Nintendo Confirms Inferior EU Layton

Nintendo of Europe has confirmed that Europe will receive an inferior version of the fourth Professor Layton on DS. There has been a lot of confusion over whether or not Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call would include the Brownie Brown-developed extra RPG mode, London Life. This was included as a special unlockable bonus in the Japanese edition, and was announced as a 100-hour RPG experience, with graphics reminiscent of Mother 3 on GBA (also co-developed by the ex-Square staff members of Nintendo-owned Brownie Brown).

However, whilst US readers will not only be able to get Professor Layton and the Last Specter with this bonus, but it will also be unlocked from the very start. Sadly, Europeans are being completely let down here despite the fact that this territory is by far the strongest for Level-5's highly impressive puzzle adventure series, which has sold over 5 million copies across Europe since its debut in 2008.

Below is a recent response regarding the matter:

Many thanks for your email. The bonus role-playing mini-game called Professor Layton's London Life will not be available to European fans. Localising software remains a high priority for Nintendo; however, in this instance it would have significantly delayed the European launch of the game. We took this decision as Professor Layton and the Spectre’s Call is bursting to the brim with brand new puzzles and a surprising and captivating storyline. We wanted to make sure our European fans could get their hands on the game this year.
- The Nintendo Team.

What follows is the full European Press Release and a recent US trailer:

Eponymous puzzle-solver Professor Layton returns exclusively to the Nintendo DS family of consoles including Nintendo 3DS (in 2D), in a new mysterious adventure, Professor Layton and the Spectre’s Call, available across Europe on 25th November. Professor Layton and the Spectre’s Call is bursting to the brim with brand new puzzles to challenge and delight both seasoned Professor Layton fans and those new to the series. The exciting storyline, set three years before the events of Professor Layton and the Curious Village, follows the story of how Professor Layton first met his soon-to-be trusty assistant Luke. Players will also be introduced to Layton’s female assistant, Emmy, who is keen to work with him to discover the mystery behind the Misthallery spectre. The more puzzles you solve, the closer you will get to cracking Layton’s latest mystery.

This new instalment still features the animated charm and hand-drawn art that has featured in the previous Professor Layton titles, as well as lots of brand new content. Brand-new minigames and all-new episodes can be unlocked as you progress through the game. Each episode offers you a glimpse into the life of some of the interesting characters that you meet while solving the case.

As well as guiding Layton through this captivating new storyline, you can also get to grips with three new minigames. Lay a train track for a small model train to pass through all the stations and reach the goal, or juggle verbs to get the right performance on stage. The third new minigame involves you guiding a fish around an obstacle course to collect golden coins. However, if you are new to the series, this is the perfect time to join the millions of existing players across Europe, so be sure that Professor Layton and the Spectre’s Call is at the top of your Christmas wish list this festive season.

Join Professor Layton and Luke as they embark on their most thrilling adventure to date in Professor Layton and the Spectre’s Call, which arrives in Europe for Nintendo DS family of consoles and Nintendo 3DS (in 2D) on 25th November [ ED: 17th October in US ]