If you’ve been struggling to justify paying the used price for a copy of Ghost Trick, one of the most innovative and inventive puzzle games of all time, you’re in luck. On June 30, 2023, a remastered version of this excellent one-off is making its way to a new generation of gamers. This may be your first time hearing about this particular game, or you may be a veteran, waiting for it to make its triumphant return to the masses. How many different versions of Ghost Trick have there been over the years, and has it been available to just about everyone? Let’s find out below.
When Did Ghost Trick Originally Release In North America?
While originally released in Japan the year prior, Ghost Trick burst onto the scene in North America in January 2011, bringing something to the Nintendo DS unlike we’d ever seen before. You’re placed in the shoes… or rather, the spirit of Sissel. You don’t actually get to control his physical body during this adventure, but rather, his soul as you try to uncover the mystery of your own murder.
Related: What is Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective? – Answered
There are tons of twists that keep this one exciting, and you’ll never know what kind of kooky characters you’ll run into next. One moment, you’re speaking to a sentient lamp, and the next moment, you’re trying to save a dog from getting assassinated. It’s something rather out in left field, and your interest may be ramping up a bit more than originally anticipated.
If you’re hoping to play this copy of the game in all its glory, you’re going to need to fork out a pretty penny for a used copy, which normally fetches upward of $100 on the market. Thankfully, there are a few other options available to you.
Ghost Trick Gets Re-Released On iPhone
In February 2012, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was released exclusively on Apple iOS devices. This meant that you could jump into the fun on your iPhone or iPad, using the larger screen to absorb more of the detailed and colorful worlds than you could on your Nintendo DS.
Related: When Does Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective Release? – Answered
After a while, however, Ghost Trick and Ace Attorney were both removed from the App Store, only to make their triumphant return back in 2021, giving gamers the chance to experience this story once again. My personal first experience with Ghost Trick was on my iPad Air back in the day, thanks to the recommendation of a friend, and my appreciation of the game became ever more apparent.
While Android gamers did not get the chance to experience this particular version of the game, with higher resolution art and assets, there is a bit more hope for those that haven’t given this game a try just yet.
Ghost Trick Is Being Remastered For Modern Consoles
If you’re looking for a definitive way to experience this classic, a remastered version of Ghost Trick is right on the horizon. Available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Steam, there is no reason not to jump in on the fun this time around.
Feel free to jump into the available demo, which is available now, so you can give this puzzling adventure game a try. While I think that the best version just so happens to be on the Nintendo Switch, thanks to the use of touchscreen functionality like the Nintendo DS original, you can’t go wrong on any platform thanks to the new control scheme that the developers have cooked up.
Will we eventually see Ghost Trick make the move to VR or other platforms in the future? Or will we finally get a sequel or spiritual (heh) successor that we deserve? We can only hope so, so even if you have the slightest bit of interest in this one, make sure you’re picking it up to give players hope for more adventures with Sissel.
While there isn’t much on the market like Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, there are plenty of other excellent games coming out of Capcom Studios. It seems like they’re hoping to bring the past back to life, especially seeing as you can play a selection of excellent retro titles in Street Fighter 6.
