While it doesn’t have the longevity of some other popular Nintendo titles like Zelda or Pokémon, it has been going strong for over a decade and received a lot of praise. The puzzle adventure game got a literal cult following. And who can blame the fanatics out there? Japan even gave this franchise an anime series, manga, and some novels (sorry, only in Japan). The gameplay is fun, the characters are charming, and the storyline is engrossing. Personally I fell in love with the universe at first sight. It has an endearing simple art that any fan of shows like Adventure Time or Over the Garden Wall will love. And to compliment the art it also has a rather intriguing original soundtrack which sets the mood for puzzle solving. Considering how varied the music is I think it’s almost impossible to try to rank all the tracks – so for this list I’ll pick my top 10 songs and rank them from every game in the series.
10. The Journey Begins
Game: Professor Layton and the Curious Village We are going to start off the list right with the Journey Begins. It is a simple song that can really get you excited about the game and sets the atmosphere for the rest of the universe. This is one of the first songs you hear when playing the game, but it’s really enticing. Very innocent-videogame-village-like.
9. Let This Happiness be Eternal
Game: Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva This is an absolutely beautiful song. Though the entire OST from this title feel a little out of place to me among the series as a whole, I can’t deny that this game has some really great music. Present song included.
8. The Molentary Express
Game: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box This is the kind of song that gets you ready for adventure. Unlike some of the later contenders on the list, it gets you ready for a mystery without being foreboding or scary. A feel good song for a game that(cutting out the questionable storyline) has some rather innocent gameplay.
7. The Windy Village of Hoogland
Game: Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy This song is sweet and surprisingly chipper for being so slow. This is something I would expect from a 90s anime movie or those old kid’s shows that takes place in a forest somewhere. Even though this game is fairly newer and I certainly can’t count it as part of my childhood, there is a nice nostalgic charm to this old-fashioned tune. Maybe it’ll strike a nostalgic cord with some younger readers.
6. Monte d’Or City of Miracles
Game: Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Now I like any and all things creepy. I can do haunted houses, horror movies, even Ouija boards. My one weakness is the whole circus thing. I hate circuses. The crowds, clowns, and caged up animals always freaked me out. So as one might imagine, I do not enjoy the music either. This song is distinct and original, but also has some very evident circus elements which cannot be ignored. Nothing will leave such an unsettling feeling quite like circus music… and I have a feeling that’s exactly what this song is going for.
5. Song of the Sea
Game: Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva Arguably this song has some of the most intense music from the entire series. This song was my absolute favorite from this game. It’s dark, mysterious, and strangely beautiful. It is exactly the kind of music I imagine appearing when something ominous and foreboding is drawing you to the end of the ocean on a stormy night. It gives me the same vibes I got from the mermaid egg song when Harry Potter was in the Triwizard tournament. I just love geeking out on this stuff.
4. Calm Afternoon
Game: Professor Layton and the Last Spector This refreshing song is a lot calmer than the rest of the songs on this list and not too heavy on the creepy undertones. The slow music is akin to the type of music you’d expect to hear on a quiet cobblestone alley in Europe, where a street performer quietly plays his accordion. Something like that. It makes the atmosphere seem more calm and tired than dreary and depressing to me. But I know some people would disagree on how it sounds. What I hope no one can disagree with is that it’s a great song for video game music!
3. Asian Street
Game: Professor Layton and the Unwound Future Even though this franchise was created it Japan, the entire world comes under heavy influence of western in European cultures. Besides the fact the main character is a professor in London, the character design and soundtrack are for the most part distinctly European-inspired. I always find it interesting when these sorts of games try to incorporate aspects of Eastern culture as well, as they are often beautifully merged together to make something unique and awe-inspiring. This song is a great example of that. Although there are recognizable elements of traditional Asian music, this was masterfully composed so that it didn’t really stand out from the rest of the soundtrack as odd or unmatching.
2. A Disquieting Atmosphere
Game: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box The name seriously speaks for itself. It is like the track of a horror movie where they are trying to build suspense that something bad is going to happen. But then the music never climaxes. This is the perfect tune to add a little friendly stress to the game. The slow moving rhythm and soft tunes make me feel like I should be tiptoeing everywhere. Classic Professor Layton if I do say so myself.
1. Layton’s Theme
Game: Professor Layton and the Curious Village For any readers who have seen my other ranking articles, there really should be no surprise here. This is the main theme to the original song giving it a generous amount of sentimental points. It is also the perfect Layton song which I believe manages to check all the boxes on what this game series is really like. I know that I am not alone when I say my favorite genre of literally anything is cute with creepy undertones. This is almost like if someone took a track that belonged in a feel-good small town game like Animal Crossing, and added a twinge of scary suspenseful feelings in the background. This is a track I would totally play at a kid-friendly Halloween party, and I bet a few of the kids would recognize it.
