Kohler's translation of the puzzle reads:

The four photographs below were taken in the same place.

Of the four people in the photos, three of them came as a group, and each had their picture taken one after the other. The one other person came on a different day at a different time.

Pick the three photos that have the people who all came together.

He swears you can solve the riddle just from that screen shot — so go for it!

Other than that tiny tidbit, there's some interesting info about some new features introduced in Layton's fourth outing. For one thing, we get some story insights since this is the first game in what's basically a prequel for the Curious Village-Diabolical Box-Last Time Travel trilogy. (Last Time Travel is coming Stateside eventually, according to developer Level-5 headman, Akihiro Hino.) For another, we get a rundown of three new mini-games: Fish-feeding, Puppet Theater and... a train set?

Sounds pretty cool to me.

What's New In Professor Layton's Fourth Outing [Game Life, Wired]

Titled Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, the game features an overhaul of the game system. The "miracle mask" is connected somehow to the mask worn by bad guy Death Call in Professor Layton and the Devil's Flute. The game's art seems to be set in a carnival.

Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask is scheduled for release in Japan sometime in fall 2010.

These are "FuruFuru" figures, which basically means "bobblehead", only more subtle, with everyone's proportions in order. There are two available - the good Professor and Luke - and you can import them for just under $30 each.

Steep, yeah, but on the bright side they're not asking you to solve any stupid match-stick puzzles in the checkout process.

Professor Layton FuruFuru Figure [NCSX, via Go Nintendo]

Hino said the current trilogy will close out with "Professor Layton and the Last Time Travel," and a new one will open with "Professor Layton and the Flute of Malevolent Destiny," to be released in Japan.

"The new trilogy will also be based around solving puzzles, but will also include greatly improved bonus modes so I think that players will be able to enjoy the games for even longer. We currently have no plans for a Wii release," Hino told ONM. So, there ya go.

Will Professor Layton Be Released On Wii? [Official Nintendo Magazine via Gamers Reports]

The movie will be produced by Japanese studio TOHO and will get an entirely new story drafted by Level 5 president Akihiro Hino. Hino is the brains behind all the previous Layton games as well as directing the forthcoming Dragon Quest IX. The game's voice actors will reprise their roles for the feature animated films.

The Layton movie is an original story from series creator Akihiro Hino and will feature game characters Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke. Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva will be produced by Masakazu Kubo, producer of the Pokémon films.

Crispy's list of the twelve most uncomfortable pairings is video game history is pretty much spot-on, echoing my own sentiments at every turn. If you played through Professor Layton actively wondering about the professor's relationship with his young male companion, you've probably got the same sort of mindset. One that would make you question the relationship between Marcus and Dom in Gears of War.

Marcus and Dom have a special man-bond because they have endured things "down in the Hollow" — Roadie Runs, laying down suppressing fire for one another, enjoying tender moments during cut-scenes between levels — that no vacation at even the mighty Hedonism Resort with their bikini-clad lady friends could ever top. I picture Dom late in life, alone in his little trailer, holding Marcus' old bandana to his face, inhaling his scent, and remembering their down-in-the-Hollow times together. Those sure were some times...

Poor Dom. My favorite uncomfortable pairing, however, would have to be number two on the list.

The scariest videogame of the year doesn't have the words "Silent" or "Hill" in it. It's this game from the classy people at Activision. This is the first time in the series' history that the game actually features an Unlockable Ghost. That ghost is Kurt Cobain, who can be used — yes, that's the right word here — to create all sorts of uncomfortable pairings like these. Why not just go a step further, Activision, and include some autopsy pics as unlockables, too?

I'd have to agree here - playing as Cobain was hands-down the most uncomfortable experience I've had in a video game. What could be even more awkward? Hit up the link below to see the pairing Crispy Gamer thought was more awkward than zombie Cobain.

Uncomfortable Pairings [Crispy Gamer]

This second full-length movie trailer (with some handy English fan subtitles) again skips out on the puzzles the teaser trailers had. But it adds an exploding boat. Also, you get to see the Japanese actors behind the voices of the Professor, Luke and other characters from the movie.

Also, there's more Layton sword fighting – which means a lot to you, if you've beaten Diabolical Box. Gressenheller University must have a hell of a fencing team.

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva is out in Japan December 19.

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva - movie trailer 2 (with subs) [GoNintendo]

Let's say, for snots and giggles, that Professor Layton was a NES. What would it look like? Perhaps, just perhaps, it would look something like this.

8-bit Professor Layton theme by Nonsak. I feel... [Tiny Cartridge via Infendo]

Sadly, I don't think the trailer is a puzzle like the first two teaser trailers we saw back in March. However, the animation looks pretty spiffy and Layton fans are sure to love all the new plot teasers in this 93 second long cinematic treat. If they can understand Japanese, that is.

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva comes out in Japan on December 19. The plot's completely separate from the video game series. However, the film is being produced by Pokémon film veteran Masakazu Kubo, so we can expect fidelity to character design if nothing else.

Professor Layton: The First Movie [via Go Nintendo]

Yep.

At upcoming event Level-5 Vision 2009 in late August, the developer will reveal a trio of new titles. Current games that Level-5 is developing include Studio Ghibli title The Another World, a new Professor Layton game to go with the upcoming Layton anime, soccer RPG Inazuma Eleven 2, build-your-own-robot PSP role-playing-game Cardboard Senki and the company's digital distribution platform ROID.

Oh! And Level-5 just developed Dragon Quest IX for Square Enix. You could say Level-5 is busy. You could say a lot of things.

Level-5 Vision 2009 [Official Site via Game|Life]

Nintendo and Level 5 to the rescue, then. This bundle, timed to coincide with Father's Day, is being offered in the UK for around £120 (USD$195), and includes a black DS Lite, a copy of Professor Layton and the Curious Village and probably the best bundle box art we've ever seen.

Sadly, the art doesn't continue onto the DS itself, which is a standard black, but then this is targeted at your Dad, not you.

[via MCV]

The online retailer is showing Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box as arriving on these shores on August 24th. Call that unconfirmed, because Nintendo of America has yet to announce the game for a release, let alone dating the thing. But Amazon's listing notes the next Layton title will have "tons of in-game puzzles of different types and difficulties" and "three times the voiced dialogue and movies of its predecessor," which would seem like they know what they're talking about.

The Japanese version, known as Layton Kyouju to Akuma no Hako, shipped in November of 2007 to solid sales. A third game in the series, Layton Kyouju to Saigo no Jikan Ryokou, was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan late last year.

If Amazon's listing is accurate, that's good news for fans of the series.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box [Amazon via GoNintendo]

We reported yesterday that gaming research analyst Jesse Divnich of the EEDAR group sees impressive results in Activision and Nintendo's recent use of non-game celebrities to hype games.

Celebrities and games. They've crossed paths plenty of times before, but we reached out to Divnich for more insight. He said that a new celebrity endorsement era is upon us.

"The use of celebrities to endorse games they aren't actually in is relatively new and rightfully so," he wrote to Kotaku in an e-mail. "It wasn't until 2006 that we began to see a large influx of casual and mainstream gamers into the market." He credits the simplistic controls of the Wii and DS for expanding the demographic to more people who would be swayed by a celebrity pitch-person.

Also important, he noted, is that the number of games being made has diminished since 2005, even as industry revenue has doubled. That means that big titles are making more money, enough to justify plunking down some dough for a celebrity endorsement.

Divnich said that the celebrity-who-isn't-even-in-the-game endorsement strategy has worked:

"In March, Nintendo ran a series of commercials with Lisa Kudrow to promote Professor Layton. The results? Sales in March 2009 surpassed first month sales back in February 2008. The game got a serious second-wind on retail shelves. Not because of an expansion pack or a price drop — common reasons why we would sales increase. It was all because a commercial was shot with a celebrity playing the game for 30 seconds, that's it!"

The other example Divnich likes to cite is the Rock Band - Guitar Hero war. He said that the amount of marketing money invested in each has been similar but that, in his view, the celebrity-focused campaign of Guitar Hero has helped it win out in the sales race this past season against Rock Band, which was advertised with game characters.

So… the idea is that celebrities, who have, until recently, seldom promoted games they're not in, can turn games into hits by playing them in TV commercials. Even a year after the game was released. Your gaming dollars at work. Sold?

The DS game is scheduled to go on sale October 1. The sequel, which has the full title of Inazuma Eleven 2: The Threat Of The Invader, features an alien soccer team.

Inazuma Eleven 2 [Level-5]

This is the logical conclusion for the second game in the Professor Layton series — it sold like hotcakes in Japan and Curious Village did pretty decently stateside as well. But, now that the head man at Level 5 has said so, let it be known as true: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box are going to the US "in the next six months."

Currently there are four out in Japan plus one "friendly version" of the first game and a special edition of the second game. Hino said during the main part of the lecture that he wants all six of the Layton games to come to the US and Europe.

Cheers to Rebochan for cluing me in; I had to duck out of the Level 5 Q&A to make it to that God of War III panel.

Professor Layton And the Demon God's Flute is the first of a new Layton trilogy. The mysterious story recounts a legend in which giant destroyed a village.

The game is set three years before Professor Layton and the Curious Village and reveals how Professor Layton met his apprentice Luke.

The Layton movie is an original story from series creator Akihiro Hino and will feature game characters Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke. Professor Layton and the Immortal Songstress will be produced by Masakazu Kubo, producer of the Pokémon films.

Both clips feature puzzles where the answer is eiga, or "movie" in English.

Titled Professor Layton: The First Movie (there will be others?), the flick is slated for January 2010 in Japan and will follow the adventures of Professor Layton and his young assistant, Luke. This isn't the series first foray into features. Last year, Level 5 announced a live action Professor Layton film.

New details have emerged about the Layton anime. It will be produced by Japanese studio TOHO and will get an entirely new story drafted by Level 5 president Akihiro Hino. Hino is the brains behind all the previous Layton games as well as directing the forthcoming Dragon Quest IX. The game's voice actors will reprise their roles for the feature animated films.

Besides the Layton anime, Level 5 does have a strong anime pedigree. The company is also collaborating with Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli for the upcoming Ninokuni: The Another World.

レイトン教授：１０年に劇場版アニメ化　大泉洋と堀北真希も出演　脚本は「ドラクエ９」開発者 [Mainichi] [Pic]

The dev apparently has a little soirée planned for September 26 known as "Level5 Vision 2008." It's not, as far as we know, sponsored by one of its top-tier publishers like Square-Enix, Sony or Nintendo, so we'll temper our expectations. But we're certainly curious.

Level-5: 'wait for shocking announcements from Level-5!' [Gamekyo]

Poor mobile games. Always the hope for the future! Always the laughing stock of the present. And fair enough, too. Cheaply made, rubbish to control, the vast majority of mobile games are a waste of everyone's time. Oh, unless you're Japanese, and pick up a Panasonic p906i. If you do, well, you'll be able to play Professor Layton. In widescreen, no less! And if you can't be arsed counting matchsticks, there's a nice-looking Gundam game on offer as well. Can have in West, please? Kind of bored of my 4th successive phone with a Worms clone.

Panasonic P906i [Product Page]