The Best Books, Movies, Video Games, and Podcasts to Listen to After Watching the Squid Game.
When The Squid Game premiered on Netflix in 2021, the world felt its impact. Post-pandemic, people were broke, bored, and ready to do anything, and the show’s sharp satire on capitalism hit the spot. The premise—people, in various states of debt, sign up for a series of deadly children’s games in exchange for the chance to win a large sum of money (stored in a giant piggy bank, one of the show’s many brilliant visual devices)—walked the line between sadly plausible and nightmarishly bizarre, but anyone could sympathize with the desperate protagonist, Son Ki-hoon (Lee Jung-jae).
The show’s third and final season has concluded, and we’ve already suggested the best TV shows to help you maintain that somber mood. But if you need more bleakness in your life, you have other options. Here are the books, movies, video games, and podcasts you can turn to after watching (and re-watching) “Squid Game.”
Best books similar to The Squid Game
Behind the bright primary colors and friendly shapes lies a story about money, desperation, and the herd instinct. Luckily for you, there are plenty of books out there that explore the same themes, but with the same gripping suspense.
“The Conspirators ” by Un-Soo Kim
Like The Squid Game , The Conspirators is set in contemporary South Korea and, like the series, tells the story of a flawed man who realizes he’s been playing a dirty game. Reseng is a contract killer who has spent his entire life following orders without question, assassinating people at the behest of mysterious “conspirators.” However, when a colleague is killed for disobeying orders, Reseng’s faith is shaken, and he begins to investigate who exactly is giving these orders. What he discovers will come as no surprise to fans of The Squid Game .
“Blow” by Delilah S. Dawson
If you were so moved by the critique of an unfair economic system in The Squid Game , then Hit is for you: when Valor National Bank buys government debt, it also gains the right to kill those who owe it money—which is pretty much everyone. People like Patsy are given a choice: pay the debt (impossible), be killed on the spot (undesirable), or work as a bounty hunter, killing other debtors. It’s a brutal, chaotic film, full of poignant commentary on the broken system we live in.
Compliant , K.M. Shpara
The way debt distorts and dehumanizes us is a central theme of The Squid Game , making Shpara’s work an ideal choice. In the near future, debt has become hereditary, trapping entire families in a vicious cycle of financial slavery, controlled by a small group of the super-rich. People can choose to become actual slaves for a period of time to work off some or all of their debt—but their temporary “owners” can do whatever they want with them while they are enslaved, so most choose to numb their feelings with a drug called dociline, which calms them and protects them from suffering. Fans of The Squid Game will recognize the desperation depicted here.
The Running Man by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
King’s 1982 novel was certainly ahead of its time and shares a similar premise to The Squid Game . In the distant future of 2025 (!), Ben Richards struggles to pay bills and buy medicine for his sick daughter in an America devastated by the economic crisis. In desperation, he signs up for a government reality show called “The Running Man,” where he will be hunted by professional assassins. If he can survive 30 days, he’ll receive $1 billion—with bonuses for killing the hunters.
“The Family Experiment ” by John Marrs
Marrs’ novel (part of his “Dark Future” series) captures the atmosphere of “The Squid Game” in a different light. As the world’s population skyrockets and the economy deteriorates, most people can no longer afford to have children. A company offers a grim , Black Mirror- esque solution: you can “raise” a virtual child and interact with it in the metaverse. To promote the technology, they launch a reality show where ten couples raise a virtual child from birth to 18 years in just nine months, and then must compete for the chance to keep their virtual child or risk it for the chance to have a real child.
Best movies like The Squid Game
Despite the bright colors and disturbingly absurd design, Squid Game offers a suffocatingly dark, dystopian vision of the world. If you’re craving something similar , here are a few feature-length films you might enjoy.
Cube (1997)
Amid all the brutal strategies and desperate ploys , Squid Game feels like a kind of experiment, designed to test how far (and how low) people are willing to go to survive and make a living. In Cube, five people find themselves trapped in a series of square rooms connected by hatches in every wall, floor, and ceiling—many of which are horrifically booby-trapped. As the group progresses through the rooms, a similar atmosphere emerges, as their ingenuity and willingness to sacrifice each other comes into play. Watch Cube on Plex or rent it on Prime Video .
Platform (2019)
“The Squid Game” is a sharp social commentary exploring the morality of modern society and the impact of inequality. That’s why “The Platform” is a perfect fit. In it, a man named Goreng agrees to spend six months in the “Center for Vertical Self-Governance,” where pairs of prisoners live on different levels. Once a day, a platform loaded with rich provisions descends from above and pauses for two minutes—the only time the prisoners can eat. Those at the top can eat whatever they want, while those on the lower levels consider it a great privilege to receive anything at all. Ultimately, Goreng embarks on an odyssey to uncover the secrets of those behind this cruel system. Watch “The Platform” onNetflix .
The Belko Experiment (2016)
One of the main pleasures of watching Squid Game is watching the well-developed characters fight for their lives, using every skill and advantage they have. In “The Belko Experiment,” an ordinary group of office workers suddenly finds themselves locked in a fortified building and told they must kill two people within 30 minutes, or several will be killed randomly. The bloody chaos that follows will be music to the ears of any Squid Game fan. Rent “The Belko Experiment” on Prime Video .
Quest Room (2019)
One of the main thrills of each episode of Squid Game was figuring out which quirky version of a children’s game would be reimagined as a bloodbath capable of thinning out a crowd. Escape Room offers a similar atmosphere: characters forced to survive deadly escape rooms using their wits and physical skills face a completely new, puzzling challenge each time they reach the next room. Rent Escape Room on Prime Video .
Cheap Thrills (2007)
Want to see more desperate people willing to do more than they ever imagined in exchange for relief from crushing financial hardship? Of course you do, which is why you’ll love this dark comedy. Two friends in dire straits meet a seemingly friendly man and his wife at a bar. When the man offers them a few dollars for harmless challenges and pranks, they both enthusiastically agree—but as the amounts offered increase, so do the brutality and danger of the required tasks. Watch Cheap Thrills on the Roku Channel or rent it on Prime Video .
The best video games like Squid Game.
Squid Game is, in some ways, modeled after video games—platformers, dream logic, plenty of blood, etc. So, it’s logical that the best way to extend your enjoyment of Squid is to try a game with similar mechanics and atmosphere. Luckily, you have plenty of options.
Squid Game: Unleashed
If you’re craving a deeper immersion into the Squid Game universe, it’s logical to go straight to the source material and play the official game version. You’ll be able to play almost all the classic Squid Game games, such as Red Light and Green Light (though some have been remastered for better console or mobile play), all in the iconic color scheme and visual style of the series. If you’re looking for a direct sequel, this is it.
Platforms: Android, iOS
Fortnite
Fortnite remains an incredibly popular battle royale and survival game, and if you’re looking for the chaotic violence of Squid Game’s early rounds, this is it. What’s more, you can literally download Squid Game skins, play Squid Game- themed versions, and build Squid Game-themed islands, merging these two fictional universes into one wild sandbox.
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
Fall Guys
Want to recreate the mechanics of Squid Game ‘s most epic challenges? Then try Fall Guys —a fast-paced and incredibly addictive game with obstacle courses and races, delightfully cartoonish graphics, and the ability to knock opponents off the track. It lacks the grim violence of the show, but that means you can enjoy the game without worrying about ruining your cosmic karma.
Platforms: PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Android, iOS
Danganronpa
If you’re looking for even more of the dark yet whimsical atmosphere offered by Squid Game , check out Danganronpa , a series of interactive visual novels. In the first game, you play as a high school student trapped in his school by a robotic teddy bear. Your only hope of escape is to kill another student and escape unpunished in a battle royale-like competition. The game combines mystery solving with other first-person gameplay elements, offering a gripping experience that fans of the series will love.
Platforms: PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Steam
We, the Happy Few
Did you enjoy the atmosphere of paranoia and horror experienced by everyone trying to uphold their moral and ethical principles in the Squid Game series? Then We Happy Few is for you. The game is set in a world where most of the population is under the influence of powerful hallucinogens, allowing them to commit all sorts of horrific acts of violence while wearing creepy, smiling masks. You play as a “dreary” character trying to escape the urban chaos without attracting attention. Combined with a wonderfully unique visual style, this game is perfect for Squid fans.
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Steam
The best podcasts like Squid Game.
If you’re looking to delve deeper into the show’s history or production, or just want a spooky and immersive experience, these are the podcasts you’ll want to listen to.
Squid Game: Official Podcast
Why not go straight to the source: the official Squid Game podcast, hosted by Phil Yu, offers insider insight into the show’s universe, game mechanics, themes, and the creation process. If you’re interested in learning about all the real-life factors that go into creating something so culturally significant, give it a listen.
Player 456
If you’d like to discuss and analyze the Squid Game series from a fan’s perspective, listen to Jack and Colin’s podcast dedicated to the topic . They explore the show’s themes and review episodes with meticulous attention to detail and a genuine fan’s love for the show.
Rabbits
If you’re looking for a gripping podcast that delivers the same dopamine rush as “Squid Game,” then “Rabbits” is the creepy story you’re looking for. When a young woman’s friend goes missing and the police show no interest in finding her, she launches her own investigation and begins to suspect her friend is playing in an “alternate reality” that’s much older and more dangerous than she imagines. The podcast combines horror, a well-developed world, and gameplay mechanics that fans of the show will appreciate.
Limetown
This classic narrative podcast centers on the mysterious disappearance of hundreds of residents of a research facility. Like Squid Game , the story begins in a realistic world and gradually reveals a much stranger and more sinister reality lurking beneath the surface. It features sci-fi technology, captivating worldbuilding, and a compelling mystery to unravel.
Project Nova
In the series “Project Nova,” four people wake up to find themselves trapped in a mysterious experiment at a high-tech facility. An artificial intelligence assigns them tasks, and the consequences of failing to follow instructions or performing them incorrectly can range from painful to deadly. The series combines a gripping plot, high tension, and a captivating mystery.