I, like every other college student, occasionally find myself strapped for cash. So I often find myself (and other gamers) turning to a place in times of limited funds and boredom, in search of something different and cheap: the Used Bin. Many game stores now buy and sell used games, usually letting you turn in your games for store credit. I personally keep all my games, finding myself with the urge to replay them. I usually play a game at least four times, more in some cases. In fact I’ve played “Chrono Trigger” about 12 to 20 times. To tell you the truth I lost count a few years ago. Anyway, most of the time I turn to the elusive Used Bin either to replace a worn out game or to find rare, hard-to-find games.

Anywho, I recently picked up a used copy of “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney” for about $15 at Gamestop. I had heard about the “Phoenix Wright” series before and had meant to pick up a copy sooner, but had forgotten until I saw this copy. “Phoenix Wright” and its sequels are interesting; they’re more of an interactive novel than your average game. You play as brand new defense lawyer Phoenix Wright, defending various people accused of murder. The game is made up of five chapters with each chapter consisting of a single case. The game plays like a text adventure: you choose where to go, talk to the people who are there, and search for evidence. When the trial starts, you listen to witness testimony and try to find inaccuracies by objecting then pointing out evidence that contradicts what they say. It’s like a very elaborate puzzle game: you have to pay close attention to what people say (which can be something as simple as what time they said they were doing something when evidence says otherwise); if you don’t pay close enough attention, you can miss it and lose the case. You have a limited number of objections, so you have to be careful about what you question.

“Phoenix Wright” originally came out for the Gameboy Advance, but it was ported to the Nintendo DS with some enhanced features when it was brought to America. You can get this game or any other in the series used for relatively cheap. It’s a puzzle game masquerading as an interactive novel that puts you into a Law & Order role or CSI persona, and a game I wish I had found earlier. Next time you’re low on money or looking for something different to add to your gaming repertoire, check out the Used Bin and see what you can find.