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When Squid Game<\/em> hit Netflix in 2021, the world felt the impact. Emerging from a pandemic, people were broke, bored, and ready to break bad, and the show\u2019s sharp satire of capitalism hit just right. The premise\u2014people in various levels of life-destroying debt sign up to play a series of deadly children\u2019s games in exchange for the chance at a life-changing amount of cash (kept on display in a giant piggy bank, in one of the show\u2019s many brilliant visual touches)\u2014straddled the line between sadly plausible and nightmarishly bizarre, but anyone could sympathize with the desperate protagonist, Seong Gi-hoon (Lee Jung-jae).<\/p>\n The show has finished its third and final season, and we\u2019ve already offered up the best series<\/a> you can watch to keep those bleak vibes going. But if you need more<\/em> bleak in your life, you have other options. Here are the books, movies, video games, and podcasts you can turn to when you\u2019re done watching (and re-watching) Squid Game<\/em>.<\/p>\n Under the <\/em>bright primary colors and friendly shapes, Squid Game<\/em> is a story about money, desperation, and mob mentality. Lucky for you, plenty of books offer those same themes along with similarly gripping tension.<\/p>\n Like Squid Game<\/em>, The Plotters<\/em><\/a> is set in contemporary South Korea, and like the show, the novel tells the story of a flawed man who comes to realize he\u2019s been playing a rigged game. Reseng is an assassin who has unquestioningly followed orders his whole life, killing people according to orders handed down by the mysterious \u201cplotters.\u201d When a colleague is killed for disobeying an order, however, Reseng\u2019s faith is shaken, and he begins investigating just who, exactly, is issuing those orders. What he finds won\u2019t surprise Squid Game<\/em> fans one bit.<\/p>\n If the interrogation of an unfair economic system is what resonated with you while watching Squid Game<\/em>, then Hit<\/em><\/a> <\/em> is for you: When Valor National Bank buys the national debt, it also gains the right to kill the people who owe it money\u2014which is just about everyone. People like Patsy are given a choice: Pay their debt (impossible), be killed right there and then (undesirable), or work as a bounty hunter killing other debtors. It\u2019s violent, messy, and filled with trenchant commentary on the broken system we live in.<\/p>\n The way debt warps and dehumanizes us is a major theme in Squid Game<\/em>, which makes Szpara\u2019s novel<\/a> the perfect choice. In the near future, debt has legally become inheritable, trapping whole families in a cycle of financial servitude that is owned by a small handful of the ultra-wealthy. People can choose to become literal slaves for a period of time in order to work of some or all off their debt\u2014but their temporary \u201cowners\u201d can do whatever they want to them during their servitude, so most opt to numb themselves with a drug called Dociline that keeps them calm and insulated from their suffering. Fans of Squid Game <\/em>will recognize the sweaty desperation on display here.<\/p>\n King\u2019s 1982 novel<\/a> was definitely before its time, and has a setup similar to Squid Game<\/em>. In the far-future of 2025 (!), Ben Richards is struggling to pay his bills and buy medicine for his sick daughter in an America devastated by economic ruin. Desperate, he signs up to be a contestant with the government-run reality game called The Running Man, where he\u2019ll be hunted by trained assassins. If he can survive for 30 days, he gets $1 billion\u2014with bonuses for killing hunters.<\/p>\n Marrs\u2019 novel<\/a> (part of his Dark Future<\/em> series) hits those Squid Game<\/em> vibes in a different key. As the world\u2019s population soars and the economy worsens, most people can no longer afford to have children. A company offers a grim, Black Mirror<\/em>-esque solution: You can \u2018grow\u2019 a virtual child and interact with them in the metaverse. To promote the technology, they launch a reality show where ten couples raise a virtual child from birth to the age of 18 in just nine months\u2014and then must compete for a chance to keep their virtual child, or risk it for the chance at a real<\/em> child.<\/p>\n For all its bright colors and menacingly silly design, Squid Game<\/em> offers up a suffocatingly dark, dystopian vision of the world. If you want more of that<\/em>, here are some feature-length movies that will hit that dark, sweet spot.<\/p>\n In the midst of all the violent strategies and desperate gambits on Squid Game<\/em>, you get the sense that it\u2019s also a kind of experiment to see just how far (and low) people will go to survive and get paid. In Cube<\/em>, five people find themselves trapped in a series of square rooms connected by hatches in each wall, floor, and ceiling\u2014many of which are booby-trapped in horrifying ways. As the group works its way through the rooms, there\u2019s a similar vibe as their creativity and willingness to sacrifice each other comes into play. <\/em>Stream Cube<\/em> on Plex<\/a><\/strong> or rent it from Prime Video<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n Squid Game<\/em> is a trenchant social commentary, examining the morality of modern society and the impact of inequality. That makes The Platform<\/em> the perfect movie pairing. In this film, a man named Goreng agrees to spend six months in the \u201cVertical Self-Management Center,\u201d where pairs of prisoners live on different levels. Once a day, a platform laden with a rich feast descends from above and stops for two minutes\u2014prisoners can only eat during that time. The people placed on top can eat what they like, while the people on the lower levels are lucky to get anything. Goreng eventually goes on an odyssey to discover the secrets of who\u2019s behind this cruel system. Stream The Platform<\/em> on Netflix<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n One of the great pleasures of Squid Game<\/em> is watching well-rounded characters fight for their lives using every skill and advantage they have. In The Belko Experiment<\/em>, a standard group of office drones suddenly find themselves trapped in a fortified building and inform the employees that they must kill two people within 30 minutes, or several of them will be killed at random. The bloody chaos that ensues will be music to the ears of any Squid Game<\/em> fan. Rent The Belko Experiment<\/em> on Prime Video<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the great thrills of each episode of Squid Game<\/em> was finding out what bizarro version of a children\u2019s game was going to be repurposed into a crowd-thinning slaughter. Escape Room<\/em> offers a similar vibe: Characters forced to survive deadly escape rooms using their brains and physical skills means a whole new mystery challenge every time they make it to the next room. Rent Escape Room<\/em> on Prime Video<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n Want more desperate people willing to do much more than they ever imagined in exchange for getting out of soul-crushing financial difficulty? Of course you do, so you\u2019ll love this black comedy. Two down-on-their-luck friends meet a seemingly friendly man and his wife at a bar. When the man offers them a few bucks to take on innocuous challenges and innocent pranks, they both eagerly lean into the contest\u2014but as the offered sums get larger, the cruelty and danger of the required tasks grow as well. Stream Cheap Thrills<\/em> on The Roku Channel<\/a><\/strong> or rent it from Prime Video<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n Squid Game<\/em> is modeled in some ways on video games\u2014platforms, dream logic, gore aplenty, etc. So it makes sense that the best way to extend your Squid<\/em> experience would be to get into a game that has similar mechanics and vibes. Luckily, you\u2019ve got a lot of choices.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re yearning for more of the Squid Game<\/em> universe, it makes sense to go directly to the source and play the official game version. You can play almost all of the classic Squid Game<\/em> games, like Red Light, Green Light (although some have been tweaked to make them more playable on a console or phone), and it\u2019s all done up in the show\u2019s iconic color scheme and visual style. If you\u2019re looking for a direct extension of the show, this is the bet.<\/p>\n Platforms:<\/strong> Android, iOS<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n Fortnite<\/em> remains an incredibly popular battle royale and survival game, and if you\u2019re seeking the chaotic violence of Squid Game<\/em>\u2019s early rounds, this is the way. Plus, you can literally download Squid Game<\/em> skins, play Squid Game<\/a><\/em>-themed versions, <\/em>and build Squid<\/em>-themed islands in the game, combining these two fictional universes into one demented sandbox.<\/p>\n Platforms:<\/strong> PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n Looking to replicate the mechanics of some of Squid Game<\/em>\u2019s more epic challenges? Play Fall Guys<\/em>, a fast-paced, super fun obstacle\/racing game with obstacles, delightfully cartoonish graphics, and the opportunity to knock opponents off the course. It doesn\u2019t have the grim violence of the show, but that means you can have all the fun without worrying that you\u2019re pushing your cosmic karma into the red.<\/p>\n Platforms:<\/strong> PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Android, iOS<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n If you want more of the bleak whimsy that Squid Game<\/em> serves up, check out Danganronpa<\/em>, a series of interactive visual novels. In the first installment, you play as a high school student trapped in their school by a robotic teddy bear. Your only hope to escape is to murder another student\u2014and get away with it\u2014in a battle royale-esque competition. It combines mystery-solving with other first-person gameplay elements to offer up an immersive experience fans of the show will enjoy.<\/p>\n Platforms:<\/strong> PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Steam<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n Did you love the atmosphere of paranoia and dread experienced by anyone in the Squid Game<\/em> universe who tried to cling to their moral and ethical principles in the games? Then We Happy Few<\/em> is for you. Set in a world where most of the population is tripping on powerful hallucinogens that allow them to commit all kinds of terrible violence while wearing creepy, smiling masks, you play as a \u201cdowner\u201d who\u2019s trying to escape the city\u2019s chaos without drawing attention to yourself. Combined with a wonderfully bent visual style, this game is ideal for Squid<\/em> fans.<\/p>\n Platforms: <\/strong>PlayStation, Xbox, Steam<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n Whether you want a deep dive into the show\u2019s lore or production, or a similarly creepy narrative experience, these are the podcasts you should check out.<\/p>\n \n Might as well go to the source: The official Squid Game<\/em> podcast<\/a> is hosted by Phil Yu, and offers up insider info on the show\u2019s universe, game mechanics, themes, and production. If you\u2019re curious about all the real-life moving parts that come together to make something with this much cultural impact, put this in your ears.<\/p>\n \n If you want discussion about and analysis of Squid Game<\/em> from a more fan-focused perspective, check out Jack and Colin\u2019s obsessive podcast<\/a>. They dissect the show\u2019s themes and recap episodes with a sharp eye for detail and a fan\u2019s genuine love of the show.<\/p>\n \n If you want a narrative podcast that hits the same dopamine generator as Squid Game<\/em>, Rabbits<\/em><\/a> is the creepy story you need. When a young woman\u2019s friend goes missing and the police aren\u2019t motivated to find her, she begins her own investigation, and begins to suspect her friend has been playing a kind of \u201calternate-reality\u201d game that is much older and much deadlier than she realizes. It\u2019s got the dread, world-building, and game mechanics fans of the show will appreciate.<\/p>\n \n The best books like Squid Game<\/em><\/h2>\n
The Plotters<\/em>, by Un-Su Kim<\/h3>\n
Hit<\/em>, by Delilah S. Dawson<\/h3>\n
Docile<\/em>, by K.M. Szpara<\/h3>\n
The Running Man<\/em>, by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)<\/h3>\n
The Family Experiment<\/em>, by John Marrs<\/h3>\n
The best movies like Squid Game<\/em><\/h2>\n
Cube<\/em> (1997)<\/h3>\n
![\"Cube](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-1.fill.size_autoxauto.v1776180590.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nThe Platform<\/em> (2019)<\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-2.fill.size_autoxauto.v1776180730.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nThe Belko Experiment<\/em> (2016)<\/h3>\n
Escape Room<\/em> (2019)<\/h3>\n
![\"Escape](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-4.fill.size_autoxauto.v1776180957.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nCheap Thrills <\/em>(2007)<\/h3>\n
![\"Cheap](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-5.fill.size_autoxauto.v1776180957.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nThe best video games like Squid Game<\/em><\/h2>\n
Squid Game: Unleashed<\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"Squid](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-6.fill.size_autoxauto.v1776181105.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nFortnite<\/em><\/h3>\n
\n What do you think so far?
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\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Fortnite](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-7.fill.size_autoxauto.v1776181546.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nFall Guys<\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"Fall](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-8.fill.size_autoxauto.v1776181546.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nDanganronpa<\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"Danganronpa](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-10.fill.size_autoxauto.v1776181546.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWe Happy Few<\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"We](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-9.fill.size_autoxauto.v1776181546.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nThe best podcasts like Squid Game<\/em><\/h2>\n
Squid Game: The Official Podcast<\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"Squid](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-11.fill.size_2000x2000.v1776181747.jpg\")
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\n Credit: Podcast logo<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nPlayer 456<\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"Player](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-12.fill.size_2000x2000.v1776181748.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n
\n Credit: Podcast logo<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nRabbits<\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"Rabbits](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-13.fill.size_2000x2000.v1776181748.jpg\")
\n <\/div>\n
\n Credit: Podcast logo<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nLimetown<\/em><\/h3>\n
![\"Limetown](\"https:\/\/lifehacker.com\/imagery\/articles\/01KP69D5RENWBRXE2WDA7AYVZX\/images-14.fill.size_2000x2000.v1776181748.jpg\")
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\n Credit: Podcast logo<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n