Eardrum Surgery is another installment in the Operate Now series of games. It is a memory game with a surgical theme. The graphics are flat and cartoonish. They still do a good job of relaying what is happening. The simplicity makes it easier to grasp what is happening on the screen. There are not many sound effects in the game. You do occasionally get to hear short clips of dramatic music during key periods of the operation.

The game focuses on a single surgical procedure where you must remove a blockage from within the ear of a patient. You must play through this surgery game as an intern the first time. This means you are going to have a nurse explaining each step of the surgical process. This includes scanning the patient initially to discover the blockage. You score points for doing everything quickly and correctly. You lose points if you do something wrong.

Everything in Eardrum Surgery is done with the mouse. You just basically have to click on the right spots in order to get something done. You sometimes have to click and drag in a certain direction. Everything is contextual. What your mouse clicks do depends mostly on what surgical tools you are using and what stage of the game you are in. Unfortunately, the simplicity of this system takes much of the challenge out of the game.

Intern mode in Eardrum Surgery is very easy to complete. It is almost impossible to make a mistake if you listen to the nurse providing guidance. Time limits are also relaxed. If you complete intern mode, then you can advance to specialist mode. This is the same as intern mode although you will not have any guidance from the nurse. You need to remember how to do everything in the right order yourself. You get double points in specialist mode.

The major problem with Eardrum Surgery is that it provides too much guidance even in specialist mode. Animated circles appear on the screen when you select a tool. The circles and arrows always show you exactly what to do. As long as you can remember the right order of surgical tools to use, then the game guides you through the rest of the process. Your mouse is also locked into predetermined paths so that you cannot accidentally use a tool in the wrong spot. Eardrum Surgery is a well-made game although it is not terribly challenging.