With the immense success of Netflix’s international hit show Squid Game and the following popularity of the live-action game show Squid Game: The Challenge, I was eagerly anticipating an interactive exhibit or museum to commemorate the cultural hit that the franchise had become.
My prayers were doubly answered when not only did I receive word that Netflix was creating something new that would fulfill my urge to experience anything Squid Game in real life, but that it would also be a full-blown experience where guests would get to try their own hands at the games from the show themselves, and compete with others to see who would make it out on top. I was dazed.
I easily found the location, as it is centrally located in Midtown Manhattan. Entering the lobby thrust me directly into the world of Squid Game: ornate characters, decor from the show, and an abundance of themed foods and drinks.
The bar menu
Right at the entrance were two of the guards from the show, guarding the humongous fabled piggy bank containing stacks on stacks of hundred-dollar bills. Further in, H-Mart had provided their assortment of various Chinese, Japanese, and Korean snacks for a mini market, where we could grab anything from mochi ice cream to Japanese choco-pies. I also indulged in a drink from the bar, which had several themed cocktails that were fun, inventive, and delicious. I enjoyed a Red Light, and Green Light, consisting of vodka, a Bloody Mary mix, cucumber, olives, and cornichon. While I waited for my time slot, I also interacted with several of the masked guards, who were happy (unless they weren’t, there was no real way of knowing) to take a picture with me.
Finally, I was called up to begin the games, and the process to enter began. Along with twenty-three other individuals, I got my picture taken and was assigned a number with which my progress would be tracked. The rules of the games were established, and I had to give credit to the team for staying in character and creating a sense of urgency; I started believing that if I lost a game I would die. The workers yelled at us to stay in line and follow orders, and that above all else, the Front Man was always watching.
From here on began a series of audacious and criminally competitive games. We started with a classic from the show, the glass bridge game. In a new twist (that doesn’t involve death), we had to each remember a different sequence of correct and incorrect tiles, and then make sure to step on only the correct ones as we traverse to the end of the tiles.
Tiles
It was a game of extreme memory, and while it sounded simple enough, I was surprised by how many people forgot their tile pattern. When it was my turn, I made it past halfway, but just could not remember what came next, and in a desperate attempt to guess, I guessed wrong and was eliminated.
Loss, courtesy of Netflix
Glad that I was able to live, I moved on to the next game.
Each game after was more exhilarating than the last. We played a game of marbles, where we took turns attempting to toss a marble into a shape, and if we made it in, we got to keep all the marbles of our competitors who had failed previously. This one I did surprisingly well at.
Warships
We played Warships next, with two teams of twelve, and my team won in this game as well. I was steadily climbing up the leaderboard, and at this point, I was in sixth place. However, my run came to an abrupt end with the next game, which was the infamous Red Light, Green Light game from the original show. The set was complete with various objects to traverse around, as well as the statue of Younghee that would be monitoring the crowd of participants. I tried to move stealthily and as quickly as possible and stay incredibly still when she turned around, but my nose itched and I was eliminated.
Next was the final game, which I will leave a surprise; the culmination of all of my efforts and time, and it was incredibly heart-racing and an amazing show-stopping finish to the night. Definitely check out the experience in person to try the final game, if anything.
I had a blast at Squid Game: the Experience. I was able to relive all of my favorite moments from the show, and finally agree that the tasks were a lot harder than they looked (“I could have done that easily,” I used to say when watching the original show.) Furthermore, the experience offers a chance to cooperate with your teammates in Warships or try your hand-eye coordination solo in Marbles. Each game is different and unique, and they all contribute to an engaging experience overall. If you are a fan of the hit Netflix show, definitely check it out with friends or family.
