Microsurgeon
Microsurgeon — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Microsurgeon on?
- Microsurgeon was released on Intellivision, DOS, Texas Instruments TI-99.
- When did Microsurgeon release?
- Microsurgeon was first released on December 31, 1982.
About Microsurgeon
You're a microsurgeon, and your patient is in critical condition! First you need to examine the patient's medical chart to find out what's wrong, and which conditions are the most critical. Now to save the patient, you control a robot probe which can be used to administer aspirin, antiseptic, or ultrasonics to clear up the problem. You should clear up the most critical conditions first, then move on to the less serious areas to ensure your patient survives. Your probe should navigate through the veins, arteries, and lymph; if you guide the probe outside these areas, it's movement will slow down and swarms of white blood cells will attack it, depleting the limited energy supply. There are 197 different patients you need to help, each with different ailments. Microsurgeon was among 240 video games selected to be included in "The Art of Video Games" exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution in 2012.
Summary via IGDB.
Microsurgeon on Wikipedia
Microsurgeon is a video game published by Imagic in 1982 for the Mattel Intellivision game console. The game was ported to the TI-99/4A computer and the IBM PCjr. Microsurgeon was re-released as part of the Intellivision Rocks collection.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Game details
- Platforms
- Intellivision, DOS, Texas Instruments TI-99
- Developer
- Imagic
- Publisher
- Imagic
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Science fiction, Educational
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intellivision | 1982 | $9 | $20 | $32 | Graphics ★★★★ · Play-Action ★★★★ | Low (look-alike) |
Release timeline
- Intellivision1982
- DOS1984
- Texas Instruments TI-991984
First release on each platform, from IGDB’s records of this game’s ports and editions. Remakes are separate games with their own pages, so they are not listed here.
We haven’t priced or authenticated the versions without a section on this page yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Intellivision · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-20
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about once a week
- Sealed: about 5 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-20.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $9.26 in Apr 2009, $10.00 five years ago, and $9.20 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $5.36 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $2.00 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $0.99 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $2.99 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $4.95 | $1.04 |
| Jan 2015 | $6.00 | $9.99 |
| Jan 2016 | $7.50 | $5.99 |
| Jan 2017 | $5.50 | $14.00 |
| Jan 2018 | $5.82 | $12.76 |
| Jan 2019 | $3.36 | $12.50 |
| Jan 2020 | $5.00 | $11.29 |
| Jan 2021 | $7.95 | $12.98 |
| Jan 2022 | $9.47 | $19.72 |
| Jan 2023 | $10.53 | $15.40 |
| Jan 2024 | $8.74 | $15.98 |
| Jan 2025 | $7.42 | $18.57 |
| Jan 2026 | $9.04 | $21 |
| Oct 2026 | $9.20 | $19.99 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1982
- Authenticity
- Low
Imagic's strange medical shooter, offbeat, slow and genuinely original.
Imagic released Microsurgeon for the Intellivision in October 1982, with ports later reaching the TI-99/4A and IBM PCjr. Electronic Games previewed it as the year's most offbeat video game, which is hard to argue with. Computer Entertainer's reviewer thought it unusual but too slow to play much.
It was reissued in the Intellivision Rocks collection. If you like oddities, it is a good pickup.
How it was made
Imagic published it in October 1982.
What the press said at the time
| Computer Entertainer Vol. 1 No. 7 | October 1982 | Graphics ★★★★ · Play-Action ★★★★ |
“We found this a thoroughly ... game, and it's one with educational value without being”
“However, Mkrosurgeon is a videogame, not a biology lesson. And as a game, it's superb.”
“Silly but fun for toddler Operation fans. … Best touch is the bill you give the poor sucker at the end.”
Computer Entertainer rated graphics first and play action second, from four symbols (excellent) to one (poor) — diamonds through early 1987, stars after — comparing each game only with other games for the same system.
How the Intellivision version differs
In the original Intellivision cartridge, players had to switch back and forth constantly between the surgery and status screens, a chore that Computer Entertainer said the TI-99/4A adaptation removed.
Also on other platforms
TI-99/4A
- TI-99/4A. Computer Entertainer called it an adaptation with several improvements, including voice synthesis with the TI Speech Synthesizer.
Before you buy
Imagic shipped two keypad overlays, a left and right pair, so check both are present. The box and manual carry much of a complete copy's value, and complete copies sell at a premium over loose carts.
Microsurgeon screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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