Dem
47
GOP
53
Arcade games based on war have been around, well, since there have been arcade games. The game generally recognized as the first arcade game, 1971's Computer Space, was, in fact, a war game. There have also been plenty of war video games of a satirical nature, with 1989's Nuclear War a notable early example.
As of this week, we have a new entry in the satirical war games genre. It was "unveiled" in several custom-built cabinets that were placed at the D.C. War Memorial. Angry about the administration's regular use of video-game footage to promote and propagandize the Iran War, the new game is called Operation Epic Furious: Strait To Hell. In it, the player, playing as Donald Trump, must navigate various obstacles to try to win the war in Iran. This includes dealing with various fawning Cabinet officers and vice presidents, a battle with Pope Leo, and making sure to send out enough tweets on Truth Social.
It is rather hard to do justice to the game, though; it's much easier to try it for yourself. Traveling to D.C. is not practical (and the game cabinets have probably been removed by now), but the designers have also released the game online. If you do play it, do be careful about shaking Melania Trump's hand.
This war was so poorly conceived, from start to finish, that it's hard to think of anything that's come out of the Trump administration that more richly deserves to be mocked. Though, we have to admit, the slush fund is awfully close. (Z)