To win you must survive. What makes Squid Game such a thriller but also disturbing at the same time is the brutality of the games. Each game is a childhood pastime that is either special to Korea or is worldwide known. For my article, I will make a guide to beat each game so that you will be able to survive Squid Game if you ever find yourself in debt and you wake up on an island off Korea. 

“Red Light, Green Light”

Probably the most well-known childhood game on this list, “Red Light, Green Light,” was the first game the 456 players were introduced to. The game consisted of a dirt field that players had to cross but they had to follow the instructions of a giant child robot. If the robot caught one of the players moving after the “Stop” command was called, the player would be eliminated by death. The players would have 5 minutes to get to the other side or they would be disqualified. This first game saw the most deaths as 255 players were killed because many panicked when they found out they would die if they lost the game. 

To beat this game, there are some crucial steps to ensure a player’s survival. Players must realize that they have plenty of time to get to the other side so in this case slow and steady does win the race. Players should never panic as that’s the easiest way to become eliminated. When moving, players should keep a wide base, knees bent, and a steady pace so that when “red light” is called, the player would be able to come to an easy stop without the fear of swaying or losing their balance. When moving, keep your eyes focussed on the ground to avoid obstacles or fallen players. Also, try and keep your distance from others so that you are not grabbed or used as a shield. By following these simple steps, you should be on your way to surviving the first game. 

“Dalgona Candy Challenge” (Sugar Honeycomb)

This is a traditional Korean game that consists of a honeycomb wafer and a needle. Players are tasked with trying to chip a simple shape out of the honeycomb within the 10-minute time limit. If the shape breaks apart or the player does not chip their shape out in 10 minutes, they will be eliminated. There are four different types of shapes that the players could choose from: an umbrella, star, triangle, and circle. The game was unknown before the choosing of shapes so those who were unfortunate enough to get the umbrella were probably going to die. But, it’s not impossible if you follow this one simple tip. 

In the games, the main character Seong Gi-Hung uses his tongue and licks the back of his honeycomb shape. By doing this, his spit dissolves the honeycomb making it softer and easier to cut out the shape. This process takes time and a lot of licking but it is the most viable option to ensure survival onto the next round.  

“Tug of War”

This game consists of 8 ten-man teams. Two teams will be picked at random to compete in a tug of war match with each other. Each player is chained to the rope and the players are suspended on a platform with a gap in the middle. The team that loses will be pulled into the middle off the platform and then the rope will be cut in the middle. Those dangling will fall to their death and the winning team will survive onto the next round.

Like always, the game is unknown when the players were instructed to form teams. Most of the teams that won consisted of the stronger players, but technique and teamwork are more important than strength in this game. Seong Gi-Hung’s team consisted of an old man, three women, and the rest men. On paper, this team is weak as the team’s combined strength is much weaker than many of the other teams. But, with the help of the old man who was able to give his team some tips, the weakest team out of the 8 was able to survive. Before the game, the old man gave his team some important instructions:

• When the game starts, put the rope in your armpit
• Get a wide base with your legs
• Lean back as far as you can
• Hold the rope for ten seconds when start is called
• When the other team is tired, work as a team and begin to pull

Because Seong Gi-Hung’s team took the old man’s instructions, they were able to come up with the unlikely victory and ensure their safety until the next game.  

“Marbles”

In “marbles” there aren’t many rules except to get all ten of your opponent’s marbles in the time frame. Before the game starts, the players form teams of two. After choosing partners, each player is given a pouch of ten marbles and is told that they have ten minutes to retrieve their opponent’s marbles by playing any game they choose. The player that has no marbles left will be killed while the other moves on. Most of the teams consisted of players who trusted each other the most, making this particular game so evil as one player must move on while the other must lose.  

If you have no care for your partner at all, a good way of winning could be asking to count their marbles while keeping your own marbles. Once you have both sets, just announce to the guards that you have won and you will be right on your way to the next round. 

“The Glass Bridge”

Probably the most intimidating challenge of them all, the glass bridge consists of 18 pairs of panels suspended over a bottomless pit. One panel in each pair is tempered glass able to hold two people while the other is untempered and will break if stood on. Before the game starts, players were to choose a number at random which would be the order they would cross the bridge. Being first in line is a death sentence as that player has a 1 in 262,144 shot of guessing all the right panels of glass and making it across the bridge safely. Being in the back of the line has its benefits for this game as those who go last will be able to see which panels were tempered and untempered due to the failures of the earlier players. But, as always, there’s a time limit so players towards the end could become eliminated because of the slow crossing of those ahead.

To beat this game, luck plays a big part. It’s necessary to get a spot towards the very end of the line as those who were unlucky enough to lead the charge will never make it out alive. As for strategies, there aren’t many. One of the contestants during the show was an experienced glassmaker who was able to tell which glass panel was which depending on the reflection of the light off the glass. So if there are any glassmakers out there, you hold the advantage over everyone else. However, don’t make it too obvious that you can tell as the evil game makers turned the lights off once they knew someone was able to cheat their game. Other options could include throwing your shoes in hopes to break the glass or even just hiding in the corner until everyone else tries to cross the bridge. But, both of these methods don’t seem like they would work. Your best option is to find a spot in the back and learn from the failures of your former contestants. 

“Squid Game”

Now onto the final game which was being played by elementary school students in the opening moments of the show. Squid game was a popular Korean children’s game during the 70s and 80s. The game has fairly complicated rules but is played with two teams: attackers and defenders. The playing field is dirt with a giant squid drawn across. The attackers are tasked with getting around the defenders and touching the small triangle on the squid’s head. The defenders’ job is to stop the attackers by any means possible from touching the squid’s head. Squid game is the most brutal and physically demanding game of any contest yet as the final will come down to a fight to the death between the last remaining opponents. The night before, the players were given a luxurious steak dinner to fill them up before their final battle. They were also left with a steak knife that would come in handy for Squid Game. 

To beat this game, fighting skills will help you the most. Being on defense or offense really has no advantage as this game solely comes down to one on one combat and a player’s drive to win the game. One strategy could be to keep your off arm in your tuxedo coat(players wore a tuxedo for the final game) so that one’s off arm isn’t exposed to unnecessary hurt. After that, players who know how to parry and strike have the best chance at beating Squid Game and winning the money they so desperately need.