Microsurgeon (video game)

Microsurgeon, a video game from Imagic, launched in 1982 on the Mattel Intellivision. It later appeared on the TI-99/4A and IBM PCjr, and was eventually re-released in the Intellivision Rocks collection. The game is among the earliest published titles centered on health or health education.

The plot involves a damaged tanker leaking hazardous gas, causing immune disorders in those exposed—including bacterial infections, tumors, and lung tar deposits. Patients arrive at Xenon Medical Center for emergency microsurgery, and the player takes the role of a surgical staff member.

Gameplay requires guiding a Robot Probe through a patient’s body to treat ailments like infections, brain tumors, cholesterol blockages, and tapeworms. A status chart shows each organ’s condition and an overall rating from “Good” to “Terminal.” The probe uses ultrasonic rays, antibiotics, and aspirin, with effectiveness depending on the ailment (e.g., bacteria respond only to antibiotics; viruses are only temporarily disabled by aspirin). Moving outside blood vessels or the lymphatic system triggers attacks from phagocytes, which drain power; movement and treatments also consume power. Systems not initially “Good” worsen toward “Terminal” unless treated, and cannot improve once “Terminal” is reached. The goal is to raise the overall status to “Good” and exit through an eye, ear, nose, or mouth before power runs out. The game ends when power hits zero, the probe exits, or two or more systems become “Terminal.” A final score, presented as a surgery bill, depends on surgery difficulty and the patient’s final condition.

Released for the Intellivision in October 1982, Microsurgeon was previewed by Danny Goodman at the summer 1982 Consumer Electronics Show, who called it a “must” for Intellivision owners due to its graphics and unique theme. It was noted as among the most innovative computer/game software for 1982–1983 at that show. In December 1983, it tied for “Most Original Game” of the year in *Electronic Fun with Computers & Games*. The game appeared on the cover of *IEEE Spectrum* (December 1982) and on the album cover of *The Anniversary’s Designing a Nervous Breakdown*. In 2012, it was among 240 video games selected for the Smithsonian Institution’s “The Art of Video Games” exhibit. A remake was announced in 2018 for the Intellivision Amico.