Professor Layton DLC already on the cartridge

by Griffin McElroy { Mar 22nd 2008 at 1:30PM }

We're sure that many of you inquisitive DS owners out there have spent countless hours with your eyes peeled to your handheld's twin suns, waiting for Nintendo to post the latest downloadable brainteasers for Professor Layton and the Curious Village. This same group of puzzle junkies may be upset to learn that what they're actually downloading is a code to unlock puzzles which are already on the game cartridge -- essentially meaning that there's a set number of puzzles on the game (162, to be exact).

GoNintendo discovered a supposedly complete list of the game's riddles to back up this claim. You can check out every single puzzle featured in the game, and even choose to sneak a peek at every solution as well -- an action we can't help but feel would be frowned upon by the eponymous scholar and his pint-sized associate.

Tags: dlc, ds, layton, level-5, level5, nintendo, professor-layton, professor-layton-and..., professorlayton, puzzle, puzzles

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Moofree @ Mar 22nd 2008 1:33PM

Just like animal crossing ww.

Moofree @ Mar 22nd 2008 1:36PM

Hack the save file, unlock everything in one fell swoop.
I haven't gotten Professor Layton yet.....

Brian @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:15PM

Very much true.

Fernando Rocker @ Mar 22nd 2008 1:40PM

Still.... is an awesome and addictive game.

Deck @ Mar 22nd 2008 1:49PM

It is a very addictive game but that is so lame. Don't call it DLC if its already on the cartridge!

What are these people at Nintendo thinking?

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:19PM

Technically, you are still downloading a code, so that counts as "DLC". But you've got to admit that it really adds to the addiction factor (the fact that you're always wanting moar).

Deck @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:39PM

Yes that is true. It does add to the want factor. Always leaving you hungry per say. I guess they did do a great job with that portion :-p

Mr Khan @ Mar 22nd 2008 1:54PM

Huh, so you're just downloading the code to unlock it? This has been done before.

In Phantasy Star Online Episodes I & II, and PSO Ep III (the card game), there were certain items (or in ep III's case, cards) that were in the code, but had never been "released" by Sonic Team. Possession of said item or card before its release date was grounds for banning (although you had to go online with the item for it to catch you)

I got hit with that twice. No GM's meant everyone hacked that game. Anyhoo, isn't without precedent beyond Nintendo

Cesaria @ Mar 22nd 2008 1:56PM

Great game, stupid idea.

Tiptup300 @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:02PM

Wow, in the future EA will make a console that reads credit cards. So that when you buy a game for the low price of $30, it only costs $5 to unlock each new level. The credit card slot will be very helpful in easily buying stuff.

peacebyanymeans (AKA: Moorio) @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:04PM

Uh... what does EA have to do with this story?

Tiptup300 @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:14PM

EA is the biggest offender of ripping people off via "DLC"

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Mar 23rd 2008 12:32PM

This is very reminiscent of how EA made you buy cheats for games on the 360 which were just normal free cheat codes on the earlier gen consoles. Obviously not quite as bad, but the fact is that this underlines people's fears; that developers will purposefully hold back the full tide of content to make more money in DLC.

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Mar 23rd 2008 12:35PM

Wait, it's free? Then who the hell cares!

Dan Bugglin @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:04PM

Well it makes sense once you hear that the riddles stay unlocked on the cart... I assumed you downloaded the riddles and they went away once the power turned off.

With the way they did it they only have to store 1 bit for each puzzle unlocked in the save, and the puzzles can sit in the ROM. So that's only 162 bits used, or 21 bytes.

Of course it was misleading of them to say you download these puzzles. It makes it sound like you're getting DLC, aka extra content, when you aren't.

Dracard @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:13PM

At least they're not charging for it.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:20PM

Quoted for Truth.

bm @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:22PM

Yes. This is the important part, something I'm sure the fantards are going to "forget". It's free, and it's plentyful. Kind of like some of those games where certain events only happen at certain times. Or kind of like "downloading" mewtwo from one of those pokemon stations (it was really already on the cart).

It's not even worth a post IMO. But hey.

PSN: KillaKornbread (the shirt is a lie!) @ Mar 22nd 2008 3:00PM

i dont have the game so that was my exact question "are they charging to unlock the content?". and since the answer is no then it really makes it like any other game that has codes for you to unlock stuff. i guess calling it DLC is kind of misleading but it's not unethical by any means. if they had purposely locked the stuff to nickel and dime the consumer and make extra profit then it would be wrong but i dont thing this is that big of a deal. disappointing to some, but not a big deal.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:24PM

Game design wise, I'm not really sure how to feel about this. Obviously it's a lot more practical than actually downloading individual puzzles over the internet, but is it right to make players starve and wait for new content every so often?

But doesn't this system extend gameplay in an enjoyable way? Doesn't this contribute to the game's addictiveness?

I'll quote the dude above me for truth: at least they're not charging for it.

David @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:36PM

One could just pretend to have never read this story, and go on living the lie that he/she is downloading puzzles every week.

Ignorance is bliss.

Cal @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:45PM

DLC stands for downloadable codes!

m @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:51PM

:o I was looking forward to a funny picture for this post.

Nik @ Mar 22nd 2008 3:28PM

Its not like it hurt the experience for them to make these puzzles unlockable on a weekly basis. I don't think anyone would disagree that the main adventure has no shortage of puzzles.

I think the problem is making them exclusive to people with WiFi. I mean if all the puzzles are on the cart they could have just put an internal clock in the game (separate from the one in the DS so people couldn't fiddle with it a la Animal Crossing) so that it released one each week. Our network recently switched over to WPA which means my DS can't get online until I get a USB dongle so no puzzles for me :(

Glenn Stotz @ Mar 22nd 2008 3:40PM

I don't think this was a design choice as much as it was a design necessity. Is it really a surprise it works like this? Where were the "infinite" number of downloadable puzzle games supposed to be stored?

Extinction @ Mar 23rd 2008 5:00AM

A design choice in how to deceive people doesn't excuse the fact they are deceiving people.

Animagnum @ Mar 22nd 2008 3:56PM

It's still fun and something I look forward to every week. It is not like they are charging us anything extra for these. It works just like the seasonal changes (if you don't cheat) in Animal Crossing. Just a matter of being patient. It certainly adds to the reply value considering how they three years' worth of puzzles for the game. It is certainly an interesting discovery, but hardly worth any ridiculous outrage.

Animagnum @ Mar 22nd 2008 4:00PM

Upon further investigation, definitely not three years' worth of puzzles, but I still think it is an enjoyable addition to the game. I completed all of the original puzzles fairly quickly so I am happy that there is something new each week to give me a reason to put the game back in my DS. What's next? Some shocking revelation that the password from the sequel doesn't contain ALL of the code necessary to operate whatever it is that is on the original game? It is extras like these on portable games that makes me less likely to drop it off at the GameStop orphanage.

Extinction @ Mar 23rd 2008 5:02AM

The lies are extras to keep you from selling the game? Yes, all developers should lie to you more often

Animagnum @ Mar 23rd 2008 5:32PM

Wow, somebody is taking this a little too seriously.

PayTheMan @ Mar 22nd 2008 4:03PM

if they were charging for this content i would be pretty pissed but since its free its forgivable. there just a problem in calling it DLC when it is, in fact, already on the cartridge. sure you download an "unlock code" but thats a major step away from actually transferring new levels over the internet.

Jansperus @ Mar 22nd 2008 4:17PM

I love Nintendo just as much as any other thirty-something manchild who grew up with the red plumber, but when it comes to the way Nintendo deals with the online-verse, they really should change their name to Nintendsuck.

David @ Mar 22nd 2008 4:44PM

You know, all this DLC talk reminds me of a puzzle...

Superstar90 @ Mar 22nd 2008 7:35PM

Critical thinking is the key to success!

Jhongerkong @ Mar 22nd 2008 4:53PM

Who gives a shit if its already on the cart? The DLC is free! If it wasn't, THEN I would be pissed but it isn't so who cares?

Extinction @ Mar 23rd 2008 5:03AM

Because people without access to wifi don't have access to games that are on their cartridge they paid for.

Markez @ Mar 22nd 2008 5:56PM

Yknow, I'll give you my 2 cents on this article, but ONLY AFTER YOU FINISH THIS PUZZLE FOR ME.

I agree with David, here, I wish I would've never read this article. Ignorance is bliss. At least there's a decent 'lifespan' of puzzles still to be unlocked. This game is high-technical schweet, so I'll forgive this. Hell, my girlfriend had recently sold all her DS games and bought a PSP, but since she got her hands on my copy of this she's passed out with it 3 nights in a row.

For what a complete weenie Luke is, I must admit he's one of the cooler ones to grace a video game in awhile.

Worst Review Ever @ Mar 23rd 2008 12:59AM

I'm not sure that I understand the puzzle, but I'm gonna say...42?

Markez @ Mar 23rd 2008 1:04AM

Thanks for all the fish, and your comment, sir!

Matthew @ Mar 22nd 2008 9:39PM

I know I wouldn't complete extra puzzles if they were all thrown at me at once, but if I get them one at a time I am very likely to mess around with them. *points at a friend who ignores crossword books given as gifts in favor of the USA Today crossword*

BPM X: Soul Eraser [SSBB: 5026 4120 1186] @ Mar 23rd 2008 2:45AM

Hm, this is just like with Megaman Powered Up for the PSP. All the hidden characters and Roll costumes were already in the UMD; all Capcom sent out was an unlock code.

brian.emerick @ Mar 23rd 2008 3:17AM

how is this news? everyone already knew this. that's the reason it's still there when you reboot.

Extinction @ Mar 23rd 2008 5:05AM

The puzzles could have been saved themselves, like real DLC is

Casey R Williams @ Mar 23rd 2008 3:16PM

Having just bought a Dreamcast a few days ago I have to comment on this. Accepting the trend of online unlockable content is putting a lot of faith in companies to both stay in business and also support their titles indefinitely. Microsoft is trying to end support for XP while people still use 2K and even 98. If I find A DS and Layton, or a 360 with Ninja Gaiden or Halo in a few years at a sale, what are the chances that I can still unlock this content? With the 360 and Halo, the content will likely have been offline for ages, with nothing to do about that. But to have the game in your possession and to be locked out of it because of some stupid code you will never again be unable to download is kind of lame. Never mind I had planned to by Layton for my mother who doesn't have wi-fi, but loves her DS. What ever happened to just tying the unlockables to the clock or save file?

FishBone @ Apr 8th 2008 2:24PM

Yes, what is really the problem here?
Downloading 162 puzzles would never be possible on a DS-game. Everyone should be able to understand this.
It's still DLC, ok you just download the code, but you still get the Puzzle.
So what if you have paid for the game and don't have Wi-Fi?
I just bought Smash Bros. Brawl and that has a ton of unlocks, i will use alot of time to get all, maybe never finish. Even if i own the game, i might not get it all.

If you really are that concerned, wait 5 years before buying the game and download all at once (you should have Wi-Fi in 5 years).