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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Nintendo
• Published on: 2009-07-31
• Released on: 2009-09-25
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
• Platform: Nintendo DS
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .62" h x 4.93" w x 5.75" l, .25 pounds

Features

• Professor Layton and Pandora's Box
• A riveting new mystery and more than 150 new brain teasers, riddles and logic puzzles to challenge and delight players.
• Increased amounts of voice work and beautiful animated movie scenes compared to the original.

Amazon.co.uk Review
The professor of puzzle-solving is back, with a bigger adventure and even greater dangers than before. While investigating the death of his mentor Dr Schrader, the Prof. and his apprentice Luke are embroiled in a dangerous mystery concerning a box that is said to kill any who open it.

A train ticket for the Molentary Express is the Prof.'s first clue

Every puzzle has three levels of hints to use, so you should never get stuck

The Molentary Express has a whole host of peculiar people to meet and chat to

Even looking after your pet hamster is turned into a puzzle

As you board the Molentary Express you enter a new world filled with bizarre characters and over a hundred new puzzles to test your grey matter. From simple riddles and maths problems, to logic puzzles, optical illusions and block-sliding style brainteasers - no two challenges are ever the same.

There's always a helpful hint to ensure you never get stuck for long though and plenty of rewards for when you get them right - from keep fit gifts for your pet hamster to ingredients for the ultimate cup of tea. Training your brain has never been this much fun!

Key Features

• Puzzling variety: Over 150 brand new brain-busting puzzles to uncover and solve, with even more variety and surprises than last time.
• Animated adventure: If you liked the cartoon style cut scenes in the first game you'll be amazed how much better, and numerous, they are here.
• Special rewards: Every solved puzzle has its own special reward, from opening a lock on your journal to gaining new pieces to the Prof.'s camera or gifts for your pet hamster!
• Trilogy treats: Unlock even more extra features with special codes obtained in the first game and from the third title in the series when it is released.
• Online action: Even when you've beaten the main game you can still download one new puzzle a week with the special Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection option.

About the Developer: Level-5
Now one of the biggest independent developers in Japan, Level-5 rose to fame with role-playing games such as Dark Cloud, Dragon Quest: Journey of the Cursed King and White Knight Chronicles. They've also enjoyed huge success with the Professor Layton series of puzzle game adventures.

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Customer Reviews

The Prof makes a welcome return.
I am now a few hours into this game and feel I have a good enough experience of it to review it now. If you've played the first game then this will feel familiar. The product illustration for this product has a different title, but I believe that is the American version of the game.

It follows the same method of gameplay with a few tweaks. As before there is a plot to link the various puzzles into a common theme - but the truth is that this is essentially a collection of mini-games. To aid the story we are treated to some animated sequences which are even more impressive than the ones in the first game. In fact, the quality of the animation is so good that you find yourself wanting to watch more - and it wouldn't be surprising if eventually the characters appear in another format such as an animated TV series or film!

Although this is an attractive game, it isn't designed for youngsters. There is a lot of reading and the puzzles can be difficult, very difficult! This is one of those games which you can't help but love even when it's frustrating you to the point that you'd quite happily flush your DS down the toilet.

The background story gives the game an edge over other puzzle type games but you can easily get by if you pay little attention to it, this means that the game is perfect to pick up and play for a little while and doesn't require mammoth playing sessions. To be honest you'll probably require regular breaks from the game!

In a nutshell: A game in the spirit of Nintendo's aim to produce games for those the gaming industry traditionally doesn't appeal to. This game is beautifully crafted and is genuinely brain teasing. Although there are many puzzles, they are varied enough to prevent the overall game from being boring. Too many collections of mini-games start to feel stale as the games begin to look repetitive - but not here, it feels fresh and maintains a level of excitement. A perfect alternative for those who have tired of the Brain Training series of games.

Retains the charm, loses the fun
I found the first game to be a highly enjoyable aside to my normal gaming diet, with well crafted puzzles, a silly but entertaining story and quaint characters.

The sequel adds more varied locations and more characters however falls down in one key respect and that is the puzzles. Puzzles are really the meat of a Layton game and no matter how enjoyable (if daft) the story and adventure might be, it all falls down if the puzzles aren't up to scratch.

Unlike the previous game that relied on logic and lateral thinking this one seems to be more determined to catch the player out with obliquely worded puzzles, the kind of which your friend would send you on an email that proclaims that "most 8 year olds got all the question right." There are a few good puzzles here but many land themselves squarely in the world of irritating and require less logical thinking and more the outside the box thinking that indoctrinated executives and business managers seem to laude.

There are a few side quests, assembling a camera being the only really challenging one. Another has you helping a hamster loose weight but this one really isn't that fun or particularly difficult or interesting. There's even some spot the difference puzzles which really aren't puzzles more tests of observation at best.

The game isn't terrible but after the pleasure of the first game this one really loses its way. Hopefully the other four games in the series don't follow this path and that number two is the only "number two" of the series.

Fantastic Game, easier puzzles but so much more to do
I have just completed this fantastic game and had to let everyone know how marvelous it is. If you are lucky enough to have played the first game then expect more of the same - relentless puzzles and incredible cut scenes (although in this case they are all saved up for the end, but what an end!). If you are new to the Layton franchise then look forward to some ingenious puzzles and some really frustrating, but ultimately satisfying, mini games.
Our adventure starts in London, quickly moves to Paris and then we join the Molentary Express on its journey through to the village of Folsense and it's mysterious secrets. Folsense itself is bigger than St Mystere from the first game and the puzzles are spaced out more, which means more exploration. The puzzles start off rather easy and do seem easier then the first Layton adventure, but the difficult puzzles are obtained once you have mastered the various (really good fun too!)mini games.
The mysteries keep on coming in this game and there are more of the unusual characters we encountered from the first game (including a few old faces, like Granny Riddleton and her puzzle shack).
All in all, expect more of the same in the sequel. This is a game that should be on every discerning DS owners wish list.
Cup of tea anyone?