10 Most Terrifying Games in 'Squid Game,' Ranked

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The doll from the first game in Squid Game and staff in pink next to her Image via Netflix 

Squid Game Season 2 debuted on December 26th, 2024. With the premiere of Season 2 came more games, more betrayals, and more heartache. This seven-episode season follows Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) yet again as he attempts to take down the entire Squid Game competition, but as he is forced back into the games, he attempts to save the lives of other unknowing players using previous knowledge of the games two years prior. While this works out well for 'Red Light, Green Light'—the first game in the competition—the rest cannot be said for the other games.

With newly introduced games, Gi-hun finds himself in a whole new competition, experiencing horrifying games again and doing everything in his power to survive. However, with the new addition of games comes new horrors. These horrifying games result in life-or-death situations that end up taking dozens of lives. Despite these being childhood games that are supposed to be fairly simple, they are actually more terrifying than expected. So, which games are the most terrifying in the Squid Game competition?

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Release Date September 17, 2021

Finale Year November 30, 2024

Cast Wi Ha-joon , Anupam Tripathi , Oh Yeong-su , Heo Sung-tae , Park Hae-soo , Jung Ho-yeon , Lee Jung-jae , Kim Joo-ryoung

Seasons 2

Writers Hwang Dong-hyuk

Directors Hwang Dong-hyuk

Showrunner Hwang Dong-hyuk

Watch on Netflix

10 Red Light, Green Light

Season 1, Episode 1

Green light Red light giant doll in Squid Game. Image via Netflix

‘Red Light, Green Light’ is the very first game played during Squid Game. It serves as an easy introduction to the horrors that the players will undoubtedly face in this competition as a result. As the first game, 'Red Light, Green Light' is easy to understand; however, one key aspect that makes the game difficult is standing completely still.

Because players have to minimize movement completely, this makes the game slightly dangerous. Any movement leads to someone dying, regardless if they were pushed or frightened. Although it contains simple and easy-to-understand rules, many players end up dying in this game. 'Red Light, Green Light,' though not the most dangerous game, can prove to be pretty frightening due to its deadliness.

9 Marbles

Season 1, Episode 6

Player 001 holding marbles in his right hand in front of Gi-hun Image via Netflix

'Marbles' was the 4th game in the Squid Game competition. The whole goal of the game is to get all ten marbles from one's partner. Any game using the marbles could be played, but there is only one winner. Those who lost all their marbles were automatically eliminated.

While not the most deadly game to exist, what is terrifying about 'Marbles' is that there can only be one winner. With only ten marbles to their name, a player has to be extremely careful not to lose all of their marbles to their opponent. More importantly, after losing their marbles, a player can only expect death. It's the dread that follows that makes this game, in particular, terrifying.

8 Gonggi

Season 2, Episode 4

A box with colorful buttons in Squid Game Season 2 Image via Netflix

'Gonggi' is a hand game played using five stones with varying shapes of triangles, circles, and squares in different colors. Appearing in Episode 4 of Season 2 during the six-legged pentathlon, 'Gonggi' is played on a small table, where the player has to roll the stones, pick one stone up, and then launch it in the air. Following after, the player must also grab the stone mid-air, pick up another stone, and proceed with throwing it in the air and catching it mid-air. After repeating the steps and catching all five stones, the player must then roll the stones, and proceed to do the same thing, but up the amount of stones being thrown and caught. So, in this case, the player must throw two stones in the air, catch them, and do the same with the other stones. With each consecutive round, the number of stones being tossed and caught increases.

Though a fairly simple game, 'Gonggi' is a little complex. However, it's not so much the game that is difficult. Rather, it's the fact that the game is timed that it becomes immensely more difficult. Under this pressure, it appears easy to drop a few stones, forcing the player to restart the entire game. So, while it is a simple game, the fact that one small mistake could mess one up badly is terrifying.

7 Flying Stone

Season 2, Episode 4

A group of participants play the Flying Stone Game in Squid Game Season 2 Image via Netflix

'Flying Stone,' otherwise known as Biseokchigi in Korea, is a game where the player must throw a stone and knock down a stone standing several feet away. Sounds fairly simple initially, but as it turns out in Squid Game, it's actually a lot more difficult than one would imagine.

Nothing sounds particularly frightening about knocking down a stone by throwing another stone. But the scary thing about this game is that if the player lacks the precision necessary to knock the other stone down, then the player has to go and grab the stone. This isn't good in Squid Game, especially since this is part of the six-legged pentathlon, where all five players are chained together. To go and grab the stone, all five must venture however many feet it was thrown, and then they have to make their way back to the starting line. Was it mentioned that this game, like 'Gonggi,' is timed? Now, that's terrifying.

6 Spinning Top

Season 2, Episode 4

Hyun Ju (Park sung-hoon) and Seon nyeo (Gook Hee-chae) play the spinning top in Squid Game 2 Image via Netflix

'Spinning Top' is the fourth game in the six-legged pentathlon. It involves players wrapping a string around the spinning top and flinging it to the floor. If done successfully, the top will spin. If the player fails to throw the spinning top correctly, then it'll just topple over.

Another simple child's game, 'Spinning Top' looks rather simple. But, like most of the games on the list, it can be anxiety-inducing. This is especially the case since it is the fourth game in the Squid Game race, which ultimately means that there is far less time than the players who got to play 'Gonggi' or 'Flying Stone.' Since 'Gonggi' and 'Flying Stone' are the games that usually take the most time due to the need for accuracy and precision, those who reach 'Spinning Top,' it can be an incredibly frightening and stressful time.

5 Dalgona

Season 1, Episode 3

Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, doing the Honeycomb Challenge in Squid Game Image via Netflix

'Dalgona' is the second game in the Squid Game competition. Like all the other games, 'Dalgona' is a childhood game where players pick a cookie with a particular shape and cut out its shape using a needle. The goal of the game is to cut the cookie out perfectly, which can be difficult given that these cookies are fragile.

The hard part about 'Dalgona,' despite being an innocent game, is that if any player breaks their cookie, they are eliminated. This can be horrifying, as the player is given at least a few seconds of realization before they are met with their demise over such a silly game. While shapes like the triangle proved to be easy, the other shapes included more difficult ones like the star or Gi-hun's umbrella.

4 Tug of War

Season 1, Episode 4

Tug of War in Squid Game Image via Netflix

'Tug of War' is one of the first games that occurred in Squid Game. While the other games all focused on single-player games, this one required teaming up with a group of other players and playing the traditional game of 'Tug of War.' Only, instead of crossing a line and losing, the players on the losing side fall to their deaths instead.

'Tug of War' is mostly a game of strength, which is terrifying for a deadly competition. While the other games aren't necessarily skill-based, this one requires a considerable amount of strength from a team of players. For those who don't possess strength, this can be extremely frightening, and relying on others in a game to the death only enhances that feeling. It's only fortunate that a few of the teams realized the strategy can be used in 'Tug of War.'

3 Glass Bridge

Season 1, Episode 7

Squid-Game-Glass-Brdge Image Via Netflix

Onto more frightening games, 'Glass Bridge' is a more tricky game. This one, players have to go in order and watch out for the easy-to-break glass. With only two rows of glass panes, players have two options, leaving them a fifty-percent chance of stepping onto the right panel. For those who guess wrong, the glass panel breaks, and the player falls to their death. This is the fifth challenge in the games.

'Glass Bridge' only has a half survival rate, and this makes the game extremely frightening. Not to mention, upon reaching the end of the obstacle course, the glass panels explode, leading to a high chance of severe or fatal injuries, such as the fate Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-yeon) suffered in the first season of Squid Game.

2 Mingle

Season 2, Episode 6

The Mingle game in Squid Game Season 2 Image via Netflix

'Mingle' is the third game in Season 2 of Squid Game, and this one is far different from the rest. A team game, 'Mingle', involves several stages of partners. Each round, a number is called out, and players must gather into a group corresponding with that number and get inside a room. Those who are unable to team up with the necessary number of people end up being eliminated.

'Mingle' can be an extremely difficult game, thus making it a deadly and frightening game. For those who are introverted, this game would prove to be even more scary, simply because it involves a lot of bold actions and strategic planning. Those who make friends early on have the upper hand, but even that proves to be difficult because someone will always be left out. Then, it's everybody for themselves.

1 Squid Game

Season 1, Episode 9

Sang-woo and Gi-hun play The Squid Game Image via Netflix 

'Squid Game' is the sixth and final game of the Squid Game competition. On the ground, there is a diagram of a squid. This game involves two teams: offense and defense. The goal of the game is for the offensive player to make their way toward the head of the squid while staying within the boundaries.

'Squid Game' is the hardest game to date, which makes sense considering the fact that the show is named after this particular elementary school game. Noted to be one of the most aggressive games, 'Squid Game' turns out to be a rather violent game in comparison to others. The frightening part about this game is that two players face off against each other, and violence is essentially encouraged. Only one player survives, which is a scary thing to think about.

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