Netflix’s Squid Game has taken the world by storm, in large part thanks to its intriguing plot that pits players against each other using life or death games. Redditors have unsurprisingly come up with other games that would fit perfectly into the show, which include popular kids’ games like Simon says and the floor is lava.
As fans eagerly wait for more details about a potential second season, they’ve discussed what games they’d like to see the series tackle in future episodes. Some of their suggestions have fascinating implications about what kind of twisted mechanics and skills the Squid Game characters would need to survive the new deadly rounds.
The Floor Is Lava
It makes sense that a universally known game would be a popular suggestion on Reddit. The user infus0rian takes it a step further and suggests hosting the floor is lava on “a volcanic island." Considering how huge the budget is for the competition, “literal lava might not be out of the question.”
It would likely play out like the glass stepping stones game where players would have to navigate obstacles as a timer ticks away in the background. Squid Game’s most heartbreaking deaths could easily happen during this round since contestants would likely have to race to reach a finish line without touching the floor. Anyone who is unfortunate enough to fall will get shot and other players could even push contestants out of the way to get ahead.
Thumb War
It’s hard to imagine how a game as simple as thumb wrestling could make it onto the gripping series, but SnapCrackleMom seems to think it could work. Their comment repeats the line used to start the popular game: “One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war.”
It could be similar to the marbles round on the show, but the players wouldn’t have to decide on what kind of game to play. Having the contestants pair up without knowing what they’re playing could also have tragic results, as they may have to defeat their closest friend or spouse as some players do in the series. Whoever loses gets shot by the guards and the winner would move on to the next game.
Duck, Duck, Goose
MummyB71618 brilliantly suggests the straightforward kids’ game in a comment that simply reads “Duck duck goose.” This game would be unlike anything seen on the show so far, which makes it especially interesting.
Players could sit around in a circle and a random contestant would be announced as the chaser. They have to be extremely careful when choosing the “goose,” as they can’t pick someone who’s too strong or fast. If they get caught, they’re shot, and the “goose” is “it.” However, if the original chaser manages to steal the player’s seat, the “goose” is shot and another random player is chosen to restart the process.
Simon Says
Even a game as fun as Simon says would become serious and deadly in the show. The Redditor jmemw926 says that it “would surely be difficult when tensions are that high.” They also suggest calling it “Sally Says,” as the commands can be called out by the giant doll from the red light, green light game.
If that were the case, it could definitely be one of the hardest games on Squid Game. There’s no telling what messed up orders the doll could bark at the contestants. Anyone who misunderstands the instructions or is unwilling to follow the command would be eliminated immediately.
Hide And Seek
A game that’s as well-known and as tense as hide and seek would fit in perfectly in Squid Game’s world. The user cicero2003 thinks the guards should be the seekers in the game, as they could “have a certain amount of time to look for” players “and if they find” them, they die.
Considering how much work goes into the set designs and aesthetics of the show, the setting for the game could be as grand as the colorful walkway players have to pass through from the dormitory. Contestants would have to be smart about finding a great hiding spot that they can stay in as they wait for the clock to stop ticking.
Red Rover
The Redditor lotsofmaybes suggests “Red Rover” when asked what other games should be on the show. They explain the game’s mechanics, which involve having two “rows of kids stand across from each other” and “whichever team is up first chooses someone to send over to try to break the other team’s line.”
For adults in a dangerous competition, it could turn into a brutal game that prompts some horrific things in Squid Game. Aside from the possibility of a ton of broken bones, one entire row of people could die if their line breaks. Anyone chosen to try and break the human barrier would undoubtedly try their best to, as they could be eliminated for failing. Each side would need a winning strategy like Il-nam’s useful tips in the tug-of-war round on the show.
Hopscotch
Some fans may have thought that the game in the intro of the series was a version of hopscotch, as both the popular childhood game and the titular squid game are played on a court etched onto the ground. Appropriate-Way-4890 is surprised no one has made the connection between the game and the show, saying “nobody said hopscotch?”
Following the same rules of hopscotch, players would have to be mindful not to lose their balance or accidentally touch the court’s lines. Getting the sequence or the steps wrong would get the players shot. The team with the highest number of surviving players who managed to collect one marker each would win.
Tag
One of the games djsent29 “would like to see be played on Squid Game” is tag. They explain how “it could be done in many ways,” with one way being “one of the workers” or the guards chasing the players and whoever is tagged is eliminated.
The game could end up being as frantic as red light, green light, and as lethal as the glass stepping stones round. Contestants could push other players out of the way and towards the guard in an effort to avoid getting tagged.
Chess
Only the smartest characters in Squid Game would survive in djsent29’s version of chess. They suggest turning it into “human” chess where “teams of 17 are formed” and one “player will be in charge of moving the chess pieces” while “the rest of the players are the chess pieces.” Any chess piece or player that’s captured dies.
If players can choose the one in charge of the board, they could pick someone like Sang-woo. This choice could go two ways, with the first being that he’ll try to win the game using as few moves as possible. The second possibility is that he’ll betray his own team by unnecessarily sacrificing chess pieces to whittle down the competition. Fans who recall his heinous action in the sugar honeycombs game likely have a good idea of what to expect from the character.
Musical Chairs
Musical chairs can already be a pretty intense game when played normally, so fans can imagine what it would be like on Squid Game. Careful-Duty-4234 suggests it as one of the “other childhood games” that could be featured in the high-stakes competition.
Like the titular squid game that partly relies on pushing other players out of bounds, things can quickly turn violent if contestants fight for a spot in musical chairs. This would be an especially entertaining round for the Front Man and the VIPs to watch, as the music chosen for the game would surely be as impressive as the score of the show.