Do You Need to Play Ace Attorney Before Investigations?

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection shifts the spotlight from Phoenix Wright to Miles Edgeworth. But what if you haven’t played any of the Ace Attorney games? Do you need to play Ace Attorney before Investigations?

Does Ace Attorney Investigations Need You to Have Played Ace Attorney?

You don’t need to have played the previous Ace Attorney games to play Ace Attorney Investigations. However, you get much more out of them if you have played the first three Ace Attorney games. Why? Because Miles is a much more interesting character if you know his history, and there are situations referenced in the game that’ll mean more if you’ve played previous games. You’ll know that Miles wasn’t always well-regarded, but you won’t know why. And the talk of his father’s legacy has more emotional weight if you know who he was and how he died.

I’d therefore strongly recommend you play the previous Ace Attorney games before jumping into Ace Attorney Investigations. Or, at the very least, sit tight while I deliver a spoiler-heavy round-up of what you should know.

Related: Why Now Is the Time for the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection [Interview]

What You Should Know Before Playing Ace Attorney Investigations

So, if you want to dive into Ace Attorney Investigations but don’t feel like playing the original games, I’ll explain what you need to know about the game’s characters and their situations. Be warned, I’m going to seriously spoil the previous games.

Miles Edgeworth: Miles is a prosecutor who was accused of using dirty tricks to win cases. He never forged evidence, but he did use some questionable tactics, which were taught to him by his mentor, Manfred von Karma. At the end of the first game, he realized the truth was more important than victory, thanks to the intervention of defense attorney Phoenix Wright.

Phoenix Wright: Phoenix Wright is Miles’s former childhood friend and the protagonist of the first three Ace Attorney games. He followed Miles into the legal profession to “save” him.

Dick Gumshoe: Dick Gumshoe is Miles Edgeworth’s long-suffering police sidekick. He’s not specifically in the employ of Miles, but he looks up to him, despite Miles’ frequent jibes about docking his pay.

Gregory Edgeworth: Gregory was Miles’ father and a defense attorney who Miles looked up to, not just as a father but as a role model. However, shortly after exposing the shady antics of prosecutor Manfred von Karma, an earthquake left him trapped in an elevator with his son. Manfred von Karma took advantage of the situation and shot and killed Gregory.

Manfred von Karma: Manfred von Karma took Edgeworth under his wing, training him in the way of the prosecutor and employing the same ruthless approach. This wasn’t out of kindness; he saw it as revenge on Gregory. He was exposed by Phoenix Wright and presumably executed.

Franziska von Karma: Franziska is Miles’ sort-of sister who is known for her tough, no-nonsense attitude and her skills with a whip.

Wendy Oldbag: Wendy is a security guard who’s appeared in a few games prior to Ace Attorney Investigations. She’s short-tempered with nearly everyone but Miles, who she has a crush on.

Larry Butz: A former school friend of Phoenix and Miles, he’s known for getting involved in shady schemes. There was a saying at their school – “If something smells, it’s usually the Butz.”

Ema Skye: Introduced in the first Ace Attorney game’s fourth bonus case, Ema is a police detective who specializes in forensics and eating “Snackoos.”

So the answer to whether you need to play Ace Attorney before Investigations is, technically, no, but you’ll get more out of the game if you at least know who some of the characters are.

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection releases on September 6.