Operation

game · hand-eye coordination · toy classic

Medical Mishap Game. Operation is all about being a careful doctor. You use tweezers to pull out funny plastic body parts like bones, organs, and even a brain from inside a patient's body without touching the metal edges, or you get buzzed and lose your turn.

The Buzzer Gets You. The game has a special electric buzzer that goes off if your tweezers touch the metal sides of the body cavities. The buzzer is pretty loud and surprising, which makes the game exciting and a little bit nerve-wracking.

A Student's Big Idea. Operation was invented in 1964 by a college student named John Spinello who was studying design at the University of Illinois. He sold his idea to a famous toy designer for $500 and the promise of a job, though that job never actually happened.

From Milton Bradley to Now. The game first came out in 1965 and was made by Milton Bradley, a huge toy company. Today, Hasbro makes Operation, and the game is worth an estimated $40 million, making it one of the most successful games ever created.

Tests Your Steadiness. Operation is designed to test your hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, meaning how well your hands and eyes work together and how carefully you can move small objects.