a track that leads far into his own past ...

In principle, also the fifth part of the 'Professor Layton' series plays (which also play without knowing the predecessor leaves) Like its predecessors, namely as a mixture of a thrilling interactive novel and a puzzle book: It controls Layton & Co. by City, encounters quirky characters and solve puzzles that are more or less embedded sent into action. As usual, the rich puzzles across all genres, from logic puzzles about shifting puzzle to solitaire variants, so that for every taste is catered for. Who is stuck in a puzzle, can buy up to three tips for hint coins, then there for two hint coins the Super-Tip, the solution involves, in most cases.
Difficult puzzles give more points with which bonus material can unlock. Overall, the head nuts are somewhat simpler than its predecessors (but which could also be because that you are familiar with the mindset of mystery guru Akira Tago in the fifth part of getting better and falls for no longer any joke). The game features 135 puzzles to find 15 more can be unlocked by completing certain tasks. As a special bonus also is available for one year a 'riddle of the day' to download. While these puzzles do not reach the quality of the main game, but at least a nice sideline.

A technical change has resulted from the jump on the 3DS: In the predecessors to the events played on the touch screen off. But since it is complicated to represent in this 3D graphics, you can see the city now on the top screen. Is controlled via the touchscreen: In the examination mode is carried out a magnifying glass over the touchscreen, which appear to parallel on the top of the screen and turns when you find a point with which you can interact. This indirect control is initially a little getting used to, but can be mastered and simplifies the search for hidden objects like coins Note significantly.

The 'Mask of Miracle' plays featuring puzzle and a gripping story while skilfully the strengths of the Layton series out, unfortunately, there are also a few significant weaknesses:
- The mystery is in fact generally good solubility, a few, however, have cheated in between that are not just thought. If you want to assign a dental impression and said at a wrong answer gets that the tooth shape is irrelevant, that's kind of weird. Moreover interfere especially in the logic puzzles that simultaneously does not have the task and the solution screen in mind.
- There are quite a lot of time puzzles that require little thinking power and be easily solved by trial and error.
- There are still bottlenecks, so puzzles that you absolutely must solve. This is but mitigated by the Super-Tip.
- The figures are not drawn for the first time (outside of cutscenes), but consist of polygons, so you better come in 3D advantage. If you do not play in 3D, but act Layton and his friends by chunky and out of true in the truest sense of the word.
- After the last Layton parts but suffered from a certain lack of innovation, the designers have this time tried to bring in some variety, but this has led to mixed results: The riding minigame does not fit in a puzzle game. For this reason, it would have been nice to make it completely optional. In addition, the control varies between this and oversensitive 'not responding'. The cave expedition fits perfectly to the game, but is too long - two or three levels lower would have been better here. The Robot Mini game was in similar form with the predecessors. While the rabbit Tamagotchi also recalls a previous game, but brings enough variety thanks to its parallels with Nintendogs into play. Well done, however, is the shelf game
- The story is predictable. Who is behind the mask of the Gentleman, is pretty clear.

In absolute terms, 'Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask' in spite of the small weaknesses is a very good game, but relatively speaking, it does not quite reach the charm of its predecessor. Anyone who has played the previous parts with enthusiasm, the will also have fun on the fifth part. But who takes his first steps in Layton's world, you should rather pick up the 'mystery village' or the 'reputation of the Phantoms'.