Third Professor Layton dated for Europe

Professor Layton and the Lost Future will be released in Europe on 22nd October 2010, Nintendo has announced.

It's got 165 new brain teasers, riddles and logic puzzles.

And, as fans of Level-5's enchanting puzzle series will know, it's got a story.

The Lost Future begins when the Professor receives a mysterious letter written by his sidekick Luke.... "But sent from 10 years in the future!"

Future Luke warns of a terrible calamity that has befallen London and he needs the Professor's help.

The British Prime Minster disappeared (if only) after taking part in a special test on a time machine, which resulted in an explosion. "Could this incident be related?"

Luke and the Professor jump into the time machine to find out.

You can go on the London Underground and visit Chinatown.

There are more narrative and animated movie scenes than in the previous two games.

"Players will be able to discover more about the Professor's mysterious past through flashbacks, as the story is revealed with full-motion animation sequences that will explain the secrets behind Professor Layton's lost lover and how he obtained his well-renowned hat," says the press release.

His lost lover? What?

The jovial academic's got the 'Laytonmobile', which you can direct, and a new pet parrot to interact with.

For those who are truly stuck, there's a new Super Hint feature that offers an "extremely telling clue".

The US version of the game is called Professor Layton And The Unwound Future. We don't know why Nintendo changed it for Europe, either.