9 Children’s Games We Want To See In An American Spinoff

July 8, 2025

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Warning: This article includes SPOILERS for Squid Game season 3!

The rumored Hollywood spinoff American Squid Game could incorporate many different games popular with children in the United States to fit the new setting. Since before the third season of Squid Game released, rumors have spread about a spinoff of the Netflix Korean TV show. The ending of Squid Game season 3 showed a recruiter playing ddakji in Los Angeles, which viewers took as confirmation.

The Squid Game creator responded to the rumor, explaining that the scene wasn’t confirming a spinoff. As of right now, despite Deadline reporting the David Fincher spinoff, there is no official confirmation of American Squid Game. That being said, there are perfect games that they could include, if they make the show.

9

Pogs

Goal: Flip The Pogs Over Using A Slammer

If an American Squid Game happens, the best choice would be to change the game that the recruiter plays with the potential recruits. One of the biggest questions from the end of Squid Game season 3 was why the US recruiter was playing ddakji in Los Angeles.

Ddakji is common in Korea, but a better choice for the spinoff would be Pogs, which also goes by the name Milk Caps. Pogs has had a recent resurgence in popularity due to 90s nostalgia, so it would be a good game to include.

The 90s game is simple in rules and only requires two players, but it’s more difficult than it looks. Moreover, there’s also a strategy to winning, so the recruiter wouldn’t have to rely on luck to win.

8

Hopscotch

Goal: Get To The Other Side While Swapping Between One & Two Feet

If American Squid Game wanted to put a twist on the glass bridge stepping stones game, hopscotch is the prime choice that will appeal to US audiences. It’s a very popular game among children because it doesn’t require any equipment other than chalk and maybe a rock, depending on the rules.

Gi-hun looking down and defeated in Squid Game season 3 episode 1

Squid Game season 3 features a multitude of character deaths in its latest games, including some tragic losses as the final episodes unfold.

They could make the hopscotch squares elevated in the air, meaning if someone fails the game, they fall to their death. This wouldn’t be ideal for recovering the contestants’ organs for resale, if they wanted to continue that unexplained subplot.

However, hopscotch in the sky would be entertaining for the VIPS. Like the games in Squid Game, hopscotch could have a time limit to get from one side to the other, adding pressure.

7

Capture the Flag

Goal: Get The Other Teams Flag & Return To Your Side Of The Playing Field

Knives and Keys, the Squid game version of hide-and-seek, is the most deadly game of Squid Game season 2. Even before Myung-gi and Nam-gyu figured out their sneaky tactic, half the players were guaranteed to get wiped out. While hide-and-seek is a children’s game in the US as well, they should avoid copying the same games, as that would be boring.

A popular game in the US that could serve the same purpose is Capture the Flag. There are two major directions I could see them going to give it a deadly twist. The pink soldiers could give the players knives to stab competitors while protecting the flag. Alternatively, the games could kill all the members of the losing team.

The game would make for interesting TV because people could make alliances and plans in an attempt to win. Then, as always happens in Squid Game, they could be ripped apart.

6

Simon Says

Goal: Copy “Simon” Without Messing Up

Theoretically, the American Squid Game would be run by the same mysterious, unknown people who run the Korean Squid Game. As such, they could have their own version of the giant doll, Young-hee. In this case, she could give instructions to the plays and monitor a game of Simon Says with her motion sensor.

Like Red Light Green Light, players would get eliminated when they messed up. This could even continue for an allotted amount of time or a certain number of commands. Alternatively, it could continue going until a set number of players dies.

While Simon Says doesn’t sound very exciting to watch at face value, it’s easy to make the game more interesting by adding in commands like “balance on one leg,” which requires physical abilities, or “kill another player,” if they wanted to be brutal. It could progress from easy things to extremely challenging.

5

Dodgeball

Goal: Dodge The Balls & Hit The Other Team With Balls

In Squid Game season 1, the players form teams to compete in tug-of-war, one of the first games that requires strong physical agility and teamwork. What’s more, it puts the players up against each other instead of against the game. American Squid Game could easily incorporate the game Dodgeball to have the same effect.

Normal dodgeball can be extremely vicious and strategic, even without the added pressure of getting killed. When a player gets hit, they get eliminated. When they catch a ball, the other player gets eliminated. Traditionally, there’s a “jail” where eliminated players go, and they can rejoin the game if someone on their team catches a ball; however, American Squid Game could eliminate this aspect.

Squid Game removing the jail would make the game more interesting to watch. Players not only wouldn’t get a second chance, but they would have to manage to dodge while also trying not to trip over dead bodies.

4

Floor Is Lava

Goal: Jump Between “Safe” Areas Without Falling Into The “Lava”

The Floor Is Lava is such a fun and imaginative children’s game that’s popular in the United States. Kids will jump from furniture to furniture to avoid falling into the imaginary lava. If they fall in, they die. The morbid concept of this game feels like it was created for Squid Game, and they could easily give it a real-life spin.

All-3-Seasons-Of-Squid-Game,-Ranked-Worst-To-Best-v2

With the central Squid Game series all wrapped up after season 3, it’s time to take a look at each installment to discover how they stack up.

Unlike other games on the list, Floor Is Lava doesn’t have an identical equivalent in Squid Game. However, it could include the pushing of Sky Squid Game and the balance of the Glass Bridge, and the jumping of Jump Rope.

Because it would be nearly impossible to use actual lava, they could use fire or boiling hot water tinted red with food coloring. Alternatively, the furniture could be hanging from the ceiling, meaning the players would fall to their deaths. Either way, it would be a grisly watch.

3

Four Square

Goal: Don’t Break The Rules & Make Others Lose

The Squid Game season 1 game Dalgona was basically set up to wipe out at least a fourth of the players. They knew that almost all the umbrellas would get eliminated because of how hard it is to cut out without breaking the honeycomb.

A fun game popular in the United States that could serve the same purpose, narratively, is four square. Inherently, one-fourth of the players in the game would get eliminated.

If all the players broke up into groups of four without knowing the game, this game could have tragic consequences, destroying family groups like Geum-ja and Yong-sik or friendships like Gi-hun and Jung-bae. It could also lead to strong alliances losing members, causing more drama in the narrative.

2

Chess

Goal: Checkmate The Other Player’s King

The players line up in front of a blue O and a red X on the floor in Squid Game season 2

One Squid Game season 3 theory pointed to the fact that the players could be subjected to playing human chess. In Squid Game season 1, the walls revealed the biggest games that they’d play. In seasons 2 and 3, the wall behind the players had a mural of games, including a black and white checkered board commonly found in chess.

However, this was a misdirect. While it might have been disappointing that Squid Game season 3 didn’t use chess, American Squid Game could make up for it. The game is popular in the US, so it would be appropriate. Plus, it would make the US show equally grisly.

Though I’d prefer that any future version of the show remove the VIPs, they could be the ones in charge of choosing the moves. It would give them a hands-on role in the competition. Alternatively, two players could be forced to be team leaders.

1

King of the Hill

Goal: Reach The Top Of The Hill & Stay There

Squid Game Game 6 Gi-gun and Sang-woo (1)

The biggest question about making an American Squid Game is what would fill the role of the titular game. After all, squid game isn’t commonly played by children in the United States. The potential spinoff would need to find something just as physical and competitive as squid game that could result in a single winner.

The answer is a no-holds-barred game of king of the hill. A player would not only need to get to the top of the hill to be the “king” but also push, punch, hit, or kick the other finalists down the hill to win.

King of the hill has the same hands-on approach as squid game, and eliminating the rules could make for a high-tension fight scene. It would be a great way to end American Squid Game.