7 games that could be a thrilling fit for Squid Game’s American spin-off

Squid Game season 3 ended with a surprising twist: Lee Byung-hyun, AKA The Front Man, catches a familiar recruiting process in an LA alleyway, with Cate Blanchett having a role in a potential United States version of the story. David Fincher is rumored to helm the new version (Show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk neither confirmed nor denied this), and fans are excited to see what comes next.

The dystopian horror takes the nostalgia of South Korea's childhood games and twists it into a fight-to-the-death brawl for a cash prize. From a tile game called Ddakji to the more familiar tug of war, the show featured some of the most popular games from the region. So childhood games like Red Rover and Floor is Lava from the United States could turn deadly in a Squid Game spin-off.

Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer. Spoilers for the show ahead.

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Red Rover, Floor is Lava, and other games that could feature in Squid Game USA edition

1) Red Rover

Red Rover could turn lethal like the show's tug of war (Image via YouTube/Still Watching Netflix)

The objective of Red Rover is simple: Players link hands and summon a player from the opposition to run and break through the link. If the runner succeeds, they choose a member from the linked team to join their side. If they fail, they become part of the linked team. The potential for this game to turn dangerous in a Squid Game spin-off is high. It is similar to tug-of-war, without the rope involved.

For example, any character who fails to break through the link could easily be killed in this scenario, making it a game that combines strategy, luck, and sheer physical strength. Whichever team has the fewest kills could all be killed too. The game even has a catchphrase, "Red Rover, Red Rover, let [member's name] come over!" which adds to the repetitive intensity building that the show is known for.

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2) Floor is Lava

The game would be another version of the glass bridge game (Image via YouTube/Still Watching Netflix)

This popular US party game could be construed quite literally in a Squid Game spin-off. When the phrase "The floor is lava!" is uttered, participants must find a surface--furniture, bedding, or higher ground--before time runs out. The person left standing on the floor loses. Similar to the glass bridge challenge in season 1, episode 7 (VIPs), losers could plummet to their death onto a hot surface.

The game has the potential to expand the premise, with additional challenges players must complete after getting to the safe spot, or allying with the other contestants to secure a safe spot. Knowing how all-consuming greed can be in this scenario, it wouldn't be a surprise if a contestant pushed another out of the safe spot and to their deaths.

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3) Simon Says

This could be the game that starts things off (Image via YouTube/Still Watching Netflix)

Simon Says could be the red light green light game of the Squid Game spin-off. The game is simple enough to lull the contestants into a false sense of complacency, which would make elimination by death shocking. For starters, a giant robot doll similar to the K-drama version could be the designated Simon.

The rules are simple. Any command the robot says with the words "Simon says," should be followed to the T. If the command doesn't have those words and the contestants still do the action, they are eliminated. What starts as a funny game could have a tragic ending, making it a must-have in the Squid Game universe.

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4) Dodge Ball

Similarly, players are inside a circle and targeted with a ball (Image via YouTube/Still Watching Netflix)

This ball game is already considered aggressive and scary in the real world. So, in the context of a Squid Game spin-off, it could be one of the most dangerous challenges. Since this is a team sport, it would be a mix of strategy, speed, and mobility, with allies and enemies being formed constantly.

The objective of the game is to have one team outside the circle and another within. The team outside the circle is given a ball to hit the players inside. Any player who gets hit below the hips is eliminated. This could be one of the final games they play, since the last person left standing inside the circle wins. It is guaranteed to incite mass casualties and bloodshed.

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5) Capture the Flag

Capture the flag would mimic Keys and Knives in many ways (Image via YouTube/Still Watching Netflix)

Two teams hide their team flag in their assigned territories. Whichever team goes into enemy territory, captures their flag, and returns to their territory succeeds and wins the game. However, they can be intercepted and tagged, sending them to purgatory where they can't contribute to the game for a specific period.

This combines many games into one, like parts of hide and seek and tag, and provides opportunities for bloody battles in between the actual game. In a Squid Game spin-off, things could get extremely lethal, similar to the Keys and Knives game in season 3, where contestants played hide and seek, intending to murder.

For starters, the territories could be massive and in any location, like a forest with dangers. The players could get into physical altercations over the flag. And finally, the losing team could all be killed mercilessly.

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6) Musical Chairs

Musical chairs would be Mingle with a twist (Image via Netflix)

An innocent childhood birthday party game would be the perfect juxtaposition in a Squid Game spin-off. It would be most similar to the game Mingle in season 2, where the contestants stood on a spinning platform and had to find the right rooms as teams to avoid being killed. The music amps up the contestants' dread.

The game consists of individual players running around chairs arranged in a circle. The catch? The number of chairs is always one less than the number of players. When the music stops, the players must fight for the chairs and sit down. Whoever is left standing loses. In this case, the loser is killed immediately. Fans can easily imagine this game rife with betrayals and tragic deaths.

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7) Duck Duck Goose

This harmless game could turn violent (Image via YouTube/Still Watching Netflix)

Players sit in a circle while one, called the "it" player, stands and circles them. The "it" player taps the heads of the seated players, calling "duck" or "goose". Whoever is called a goose gets up and chases the "it" player. If the "it" player runs around and sits down where the "goose" player was sitting before getting caught, they are safe. If not, they become the "it" player again.

This children's game can become lethal in a Squid Game spin-off with some additional rules. The players within a circle could be equipped with weapons or the ability to fight the "it" player. Once the goose is chosen, they could fight to the death. The winner gets to decide what to do next.

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Watch Squid Game on Netflix.

Edited by Bharath S