Scalpel!

Truama Center: Second Opinion for the Nintendo Wii. Rated Teen.

First off, to tell the honest truth, I don't own a Nintendo DS, in which the original game (Trauma Center: Under The Knife) was brought to life. The difference between the two are minimal, such as a small cut (no pun intended) in what one has to do during the surgery sessions. The additions include that every time one chapter is finished, an extra chapter about a Doctor Nozomi, where you find bits and pieces of her life and use her to save lives as well as your original character, Dr. Stiles.

Of course there will be questions asked. Three years a surgeon and he doesn't know how to properly sew stitches? Three years a doctor and he doesn't recognize the antibiotic gel they've been using (which, by the way, is completely futuristic). Three years a surgeon and the hospital still allowed you to not only stay there, but you never realized you had the Healing Touch?

However, as a video game, we are able to forgive these and continue onward to see what kinds of tumors we're to extract.

But as the game continues, we find that we're not just going against any regular diseases. Suddenly, GUILT (Gangliated Utrophin Immuno Latency Toxin... Whatever the heck that really means) rears it's ugly head. In the form of some type of Pokemon. No, there aren't Pokemon inside of everyone. But, I guess this is just how they decided to show the disease so one can defeat it. By using what they call the "Healing Touch," Dr. Stiles (whom you play) slows down how fast everything is reacting so you can work faster.

The game play itself is actually pretty fancy, considering it takes a bit more concentration than the DS version. One can quickly use the stylus to stitch up a victim, or clamp down on glass. There were some parts that I was stuck on because of the touchy-ness of the game, but, overall, I've actually become an "S Surgeon" (the highest score!). Of course, there is always the hospital drama, but they tend to just keep going because, in a real hospital, they take things into consideration, but they're more worried about saving the patient and closing up the wounds. Except for those persistent glass pieces. You just need to take those in stride and never question.

And also know that there will be a time when one is a doctor that using the same tools as on a patient, you will dismember a bomb.

All in all, this game is fun, challenging and, though the action is all in your own hands, not the facial expressions of the characters around you, it actually keeps you involved.

Did I mention that if a mission is too hard, you can change it to easy to pass it and practice?

This game receives a well drawn out yeti call, which probably sounds like a moose mingled with an African swallow.

Right By The Head

SSX Blur for the Wii. Rated E for Everyone.

Or is it?

First of all, it's important to note that, not only is this a snowboarding game, but it's completely not an original type of snowboarding game. Instead of the plain ol' 360 turns or a once in a while flip, as points go up during the game for landed tricks, soon one can do "uber tricks," such as doing the worm on the snowboard or other impossible tricks.

The main thing that I have stressed multiple times is that the Wii takes a lot to get used to. Between the actual moving of the controller one uses and trying to learn the new controls to the game in the first place, SSX Blur is actually a game that I'm sure is fun once you realize that by playing the Wii, you're going back to the basics, the days when one used to play Mario Kart 64 and lean as one made the huge turn in hopes one wouldn't hit the wall.

And this isn't much different.

Using the nunchuck, which is held with the left hand (unless you can have the choice for left-handed people), one presses forward to go, but by tilting the nunchuck left or right to go left or right.

In the other hand is the Wiimote. Now, in the original games, after going off of a jump, pressing buttons is the best thing to do. The more one presses, the more points and the crazier the trick can get. I wondered how the buttons would be pressed on newer controller until I read the directions in the booklet; you tilt the Wiimote side to side or up and down to do turns or flips in the air.

So, basically, the game is like rubbing your tummy and patting your head. Or rubbing your head and patting your tummy. Whichever is harder. And if someone has mastered this, prepare to be stumped.

However, as soon as the controls are down, I'm sure this game is a great piece of work. There are returning characters from the previous games, though the style they're shown through is slightly different, a bit more cartoonish. Of course, this game is only on the Wii, so the looks don't have to accommodate all the systems.

By winning races or gaining points through trick sessions on the mountain, one can get more accessories and up the characters so they're easier to control, just like the others.

It's even on the same mountains as SSX Tricky 3.

Giving the situation of confusing controls, this game is just a regular yeti. After I master the game, it'll take a long time to actually get someone to be able to play, just as I'd done before with the other games. And, considering I want people to have a good experience when they play the Wii with me (especially since it's my party system), I'm going to wait before actually yanking this one out for everyone to play.

Smooth Moves

Wario Ware: Smooth Moves. Rated E for Everyone.

I find it odd that I haven't really done any Wii games, but I suppose it's because the system is new and the controls could be confusing to anyone who hasn't played the game before. But then I thought it was ridiculous to consider that. So, here it is: one of the best games to get for the Wii.

Wario had a game like this for the Nintendo DS (a wonderful system to those of you who don't know). It's the same effect, and I've said that the Wii is kind of like a Wii, except with more benefits, but the DS has two small screens, whereas this is fantastic to play with friends and family.

The beginning starts out with Wario's food being stolen by some weird creature. He chases the guy down to a place where he finds the Wiimote and... we go immediately into a mini game session.

I guess what I find the most amusing part of the game is the parts where you learn the different "positions" for the Wiimote to be placed into; it's not that it makes it fantastically fun and intense, but it's the way they pronounce it. I'm not sure if you guys have ever heard of Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy, but it's shown to us a lot like those used to be shown on SNL. The first we learn is The Remote; you hold the Wiimote like a remote to do the next game, which is usually something easy, like shaving the hair off of someone's cheek--you have to do it in a certain amount of time, and on other games, there are usually some restrictions.

There's also The Umbrella, The Waiter and, my favorite, The Samurai. The purpose of each of these are the explanations of how to hold the Wiimote (though it normall has nothing to do with the actual name). Such as, while doing The Big Cheese (commemorating the CEO), a mini game to go with it could be Hula Hooping. The Umbrella pose could have you playing Mario, bouncing the Wiimote to have him get the coins within the blocks.

As the game continues within those mini games, it gets quicker and quicker, causing an intensity and tension I'd never thought possible for a "kids game." I did get rather frustrated at times when I didn't understand what the game wanted me to do, but each mini game gives you four tries to finish the "section."

As for multiplayer, the cool thing is that you only need one Wiimote--when it's the other players turn, you just switch the controller around. At first, I thought it was rather dumb, especially considering Nintendo has been giving huge warnings as about Wii straps. As it is, I think that, in general, people should just realize that, with all video games, if one doesn't take care, then problems will arise. I haven't had one problem with my own Wii-ing experience. Yet, I suppose behind every rule/caution/warning, there is a name.

Up to twelve people can play this game. Twelve. Can you imagine? I could get my entire family/friends at Christmas to play this game at once, and we'd all be engaged and laughing as we went.

I suppose the only harsh realties of the game itself is that it does, indeed, take some time to get used to. As I said before, I was confused at times as to what the game wanted me to do. Also, it's a good idea to make sure one is far away from the sensor because the Wiimote will be doing a lot of moving around, with the mini games and passing of the Wiimote. Make sure to point the Wiimote at the sensor bar.

Also, the graphics aren't exactly anything amazing. I don't mind, because I'm more about gameplay/storyline, but for those of you who want to drool at graphics like while looking at Final Fantasy XIII or Halo 3, this is more like... well, a cartoon.

As it is, I can't stop raving about the game. It's fun, hilarious and more random than any game I've played yet. And I highly recommend this for showing off the Wii's capabilities and wanting someone to buy the system. The children will love it, as will anyone else. I give this a full hearty fingers of a yeti up.

Mii And My Friend Play

Wii Play. I haven't really done a review for the Wii, which is understandable, yet not. Wii is the system to be playing right now. One can download old NES, SNES, and 64 games while also being able to play Gamecube games, all on one system. A small fee is in order for the downloads, but all worth it as one starts up the system and doesn't have a freeze while on the last world of Super Mario Bros. Or playing Legend of Zelda for two hours without saving, only to lose everything as the same note is held until you turn the system off, haunting you in your dreams forever.

Did I mention Twilight Princess is worth it?

Anyways, the main point of the Wii at this point is that anyone and everyone can play it. My father asks casually if I'm bringing the system home, my friends drool when they come to my house and even grandparentals take an interest when it's spoken of.

The system itself comes with Wii Sports, which has now expanded to Wii Play.

Wii Play comes with a Wii-mote, which is fantastic for those who are first buying the system. You'll have five games from Wii Sports, then an additional nine games from Wii Play.

So, one can look at it as, "I got a free Wii-mote!" or "I got nine games for the Wii for only ten bucks!" Either way, who cares? I love these things.

My favorite of the Wii Play is Find The Mii. Basically, one has a time limit in which to reach a goal the game will as of you--when you reach the goal, you win ten extra seconds. The goals of the game are quite simple, such as finding the Mii you're using or finding two Miis that "look alike".

A Mii, for those that don't know, is one of the first things to do when owning the system. Almost like Mr. Potatoe, one places the facial features onto a character to make it look like you--thus, a Mii. The interesting part is that one can save their Mii to their Wii-mote and bring it around to another's Wii so they can play with those characters. One can also send Mii's through the internet when the system is hooked up. One of the more popular things to do is to create celebrity Miis; on my own, thanks to some friends, they created Jesus, Jack Black and even Micheal Jackson (I actually deleted that character... too creepy for my liking).

So, within the Wii Play game, one has to find the Miis... but even the ones you create! The more you create, the more you see them in the game! Of course, this makes it easier for you than the friends because they don't see you make the Miis, but that just means they should play with you more often, am I right?

Another favorite of mine is Pose Mii, and is a bit more difficult. Most of the games created for Wii Sports or Wii Play is not just for fun--it's made to show what the Wii-motes are made to do, their potential and hopeful future. This game does just that by making the person twist the Wii-mote to the right or left to place the Mii correctly into the bubble. However, there are also three different poses the Mii can be placed into by pressing 'A' or 'B' to make things slightly harder than thought. As the levels move on upward, you'll see that you'll eventually have to have the Mii upside down while the bubble sail across the screen to hit the bottom (which can only happen three times--or you're out). I think what really makes it for me is the music. It's light and feels like plucking strings.

I'll finally decide upon Tank as my last favorite, if only because it frusrates me the most, but you also get to use the Nunchuck. By using the joystick, you move the tank around to shoot other tanks, which increasingly become "smarter" and have more moves. You can only shoot five bullets at a time, which bounce off of the wall once, then explode on the next wall impact. You can accidentally blow yourself up because of this, but also because you can use mines. It's fun, but also challenging. Especially against your friends; you can blow each other up to give yourself more of a chance to get more tanks, but if both of you blow up, then the game is over.

There is also Fishing, Cow Racing, Target Shooting (I love this one, too... Just like when I was a kid with Duck Hunt!), Laser Hockey, Ping Pong and Billiards. All of them show the capabilities the Wii-mote has, and it's extremely fun for everyone--I myself have converted grandparents, friends, little ones and at least ten skeptics at work (customers and employee).

I highly suggest picking this system up--it's amazing, fantastic and will cause World Peace!