Level-5 News Articles
Tuesday9th Jul 2013
Rumour Attack of the Friday Monsters Breaching North American Shores Next Week
There goes the neighbourhood
We're not really sure where giant kaiju come from, perhaps they emerge from the depths or fly down from space, either way the North American eShop has listed Level 5’s Attack of the Friday Monsters: A Tokyo Tale for arrival on 18th July. The third and final game of the Guild 02 series is currently priced in the eShop...
Saturday6th Jul 2013
News European Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney Release Given Some Hope
Level-5 CEO says something is in the works
One title many 3DS owners have been yearning for in the West is Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney, which has been out in Japan since November last year. The game features two characters that have a proven track record in the Western market so many believe it will one day make it to Europe and North America...
Friday28th Jun 2013
Video Debut Fantasy Life Link Trailer Arrives in Japan
How's that localisation going, Level-5?
Fantasy Life, if you don't already know, is a 3DS title that came from a collaboration between Level-5 and Nintendo subsidiary Brownie Brown, which is now known as 1-UP Studios. It's a title where you can choose a a profession and interact with the large game world, and when you feel like it you can embark on...
Wednesday26th Jun 2013
Weirdness Level-5's Favourite Character Poll Doesn't Go to Plan
And the winner is...
As part of the celebrations for its 15 year anniversary, well-known Japanese developer Level-5 recently held an online poll to allow gamers to vote for their favourite characters from the company's lineup. With franchises such as Professor Layton and Inazuma Eleven in its portfolio, some would have expected the voting to be...
Wednesday29th May 2013
News Level-5 Has No Plans To Bring Any Titles To New Systems Just Yet
Currently observing "how technology advances"
Level-5, the Japanese developer behind titles such as Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, Inazuma Eleven, the Guild01 and 02 collections and a whole heap more, is celebrating its 15th anniversary later this year. The time has certainly flown by and in an interview with Famitsu - helpfully translated...
Saturday4th May 2013
News Level-5 Registers Three New Trademarks
Could they be Guild 03 related?
Level-5's Guild 02 titles are already out in Japan and are on their way to the West. The Starship Damrey will be released first - 16th May in North America - and will be followed by Bugs vs. Tanks! and Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale. There's been no official news on any development of a Guild 03 series...
News The Starship Damrey Landing In The North American 3DS eShop On 16th May
The first of three Guild02 titles will be available soon
Nintendo of America's Bill Trinen announced during last month's bursting Nintendo Direct that all three of Level-5's Guild02 titles would be coming to the 3DS eShop over the next few months. Well, we didn't have to wait too long as Nintendo has listed the first of the three titles on its...
Wednesday17th Apr 2013
News Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies Coming To Europe This Year
North America will have to wait until 2014
While today's 3DS-focused Nintendo Direct revealed a few titles that we didn't know about, there were a few pieces of information on those we most definitely do know exist. One of those titles was Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies, which is the last game in the prequel trilogy. We can now confirm...
News All Three Guild02 Titles Are Confirmed for the West
Starships and tanks and monsters, oh my!
During today's Nintendo Direct, Bill Trinen of Nintendo's Treehouse announced that all three of Level 5's Guild02 titles would be heading to North America and Europe soon. The Starship Damrey, Bugs vs. Tanks! and Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale will be coming to the eShop in the coming months...
Tuesday16th Apr 2013
News Level 5 Teaser Site Hints at Guild02 Localisations
The black box returns
After U.S. trademarks were filed for titles that appear to be localisations of Level-5's Guild02 games, Level 5 International America has launched a teaser site similar to the one released for last year's Guild01 series. The Guild collections include small, unique titles from well-known game designers. Last year, Level 5...
Monday15th Apr 2013
News Guild01 Titles Set For Discount in North America
Time to liberate these downloads
European Nintendo Download fans will have seen, in this morning's update, that the three localised Guild01 titles are set for a discount this week, which we optimistically hope is a precursor to confirmation of the Guild02 titles being brought West. The good news is that Level-5 has now confirmed the same deal...
Saturday13th Apr 2013
Video Check Out These Three Guild02 Games in Action
Some thoughtful games, and tanks shooting bugs
It was confirmed earlier this year that Level-5's Guild02 collection is coming to Japan as individual 3DS eShop downloads, following the structure that saw three of the four Guild01 games come to the West. This collection includes three games — Bugs vs. Tanks!, The Starship Damrey and The Friday When...
Wednesday10th Apr 2013
News Level 5's Fantasy Life Ships 300,000 Copies In Japan
Another 3DS smash-hit is on the cards
Level 5 CEO Akihiro Hino has revealed that total shipments to date of 3DS title Fantasy Life have reached the 300,000 mark in Japan. Back in January, we reported that the game — which is a collaboration between the Professor Layton studio and Brownie Brown — had sold out upon release, an event which no...
Wednesday3rd Apr 2013
News Fantasy Life Trademark Appears in the U.S.
Can you hear the people sing?
Level-5 may be concluding business with its most famous character, Professor Layton, but it's a studio that does more than whimsical puzzle titles. Another release that's achieved sales success in Japan is Fantasy Life, an adventure RPG collaboration with Brownie Brown (the Nintendo subsidiary now known as 1-UP Studio)...
Wednesday20th Mar 2013
News Fantasy Life Trademark Emerges in Europe
Now the trademark officer will fight some monsters
Fantasy Life, the adventure RPG collaboration between Level-5 and Brownie Brown (the Nintendo subsidiary now known as 1-UP Studio), has enjoyed a successful launch in Japan. It was practically a sellout in its first week at the end of 2012, and has gone on to accumulate nearly a quarter of a million...
Sunday17th Mar 2013
News Youkai Watch Releasing This Summer in Japan
One to watch out for
Level-5's latest project is Youkai Watch, a 3DS game about a young boy who acquires a special wristwatch that allows him to see ghostly creatures in his environment. Using his own ghosts he can battle them and stop townsfolk from being haunted - such a nice boy. Youkai Watch has now been given a more concrete release, with...
Tuesday12th Mar 2013
News Inazuma Eleven GO Galaxy Announced for 3DS in Japan
We're counting down the years to localisation
During the recent Nintendo 3DS Direct in Europe, it was announced that the third entry in the Inazuma Eleven handheld series would be coming to Europe this summer. As it's the 3DS version (not DS) it seems to be the enhanced edition that was part of a trilogy release in Japan — no trilogy was...
Monday11th Mar 2013
News Launch of Professor Layton's Final Adventure Falls Below Series Heights
Only his 3DS debut performed worse in week one
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies is likely to already be on the wishlists of a number of puzzle fans in the West, arriving in Japan as the sixth main-series title starring the tea-drinking and fashionable hat-wearing academic. It'll bring a conclusion to the prequel trilogy and, if Level-5 sticks...
Friday8th Mar 2013
News U.S. Trademarks Suggest Guild02 eShop Localisations
Hopefully, anyway
In a recent Nintendo Direct focused on the Japanese market, Guild02 was confirmed for the region, a trio of eShop downloads — as opposed to the retail release of Guild01 — published by Level-5 and produced by some of the most respected names in the industry. With three of the four Guild01 titles arriving in the West as...
Thursday7th Mar 2013
News Liberation Maiden Takes Flight to iOS
Flying solo from 3DS
In a surprising development, former Guild01 compilation game and current eShop download, Liberation Maiden, has made the jump to Apple's iOS platform. We say that this is surprising, but it's now just one of a number of 3DS titles that have gone in either direction between the Nintendo handheld and smartphone/tablet devices...
Monday25th Feb 2013
Video Professor Layton's Final Adventure Looks Suitably Epic
Hits Japanese stores on 28th February
It could be a good while before those of us in the West get to sample the delights of Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies, apparently the final adventure with the famous hat-wearing puzzle solver. It arrives in Japan in just a few days, so as a result the promotional videos are going into overdrive...
Wednesday9th Jan 2013
News Level 5: Fantasy Life Will Become A Series
Not just a fantasy
Cutesy 3DS title Fantasy Life has been selling like hot cakes over in Japan with so many copies sold in its first week that the game has reportedly sold out. It's unsurprising then to learn that, during a recent interview with Famitsu, Level 5 has earmarked Fantasy Life as a new franchise for the studio saying it will be made...
Tuesday8th Jan 2013
News 3DS RPG Fantasy Life Already Sold Out In Japan
Hopes of a Western release boosted
Level 5 has a few 3DS games out in Japan that are yet to be confirmed for Western release. Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney has been out since the end of November and just before the New Year the ultra-cute Fantasy Life was made available in both physical and digital form. Fantasy Life is actually developed by...
Wednesday12th Dec 2012
News Level-5 Responds To SEGA's Legal Threats Regarding Inazuma Eleven
"We've concluded that there is no patent violation"
Japanese developer Level-5 has responded to SEGA's recent legal campaign to have the company remove its Inzauma Eleven series from sale due to an alleged patent infringement. SEGA is claiming that Level-5's soccer RPG features a touch-driven interface which violates two of its patents. The...
Tuesday11th Dec 2012
News Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney Receiving Weekly DLC In Japan
Extra content for the next 24 weeks
Level-5, the developer behind the Professor Layton games, has gotten into the habit of being rather generous to us by extending the life of its games with free weekly DLC. Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, for example, has been offering a new downloadable puzzle every single day since its launch and will do...
News SEGA Takes Legal Action Against Level-5 Over Nintendo DS Patent Dispute
Inazuma Eleven to blame?
In one of the strangest turn of events we've witnessed for a while, Japanese publisher SEGA is suing Professor Layton studio Level-5 over the use of touch control patents on the Nintendo DS handheld. Japanese news site Yomiuri Online broke the news, revealing that SEGA was taking action to protect two patents it had...
Friday30th Nov 2012
News Crimson Shroud Confirmed for 13th December Release On 3DS eShop
Third Guild01 titles gets a confirmed date
Level-5 has confirmed that Yasumi Matsuno's Crimson Shroud will launch on the North American and European 3DS eShop on 13th December. This is the third game to be taken from the Japan-only Guild01 collection, with Liberation Maiden and Aero Porter having already made the jump to the west. The fourth game...
Friday9th Nov 2012
News Yasumi Matsuno Steps Away From Level-5
Taking a well deserved - but not permanent - break
It has been announced that Yatsumi Matsuno has left Level-5, the developers behind the Professor Layton series. Matsuno tweeted to his followers that he was retiring from the company due to personal reasons which he didn't state. Matsuno had only joined Level-5 in June last year and had been...
Thursday1st Nov 2012
News Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney to Receive Director's Cut DLC
There's no objection from us
Siliconera has reported that Level-5 is planning to release a director's cut in downloadable content form for its upcoming puzzle adventure crossover, Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney. The DLC, which will be available some time after the game releases in Japan on 29th November, features an unedited script of the...
Monday29th Oct 2012
News Professor Layton Puzzles His Way To Seventh Place in UK Charts
Anything but puzzling
According to UKIE's video games chart information for last week, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask has debuted in seventh place in the UK. The game, which is the fifth title in the beloved Professor Layton series, was released last Friday (26th October) in Europe, and has been warmly received by critics. While seventh...
