I suppose Professor Layton would say "a gentleman doesn’t let other people control them" as a reason why players could only tap on arrows to move in past Professor Layton games.
Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle changes the formula in ruins mode where you get direct control over the young professor. Controls are similar to a top down RPG where you can move Layton in four directions. The "A" button is for actions like pushing boulders. Ruins mode showcases Layton’s love for archaeology while he hunts for hint coins with Rand.
Level-5 also created a horseback riding mini-game where Layton chases a fossil that comes to life. You move Layton and the horse by sliding the professor on the touch screen. Grabbing carrots makes your ride faster. Hitting barrels slows Layton down. Nintendogs better watch out because there is also a pet raising mini-game where Luke cares for a rabbit and teaches it tricks.
With all of these features Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle is shaping up to be one of the heartier games in Japan’s Nintendo 3DS launch day lineup.
