From Ddakji to Red Light: How to Play the Iconic Games from Squid Game
Squid Game took the world by storm when it premiered on Netflix in 2021, becoming the platform’s most-watched series with over 330 million viewers. The South Korean dystopian thriller features childhood games turned into deadly challenges, captivating audiences with its gripping story and sharp social commentary.
With Season 2 now streaming, the stakes are higher and the games are more twisted than ever. How did these seemingly innocent childhood pastimes transform into the nerve-wracking spectacles that define Squid Game?
Let’s dive into the games that have kept fans on the edge of their seats across both seasons.
Games from Squid Game Season 1
Ddakji
The simple yet strategic game kicked off the series. Two players take turns using their folded paper tiles (ddakji) to try and flip their opponent’s tile on the ground. If they can flip it, they get a point. Now, would you want to play this with The Recruiter?
Here's a quick four-minute guide on how to make your own ddakji:
Red Light, Green Light
A deceptively cheerful game begins the deadly competition. Players must move toward the finish line when Young-hee, the eerie doll, announces “Green Light” and freeze when it says “Red Light.” Any movement detected after “Red Light” results in immediate elimination. With only five minutes to cross the field, every step is a tense gamble in the show.
You can play this game in real life — sans motion detectors and snipers. Assign someone who will act as "Young-hee," and they will stand with their back turned on the players who are assembled a few meters away. "Young-hee" will have free rein when they can say "Green Light" or "Red Light," turning as they shout the latter. As the game goes in the series, players' end goal is to cross the distance between them and "Young-hee" without being eliminated. "Green Light" means they can move towards the finish line, and "Red Light" means they must freeze. Anyone who continues to move during "Red Light" will be eliminated — figuratively, not literally.
Dalgona
This game turns a childhood treat into a nerve-wracking challenge. Players select one of four shapes — circle, triangle, star, or umbrella — and receive a honeycomb cookie with their chosen design in the center. Players must carefully cut out the shape in 10 minutes using a needle, ensuring it remains intact.
Check out this easy guide on how to make your own dalgona cookie using just two ingredients:
Tug-of-War
More than just a test of strength, this classic game requires teamwork and strategy. Teams of 10 face off on towering platforms, pulling a rope to topple their opponents. In Season 1, Gi-hun’s team shows that brains can triumph over brawn as the losing team plunges to their doom.
An iconic game that crosses cultures, this group game only requires two groups (how many players per group depends on you) and a rope. Agree on a middle point between the two groups as that point will determine which group wins. The goal is for your team to "tug" the rope until the other group crosses over the line towards you.
Marbles
Perhaps the most emotional game of the series, this round pits friends and allies against one another. Players pair up, and each duo chooses their own marble game. The goal is to win all 10 marbles from the opponent within 30 minutes.
The game presented various ways of earning all marbles from their opponent. One of the easiest games was throwing your marble further than your opponent; the furthest marble wins. Another is best played outdoors as you need to craft a shallow pit in the sand or dirt and the goal is to throw your marble into that pit.
Glass Bridge
Players must cross a bridge made of 18 pairs of glass panels, with each pair consisting of one tempered (safe) tile and one normal (breakable) tile. With no way to identify which is which, every step could be a player’s last. The 16-minute time limit adds even more pressure to the deadly guessing game.
Unlike the other games in this list, this deadly game doesn't have a real-life counterpart.
Squid Game
The final showdown takes place on a squid-shaped playground. The attacker’s goal is to hop on one foot through the court’s boundaries and reach the squid’s “head.” Defenders can run on two feet, trying to block or push the attacker out of bounds. In this ultimate test of wit and willpower, only one can emerge victorious.
Here's an easy-to-follow how-to video so you can try it out yourselves. Next team-building, anyone?
Games from Squid Game Season 2
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Minus One
A twist on the classic game, this version requires players to form rock, paper, or scissors with both hands, then remove one hand to reveal their final choice. The remaining hand determines the winner, keeping players on edge as they anticipate their opponent’s strategy.
But let's hear it straight from The Recruiter himself:
Six-Legged Pentathlon
This thrilling relay combines five mini-games that test both individual skill and teamwork:
- Ddakji: Flip the opponent’s paper tile with precise throws.
- Flying Stone: Throw a stone to knock over another stone while staying behind a line. Miss, and your team must retrieve it before trying again.
- Gong-gi: Toss five dice in increasingly tricky patterns, then catch them all on the back of your hand to finish.
- Spinning Top: Use a cord to spin a top, requiring coordination and technique. A failed attempt means starting over.
- Jegi: Kick a shuttlecock-like object five times in a row without letting it fall. Success in each game is crucial to advancing within the five-minute limit.
It could be quite a lot to absorb. Luckily, Netflix dropped a mini-game tutorial featuring the pink guards:
Mingle
Mingle is reminiscent of Musical Chairs, but with a twist. Players must find a room along the perimeter of the hall and enter it with the exact number of people required. Failing to enter a room or being in a group with an incorrect number results in elimination.
If there's any song in the series that we couldn't quite get out of our heads, it would have to be the traditional Korean nursery rhyme "Round and Round." This game requires a bit of preparation and honestly, who would have so many rooms in a single venue? Netflix's video below explains the rules of Mingle, but here's how you can play it without the need for so many rooms.
In a large venue, have everyone gather in the middle and craft "rooms" or multiple squares along the perimeter using tape. Since the borders aren't as physical as a wall, you'll need plenty of eyes to monitor the groups and ensure people aren't crossing from one "room" to another. Good luck!
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