“It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how you play the game.” Soothing words when you’re a kid on the playground, but in the wild world of Squid Game, they hit different. In the thick of a 32-person online game of Red Light, Green Light, the difference between you and the end goal being a series of gigantic saw blades, the mantra might not feel so benign. The latest from Netflix and internal studio Boss Fight Entertainment, Squid Game: Unleashed takes all the thrills of the hit Netflix show and puts them in your pocket.
And when Squid Game Season 2 premieres on Dec. 26, you can earn in-game rewards for each episode watched. Rewards include cash and wild tokens that can be used to level up your characters, open mystery boxes, and buy items from the in-game store. Just tap the button labeled “Events” on the game’s main menu to start your journey.
Like the hit dystopian thriller series it’s named after, Squid Game: Unleashed takes classic children’s games and puts a dark spin on them. Team up with friends or compete against up to 32 players for the ultimate prize: survival. You’ll earn money along the way to customize your avatar and advance through tougher and tougher challenges as you make your way up the tournament ranks.
Squid Game: Unleashed is an online party royale game for up to 32 players. You’ll compete in live-or-die versions of games like Glass Bridge and Red Light, Green Light. As you progress through the scenarios inspired by the show, you’ll access harder games and earn money to unlock new cosmetics like outfits, animations, and emojis. That’s assuming you survive this (virtual) mortal coil –– one false move, and you could suffer a fate far worse than anything you’ve seen on the show.
Like we mentioned above, there are a bunch of ways to die in Squid Game: Unleashed. All of them, translated well from the show to the game, are a blast to play. There are a handful of variations on the games, which keeps things fresh.
Red Light, Green Light: Run while the light’s green. Freeze when it’s red, or wind up dead. Unlike on the show, you’ll get to go back to the starting line if you’re shot.
Glass Bridge: The only thing standing between you and the finish line is, you guessed it, a glass bridge. Except here, random glass panels will disintegrate as you walk over them. Good luck.
Late for School: Missing the bus has never been this dangerous. Race through backyards filled with electrified swimming pools, giant saw blades, and all kinds of treachery.
Stair Race: Make it to the top of the stairs while you dodge and weave through a progressively more dangerous obstacle course to get there. Hopefully, you haven’t been skipping leg day.
Dalgona: Work together with the rest of the players to run over discs lying around a giant cookie platform. As they break, you’ll open holes and drop to the cookie below. Keep at it until you hit the ground floor.
Snow Day: Use the tactical side of your brain as you make your way around this frosty grid of breakable ice platforms. You want to be the last one standing here.
Snakes & Ladders: Layer after layer after layer of disintegrating tiles are waiting to deceive you in this race to the bottom.
Floor Is Lava: Keep out of a molten lake by jumping back and forth between sinking platforms.
As you play through these games of life or death, you’ll earn cash as you go. Get knocked out in the first game? You won’t walk away empty-handed, but you’ll stack money faster by making it across the finish line in one piece. You’re gonna need it if you want to unlock every character and clothing option.
Hop over to the Store, and you’ll see a grid of avatars, character tokens (upgrade currency), emojis, and outfits for purchase. Mystery boxes are hard to miss. Each one you buy will net you a customization option.
You can change up your character’s clothes, expressions, and reactions. Wanna be the suavest-looking contestant in the Squid Game? There’s a tuxedo just begging you to hit Level 11 and unlock it.
Customization is not just skin deep. As you sink more character tokens into a given avatar, you’ll unlock perks. For example, at Level 3, playboy Binnie unlocks Home Run Hitter. This increases your chances of spawning with a baseball bat. And hey, spawning with a baseball bat is much better than the alternative.
Want tips on how to play? Check out this handy game guide.
Nope! You don’t need to have watched the show Squid Game to play this game. If you’re familiar with the source material, you might have an advantage, but Squid Game: Unleashed was designed to be enjoyed even if you haven’t seen the show.
Squid Game: Unleashed is available to everyone, for a limited time, regardless if you’re a Netflix subscriber or not. Like all Netflix Games, play Squid Game: Unleashed without any ads or in-app purchases.
“Squid Game is Netflix’s most watched series ever, and we want everyone around the world to be able to take part in its return by making Unleashed available to everyone, which is a first for Netflix Games,” said Alain Tascan, president of Games at Netflix. “Squid Game: Unleashed is all about playing with (or against) your friends in the iconic games from the series like Glass Bridge and Red Light, Green Light, so we’re inviting everyone into the chaos this holiday season.”
It’s out now, and for a limited time, download Squid Game: Unleashed and play for free, whether you’re a Netflix subscriber or not.
Squid Game: Unleashed is rated T for teens and above.
Check out all the mobile games available now on Netflix.
