We here at DS-x2.com had the pleasure of interviewing the producer, Nicole Goodfellow, of the upcoming Nintendo Wii title Zoo Hospital Wii from Torus Game.


Recently our reporter James had the pleasure of interviewing producer Nicole Goodfellow about their upcoming Nintendo Wii title Zoo Hospital Wii, developed by Australia's Torus Games, and some other things.

DS-x2.com: First of all for those actually unfamilar with Zoo Hospital Wii, could you please explain what the whole concept of what the title is about?

Nicole: Zoo Hospital is an interactive vet game that gives players the opportunity to treat 48 species of animals by performing medical mini-games using the Wiimote, including stitching wounds, lasering boils, killing microscopic viruses, pulling teeth and removing parasites to save the Zoo's ailing animals.

The story behind the game is that the Zoo is in eminent danger of closure and becoming a mini golf course and the only way to save it is by improving the Zoo Rating to attract more exotic animals and visitors. The Zoo Rating is determined by the player's skills during mini-games and follow up treatments in the enclosures, such as patting, feeding and administering the correct medicines.

Treat animals well, and you'll be rewarded for your efforts with plaques and new animals. But let your Zoo Rating slip, and watch the visitors and animals disappear from the Zoo map.


DS-x2.com: Torus has recently developed a Zoo Hospital title for the Nintendo DS, which has been released, is Zoo Hospital Wii just a port of the DS version or are there differences between the two titles?

Nicole: Zoo Hospital isn't a port of DS and was developed specifically for the Wii. The Wii's predominant feature is the motion-sensor Wiimote, so we wanted to ensure that the game was designed in such a way to utilise this feature to it's potential. All of the mini-games utilise the Wiimote motion sensor. As an example, in the Parasites mini-game, the user has to shake the Wii-mote to fill the Ointment Gun, before using a swatting motion to kill the parasites.

Zoo Wii also features a revised interaction system with the Zoo Map and Animal Enclosures, where the player can visit an animal, pet and feed it. Mini-games have also been revised and the new Zoo Rating System dynamically determines the level of difficulty of the mini-games according to the player's Zoo Rating.

Zoo for Wii also has additional animals to that found in DS, and all of the animals were remodelled and new animations created to suit the Wii graphics engine. Overall, we're really pleased with how this game looks graphically - it's a beautiful looking game and the detail given to the animals such as Fur and Feather shaders and nuances of animations, brings the animals to life.


DS-x2.com: With the game having you treat sick and injured animals are the operations you actually perform similar to what you would expect within a real life situation?

Nicole: I think the closest you'll come to a 'real-life experience' is the shaving of the animal before an operation and the administering of injections and stitching wounds. Beyond that, the mini-games are purely 'arcade' style renditions of procedures rather than simulated experiences.


DS-x2.com: The title has already been released within North America, have you seen the success you wanted for the title or is Torus waiting to see how well it does within Australia and Europe?

Nicole: It's still early days yet to determine how the game's been received, but we're very happy with the feedback so far.


DS-x2.com: Now with Zoo Hospital Wii soon to be released everywhere does Torus have another Nintendo DS or Wii title within development?

Nicole: We've also just completed Monster Jam 2 and have a few new titles in development at the moment (but I can't give you any specifics yet!)


DS-x2.com would like to thank Nicole Goodfellow for answering our questions and wish Torus Games well on their release of Zoo Hospital Wii and all future products.

For more information on Zoo Hospital Wii or if you would like to check out screenshots just visit our gamepage for Zoo Hospital Wii.