Hidden Agenda

Government strategy games often focus on resource management, but Hidden Agenda took a different approach. Instead of controlling armies or infrastructure, players step into the role of a newly elected president in the fictional Central American country of Chimerica.

Every decision influences the nation’s stability, making it a deep and thought-provoking experience.

A Game That Explores Political Leadership

Released in 1988 by Trans Fiction Systems and published by Springboard Software, Hidden Agenda is a text-based political simulation that forces players to navigate complex governmental challenges. The country has just emerged from a revolution, and it’s up to the player to balance political factions, manage economic policies, and decide on foreign relations.

The economy centers on coffee and cotton exports, and players must determine whether to follow free-market strategies backed by the United States or socialist reforms supported by Cuba and the Soviet Union. The game’s realism and depth made it a widely respected educational tool, often discussed alongside titles like Balance of Power.

Closest Modern Adaptation: Tropico Series

While Hidden Agenda is a detailed political simulation, the Tropico series offers a more visually immersive take on governing a fictional Latin American country.

Tropico allows players to oversee economic development, political factions, and international diplomacy in a sandbox-style environment.

Hidden Agenda was more than just a game—it was a political simulation that challenged players to think critically about governance. Its realistic decision-making mechanics made it a valuable educational tool, offering insights into the complexities of leadership.

Decades after its release, it remains one of the best examples of how strategy games can tackle political themes in meaningful ways.

The game begins with a press conference where the new president is asked a series of questions which determine the social class the new administration is likely to favour.

The rest of the game consists in choosing whom to consult and making decisions based upon the proposals of advisors. In addition to cabinet ministers, the player may choose to consult the representatives of various groups, as well as study press reports and an almanac of national statistics.

The challenge of the game is to balance the interests and influences of conflicting factions within the country. Too many concessions to one side of a dispute can lead to the disenfranchised party seeking extra-political redress such as an insurrection. Overreliance on one faction can leave the government vulnerable to a coup d'état.