focuses on the emerging threat of a new disease. Common elements Gameplay The gameplay and presentation of Trauma Center use two recurring features; surgery simulation carried out from a first-person view; and the narrative delivered using a visual novel style. Trauma Team includes surgery, but also uses five other professions; emergency medicine where patients at the scene are given rapid treatments, endoscopy for small-scale internal treatment, orthopedics which focuses on skeletal operations and reconstruction, diagnosis for determining medical conditions through a routine of speaking with the patient and examining medical scans, and forensic medicine where evidence from crime scenes and the victims are used to reach a conclusion to the case. During surgery, the player operates on the patient use a variety of tools; these include the scalpel, healing gel, a syringe for injecting health boosts and other substances, a laser, an ultrasound scan, a drain, forceps, and thread for stitching wounds. Later titles introduce the defibrillator for reviving dying patients. Operation types range from organ repair and tumor extraction to skin grafts and bone repair. The DS titles make use of the touch screen, with players selecting and using tools using icons. For Second Opinion and New Blood, the controls were adjusted to work with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, and added functions including the defibrillator. A recurring gameplay mechanic across the series is the Healing Touch, an ability which grants superhuman advantages to surgeons who hold it. Its effects vary between individuals, with demonstrated abilities including slowing time, healing patients, and stopping a patient's health from dropping. It is activated by drawing a star shape on the screen. The Healing Touch and similar fantastical elements were toned down or removed for Trauma Team. Both New Blood and Trauma Team included local cooperative multiplayer options. Setting and themes The Trauma Center series is set in a near-future version of Earth where medical advances have led to the development of cures for previously major diseases such as AIDS and cancer. A key organisation is Caduceus; while outwardly a medical research body for studying intractable diseases, it has a semi-covert role fighting bioterrorism using artificial viruses. Originally founded in Europe, Caduceus has branches established around the world. A recurring element across the series is the presence of science fiction or supernatural elements in the narratives. Trauma Team made less use of these elements, including not using the Healing Touch. All the