Pick Out Stix

"Grab a color...but don't touch the sides!" This is a simple electronic dexterity game for all ages. Twenty-eight plastic, chrome-plated rods are placed in holes through a conductive play field. The holes are about a quarter-inch wider than the diameter of the rods, and there are holes under the holes to keep the rods centered and vertical. A handle with conductive, spring-loaded, plier-like pincher is wired to the base unit. When the circuit is completed between the play field and the pincers, a loudish explosion sound goes off and a small light goes on. The top of the rods are slightly flattened and have a piece of tape on the flat sides. The game consists of rolling a big die marked with the three colors, and then using the pliers to pull out a rod of that color without touching the edge of the play field hole, ala Operation. The instructions instruct players to grab the rods by the edges (non-taped) of the flattened top, I suppose to ensure a solid contact between the rod and pincher. It's not that easy. You have to watch carefully that you're pulling the rods out exactly vertical, and there's little "feel" using the pliers to judge the force you're using. The circuit is very sensitive and doesn't let you get away with much. The explosion sound was surprisingly loud the first time I tried the game, not at all like the Operation buzzer - startled the crap out of me. Same thing apparently happened to the kid pictured on the box...