Since we at QJ had enjoyed playing Atlus' Trauma Center: Under the Knife and Trauma Center: Second Opinion, the recent release of Atlus' Trauma Center: New Blood for the Nintendo Wii got our blood pumping once again.  In hindsight, though, we couldn't help but wish that certain things (and people) had been included in Atlus' new medical sim, so we've compiled a short list of them.

What we think should have been in Trauma Center: New Blood after the jump!

For those that haven't been paying too much attention to Atlus' surgeon sim Trauma Center they have released two announcements regarding the franchise. Atlus announced that Trauma Center: Second Opinion will in fact be a launch title for the Nintendo Wii some time before the end of the year.

According to them the game will be a "robust Wii-make of Under The Knife" after all instead of a completely new game, but it will feature new surgical implements and operation types, multiple difficulty modes, a revived control scheme as well as a second playable character with all new missions.

The second announcement is that Trauma Center: Under the Knife will receive a second re-release to retail in mid-August because of the launch of the DS Lite for all you gamers out there that still can't get find a copy of the awesome game. So make sure to check it out if you haven't already and be prepared for Trauma Center's second coming on the Wii later this year.

Being a game developer might be the when-i-grow-up profession of choice for kids nowadays, (with all the parties developers are throwing, who wouldn't want to be?) but there was a time when we all dreamt of becoming either a doctor or a lawyer. If it came true for you, well and good. But if you decided to take on a different path, then you can relive your childhood dreams with the re-release of Trauma Center: Under the Knife and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.

Amazon.com has Atlus Software's Trauma Center: Under the Knife for $29.99 to be released on August 22, 2006. While, Capcom USA's Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney gets released sooner at August 10, 2006 with the same price.

Many American gamers have been trying to get their hands on Atlus' surgeon game Trauma Center: Under the Knife since it launched last October with limited copies. According to IGN the game will be getting a new shipment as Atlus USA announced that its medical drama simulation for the Nintendo DS will be readily available at retail stores at the end of July 2006. "The continued demand for Trauma Center: Under the Knife is both gratifying and overwhelming," said a representative from Atlus U.S.A. "We apologize to Nintendo fans who've had a tough time finding the game and we hope this scratches their surgical itch." So if haven't had to chance to check out this great game you'll be able to pick up a copy very soon.

I have made a post about upcoming titles for PlayStation Portable for this month as well as Xbox 360 titles set for release this spring; now let me practice a little bit more of democracy (take that Kim Jong-il) as I make some game-release announcements for Nintendo DS titles in Europe too.

Megaman invades Europe videostores this coming April 14 with his latest stint titled Megaman Battle Network 5 Double Team. This version is a dual-screened game based from the Game Boy Advance title. The DS will combine both Team Protoman and Team Colonel in one game, but a specific content unique to the Nintendo DS version should be expected. The second screen comes into play by giving players direct access to their Cyber Map and PET. The microphone can also be "yelled" into to power up Mega Man during battle.

April 21 is the day the brick-layering, puzzle-type game Tetris DS occupy shelves in videostores. Still based on the classic Nintendo game, this game boasts of touch-screen features, head-to-head action between two players, and massive wireless battles up to 10 DS users.

Trauma Centre: Under the Knife becomes available by April 28. This title enables the gamer top play doctor, as you use the stylus as your scalpel to solve complex surgical puzzles with extreme precision. A compelling story with intriguing characters revolves around the player (so ER'ish, I know).

There, Nintendo fanatics can't hit me for being biased now (I must comment though, two of those three are suck-prone, make your guess).

A steady hand will be required as life and death decisions are laced firmly in your palm when Trauma Centre: Under The Knife launches on the Nintendo DS across Europe on 28th April 2006.

 

Become the next emergency room super-star as you take on the role of rookie doctor Derek Stiles in Trauma Centre: Under The Knife, from Publisher and Developer Atlus, Co. After being emerged into a dramatic and exciting storyline, players must guide Dr Stiles through a series of operations, learning new skills and talents along the way.

 

Read the full press release at the link below.

 

Nintendo of Europe will publish the medical drama simulator, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, from Japanese games developer, Atlus Co. Ltd when it launches across Europe in March 2006.

Trauma Center: Under the Knife puts life and death decisions in the palm of your hand as you play doctor, offering gamers a unique and exiting new use for the Nintendo DS. By utilising the touch-screen, players are put into the heart of the operating room using a scalpel and forceps, applying an antibiotic gel, lasering complicated tumours, and much more!

As a life-threatening outbreak hits the emergency ward, players are thrust into an increasingly hectic struggle to save their patients. Unlike similar titles, this game has a distinctly arcade feel, featuring medically themed challenges against the clock.

"Nintendo is very excited to bring such a unique and thrilling game to the Nintendo DS System," said Jim Merrick, Senior Marketing Director for Nintendo of Europe. "Atlus is well known for their commitment to quality and depth of game play and Trauma Center: Under the Knife fully utilizes the potential of the hardware."

"We are proud to continue to work with our longtime partner, Nintendo" said Jim Ireton, Vice President of Atlus USA. "Currently Trauma Center: Under the Knife is in the top three in the US Market of all Nintendo DS titles, and the momentum continues to build".

Trauma Center: Under the Knife launches across Europe in March 2006.

European dsgaming.co.uk got their hands on a preview copy of upcoming Trauma Centre: Under the Knife. In this demo of the latest Japanese game you have two operations to get started on. This will give you a feel of what the overall game is about.

At the beginning of both operations you are presented with a short dialogue scene between the doctors and the nurses. This is presented in cartoon-style-anime. Apparently during the dialogue scene it looks like they are explaining what is happening with the patient, how it happened, and possibly what you have to do save him.

Operation 1

Just before you start it shows you a computerised image of a human and where the patient has been injured. Next to the diagram it shows the time the patient has left to live. In this particular operation it takes place in the patients arm and you are given 5 minutes to complete the operation.

Touch the screen to begin. The score, the nurse who is watching you and the time left are all on the top screen. The bottom touch screen shows a close up of the human’s body. Around the sides you are given 10 tools to use in the operation. The nurse on the top screen will tell you what tools to use; how to use them and what they do.

Once the talking is over (which is sadly in Japanese) you can get started. In this operation, the arm has two cuts which are losing blood rapidly and two shards of glass stuck in the arm. Your first job will be to stop the blood in the two cuts. The nurse recommends a tool which looks like its sucking up the blood and healing the wound. Unfortunately, since the instructions on how to use it were in Japanese it was hard to understand how you are meant to use it. After lots of trial and error, I just randomly scrubbed round the blood wounds until it was fixed. Next you need to use some kind of pincer to take out the glass. Luckily, this is much more straight forward and easy. You simply touch the glass, then place it on a small tray that appears when you have grabbed it.

 

Now you can move onto the next, slightly more complicated, operation.

Operation 2

Just like the last operation, before you start you are presented with a short dialogue scene. In this one the nurse seems very angry, as if it could be something quite serious. As usual you are again shown a computerised image of a humanm and where the patient has been injured. Then, next to the human body, it tells you how long he/she has to live. This particular operation is taking place on someone’s chest (it’s not really clear if it’s a man or a woman…) and you only have 3 minutes to complete it. 

 

Touch the screen to start. Unlike the last operation, on this one you automatically are given access to all the tools. To begin the operation you will need to accurately cut the chest along a straight dotted line using a knife. Before that, you will have to inject the patient with a green liquid. These injections increase the time he/she has to live. Once you have done that and cut the skin where you have been told to, the camera will zoom in on the cut to show you inside the patient. Here you can see that he/she is losing blood dramatically. You will need to use a tool to suck up the blood and continually inject the person with more injections so he/she doesn’t die. It is harder then it sounds, because you are seconds away from death…

Overall, this feels like a very unique and original game. If you’re good under pressure then it will be much easier and perhaps even more enjoyable. At the moment, there are still too many flaws in this game to make it a must-have…However, if this sounds like a game you might like, then I’m sure you will enjoy it. It would also be wise to note that the demo of this game was in Japanese and if it was in English some parts would have been clearer and consequently better.

Atlus U.S.A. Inc., announced today that it has shipped Trauma Center: Under the Knife,  for the Nintendo DS, to retailers nationwide.

Take your Nintendo DS into the Operating Room!

Trauma Center: Under the Knife lets YOU play doctor, performing increasingly complex surgeries.  At first it's just another day in the O.R., but when a mysterious outbreak sweeps the area, the patients' lives are in your hands--no pressure.

The stylus will be your scalpel as you make incisions, anesthetize problem areas, remove tumors, monitor vital signs, apply bandages, and more!  Of course, you'll also have to deal with human drama between appointments.  Keep a cool head, or you'll be out on the street (and all those years of medical school for nothing).

- Feel the pressure of each tense, challenging operation!
- Operate on a wide variety of patients in story mode, then return later and try to beat your high scores!
- Experience a compelling story with intriguing characters!
- Use your applied skills to solve the puzzle of each surgery!
- Detailed graphics bring the human body to life!

Trauma Center: Under the Knife has a suggested retail price of $29.99 and has been rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.

source: nintendoinsider
   

Your stylus is now your scalpel as you take charge of the operating room and attempt to save your patients and solve a mystery in the wake of a deadly outbreak. Taking full advantage of DS touch screen, Trauma Center: Under the Knife introduces a new concept in gameplay that naturally fits the system, and yet is quirky enough that you’d except the game to be released only in Japan.

Game Features

    - Feel the pressure of each tense, challenging operation!
    - Operate on a wide variety of patients in story mode, then return later and 
         try to beat your high scores!
    - Experience a compelling story with intriguing characters!
    - Use your applied skills to solve the puzzle of each surgery!
    - Detailed graphics bring the human body to life!

Trauma Center: Under the Knife is set for release this winter in North America exclusively on the DS. In fact, it was released just last week in Japan (June 16th), landing at #17 on the weekly charts and receiving a respectable 31/40 from Famitsu. It will be the first doctor-sim released on a handheld in the U.S. and, along with games like Phoenix Wright, is bringing not just innovation in game controls, but game ideas which had previously been seen only in Japan.