Hwang Dong-hyuk’s Squid Game has taken the world by storm. Owing to its originality, phenomenal writing and casting, it has shot to the top of Netflix’s viewership charts worldwide. It seems as if everyone is watching it. And its tale of deeply indebted players fighting for their lives in a series of brutal games had me gripped. However, you may be asking: “What games do they play in Squid Game?”. Some are more familiar than others – but all the games are deadly.
Here are the Squid Game games explained!
*Mild spoilers ahead*
What Games Do They Play In Squid Game?
1. Red Light, Green Light
Of all the games in Squid Game, “Red Light, Green Light” could be the most terrifying. Not because it is the hardest – but because it’s first – and so a complete surprise to the players and it kills indiscriminately. The image of the giant killer doll is iconic and instills a menacing terror.
Red Light, Green Light (also known as Statues, Grandma’s Footsteps, Fairy Footsteps, or Peep Behind The Curtain), is a well known kids game. Most people will have played it at some point in their childhood and the rules are simple. One player, the “Curator” or “Watcher”, stands at one end of the playing field. The players, “Statues”, stand at the other. The objective is for the Statues to reach the other end of the field and cross a line or tag the Curator. The catch is that they can only move when the Curator isn’t looking.
In Squid Game, the giant doll is a motion sensor. Anyone who moves when it turns is instantly shot and killed. A bit more stressful than the version we played as kids.
2. Dalgona Candy
Just as memorable as the first game is the second – Dalgona Candy. Unlike Sang-woo, western viewers will likely be unfamiliar with it. It’s certainly more obscure than some of the others. But it’s one of the most tense.
“Dalgona” is the South Korean name for honeycomb toffee made from melted sugar and baking soda. It became popular as a street food snack in the 1970s and is commonly poured into a circular mould and then stamped with a shape. People often try to eat around the stamped shape to get a clean break. If they do, they get another dalgona for free.
To turn this innocent snack into a deadly game for Squid Game, there’s the added element of imminent death. In the show, a player is promptly shot in the head if they break the stamped shape.
3. Tug of War
We all know Tug of War. Two teams of players each grab either end of a length of rope. From there, the teams try to drag their opponents other over a line. It’s an exhausting test of strength. But Squid Game found a way to make it terrifying, too.
In this third game, the players organise themselves into teams. Each team is then taken up to one of two adjacent platforms via elevators. The teams must then compete to pull the other off of their platform causing them to fall down to their deaths. For those that manage to cling on to the rope, a guillotine is then dropped to slice the rope and ensure each losing competitor meets their demise.
4. Marbles
Squid Game‘s fourth game is a bit looser than the others in that the players get to pick what game they play. As long as it involves winning marbles, that is.
Each player is told to pair up with one other player. They’re each given ten marbles. Surprisingly, the players are told they must win their partner’s ten marbles within the given time frame. They are free to play whatever marble game they like but the loser will be killed.
We see a number of different games being played but Gi-hun and Sang-woo both opt to play a guessing game with their partners. In this game, one player conceals a number of marbles in their hand. The other player – the guesser – must then guess whether the number of concealed marbles is even or odd. They also wager a hidden number of marbles as a bet. The first player then reveals the number of marbles they’re holding and, if the guesser was correct, they hand them over. If the guesser was incorrect, they hand over their wagered marbles instead. The winner is the first player to obtain all their opponents marbles.
5. Glass Bridge
Even for a Squid Game game, number five – the Glass Bridge – must be absolutely petrifying. Especially if you hate heights.
The Glass Bridge is essentially made up of two parallel lines of glass stepping stones. Each row has a tempered glass panel (strong enough to hold a human) and a normal glass panel (which is not). The players must guess which panel to stand on. If they choose incorrectly, they’ll fall to their deaths. The objective is to get to the other side safely.
Oh, and unaware of what’s coming, players are made to choose the order in which they’d like to play the game. Of course, the first player is at a huge disadvantage.
6. Squid Game
And finally – game number 6 – the eponymous Squid Game.
We’re first introduced to the Squid Game in the show’s opening minutes in which we see two teams of children play the game as its rules are explained. Those unfamiliar with it might still feel none the wiser, as I did, after this explanation. But it is pretty straight forward.
A squid-like outline is drawn on the ground consisting of a circle at the top, a triangle in the middle, a horizontal bridge area and, below that, a rectangle with a small semi-circle at the bottom. With it being a children’s game, the gameplay rules aren’t entirely set or consistent with many regional variations.
In the show’s version, the attacking team start in the circle area at the top of the triangle and must hop around the outside of the squid avoiding the defensive team who can move on two feet within the boundaries. If an attacker manages to slip past the defence, cross the bridge (or waist of the squid) and reach the promotion area, they become a “Secret Inspector” and can walk on two feet. Then there’s a final battle in which the attackers must reach the closed off tip of the triangle at the squid’s head without being pushed out of bounds by the defence. Of course, in the competition’s version, the loser must be killed.
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I hope this has given you everything you need to know and answered the question: “What games do they play in Squid Game?”
Which Squid Game game was your favourite? And which would you least like to play? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other film & TV articles…
