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When Squid Game first debuted, it redefined survival thrillers. But Seasons 2 and 3 raised the stakes even higher, not just through higher budgets or larger-scale sets, but with games that tested both skill and morality in sharper, crueler ways.
While some of these new rounds revisited familiar concepts from Season 1, others introduced entirely fresh, deadly formats with layered psychological twists. Across both seasons, six main games determined life and death, revealing the show’s evolving philosophy: it wasn’t always about who was physically strongest, but who could outthink the system.
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1. Red Light Green Light (Season 2 Version)
- Episode – S2E3 (“001”)
- IMDb Score (Episode): 7.8
Red Light Green Light returned in Season 2, featuring motion detection upgrades and drones monitoring every angle. While it, of course, couldn’t carry the same first-time shock value as in Season 1, it was far from redundant. The visual spectacle, especially the updated doll model and hidden snipers, kept it gripping, though its placement here is mainly due to its being a repeat.
2. Sky Squid Game (Season 3 Final Game)
- Episode: S3E6 (“Humans Are…”)
- IMDb Score (Episode): 6.7
Less a structured game and more a final confrontation, Sky Squid Game unfolded atop a high-rise platform. Contestants like 333 and 456 faced literal and psychological cliffs, making choices that blurred survival and sacrifice.
What set this apart was its chaotic randomness: background players reached the final round, disrupting audience expectations. From lunchbox making a surprise decision to character 333’s descent into madness, this climax worked more as an emotional payoff rather than a strict competition. Still, it held its own through tension and unpredictability. Finally, Gi-Hun’s act of kindness stunned both the VIP and the fans.
3. Jumping Rope
- Episode: S3E4 (“222”)
- IMDb Score (Episode): 7.7
Jumping Rope was deceptively simple: a children’s game layered with mechanical traps. Contestants had to synchronize jumps under increasing speed, with fatal penalties for mistiming.
What made it great wasn’t just the risk factor, but how it was shown. Player 456 had no interest in continuing the games until now. However, he went pretty early in this game to ensure the survival of the baby. The game also had a surprise twist where player 096 decided to end the game there itself by throwing everyone else off the cliff, which however did not come to fruition.
4. Hide and Seek
- Episode: S3E2 (“The Starry Night”)
- IMDb Score (Episode): 8.6
Hide and Seek, or as one may call Keys & Knives, was one of the most brutal games across all three seasons of Squid Game. Until now, the players were indirectly the cause of someone else’s death. However, this game forced them to kill each other to save themselves. The game had some pretty shocking scenes, which made it one of the most memorable games. 120 passed away saving her friends, the baby was born mid-game, a mother had to kill her own child, and Gi-Hun got his hands dirty with the blood of one of his friends.
5. Six Legs
- Episode: S2E4 (“Six Legs”)
- IMDb Score (Episode): 7.6
Six Legs or Penthalon was the second game in Squid Game Season 2, where players had to play in teams of five and tie themselves together at six limbs and navigate an obstacle course within five minutes. The game showed perhaps the only time where everyone was happy for a while, as they saw the first team make it through. Most importantly, fans loved how the main team performed in the game.
Player 120, 388, and 390 aced their respective games, while the main characters, 001 (Front-Man) and 456 (Gi-Hun) had some trouble getting in. All in all, it was a refreshing break from pure brutality, offering moments of levity and camaraderie, yet still deadly and competitive. Its good vibes and unique challenge made it stand out.
6. Mingle
- Episode: S2E6 (“O X”)
- IMDb Score (Episode): 7.8
Mingle stands as the most intense and psychologically gripping game introduced in Squid Game Seasons 2 and 3, earning its top spot not through spectacle but through relentless tension and social manipulation. While previous games in the series often relied on physical skill or raw luck, Mingle forced contestants into making split-second decisions.
The setup was deceptively simple: players were herded onto a spinning platform while a children’s song played. When the music stopped, a number was announced, and contestants had just 30 seconds to form groups of exactly that size and enter one of the surrounding rooms. Anyone left out, or in a group with the wrong number, was eliminated on the spot. Unlike the blood-soaked violence of Hide and Seek or the physical challenge of Jumping Rope, Mingle’s brutality was psychological, and it was what made it the best game of the series.
Honorable Mentions
A couple of standout sequences in Squid Game Seasons 2 and 3, while not part of the official game roster, played a vital role in the narrative—and left a lasting impression.
- Russian Roulette (Season 2, Episode 1):
This emotionally charged sequence kicked off Season 2 with high stakes and heartbreak. The mysterious Salesman found himself cornered by a group of stalkers, leading to an impromptu game of Russian Roulette. In a moment of shocking selflessness, the Loan Shark sacrificed his own life to protect his friend. But it didn’t stop there—the Salesman upped the ante, placing his own life on the line later in the episode, ultimately losing it in a final, haunting confrontation with Gi-Hun. - Voting Games (Seasons 2 & 3):
While not traditional life-or-death games, the voting segments became a key feature in the newer seasons. Introduced more prominently after Season 1, these sequences allowed contestants to influence the outcome of the game—and each other’s fates—between main rounds. What began as a background mechanic evolved into a high-tension mind game, often sparking betrayal, alliances, and fan speculation in equal measure.
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