Netflix’s Squid Game has inspired all sorts of imitators and copycats, and one of them - titled Crab Game - seems to be taking off. It’s no surprise that a show based around playing games would lead to game-themed parodies and actual video games attempting to recreate the show (in a form that doesn't result in death). Even major titles like Mario Party have gotten the Squid Game treatment.
Squid Game, with its winner-take-all format and twisted use of children’s games, calls to mind the recent proliferation of battle-royale-style games like Fortnite or PUBG, and has already resulted in many different attempts to capture its events in game form. Roblox is one game in which a Squid Game mode quickly popped up, and it’s not the only one. Pretty much any game that could be twisted to resemble Squid Game has been by now. And the recreations don’t stop there: a hotel in South Korea put on a real-live version of Squid Game (sans violence, of course), and Netflix even put on a real-life Squid Game event in downtown Los Angeles.
According to Polygon, there’s a new contender for the latest and greatest Squid Game imitator, a game called Crab Game, which is currently gaining notoriety. Crab Game is a multiplayer version of Squid Game, with faithful recreations of some of the show’s games and some added games as well. At time of writing, it is the 29th most-watched game on Twitch, ahead of other popular games like Among Us. With over 36,000 concurrent players, the game has quickly gained popularity since its launch on October 29, likely helped by the fact that it is free. While many had to resort to modded versions of games like GTA V Online to get their Squid Game fix, Crab Game offers the Squid Game experience all on its own - along with a silly, self-aware tone.
Crab Game is an attempt to take part in this current trend as quickly as possible, and its developers are well aware of that. In a making-of video for the game, developer Dani said, “This stupid trend is dying faster than my will to live, so we have to finish this game quickly. So let’s make an entire multiplayer game with proximity chat and nine game modes and 30 maps in two weeks.” Even if it is just a way to follow a trend, the game has drawn fans, and may be just the Squid Game experience gamers have been looking for. Many have wondered how a full Squid Game video game might work, and with Crab Game, they may have their answer.
It's clear that Squid Game continues to inspire all kinds of creative endeavors, and Crab Game, while the latest and most popular as of right now, won’t be the last. It appears Netflix is looking to expand its IP, and an official Netflix video game may be on the table. As a result, gamers may upcoming Netflix video game content to look forward to.
Crab Game is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux through Steam and Itch.io
Source: Polygon, Dani/YouTube, DaniClips/YouTube, Crab Game/Steam