Professor Layton and the Last Specter haunts DS Oct. 17

While Professor Layton already has a pair of 3DS puzzle games in the works, the logic-loving sleuth has at least one more DS adventure on the way. Nintendo today nailed down an October 17 North American launch date for Professor Layton and the Last Specter.

Previously known as Professor Layton and the Devil Flute, the game debuted in Japan back in 2009. The Last Specter is set three years before Professor Layton and the Curious Village and tells the story of how the academic met his young assistant Luke. Of course, there's a mystery to solve along the way, involving a towering demon with red eyes whose attacks on a village have prompted an old friend of Layton's to seek out the professor's help.

As an exclusive for North American players, the local release of The Last Specter will include the bonus game Professor Layton's London Life unlocked from the outset. Originally included as an unlockable bonus for beating the campaign mode, Layton's London Life is a role-playing game take on the franchise that Nintendo bills as containing more than 100 hours of additional content.

For more on Professor Layton and the Last Specter, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.