Netflix’s Squid Game has taken the world by storm by becoming a pop culture staple since it hit the streaming platform. In addition to the emotionally gripping story and brilliant themes, it’s also in part due to the games that the “players” find themselves trapped in. They lead to suspense, emotional moments, surprises, and some of the most entertaining parts of the show.

Because they’re such a vital and entertaining element of the series, it’s worth taking a look at how they rank against each other. This ranking is based on a mixture of how entertaining it is to watch, how suspenseful they are, how much of an actual game it is, and how it would be to be a part of as a player.

11) Dalgona

Dalgona has the players carve shapes out of a honeycomb toffee using a needle. If they mess up or don’t complete it in time, they’re eliminated. This one isn’t really a game and is more of a step in baking. Even in terms of watching it, it’s people sitting around poking at a sweet treat. Sure, the players are screwed over based on what shape they chose, but that’s not nearly as entertaining as them backstabbing each other or watching them be more physical when competing.

10) Sky Squid Game

This is the final game played in the television series, and it’s genuinely intense to watch. The reason it’s so low, though, is because the idea of taking a previously played game and putting it in the sky is kind of dumb, especially when it’s not even how the original game is played. The game known as “Squid” in South Korea is about attackers trying to get past defenders. This is just pushing people over ledges. It’s more Sumo than Squid Game.

9) Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek is perfect for this show. It’s pretty universal and automatically leads to players going head-to-head. It’s a very suspenseful and action-packed game in the show, and it leads to some rather emotional moments. That being said, there aren’t any actual hiding spots. It’s just hallways with doors that lead to empty rooms. The hiders just sort of pick a room and hope they get lucky. No actual hiding happens. Put random furniture and whatnot throughout for actual hiding spots, and maybe then it would have made for a true game of hide and seek.

8) Squid Game

This game is the namesake of the show itself, and allows for a truly epic Season 1 finale. It’s brutal, mesmerizing, and even plays with the morality of the characters. That being said, Squid Game is meant to be team-based. Otherwise, it’s just two guys fighting in the sand (even if that fight is awesome).

7) Six-Legged Pentathlon

The Six-Legged Pentathlon is really creative and feels like an actual team-based game, which is perfect for getting the players to trust each other before they stab each other in the backs. In the episodes it’s featured in, it’s entertaining by having humorous moments as well as suspenseful ones. Sure, one of the games is just throwing one rock at another, but they ultimately feel like games. A nonlethal version of this would be super fun. It also does feel a little like the writers didn’t know which game to include for this round so they bundled a bunch together.

6) Marbles

They have the players choose how they play Marbles, which is essentially what kids do with them in real life. It’s just weird for them to have such loosey-goosey rules in this deadly tournament. That being said, this is easily one of the most emotional games played in the show, and the reveal that only one member from each duo will be moving on was absolutely devastating.

5) Mingle

Mingle played with the players’ alliances more than most other games in the series. This would legitimately be terrifying to be in, requires communication, spread, and a certain level of strength, and comes with a surprisingly catchy tune. This is one of the more fun games, and the only reason it’s not in the top four is that it’s not really a game, it’s more based on meeting new kids in class, which is a weird angle.

4) Glass Stepping Stones

The Glass Stepping Stones game is easily one of the most intense, scary, and dramatic in the entire show. It’s even become one of the more popular and well-known games in the series. It’s a huge turning point in the first season, and it’s especially exciting for the audience to watch. Playing a non-lethal version of this, like over a pool or some padding, would honestly be a lot of fun. The only reason it doesn’t breach the top three is that it’s too luck-based. It depends too much on 50-50 guesses. But it undoubtedly gets the blood pumping.

3) Jump Rope

Jump Rope in Squid Game hit all the right notes. It’s an actual childhood game, it would be fun to play (a non-deadly version) in real life, it’s exciting to watch, and tons of drama plays out while it’s being played. Players push each other off the ledge on top of struggling across a bridge while jumping rope, which is always fun to watch. The drama that happens during is captivating, with Player 456 making his way across while holding a baby and trying to get his way back across to help the baby’s mother. It’s exciting and emotional.

2) Red Light, Green Light

Red Light, Green Light has become synonymous with Squid Game. It’s probably one of the more well-known aspects of the show. Even the Young-hee robot that operates the game has become a Halloween costume and found her way into a variety of other merchandising. It’s been the starting game multiple times, and it’s been great both times. It eliminates the most players at once, serves as a brutal and shocking introduction, is a fun game to play (without the whole “getting shot” thing), is universally understood, is suspenseful to watch, and had plenty of emotional moments. 

1) Tug of War

Tug of War in Season 1 really pulled on the heart strings. It’s equal parts cooperative and competitive and splits the player count in half. When it’s played in the show, it’s one of the more emotional games, and feels like an underdog story to boot. Seeing the strategy implemented is brilliant, and it ultimately proves to be a heartfelt bonding experience between a few of the main characters. Plus, Tug of War over a giant gap is the perfect way to make the well-known game deadly. It’s everything that a game in Squid Game should be.

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