7 Shows Like Squid Game to Watch Next
Key takeaways
- Alice in Borderland is the clearest choice if you want Squid Game’s game-based suspense.
- The 8 Show is a thematic match for stories about greed, exploitation and financial pressure.
- Squid Game: The Challenge brings the games to reality TV—with no lethal stakes.
- All of Us Are Dead offers group survival, while Black Mirror offers standalone stories about society under pressure.
Table of contents
- 7 Shows Like Squid Game to Watch Next
- Key takeaways
- 1. Alice in Borderland — the closest match for deadly games
- 2. The 8 Show — for confinement, money and exploitation
- 3. 3% — for dystopian competition and class divisions
- 4. Squid Game: The Challenge — for the competition without fictional deaths
- 5. All of Us Are Dead — for intense group survival
- 6. Physical: 100 — for physical challenges and elimination rounds
- 7. Black Mirror — for standalone dystopian stories
- Which show should you watch first?
If you want another series built around deadly games, start with Alice in Borderland. For a different take on the pressures behind Squid Game, try The 8 Show or 3%. And if you’re more interested in watching people compete than in fictional peril, Squid Game: The Challenge brings the games to reality TV—with no lethal stakes.
These shows don’t all copy the same formula. Some feature contests, some focus on survival or inequality, and others share only one part of Squid Game’s appeal. Here’s how to choose.
| If you liked… | Try… |
|---|---|
| Deadly games and escalating survival stakes | Alice in Borderland |
| Confinement, money and social pressure | The 8 Show |
| A dystopian contest shaped by inequality | 3% |
| The games as a reality competition | Squid Game: The Challenge |
| Group survival and shifting loyalties | All of Us Are Dead |
| Physical trials and eliminations | Physical: 100 |
| Standalone stories about society under pressure | Black Mirror |
1. Alice in Borderland — the closest match for deadly games
This Japanese thriller is the clearest choice if you want Squid Game’s game-based suspense. It follows an aimless gamer and his friends in a parallel Tokyo, where playing deadly games becomes a matter of survival. The shared appeal is immediate: unfamiliar rules, dangerous challenges and the question of who can keep going.
The series takes a more speculative, action-thriller route, though. Its strange version of Tokyo gives the story a different feel from Squid Game’s grounded setting and focus on people competing for money. Choose it for the high-stakes games first, rather than expecting the same kind of social drama. Netflix’s series page offers a starting point for the premise.
Best for: Viewers who want another scripted thriller where each game could be fatal.
2. The 8 Show — for confinement, money and exploitation
In The 8 Show, eight people are trapped in a building where time translates into money. That enclosed setup gives the series a natural pressure cooker: the characters’ circumstances make money and time impossible to ignore, while the group dynamic provides room for tension.
It’s a thematic match for Squid Game, especially if you’re drawn to stories about greed, exploitation and how people behave under financial pressure. But it isn’t simply another deadly tournament. Go in expecting a different structure and a focus on confinement and money rather than a direct repeat of Squid Game’s games. The National’s guide and Looper’s recommendations discuss the series alongside Squid Game.
Best for: Viewers more interested in the social pressure around the contest than in game mechanics.
3. 3% — for dystopian competition and class divisions
This Brazilian series follows candidates competing for access to a more privileged life. Its link to Squid Game is less about matching individual games and more about the system that makes people compete: opportunity is scarce, and the contest is presented as a route to a better future.
That makes 3% a good pick if the divide between the privileged and everyone else was what stayed with you after Squid Game. Expect a dystopian competition rather than the same combination of familiar games, personal debt and survival stakes. Looper and The National include it among series to consider.
Best for: Viewers who want a story about inequality and who gets access to a better life.
4. Squid Game: The Challenge — for the competition without fictional deaths
If you want to see contestants face games inspired by the drama, Squid Game: The Challenge is the most literal follow-up. It is an unscripted competition with a cash prize, alliances and eliminations—but its players are competing in a reality show, not risking their lives as characters in a thriller.
That difference matters. The series offers real contestants navigating competition, but it doesn’t provide the scripted plot or fictional lethal consequences of Squid Game. The National and People distinguish the reality format from the drama.
Best for: Viewers curious about the contest format and the social dynamics of a competition.
5. All of Us Are Dead — for intense group survival
This Korean series shifts the danger from games to a zombie outbreak at a school. Students have to fight to survive, so the overlap with Squid Game lies in the high-pressure group dynamics: people face immediate danger, trust becomes difficult, and loyalties can shift.
It’s not a contest series, so don’t expect rounds or challenges. Choose it if what you want is the tension of a group trying to stay alive, rather than the rules-based structure of Squid Game. Netflix’s Tudum recommendations and The National’s list suggest it for viewers looking beyond the game format.
Best for: Viewers who want a Korean survival thriller with a group under pressure.
6. Physical: 100 — for physical challenges and elimination rounds
Physical: 100 is a Korean reality competition built around demanding physical trials. It shares the competition and elimination elements of Squid Game, but the emphasis is on athletic ability—not fictional violence or a scripted critique of class.
That makes it a useful change of pace if the contests themselves were your favorite part of the drama. It’s a reality show, so its appeal is seeing competitors take on physical challenges rather than following characters through a scripted survival story. The National and JustWatch’s guide list it as an option for fans of competitive series.
Best for: Viewers looking for real competitors and physical tests, not a thriller.
7. Black Mirror — for standalone dystopian stories
Black Mirror is an anthology, meaning its episodes tell separate stories rather than following one continuous cast and plot. Some episodes explore themes such as money, status, technology and human behavior under pressure, which can appeal to viewers who liked Squid Game’s broader social concerns.
It doesn’t have one shared premise or a recurring deadly-game format. The best way to approach it is to choose an episode based on the particular element you want—social satire, a dystopian setting or a technology-driven dilemma. People’s list of shows like Squid Game includes it for viewers seeking a different format.
Best for: Viewers who want one-off dystopian stories rather than another survival competition.
Which show should you watch first?
For the closest match in premise, pick Alice in Borderland. For a story focused on money and people confined together, try The 8 Show. If you want a competition tied to unequal access to a better life, choose 3%. And if you’d rather watch actual contestants take on challenges, go with Squid Game: The Challenge or Physical: 100.
The other options suit different moods: All of Us Are Dead for group survival, and Black Mirror for standalone stories about society under pressure. Streaming catalogs vary by country, so check your local service listings before you settle on a watch.
