The Most Brutal Games in Netflix's Alice in Borderland

As a movie critic, I found myself utterly captivated by my recent binge of Netflix’s “Alice in Borderland.” This gritty adaptation breathes life into the manga of Haro Aso, offering a chilling twist on survival games that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

If you’re a fan of the intense drama and high-stakes competition found in shows like “Squid Game,” you won’t want to miss this dark journey into the human psyche. The story follows our protagonist, Arisu, and his friends as they are thrust into a series of grueling trials that test their limits, all in an effort to extend their visas and survive another day.

In short, “Alice in Borderland” is a must-watch for anyone seeking a gripping tale of survival, friendship, and the lengths one will go to stay alive.

In the series ‘Alice in Borderland’, each game features varying levels of complexity, categorized by the suit they belong to. For instance, club-themed games require teamwork. Regardless of the specific card or its value, every game poses a unique threat. A ‘Game Over’ inevitably leads to immediate demise. Here are some of the riskiest games depicted in Netflix’s Alice in Borderland.

On March 24, 2025, Crystal Martin shared an update: Excitement is brewing among fans as Netflix has finally confirmed that Alice in Borderland will return for a third season, expected to premiere in September 2025. The second season ended with a nail-biting cliffhanger, leaving viewers eagerly anticipating the continuation of the story.

9. Tag – Five Of Spades

Taggers Hunt Down Players With A Machine Gun

In Alice in Borderland, the game of tag takes on a chilling twist; it’s no longer a simple children’s pastime but a life-threatening challenge. The players don horse masks that are downright eerie and carry weapons instead of just playing with their hands. This is far from the lighthearted fun we remember! Arisu and his fellow contestants must evade getting shot while desperately searching for a room hidden within a vast structure, before the clock ticks down to zero.

If they failed to complete the task, a bomb was set to detonate at the end, resulting in everyone’s demise. However, with assistance from several other participants, Arisu managed to accomplish the mission. The unfortunate aspect is that the other graffiti artists were also caught up in this dangerous situation, and they were compelled to take lives in order to stay alive.

8. Osmosis – King Of Clubs

A Severed Hand Was Used To Win The Game

As I delve into the gripping second season of Alice in Borderland, I find myself enthralled by a pulse-pounding game where strategy meets survival. This intriguing twist on the classic game of tag, dubbed Osmosis, pushes players beyond merely chasing opponents. Instead, they must meticulously monitor their points to ensure their own continued existence.

Each competitor starts with a predetermined number of points, and those points can either vanish or grow by tagging others. To succeed, it’s essential that each participant has a well-thought-out strategy: knowing whom to pursue and whom to shield becomes crucial. The stakes are high, and the only way to make it out alive is by playing smartly.

The match lasts a total of two hours, with the points constantly changing, forcing players to adapt their tactics spontaneously. As usual, Arisu recognizes that collaboration is crucial for survival. Tough decisions are made, and in the end, Tatta gives up his hand (and life) to aid Arisu and the team in securing victory.

7. Checkmate – Queen Of Spades

Players Are Forced To Betray Their Team To Survive

In the second season of “Alice in Borderland,” a fresh twist on the classic game known as Tag, called Checkmate, is presented. Here, participants aim to tag their opponents by pressing a button on their backside, which results in the addition of a new player to their team. The game spans 16 rounds, each lasting five minutes, and players are only eligible for recruitment once per round. Initially, the Queen of Spades has only four members on her team; however, as the game progresses, her side expands and gains strength.

In this game, the players find themselves in a challenging predicament: either align with the Queen or face potential demise. The rules of the game may seem straightforward, but the intense pressure experienced during its 16 rounds sets it apart as one of the most perilous games on the show.

6. Dead Or Alive – Three Of Clubs

The First Game That Introduced The Brutality Of Alice In Borderland

In the game called “Dead or Alive,” it sets the stage for what the series “Alice in Borderland” is all about, with a tough opening test. Upon entering The Borderlands, Arisu, Chota, and Karube encounter an enigmatic game arena located within an office building. The rules are straightforward but with a catch: they must choose one of two doors, labeled either ‘Alive’ or ‘Dead.’ However, the door’s outcome doesn’t always match its written indication on the door.

In this game, The Borderlands are ruthlessly initiated with an emphasis on chance and intuition. As players progress through each chamber, their time for decision-making shrinks significantly, ratcheting up the tension. A wrong choice could lead to immediate demise or exposure to a lethal toxin that fills the room before it’s torched. At first, they thought the only way to check if a room was safe was by sacrificing a player. Fortunately, they ultimately conquered the level using Arisu’s recollections, enabling him to navigate his team safely through the chambers and reach the exit.

5. Hide & Seek – Seven Of Hearts

Arisu’s Friends Sacrifice Themselves So That He Can Live

In Season One, Episode Three of “Alice in Borderland,” there’s no mercy shown as it dives straight into intense action and emotional turmoil. This episode introduces the Seven of Hearts game, often referred to as Hide & Seek, which involves characters like Arisu, Chota, Karube, and Shibuki. The games associated with the Hearts suit are infamous for their mental manipulation tactics, forcing players to exploit or deceive their companions, using the feelings of others against them.

In Hide & Seek, all participants are initially equipped with various weapons and a time bomb collar each. A player is chosen at random to be the ‘wolf’, while the rest become ‘sheep’. The sheep can transform into wolves by looking directly at the wolf. At the end of 10 minutes, those still as sheep would detonate due to their collar, leaving only the wolf alive. This game put Arisu’s bond with Chota and Karube to the test, as they eventually gave up their lives in a brutal scene so that he could live. This Hide & Seek episode is one of the most emotionally charged scenes in Alice in Borderland, establishing the series’ overall tone.

4. Solitary Confinement – Jack Of Hearts

Trusting The Wrong Person Means Death

In Season Two, Episode Three, we found out that the Heart’s Game played was actually called Solitary Confinement. This intriguing episode introduced a fresh set of quirky characters, alongside the clever Chishiya. Similar to other Hearts games, Solitary Confinement centered on psychological strategies, as the participants needed to choose who they believed could be trusted as an ally. What made Solitary Confinement distinct was that it had no time constraints. The objective was for players to identify the Jack of Hearts within their group and make him incorrectly guess his symbol.

In my experience, if a player mistakenly identified their own symbol, it meant an immediate game termination, with no option to peek at it through a mirror-like surface. The symbols were ever-changing after each round, leading to distrust among players who even resorted to deception to eliminate competitors and lessen potential dangers. Out of the original 20 contestants, only three emerged victorious, among them being the beloved character Chishiya.

3. Beauty Contest – King Of Diamonds

Every Wrong Answer Brings Players Closer To A Gruesome Death

In the intriguing game known as “The King of Diamonds,” contestants were put to the test of math skills, quick thinking, and a touch of fortune. Five players took part in this intellectual battle, among them was Chishiya. Each player was required to fasten themselves to a seat, with a tablet placed before them. Initially, each player had to select a number ranging from zero to hundred. The average of all the numbers selected would be multiplied by 0.8. The participant whose answer was closest to the middle value (median) would claim victory for that round, while the rest would incur a deduction of one point from their total score.

Over their heads hung a balance scale that gradually filled with sulfuric acid as points were taken away from their total. If players reached -10 points, they would lose the game and the tipping scale would collapse on them, instantly melting them. As time went on, luck played a crucial role in the game’s outcome. Chishiya managed to win, but only because the King of Hearts allowed him to do so.

2. The Witch Hunt – Ten Of Hearts

Multiple Unnecessary Deaths Could’ve Been Avoided If The Players Put Their Heads Together

In the concluding events of “Alice In Borderland” Season One, chaos ensued at The Beach after the final game, leading to a devastating massacre among its surviving inhabitants. Known as the Ten of Hearts ordeal, it started with the discovery of Momoka’s lifeless body in the lobby of The Beach, having been murdered by a sorceress. Every resident was compelled to hunt down and execute the suspected witch in the Trial by Fire, without any restrictions on taking each other’s lives.

In a desperate bid for survival, what was once a flourishing community started to turn against its own members. The military presence on The Beach instilled terror in the remaining populace, leading to widespread mistrust as innocent people were unjustly accused and many were met with a brutal end. It was later discovered that Momoka had been the witch; the only way for the players to progress to the Second Stage was by burning her body.

1. Survival – King Of Spades

An Intense Series Of Shooting Leads To A Massive Bloodbath

In the second season of Alice in Borderland, things got off to an explosive start! As they moved forward to the Second Stage, all participants encountered The King of Spades challenge – one of the most unjust games in the series, with no set rules whatsoever. Armed with a machine gun that never missed its target, The King of Spades launched a deadly shooting spree at Shibuya Crossing, mercilessly mowing down anything within his sightline. Relentless in his pursuit, he left behind a chilling trail of lifeless bodies.

Eventually, those who survived understood that they couldn’t dismiss the constant menace of The King of Spades. In contrast to what the game suggested, simply surviving wasn’t an option for them. Instead, they chose to confront The King of Spades directly. Given his military background, this decision didn’t come without its share of brutal casualties and fierce hand-to-hand combat. Their victory over The King of Spades came at a heavy cost – Ann sacrificed her life, while many others were severely wounded.

2025-03-26 02:55

The Most Brutal Games in Netflix’s Alice in Borderland