Via Eurogamer

Good news for fans of Trauma Center: Under the Knife, the quirky, er, surgery sim for Nintendo DS - a new instalment in the series is currently in development for the Wii.

Our old friend Internet Reports has been hinting at this for weeks, of course, but now it's been officially confirmed. The game will be titled Trauma Center: Second Opinion, and will no doubt task you with using the Wii's remote controller to slice, dice and sew up your patients.

There's no word on whether our hero Dr Stiles will return, but Internet Reports reckons there may be some kind of feature which will involve linking up your Wii with your DS. He could just be having us on though, the scamp.

Trauma Center: Second Opinion is due out STAT. All right, it won't be here till winter at the earliest, and possibly 2007, but we just wanted to write that. And if anyone can tell us how to complete that stupid level in the DS game where all the aneurisms burst and you fix them but some more burst and IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE, we'd be very grateful. ...

Via Engadget

Looks like Nintendo didn't show us everything they're working on for the Wii yesterday. Safely ensconced under glass in Nintendo's booth is this little toy, a prototype "Zapper Style" shell for the Wii Remote. Needless to say, something like this will go a long way to adding some verisimilitude to certain games, or, as the Nintendo brass like to say, it's all about the feeling. Wonder if there's any recoil on this thing?

Screenshot Via the Comments ...

via cvg

While everyone's focus was firmly on the unveiling of the Wii and its games at this year's Nintendo media event here at E3, the company still managed to unleash a torrent of information on brand new games heading to its DS handheld over the coming months and further. Surprisingly, despite the quality on show, Nintendo didn't do much in the way of trumpeting their arrival, so it's entirely possibly you missed some of the gems buried in all that Wii hyperbole.

For your procrastinating pleasure, we've selected the very cream of the crop in our DS round-up below - you'll find all the information we currently know about these new games, alongside all the screens Nintendo has made available so far. Without further ado, let's get rolling!

Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol

Release: TBA
Type: Adventure
Players: 1-2
Developer: Skip

Eschewing the Sanderson household found in the brilliant GameCube game, this follow-up sees the diminuitive chore-bot taking to the great outdoors. Apparently, playground equipment is mysteriously vanishing and evil monsters have transformed the local flora into something unsavoury. It's up to you to restore the park to its former glory.

Apparently, you'll be able to ride buggies, cars and boats across lawns and ponds this time around, as well as using your squirter to vanquish foes, dance around to reinvigorate the plant life and build playground equipment to cheer everyone up.

Clubhouse Games

Release: Q4 2006
Type: Card, Board and Leisure games
Players: 1-8 (via Wi-fi Connection, DS Download Play or Multi-Card Play)
Developer: Agenda

This looks like one of those non-gamer games Nintendo's been churning out lately. Apparently, there's over 20 classic board, card and party games at your disposal - including checkers, darts, poker, bowling, backgammon, bridge and billiards. There's multiplayer functionality for up to eight players via online or DS to DS and it features a PictoChat-style conversation interface. Probably won't be top of your list, this one, but we thought we'd share anyway.

Custom Robo Arena

Release: Q4 2006
Type: Action RPG
Players: 1-2 (via DS Download Play, DS Multi Card Play and Wi-fi Connection)
Developer: Noise

Custom Robo comes to DS with Wi-fi Connection support! You'll explore a sci-fi universe in your bid to win the Custom Robo champonship, acquiring new parts and weapons for your Robos on your way. Nintendo says there are literally millions of possible part combinations available and you'll use the touchscreen to customise your charges. There's one-to-one multiplayer available too, either online or via DS LAN.

Diddy Kong Racing DS

Release: TBA
Type: Racing
Players: TBA
Developer: TBA

A bit of a mystery this one, thanks to a lack of official fact sheet. Although it's clearly based on the excellent Rare-developed N64 game, it's unclear if this is a simple port or a brand new racer featuring the most annoying monkey in the world. Either way, it looks like we can expect multiplayer action, including Mario Kart-style online racing.

DK: King of Swing DS

Release: TBA
Type: Action
Players: 1-4 (via DS LAN and Download Play)
Developer: Paon

By the sounds of it, this one's pretty much the same as King of Swing on the GBA - this time though, the pole swinging action is spread across both screens, meaning you'll have more play area to monkey around in. Apparently, there's a new sub-character, new moves, items and mini-games and you can go head-to-head with your mates in 1-4 player challenges via DS Download Play and DS LAN. Characters here, if you're interested, are Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong and Funky Kong.

DS Air

Release: TBA
Type: Flight Simulation
Players: 1-4 (via DS LAN and Wi-fi Connection TBC)
Developer: Nintendo

Hell's Bells! It's a realistic flight sim for DS developed by Nintendo, this one. It says you play a team of elite strike fighters here, and it's your job to bring down a mad dictator intent on taking over the world. You can customise your fighters with state of the art weapons, dogfight over land and sea and play co-operatively via DS LAN and online.

Elite Beat Agents

Release: Q4 2006
Type: Rhythm Action
Players: 1-4 (via DS Download Play)
Developer: iNiS

Okay, brace yourselves here. It's Ouenden, but not as you know it. It seems the absolutely amazing rhythm action title has undergone a complete overhaul for western audiences. The team of ninja cheerleaders from the Japanese version has been turned into secret-agent types (called Kahn, Derek, Morris and J, tentatively) and it looks like all the original situations, artwork and music has been redone as well. We can't say we much like the stuff we've seen - but as least the addictive underlying gameplay has been left in tact. Nintendo says you'll be able to assist a lost dog in finding his way home and help a babysitter charm her hunky football playing friend - we'd rather make pots and save the world from giant rats but hey.

Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Release: Q4 2006
Type: Graphic Adventure
Players: 1
Developer: Cing

The second DS from Cing, the team behind Another Code sees players taking on the roll of Kyle Hyde, an ex-cop turned salesman trying to track down a missing friend in 1979 Los Angeles. Apparently, you'll find yourself led ...

Via CVG

Sweep away the recent tirade of movie punch-ups (Freddy Vs. Jason? Pfffrt), sparring off fat plumbers against a giant ape is where it's at. Continuing an age-old rivalry that started almost since the dawn of pixels, Nintendo has announced Mario Vs. Donkey Kong 2 for DS.

Fully named Mario Vs. Donkey Kong 2: March Of The Minis, this action puzzler is a sequel to the GBA game of a similar name. It's a bit different though - here you'll control the Mini Marios rather than big Mario himself, using the stylus to guide them through danger-infested courses.

The game also comes complete with a map editor, with creations trade-able via wi-fi, and features original Donkey Kong-kidnapped star, Pauline. It's set to release on September 25, 2006.

Awesome Screens Via the Comments ...

Via CVG

We thought that the thick triple-raspberry iced bun we had at lunch was sweet, then we smacked eyes on Yoshi's Island 2 and that really made us feel like we'd overdone the saccharine. Bucket, please.

This ultra-cutesy platformer features Baby Mario, Baby Peach and Baby Donkey Kong, as they investigate missing kids and a mysterious hovering islands. Super-colourful, platforming fun across two screens - it's out at the end of the year.

Check out the awesome screenshots Via Comments ...

Via CVG

Too Human is the first in the trilogy from developer Silicon Knights, where as the cybernetic god Neo, sorry we mean Baldur, players assualt war machines hell bent on the annihilation of the human race - think along the lines of The Matrix, or Terminator.

Featuring plenty of action and using the Unreal 3 engine, players can experience a "non-stop barrage of action powered by the seamless integration of melee and ranged firearms combat and fuelled by breathtaking visuals".

As well as single-player, prepare for four-player online co-operative play. So if you haven't already, check out the new batch of screenshots with haste, human scum! ...

Via CVG

Konami today unveiled Pro Evolution Soccer 2006 for Nintendo DS and we've been playing it non stop.

The biggest surprise is that it actually beats Pro Evolution Soccer on PSP hands down, offering smoother play and killer visuals. Konami producer Shingo 'Seabass' Takatsuka previously apologised for the lacklustre PSP debut but has clearly made amends on DS.

DS exclusive elements include the ability to adjust formation settings mid match with the stylus. The lower screen also acts as a radar and shows player stats. Player animation looks spot on and the only minor disappointment is the lack of 3D replays. Wi-fi play works brilliantly and Nintendo fans finally have a football game worth shouting about. Expect Pro Evolution Soccer 2006 to arrive in September. ...

Via CVG

Well aren't we feeling smug. As we exclusively revealed earlier this week, TimeSplitters developer Free Radical has a whole new first-person shooter for you to get high on - it's called Haze, it's a near-futuristic military blaster, and it's coming out for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC early next year.

Set 25 years in the future, the tale revolves around independent military organisation Mantel, who thanks to their advanced weaponry and bio-mechanical support, are the scourge of terrorists and evil dictators everywhere. As a soldier in this unit, you've been asked to investigate a rebel faction based in South America. Unfortunately, things go a little, well, tits up.

The PR blurb is promising devastating firepower, dense and humid jungle ravines, breathtaking mountains, armies of *******-hard guerrillas (thems our words, not Free Radical's), and a variety of multiplayer modes that let you participate as a member of either side.

We'll probably hear a lot more on this title in the weeks to come. In the meantime, here are the first set of screens and a movie for you to run the rule over. You can also check out the official game site here. ...

Via GIBiz

The GameCube may have lost the battle to be current-gen market leader some time ago, but Nintendo has confirmed its ongoing support for the console with the announcment that a brand new Mario game is in development.

The Pre-E3 press conference was obviously geared towards the launch of Nintendo's latest 'disruptive technology' platform, the Wii. But that hasn't stopped the Japanese giant from showing an immense amount of support for both the DS handheld and Wii's predecessor, the GameCube.

Although the conference highlighted a few specific high profile games such as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the E3 expo has revealed that there's plenty more on offer for GameCube owners - including a new platform exclusive starring Nintendo's long-time mascot.

Entitled Super Paper Mario, the new game is a curious blend of classic 2D side-scrolling platform action and the pseudo-3D graphics style of the Paper Mario series. Apparently, the game will also blend platform gaming with RPG elements, although exactly how it's all going to sit together is unknown at present.

What is known is that Mario, Peach and Bowser will all be available as playable characters, and there are elements of the new DS Mario game included - like being able to 'super-size' Mario until he fills the screen.

There's also the long awaited Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess to look forward to, along with a range of third-party GameCube titles. These will include Tomb Raider Legend, Lego Star Wars II, Super Monkey Ball Adventure, Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Rayman and a new Spyro game.

So while the console didn't get a look-in at Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference yesterday, it's clear that GameCube owners have at least a couple of reasons not to head down to the trade-in shop just yet. ...