traumacenter
Latest
Promotional Trauma Center pen draws New Blood
Atlus gave away this little surgery-sim souvenir last week at E3, but we've seen it pop up on a few sites and even an eBay auction already, so you might be able to snatch one for yourself if you're intent on acquiring every single piece of Trauma Center merchandise. While the "syringe pen" concept is nothing new, this particular novelty item seems tailor-made for the sequel's title, New Blood.For those of you who're still upset that the series seems to have completely defected the Wii, you could always try to replace its ink contents with a stylus. Maybe that'll inject some new life into Trauma Center: Under the Knife? Did you see what we did there? %Gallery-4686%[Via GameSniped]
Poll: The best in motion controls (so far)
For such a popular console that tries to offer something for everyone, the Wii also manages to be somewhat controversial -- and we're not just talking about Manhunt 2 here. The motion-sensing controls have been a bone of contention when it comes to nearly every game, even those people seem to enjoy. Some gamers find them awesome, and others ... not so much. We've selected six games which cover a range of game types (and aren't all first-party, either) as a measuring stick of what you think is best when it comes to Wii controls. We encourage you to vote early (and often!), but feel free to talk about other choices in the comments, as well as the reasons behind your picks. You might have noticed that Wii Sports isn't on this list (and neither are several other well-received games!). We considered including it, because not everyone agrees that it works quite well as a showcase of the Wii control capabilities, but decided at the last minutes to include only non-bundled games. Feel free to voice your support for Wii Sports in the comments, however! Which of these games boasts the best motion-sensing controls? The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Cooking Mama: Cook Off Trauma Center: Second Opinion Madden NFL '07 The Godfather: Blackhand Edition Resident Evil 4 (Wii)
The Trauma Center sequel is going where?!
Okay, we were cool with our new big brother-in-arms -- after all, we had some sweet connectivity to look forward to, and it just gave us more excuses to crow about Nintendo taking over the world with devices what print crisp new bills. But today's announcement ruins everything. We hate you, Mr. Johnny-Come-Lately Wii, because you stole our Trauma Center.Listen, we think it's keen and all that Trauma Center: New Blood is going to do what the first Wii port didn't -- that is, feature actual character voices and video. Y'know, the sort of things one expects from a console game. The text adventure style of the DS game suited the DS just fine, but once the game made the jump to the Wii, we expected a lot of things we didn't get. We also think the Iron Surgeon new coop play mode is pretty keen. But why can't we have a little piece of the action on our handheld? Are we supposed to be satisfied with Lifesigns? We're certainly pleased about the localization of another medical-themed game, but we want our Trauma Center! We require gut-wrenchingly difficult gameplay and the satisfaction of touching during surgery. We know it's a bit rich to complain about Atlus, considering the flood of announcements today. But really, why have they taken away our surgery game? We're so sad. You've cut out our hearts, Atlus ... and the healing touch of other new games just isn't enough.
Atlus USA announces new games for E3
Quirky game champion, Atlus USA, today announced several new games to be shown during the E3 media summit. Featuring medical professionals, touchy-feely detectives and gyrating combatants (sadly not in the same game), the lineup focuses primarily on the Nintendo DS. Draglade (Nintendo DS)It's a beat 'em up, you see, where "it's not just about how hard you hit or fast you move, it's also how well you can groove." Released in Japan earlier this year, Draglade features clashing combatants equipped with "glades," weapons that emit distinct sounds when struck against something -- preferably your opponent's head. With the sounds of battle forming a symphony of destruction, we're half expecting a playable Pied Piper character.
Trauma Center: New Blood announced
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Trauma_Center_sequel_revealed_for_the_Wii_PICS'; Given Atlus' sales success with Trauma Center: Second Opinion, timing the remake to release with the Wii's launch, it's no surprise that the small publisher has readied a true sequel for the surgery sim. Trauma Center: New Blood introduces two young surgeons, Markus Vaughn and Valerie Blaylock, along with several exciting features: a cooperative mode, online leaderboards, and a 16:9 widescreen mode. Throw on your scrubs and hit the gallery up for New Blood's first screenshots.%Gallery-4686%[Via NeoGAF]
Trauma Center: New Blood (Wii) unveiled
Famitsu unveiled today a brand new way to play doctor on the Wii: Trauma Center: New Blood. The biggest new feature will be a two player cooperative mode that lets you and a friend hack into bodies/save lives together. Sounds like the perfect activity for couples' counseling sessions, as well. New Blood will also feature a fresh cast of characters, new missions, and online leaderboards to see who's the handiest with a scalpel.%Gallery-4685%
DS Fanboy Favorites: Jason's top five
All this week, the DS Fanboy staff is letting you in on a few of their favorite titles. Each day, a different member of the staff will present their personal top five DS games along with a snapshot of their gaming paraphernalia and habits, in an effort to provide our readers with a little more information on the tastes and personalities of our writers.It's odd; in the past two years, I've played my DS more than any other system, console or otherwise. However, I very rarely play outside of the comfort of my own room. Sure, I have the ten minute bus ride to campus everyday, and an hour break between classes, but the bus ride is relaxing and the hour I spend on campus, playing chess with some friends. It's really a testament to the quality of the library on the DS, that it would stand against the heavy-hitting consoles without the added advantage of portability.I'm a bit of a Renaissance gamer, playing titles far and wide. Sure, I've grown tired of the World War II shooters, but if a game is innovative and/or well-crafted, I'll give it a shot. I also like bunnies and salsa dancing and figure skating; I'm so macho.
God of War dev thinks Wii gets boring quickly
As a director for the upcoming Sony game God of War 2, Cory Barlog is no stranger to the game's industry. He knows the ins and outs, and (we imagine) has a large love for the medium. We'll tell you what he doesn't love though: his newly-acquired Wii. Upon getting the gift and opening it, Cory contributes "It was fun...but the wow factor wore off fairly quick."He goes on to talk a bit about the game he wanted to play most (how that wasn't Twilight Princess, we'll never know), saying "The one game I wanted to play, Trauma Center, was definitely a bit of a let down. The wiimote was woefully inaccurate and sapped the fun of the game. The Wii sports golf and bowling was cool...the boxing is freaking terrible though. In the end I hope to see some cool games come out of it, though it has me worried that the whole 'what new thing can you do with the controller' fad will wear off after awhile and I will have left is a much slimmer wireless gamecube." We can't say we share his opinions, but what about you guys? Do you think the system is headed where he sees it going?
Metareview: Trauma Center: Second Opinion
It may be a port of the DS game, but Atlus has assured us it is in no way a quick and half-assed effort to bring the DS game to the Wii. It has new graphics and new missions, which is everything on paper making it out to be a new game experience. Has Atlus succeeded or did gamers have enough of surgery on their DS? The critics say: IGN - 80%: "Putting aside the fact that Second Opinion is a retelling of the DS version, the game is absolutely perfect as an introductory game for Wii players. There's a ton of diversity in the missions, an all-new Hard mode for previous fans of the series, and an entirely new sixth chapter of the game to appease the "been there, done that" attitude of the hardcore crowd." GameSpot - 80%: "This is about as unorthodox of a launch title for a new game system as they come, but then again, the Wii is pretty unorthodox too. So maybe it shouldn't come as any surprise that the game and the console make a great match. Trauma Center: Second Opinion isn't going to wow anybody with its presentation, yet it's got so much inventive gameplay and takes such a spirited approach to its subject matter that it still stands out from the crowd." 1UP - 65%: "Don't let the score dissuade you from playing the game. It is enjoyable. Actually, it reminds me of that college professor who taught a fun class but didn't explain things very well -- in the end, you didn't learn as much as you could have. Second Opinion's fun, but in the end, you feel like you didn't enjoy it as much as you should have."
Does the Wiimote interfere with pacemakers?
The rumor floating around this week is that the infrared Wiimote interferes with pacemakers. While nothing has been confirmed or denied by Nintendo, it makes for some interesting conversation. Some signs were spotted at the Nintendo World event in Japan warning older players but there is still no word if the rumors are real. If the grandparents, great-grandparents or anyone esle in the family with a pacemaker wants to get in on the games, family members beware. You could end up with a real life Trauma Center on your hands. No one wants that! [Via 1P Start]
Gamestop selling some Wii games early
For those of you who just can't wait until Sunday to get your hands on something Wii-branded, some North American Gamestop stores are already selling select Wii games that were shipped to stores on Tuesday. Our local store was selling Super Moneky Ball: Banana Blitz, Trauma Center: Second Opinion, Call of Duty 3, and GT Pro Series (other titles were in stock but explicitly embargoed until launch day). Of course, supplies and availability may vary at your local store, so call ahead first if you're planning on jumping the gun.While you obviously won't be able to actually play the games until you have your hands on the system this weekend, you can stand them up next to your Wii accessories from Target and stare at them lovingly as you count down the seconds.
Wii's Zelda charms non-gamer, Wii Sports, others fail
Wii was recently put to the test by the BBC's Rebecca Morelle, a self-proclaimed "videogame-phobe." Looks alone were winning Morelle over until she was handed a controller and clumsily gyrated herself into embarrassment playing WarioWare. A few rounds of Wii Sports didn't help -- the awkwardness only grew. After Trauma Center and Excite Truck the playtest had improved to just "so far, so OK." Enter: Twilight Princess. To Nintendo's surprise, it wasn't the disjointed inanity of WarioWare or the "swing away" nature of Wii Sports -- as Morelle notes, some just lack sporting ability -- that would win over the uninitiated. Instead, Morelle reveals that narrative lifted her veil of skepticism; a sense that her movements and the characters on screen were combining to create a coherent story. Nintendo should not underestimate the power of its key franchises to command emotional attachments (like, go easies on the party games, 'kay?). Marked by intuitive control, Wii might be (so-called) videogame-phobes' best shot at understanding these narratives that we hold so close to our hearts. [Thanks, Aisling]
Boxart up the yinyang
We've shown you a few of the major pieces ... Twilight Princess and Red Steel, for instance ... but through the dark voodoo powers they wield so willingly, IGN Wii has compiled a collection of no less than eighteen official boxarts for various launch titles. It's certainly a colorful collage, though the sight serves to remind one that there are perhaps one too many children's games on launch day. Oh well. Twilight Princess has the cojones to offset a hundred Barnyards, and you know it.What are your opinions on boxart? In a perfect world, all consumers would educate themselves with interviews, previews, and various review scores; alas, a large majority of the world still judges by the cover. Can the elegant white stripe lure in the uninformed soccer moms? C'mon, o' bearer of the young. Your kids need this thing.
4 minutes of direct feed Trauma Center footage
IGN has uploaded a rather lengthy gameplay video (a length of 4 minutes, to be exact) of Trauma Center: Second Opinion in action. In repairing several large gashes in a patient's chest, and performing a lobectomy, we find that the patient has several large chunks of glass inside of him. Sounds like his evening didn't really go as planned, eh?Suffice to say, IGN are a bunch of jerk do not allow their videos to be embedded, so you'll have to head on over and check it out there.
Trauma Center operation documented
Trauma Center: Second Opinion looks to be a must-have launch title for the Wii. Based on previous coverage of the game, we've already purchased a full set of scrubs and hired an assistant to play nurse to our doctor in anticipation of its release. If you're sharing the same desire to extract broken shards of glass from a patient or stitch up a large gash, then maybe you should attend medical school. If you have the desire to do these things in a game, then you might want to continue into the post and check out the embedded video of Trauma Center: Second Opinion after the break.
Japanese launch list unveiled
Nintendo of Japan's website offers a list of those purported sixteen launch titles...and they're not all necessarily what you would have expected. Take a look! The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Wii Sports (including boxing and bowling to round out tennis, golf, and baseball) WarioWare Wii Play Red Steel SD Gundam Revolution Tamagotchi Ennichi no Tastsujin (a drum game, along the lines of Taiko Drum Master) Trauma Center: Second Opinion Elebits Necro-nesia Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Super Swing Golf Pangya Wing Island (demoed at E3 2006, the "plane game") Kororinpa (a Marble Madness-type game of some sort) Machariku Domino (a domino game) Interesting! It's good to see a rhythm/music game so early, and we'll post details on some of the more mysterious entries as we receive information.
DS gets some love from BAFTA
It's the first time the U.K.'s gaming awards have been in their own spotlight (instead of relaxing in the shadow of the film and television awards), and the Nintendo DS has snared some of the attention. We would expect nothing less. Electroplankton and Brain Age both picked up nominations in multiple categories, and they'll be butting heads (brains?) when it comes to which game is Britain's choice for the most innovative of the year. Trauma Center got a nod as well in the simulation category. We're not sure the other nominees are even worth mentioning next to that one. Too bad there isn't a category for games that make you sweat, 'cause they're just that damned hard at times. Trauma Center has always made us idly wish for a third hand, but we love it like ice cream. Can't say we agree with everything they're doing across the pond, though -- they've got New Super Mario Bros. tagged as a children's game. Oh well. I guess we should all put it down and step away slowly. The winners will be announced on October 5. Check back for confetti and poppers when the DS snags some awards.
Tantalizing Trauma Center scans
GameFront has a really lush set of scans on Trauma Center: Second Opinion that offer a look at the controls for the Wii. Now if only we could get someone to translate the text! Oh well, the pretty-pretty pictures are enough for a lazy Tuesday afternoon. Look closely, too, for an inset that appears to compare the DS original with the expanded "Wiimake" that will launch with the new console. Is it just us, or could this be one of the best games to introduce a world of irregular gamers to the Wii? Considering the popularity of medical-themed shows, we're thinking the only better possibility could be CSI: Wii. Wait, not better ... make that other.
Trauma Center: Second Opinion details
Trauma Center: Under the Knife was an excellent game, one of the those precious few on the Nintendo DS that could not be played with a standard console interface; it was also hard as Chuck Norris' abs. Regardless, the upcoming launch title Trauma Center: Second Opinion has garnered quite a bit of hype, and the latest issue of Famitsu has some details. Unfortunately, Second Opinion will primarily be a retelling of the original DS title. The game does add a few extra missions (broken bones and heart transplants were mentioned) and several new characters, but Atlas is hoping that the Wiimote will offer up an experience fresh enough to warrant a repurchase from surgery vets. Three difficulty settings are now available (thank insert-your-deity-of-choice-here), and the game will be fully voice-acted. Please, Atlus, get a decent crew for the voice work. Is this a cop-out, a scam, a ripoff? Is a fresh coat of paint enough to convince you to relive X6: Paraskevi? Will Derek ever hook up with Angie? Tune in at launch...and we might find out.
Trauma Center supply resuscitated
Addictive cut-and-preserve hospital sim news now, with Atlus announcing that they'll be sending out enormous crates filled with copies of Trauma Center: Under the Knife to stores everywhere at the end of July. This should come as most excellent news to those who have experienced difficulty in getting their gloved hands on one of the best DS titles available, as well as to those who simply enjoy slashing a stranger's spleen into tiny, unrecognizable pieces. Jim Ireton, the VP of Sales and Marketing for Atlus USA, notes that the "continued demand for Trauma Center: Under the Knife is both gratifying and overwhelming. We apologize to Nintendo fans who've had a tough time finding the game, and we hope this scratches their surgical itch until we ship Trauma Center: Second Opinion for the Wii later this year." Apology accepted, Mr. Ireton. Rejected titles for this post: "Trauma Center stock receives transfusion" "Atlus bypasses Trauma Center shortage" "Anemic Trauma Center supply cured" "More copies of Trauma Center discharged" "Trauma Center is a really good game" [Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
