The surprising highlight of the Trump arcade game is its impressive quality.
This week, a trio of video game cabinets featuring pixel art of Donald Trump and various government officials popped up at the DC War Memorial. At first glance, it might seem like Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell (also available online) is just another satirical piece from the DC-based art collective, The Secret Handshake. However, after diving into the game, it becomes clear that Operation Epic Furious is a sharp critique wrapped in a nostalgic homage to classic RPGs.
In Operation Epic Furious, you take on the role of President Trump as he battles Iran and tries to regain US access to the Strait of Hormuz. The adventure kicks off in the White House, where you navigate through rooms filled with notable allies like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. The early gameplay evokes the exploration of Nintendo’s classic Zelda titles, where you search for treasures and clues. Instead of collecting rupees or keys, your mission is to locate Kid Rock’s helicopter to “ROCK Iran back to the stone ages.”
Artistically, Operation Epic Furious has a sincerity that shows The Secret Handshake aimed to create a genuine gaming experience rather than just a humorous jab at the Trump administration. The game boasts an impressive soundtrack that transitions smoothly as you traverse its pixelated version of Iran, encountering quirky enemies like schoolchildren and “weak on crime” Pope Leo XIV. The NPC dialogue reflects the chaotic nature of the administration, and the battle mechanics draw inspiration from beloved franchises like Final Fantasy and Pokémon.
After taking a few hits, it became evident that no matter how I played, the enemies couldn’t diminish Trump’s political power, represented by a health bar. Amidst the humor, the game serves as a reminder of the increasingly chaotic state of the US government in recent years.
While Epic Furious pokes fun at Trump and his allies, its absurd humor doesn’t trivialize the real-world consequences of their actions. It’s amusing when Trump learns new skills like Full Pardon after defeating foes, but these moments are quickly followed by drone strikes that devastate parts of the overworld.
Katherine, a nonprofit worker from Massachusetts, was drawn to the game’s dark humor and its celebration of First Amendment rights. She first learned about it when photos of National Guard troops playing it circulated on social media. “This is a free country where we have freedom of expression and the ability to say what we want,” she noted, emphasizing the importance of being able to critique religion and politics without fear.
The Secret Handshake’s previous project, a statue of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands, had also garnered attention, prompting Alex, an IT specialist from Baltimore, to check out Operation Epic Furious. He appreciated how the game highlights the suffering the US inflicts on other nations while keeping its citizens unaware. “The violence in this game is no different than the things the US has done throughout history,” he remarked, pointing out that the suffering abroad inevitably impacts society at home.
As night fell, I expected the crowd at the War Memorial to thin out, but the opposite happened. Gamers continued to arrive, eager to play before the cabinets were taken down, creating a sense of community among those present.
For me, it was about immersing myself in a ludicrous game that lays bare how the current president has led the country into a bizarre and unsettling era. Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell, which has since been moved to Busboys and Poets on 14th Street, may not incite a revolution, but it certainly offers a way to laugh through the madness.
