Underground

Overview

Underground is blends a puzzle game with educational value for surgeons and is being developed by Grendel Games with support from University Medical Center Groningen and LIMIS Foundation. Originally having started development as a Wii-title, Underground later shifted to Wii U when the market transitioned over.

The game has players guide the robot Sari through dangerous mines and caves by building bridges, stairs and other things. These tools can be built by collecting resources from destroyed buildings found in the environments. Later in the game players will also have to fend off bugs and other creatures endangering Sari. All this is done by using laparoscopic devices in-game that resemble those used by surgeons in real life.

The game will support a unique controller based developed by Pezy on real laparoscopic equipment but utilizing two Wii Remotes and Nunchuks that act like laparoscopic graspers and a base plate resembling two trocar sites. According to developer Grendel Games, this will “subconsciously train [the player's] basic laparoscopic skills, such as depth perception, eye-hand coordination, inverse movements and bi-manual dexterity.” Alternatively, the analog sticks on the Wii U GamePad can be used to control the game, if one does not wish to purchase the special controller.

Underground will release as a Wii U eShop title and cost between €20-30 and the controller is said to be offered at an affordable price point far below that of typical learning tool equivalents (normally valued at about €200). Details for how to obtain the special control device have not been announced, neither has a release date.