In 2005, Atlus put players on the operating table with Trauma Center: Under the Knife, a tense surgical simulation that turned the Nintendo DS touchscreen into a tool for saving lives. In this episode, we explore how Katsura Hashino and his team of Shin Megami Tensei veterans swapped demons for diagnoses, creating a game that mixed medical precision with visual novel storytelling. We trace the series’ evolution from the DS to the Wii, covering its sequels, innovations like co-op surgery, and the creative risks that defined each installment. Our conversation also looks at how Trauma Team expanded the formula into a full medical drama. Join us as we scrub in and revisit Trauma Center on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.
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A Trip Down Memory Card Lane