Ace Attorney – Top 50 Tracks

I love Ace Attorney. I love a great videogame soundtrack. Therefore the fact that I haven’t made this type of list yet baffles me – so to make up for it, I’m ranking a whopping fifty tracks across the entire series (spinoffs included!).

Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way first – this list is subjective, there will be SPOILERS, and the titles of tracks may be different to what you expect as it varies from country to country.

As a quick refresher, here are the labels I use when talking about each Ace Attorney game:

• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney = PW
• Justice For All = JFA
• Trials & Tribulations = TT
• Apollo Justice = AJ
• Dual Destinies = DD
• Spirit Of Justice = SOJ
• Ace Attorney: Investigations = AAI
• Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Path = AAI2
• The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures = DGS [The Japanese version of the title had those initials, so that’s what I refer to it as]
• The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve = DGS2

Alright – with that out of the way, how would I rank the top 50 Ace Attorney tracks? (I’ve even put them in their own tiers just for added fun / convenience!)

Good

50 – JFA: Psyche-Lock

It’s rare for a gimmick track to make much of an impression, but I adore how otherworldly “Psyche-Lock” sounds.

It’s one of my favourite investigation tools across all of the games, and the unsettling soundtrack accompanying it certainly adds to the creepy atmosphere.

49 – JFA: Courtroom Lobby

Straight out of the gate, Justice For All’s “Courtroom Lobby” theme is far moodier and more intense than its predecessor’s. You can tell things are about to get serious.

48 – TT: Reminiscence – The Scenery Seen from Dusky Bridge

The fourth case in Trials & Tribulations is one of my favourites – the tragic case surrounding it has repercussions felt many years afterwards, and the theme that plays alongside it is very emotive.

While not the best reminiscence theme, “The Scenery Seen from Dusky Bridge” can certainly tug on the heartstrings.

47 – AJ: Courtroom Lobby

After the original trilogy, the developers of Apollo Justice needed to set themselves apart from what came before – and the soundtrack also reflected that.

The “Courtroom Lobby” theme is a breath of fresh air, with the best production and synth mix up until that point in time.

46 – PW: Reminiscence – The DL-6 Incident

I’m not going to deny the fact that the DL-6 Incident was impactful enough to guarantee its theme a place on this list, but even still it’s a quality piece of emotive music.

45 – GAA2: The Professor – A Spectre Revived

I feel that reminiscence themes outside of the original trilogy didn’t quite nail the emotion and drama, but the Professor case’s theme hit all the right notes.

“A Spectre Revived” has that Victorian charm that the rest of the Great Ace Attorney soundtrack boasts, all while keeping you on the edge of your seat in tension.

44 – JFA: Reminiscence – The Fire Carves Scars

“The Fire Carves Scars” has the unique position of being a fantastic reminiscence theme without the case itself having a profound impact on me – and that just goes to show how good it is on its own.

43 – SOJ: Pursuit – Cornering Together

The only Spirit Of Justice song to make my top 50 (it’s not a soundtrack I love that much, sadly), “Cornering Together” is my pick for “worst” Pursuit theme in the series.

It still works well in the moment, and you can’t deny how energetic and fun it is. I guess it just doesn’t have the same impact on me as the other Pursuit themes.

42 – AAI2: Joking Motive (Raymond “Ray” Shields’s Theme)

A great character theme full of all the slick charm as the rest of the Investigations 2 soundtrack, Ray Shields’ theme “Joking Motive” cements him as a cool cat before you even get to know him.

41 – JFA: Cross Examination – Moderato

Strangely enough, I find the slower “Moderato” version of Justice For All’s Cross Examination theme to be the better one.

It’s inquisitive and curious, and a great backdrop for working out the initial mysteries of the case (and it’s also in 13/8 time for you music aficionados).

40 – DGS: Court Is Now In Session

A bombastic way to open court proceedings, Great Ace Attorney’s Court theme is one of the franchise’s very best.

It’s full of drama and magnitude, with a strong horn and string section to pull you in to the sheer scale of it.

39 – PW: Trial

The original “Trial” theme is still a banger.

It isn’t as dramatic and foreboding as the future entries are, and instead the songwriter opted to provide a chill backdrop to ease you into it.

38 – DGS: Victory – Great Turnabout Dedicated to a Friend

I haven’t included many “Trial Won” themes since I feel they’re over-indulgent and a little bit soppy, but Great Ace Attorney’s victory theme sounds like sweet triumph personified.

37 – DGS: Great Cross Examination – Allegro

A little like with Justice For All’s Cross Examination theme, Great Ace Attorney’s one is inquisitive and intriguing.

I can almost hear Naruhodo’s mind whirring away while this is playing, and despite hearing it across 10 cases it never got stale.

36 – PW: Reminiscence – The SL-9 Incident

My favourite reminiscence theme, “The SL-9 Incident” is the most emotive and heartfelt of the lot. Matched with the impact of the case itself, this song is seared into my memory.

35 – DGS: Dance of Deduction

A song worthy of the Great Detective himself, “Dance of Deduction” has all the fun and whimsy I could want accompanying the deduction segments. There’s also an underlying tension throughout that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

34 – DGS: The Great Stray – Suspense 1

An awesome variation of the suspense theme, “The Great Stray” does a great job of getting the blood pumping and the heart beating.

Great

33 – AJ: Cross Examination – Allegro

There’s something mystical about Apollo Justice’s Cross Examination theme, and that magic is what made the trial segments so fun.

32 – AAI: Confrontation – Presto

The other two “Confrontation” themes in Investigations are fine, but it’s the Presto version that really gets me going.

It’s absolute insanity, and a great way to ramp up the tension when confronting the culprit.

31 – PW: Cross Examination – Allegro

I have a huge soft spot for the original Cross Examination theme – it’s both fun and intense to the point where your emotions don’t know what to do.

30 – JFA: Detention Centre – The Security Camera’s Elegy

Justice For All’s Detention Centre theme is one of the most underrated tracks in the entire series.

It almost sounds like the interlude track in a creepy horror game – you can tell they were starting to get a bit more serious in the sequel.

29 – JFA: Pursuit – Pressing Pursuit

A cracking Pursuit theme, “Pressing Pursuit” is a worthy follow-up within Justice For All’s soundtrack. While not my favourite by any means, it still slaps.

28 – AJ: Tell the Truth 2007

I really like Apollo Justice’s version of the “Tell the Truth” theme. It still sounds fresh and modern, despite releasing 15 years ago.

27 – DD: Thought Route – Synaptic Resonance

The thought route gimmick is easily my favourite new addition to the two latest mainline games, and the music that goes along with it is a big reason why.

“Synaptic Resonance” is super intense, and you can hear the furious deduction going on with every note.

26 – DGS2: The Great Secret Trial – Court Is Now In Session

An even more dramatic version of the Great Ace Attorney “Court Begins” theme. What’s not to love?

25 – JFA: Trial

There’s something gothic and dark about Justice For All’s “Trial” theme – if you thought you were going to have a pleasant court trip, this track tells you to think again.

24 – AAI2: Miles Edgeworth – Objection! 2011

Edgeworth’s own “Objection!” theme is a worthy rival to the original, and the Investigations 2 version is even better than the first game’s.

23 – AJ: Thrill Theme – Suspense

The best suspense theme in the series, I don’t think Apollo Justice’s “Thrill Theme – Suspense” will ever be topped.

It’s the most intense and spine-tingling one of them all, and it made an otherwise lacklustre game better than it would have been.

22 – PW: Swimming, Anyone? (Damon Gant’s Theme)

Damon Gant is easily one of my favourite villains in the entire series, and his bombastic theme “Swimming, Anyone?” is a perfect fit.

I love the huge electric organ , and the grandiose sound reflects the larger-than-life man himself.

21 – DD: Miles Edgeworth – Great Revival 2013

Edgeworth’s return in Dual Destinies is so hype, and this fantastic orchestral piece makes it twice as good.

20 – DGS: Great Detective of Foggy London Town (Herlock Sholmes’s Theme)

A wacky song befitting of the Great Detective himself, Herlock Sholmes’s theme “Great Detective of Foggy London Town” is full of whimsy and character.

19 – TT: Distant Traces of Beauty (Dahlia Hawthorne’s Theme)

“Distant Traces of Beauty” is a track that never fails to get under my skin.

Just like Dahlia Hawthorne herself, it seems so sweet on the surface but there’s an underlying darkness within.

18 – DD: Pursuit – Keep Pressing On

Dual Destiny’s Pursuit theme is a sucker punch to the face.

“Keep Pressing On” is one of the most energetic and balls-to-the-wall songs in any Ace Attorney soundtrack, and it made the court segments far more enjoyable than they would have been.

17 – DGS: Naruhodo Ryunosuke – Objection!

Naruhodo gets his own “Objection!” theme in The Great Ace Attorney, and it’s just as fantastic as you’d expect.

16 – PW: Turnabout Sisters Ballad

The “Turnabout Sisters Ballad” (but I know it as Maya’s theme) is one of my favourite slower tracks in the series.

It’s one of the tracks I associate most with the original game, and its charm and compassion are enough to rank it highly.

15 – DGS: Samurai with a Mission (Kazuma Asogi’s Theme)

More of a “friendship” theme than anything, Kazuma’s theme “Samurai with a Mission” is used to great effect within the Great Ace Attorney duology.

Some of the most pivotal and emotional moments in both games have this theme playing, and as such I’ll never forget it.

Amazing

14 – AAI2: Pursuit – Wanting to Find the Truth

The Investigations sequel upped the energy massively for its Pursuit theme, and I find it to be one of the most uplifting and goose-bump inducing themes in the series.

It has that flair that you’d expect from a Miles Edgeworth-inspired number, with the classic Ace Attorney electronic fun that I love.

13 – AJ: Guilty Love (Klavier Gavin’s Theme)

Any doubts I had of Klavier being the coolest dude ever were squashed as soon as his theme started blaring.

“Guilty Love” is the guitar-centric epic that the series needed, and they’ll never make another song that rocks as hard as this.

12 – DGS: The Reaper of the Bailey (Barok van Zieks’ Theme)

One thing that the Great Ace Attorney soundtrack has over any of the others is atmosphere – and no song is more immersive than “The Reaper of the Bailey”.

Van Zieks’ theme is just as flamboyant and terrifying as the man himself, and it does a brilliant job of getting under your skin.

11 – DGS2: Great Pursuit – The Resolve of Ryunosuke Naruhodo

Just like with Investigations 2, Great Ace Attorney 2 ups the ante for its Pursuit theme to create a show-stopping number.

It’s possibly the grandest and most emphatic song in the series, with a full orchestra of sound propelling it to dazzling heights.

10 – AJ: Pursuit – Overtaken

Apollo Justice’s Pursuit theme had no right to be this good, and yet “Overtaken” ended up being one of the best songs in the series.

The synths are absolutely thumping, and I can’t help but headbang every time I hear this banger.

9 – DGS: Pursuit – The Great Turnabout

The first Great Ace Attorney’s Pursuit theme is glorious, and one of the most adventurous songs we’ve had in the series.

I have so many good memories of “The Great Turnabout” blaring in my ears while cornering the culprit – I effectively see this as the theme to the entire spinoff.

8 – AAI: Pursuit – Lying Coldly

Most Pursuit themes convey the idea of “Whoa! That was close, but now I have you!“, whereas “Lying Coldly” is Edgeworth proudly saying “You fool! I’ve had you bested all along!“.

The arrogance is palpable, and those piano licks are phenomenal. The best thing to come out of the original Investigations game by far.

7 – TT: Telling the Truth 2004

You may have noticed that Trials & Tribulations’ Pursuit theme didn’t make it, and that’s because I consider the “Telling the Truth” theme to be the more memorable of the two.

This game is my favourite in the series, and this is the song that plays during its climactic moments – of course it was going to rank highly.

6 – PW: Objection! 2001

An absolute classic, no Ace Attorney player will ever forget finding their first contradiction with “Objection!” playing in the background.

It’s one of the series’ most iconic themes, and some might even say it’s the theme song for the entire franchise.

(If you’re wondering why it isn’t even top 5, that’s because there’s a very similar song that deserves a higher place!)

5 – DGS2: Partners – The Game is Afoot!

People might not know this track very well as I think it only appears once in Great Ace Attorney 2, but it’s the track that plays during Sholmes’ and Mikotoba’s final deduction – possibly my favourite moment in any of the Ace Attorney games.

The call and response in the violins is just *chef’s kiss*, and the rest of the arrangement is majestic. I still get slightly emotional hearing this track and reliving that glorious moment.

4 – DGS: Confess the Truth

“Confess the Truth”, a.k.a. the most dramatic videogame song I’ve ever heard, might not be up there on most people’s lists but it never fails to stun me.

It accompanies some of the most jaw-dropping reveals I’ve ever seen in gaming, and the string playing is gorgeous. Most film scores aren’t as good as this.

All-Time Great

3 – TT: The Fragrance of Dark Coffee (Godot’s Theme)

My favourite character theme for one of my favourite characters, “The Fragrance of Dark Coffee” is the best example of storytelling in song.

When you first hear it you can’t help but jam to the smoothness and style, but by the end of the game it becomes one of the saddest songs of them all. A true testament to the genius of the Ace Attorney music team.

2 – DD: Objection! 2013

A revamped version that somehow managed to trump the original, the 2013 arrangement of “Objection!” does the 2001 banger justice.

The full orchestra sound adds to the drama and majesty of it all, and there are even some new horn sections to spice things up. A musical remake done perfectly.

1 – PW: Pursuit – Cornered

It’s not an exaggeration to say that “Cornered” was the track that got me hooked on the franchise in the first place, and as a result I’ll always be indebted to it.

This is the Pursuit theme that all later themes are compared to, and I don’t think any song from any soundtrack has come close to topping it. The original Ace Attorney’s trial showdowns were made a hundred times better because of it – taking down a culprit will never be sweeter and more euphoric.

Aaand that’s my list! You can check out my most recent blog posts below: