Operation is a
battery-operated game of physical skill that
tests players' hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. The game's prototype was invented in 1964
by John Spinello, a University of Illinois industrial
design student at the time, who sold his rights to the game to renowned toy
designer Marvin Glass for
a sum of US$500 and the promise of a job upon graduation (a promise that was
not upheld).[1] Initially produced by Milton Bradley in
1965, Operation is currently made by Hasbro, with an estimated franchise worth of US$40 million. The
game is a variant on the old-fashioned electrified wire loop game popular at funfairs. It
consists of an "operating table", lithographed with a comic likeness of a patient
(nicknamed "Cavity Sam") with a large red lightbulb for his nose.
This could be a reference to classic cartoons, where ill characters' noses turn
red. In the surface are a number of openings, which reveal cavities filled with
fictional and humorously named ailments made of plastic. The general gameplay
requires players to remove these plastic ailments with a pair of tweezers
without touching the edge of the cavity opening.
Operation includes two sets
of cards: The Specialist cards are dealt out evenly amongst
the players at the beginning of the game. In the U.S and Australian version,
players take turns picking Doctor cards, which offer a cash
payment for removing each particular ailment, using a pair of tweezers (dubbed “Electro Probe” in earlier versions)
connected with wire to the board. Successfully removing the ailment is rewarded
according to the dollar amount shown on the card. However, if the tweezers
touch the metal edge of the opening during the attempt (thereby closing a
circuit), a buzzer sounds, Sam's nose lights up red, and the player loses the
turn. The player holding the Specialist card for that piece
then has a try, getting double the fee if he or she succeeds. Since there will
be times when the player drawing a certain Doctor card also
holds the matching Specialist card, that player can purposely
botch the first attempt in order to attempt a second try for double value. The
winner is the player who holds the most money after all the ailments are extracted.
Subsequent later games removed the money and cards, and the winner of these
editions is the player who removes the most ailments. The game can be
difficult, due to the shapes of the plastic ailments and the fact the openings
are barely larger than the pieces themselves.
·
Adam's Apple: an apple in the throat ($100). "Adam's apple" is a colloquial term referring to the
thyroid cartilage surrounding the larynx that becomes more visually prominent
during puberty.
·
Broken Heart: a heart shape with a crack through it
on the right side of the chest ($100). The phrase "broken heart"
refers to an emotional feeling in which someone is very sad for a reason such
as a breakup with a romantic partner.
·
Wrenched Ankle: a wrench in the right ankle ($100).
"Wrenched ankle" is an alternative term for a sprained ankle.
·
Butterflies in Stomach: a large butterfly in
the middle of the torso ($100). The name comes from the feeling in the stomach
when nervous, excited or afraid.
·
Spare Ribs: two ribs fused together as one piece
($150). "Spare Ribs" are a cut of meat or a dish prepared from that
cut.
·
Water on the Knee: a pail of water in the knee ($150).
Colloquialism for fluid accumulation around the knee joint.
·
Funny Bone: a cartoon-style bone ($200). A
reference to the colloquial name of the ulnar nerve which is itself thought to be a play on the
anatomical name for the upper arm bone (the humerus).
·
Charley Horse: a small horse resting
near the hip joint ($200). A "charley horse" is a sudden spasm in
the leg or foot that can be cured by massage or stretching.
·
Writer's Cramp: a pencil in the forearm ($200). A
"writer's cramp" is a
soreness in the wrist that can be cured by resting it.
·
The Ankle Bone Connected to the Knee Bone: A rubber band that must be stretched between two pegs at
the left ankle and knee. This is the only non-plastic piece in the game and the
only card that requires the player to insert rather than remove something
($200). The name is taken from the African American spiritual "Dem Bones".
·
Wish Bone: a wishbone similar to that of a chicken
located on the left side of the chest ($300). A "wish bone" is a
colloquial name for the Furcula which is a bone found in
birds and some other animals. Traditionally, the Furcula of a chicken may be
used by two people for making competing wishes.
·
Bread Basket: a slice of bread, with a small notch
taken out of the top for grip ($1,000). The word "breadbasket" is
slang for the stomach.
·
Brain Freeze: an ice-cream cone located in the brain
($600). Refers to the experience of "brain freeze", a headache felt after consuming frozen
desserts and iced drinks too quickly.
"Brain Freeze" was added in
2004 when Milton Bradley allowed fans a chance to vote on a new piece to be
added to the original game during the previous year, during the "What's
Ailing Sam?" promotion. Voters were given three choices and could make
their selection via the company's official website[4] or by phone for a chance to win a $5,000
shopping spree. The winning piece beat out tennis elbow and growling stomach. In 2020, Hasbro introduced a new
variation on the game called Operation Pet Scan, in which players
are to remove foreign objects from a dog's digestive tract.