Amateur Surgeon

Amateur Surgeon from 2008 turned the classic surgery-simulation idea on its head - instead of a sterile operating room and modern instruments, the player operated using improvised tools such as an office stapler, duct tape, or a pizza cutter, controlling the entire procedure by clicking and dragging the mouse directly over the patient's wound. Black humor was present at every step, from absurd diagnoses to comments from characters who clearly weren't too bothered by the whole situation.

Adult Swim Games used the game to build on its reputation as a producer of titles with an unrestrained, often morbid sense of humor, in line with their TV brand's focus on more adult and ironic content. Amateur Surgeon combined simple controls typical of Flash minigames with a surprisingly addictive scoring system that tracked precision and speed of the procedure, so despite its absurd premise, it was a game that demanded real skill and repeated improvement.

The success of the web version led to mobile sequels with expanded content and better graphics, bringing the concept of absurd surgery to touchscreen devices as well. Amateur Surgeon thus remains an example of how far a seemingly serious topic can be turned into a comedic game through exaggerated stylization and black humor, without sacrificing the gameplay.

Why play it: Suited to players with a tolerance for black humor and bloodier stylization who will appreciate the combination of an absurd premise with a surprisingly elaborate skill-rating system.