Investigation

Investigation chapters are chapters in Ace Attorney games that occur outside of the courtroom. The protagonist usually searches for evidence, interviews witnesses, and investigates the scene of the crime.

Investigations in the core series

Generally, upon entering a new location, or upon entering an already visited location after triggering a new script, a scripted event runs and then the player is presented with four functions: "Examine", "Move", "Talk" and "Present", which are represented as buttons that can be pressed or selected using a d-pad-controlled cursor and the A button. All four functions are necessary to trigger events necessary to progress through an investigation chapter.

"Talk" and "Present" will only appear if there is a person to whom the protagonist can converse or show evidence.

Examine

This allows the protagonist to search for clues in the area. The player can guide crosshairs to a point of interest (using the d-pad or by touching the point) and then confirm the location (by pressing A, pressing the "Examine" button or touching the same location again). One thing to note is that the "Examine" button will only appear if the crosshairs are at a point of interest; otherwise, the protagonist will say, "No clues here."

Special examination modes are sometimes triggered. For example, in Farewell, My Turnabout and Bridge to the Turnabout, Dick Gumshoe gives Phoenix Wright an electronic tool - a bug sweeper in the former and a metal detector in the other - to investigate the presumed scene of the crime. The bug sweeper reacts to electric current and the metal detector reacts to metal; the strength of the reaction signal is determined with a "CHECK" gauge. In Rise from the Ashes and Turnabout Succession, Ema Skye gives the protagonist a fluid to spray onto an area to detect blood in the former case and atroquinine in the latter case.

Move

This allows the protagonist to move to another unlocked location that is connected to his current location. Sometimes, no locations are available, and some script is triggered instead.

In the MASON System, "Move" is replaced by "End Search", which takes the player back to the MASON interface.

Talk

This allows the protagonist to choose from one of up to four topics to discuss with a person in the current location. Sometimes, discussing one topic or doing something else will unlock another topic of discussion.

In the MASON System, Phoenix Wright can access his magatama here by pressing X or touching the magatama icon on the top of the touchscreen.

Present

This allows the protagonist to show a piece of evidence or a character's profile from the court record to a person in the current location. In Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Justice For All and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations, Phoenix Wright can access use his magatama by presenting it. "Present" does not allow Wright to use the luminol spray or the fingerprinting set in Rise from the Ashes; these can be used by selecting "Court Record" (by pressing R or pressing the Court Record button), an option that is available at almost every user prompt.

Investigations in Gyakuten Kenji

Characters will appear as small sprites standing at a specific point in an area rather than as large sprites facing the player. Miles Edgeworth and Dick Gumshoe will also appear as such and the player will be able to move Edgeworth around.