44 best survival movies and TV shows to binge after Squid Game

Finished binging Squid Game Season 2… and now what?

Survival game movies and TV shows have become a captivating genre. Whether set in dystopian futures, remote wilderness, or supernatural environments, these stories often delve into the raw instincts of survival, human morality, and the consequences of desperation.

In this guide, we’ve compiled 40 of the best survival game movies and survival games TV shows that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Each title offers a unique perspective on the genre, through mind-bending puzzles, brutal physical trials, or moral dilemmas that challenge the very essence of human nature.

The best survival movies of all time

1. Battle Royale (2000)

A group of Japanese high school students is forced by the government to fight to the death on an isolated island as part of a brutal program to curb juvenile delinquency. Armed with random weapons, they must navigate betrayal, alliances, and their own humanity to survive.

Battle Royale is the quintessential survival game movie that set the tone for the genre. Its shocking violence, exploration of human nature, and ethical dilemmas make it unforgettable and groundbreaking.

2. The Running Man (1987)

Set in a dystopian society, convicted criminal Ben Richards is forced to participate in a deadly game show where contestants must evade professional killers to survive. The show is broadcast live, turning life-or-death into entertainment.

This movie delivers sharp satire about media manipulation and societal desensitisation to violence, all wrapped up in an action-packed, 80s-style Schwarzenegger flick.

3. Cube (1997)

A group of strangers wakes up in a mysterious cube-shaped maze filled with deadly traps. They must combine their unique skills to find a way out before time runs out.

Focusing on human behaviour under extreme pressure, Cube is a cult classic that stands out for its psychological tension and minimalistic yet effective set design.

4. Escape Room (2019)

Six strangers are invited to participate in an elaborate escape room competition with a hefty cash prize. However, they soon realize the puzzles are lethal and must work together to survive.

5. Circle (2015)

Fifty strangers awaken in a dark room, standing in a circle. Every two minutes, one of them dies. They must decide who survives while grappling with the morality of their decisions.

This minimalist thriller is a thought experiment that examines human behavior in the face of imminent death. It’s unique in how it focuses solely on dialogue and human dynamics, captivating you even with the lack of special effects and massive sets.

6. The Belko Experiment (2016)

In a twisted social experiment, employees of a corporate office are locked inside their building and ordered to kill each other — or face execution themselves. The Belko Experiment delivers brutal action and social critique on corporate hierarchy and human savagery. It’s both shocking and darkly humorous.

7. The Thinning (2016)

Set in a dystopian world where population control is enforced through a high-stakes aptitude test, two students uncover a conspiracy that threatens their lives. The Thinning combines a young adult survival premise with a critique of societal pressures and the dangers of meritocracy.

8. The Hunger Games (2012)

In a dystopian future, the totalitarian Capitol selects two tributes from each of its twelve districts to compete in the annual Hunger Games — a brutal, televised fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen, a young woman trained with a bow and arrow, becomes an unlikely contender after volunteering to save her sister.

Beyond a survival game, The Hunger Games incorporates serious social commentary on class disparity and media sensationalism.

In addition to its trilogy series, The Hunger Games has also recently released their new movie — The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2024).

9. The Maze Runner (2014)

Adapted from the novel, Thomas wakes up in a mysterious maze with no memory of how he got there. Alongside other teens, he must solve the labyrinth’s deadly secrets while dodging horrifying creatures known as Grievers. However, they soon find out that the maze is the least of their problems.

The Maze Runner is part of a trilogy.

10. Ready or Not (2019)

Grace marries into a wealthy family with dark traditions, only to find herself hunted in a deadly game of hide-and-seek on her wedding night. She must use her wit and determination to survive.

11. Saw (2004)

Two men wake up chained in a grimy bathroom with no memory of how they got there. As they follow cryptic instructions from a sadistic mastermind, they must confront harrowing moral choices to escape.

Saw revolutionised the survival game movie genre with its intricate, morally challenging traps. Its focus on human psychology and the concept of earning survival makes it compelling and disturbing.

12. Hostel (2005)

Three backpackers traveling in Europe are lured into a hostel with beautiful women, where they soon become the prey of a sadistic organisation.

Hostel’s brutal, unflinching violence adds to the horrifying element of a survival game.

13. Exam (2009)

Eight candidates vying for a prestigious job are locked in a room and given a single piece of paper. The catch? They must decipher the question without breaking the rules.

Beyond your average violent, gory survival game, the minimalistic approach to this movie is centered on psychological tension, manipulation, and the lengths people go for success.

14. Time Trap (2017)

A group of friends searching for their missing professor becomes trapped in a cave where time moves differently.

The film’s unique premise explores survival across time distortions, blending science fiction with the survival game genre.

15. Would You Rather (2012)

A desperate young woman joins a sadistic dinner party where she must play a deadly game of “Would You Rather” to win money for her ailing brother. Would You Rather delivers shocking moral dilemmas and tight, claustrophobic tension.

16. The Platform (2019)

Set in a vertical prison with countless levels, where food is delivered on a descending platform that only stops briefly on each floor, the inmates must ration limited resources to survive. The platform starts at the top with an abundance of food, but by the time it reaches the lower levels, little remains. As a result, those at the bottom face starvation unless they resort to desperate measures.

The Platform is a sharp social critique wrapped in a survival horror, exploring themes of greed, inequality, and morality.

17. Hunger (2009)

Five strangers wake up in a darkened pit with no food or water and must confront their survival instincts.

Hunger dives deep into the psychological toll of starvation and the primal urge to survive, offering an unflinching look at human desperation.

18. Killing Room (2009)

Four people are invited to a psychological study that turns into a deadly experiment. Killing Room’s mix of psychological manipulation and physical danger makes for a compelling, high-stakes thriller.

19. Tag (2015)

Three women find themselves inexplicably trapped in a series of bizarre and deadly scenarios. Tag’s surreal plot and stunning visuals set it apart, blending survival horror with abstract social commentary.

20. No Escape Room (2018)

A father and daughter join an escape room experience that quickly becomes a twisted, supernatural game of survival. The movie’s eerie, supernatural twist adds a fresh layer to the survival game genre.

21. Nerve (2016)

Nerve is a thrilling movie that follows Vee, a shy student who joins an online game where players take on increasingly dangerous dares for cash and fame. As the challenges get increasingly more dangerous, she learns that the game is not as simple as it seems, and seeks out to find the mastermind behind it.

With fast-paced action and intense challenges, the film explores survival in the modern world, where online fame and peer pressure can blur the line between entertainment and peril.

22. As The God’s Will (2014)

Based on a popular manga, high school students are forced to participate in a series of deadly games controlled by a god-like entity. The games, based on children’s games with deadly consequences, push contestants to the brink as they navigate life-or-death scenarios.

What makes As the God’s Will unique is its surreal, unpredictable nature, blending absurdity with tension, where survival isn’t just about strength but also about mental fortitude.

The best survival TV shows of all time

1. Squid Game (2021-)

A group of financially desperate individuals is invited to participate in a mysterious competition where they must play a series of children’s games. However, the penalty for losing is death. Squid Game stands out for its stunning visuals, emotional depth, and exploration of themes like inequality, desperation, and the cost of human greed.

Love Squid Game? Here are 17 more movies and TV shows that are just like it

2. Alice in Borderland (2020-)

After a mysterious event transports them to a desolate version of Tokyo, Arisu and his friends must participate in deadly games to survive and uncover the truth behind their new reality. Alice in Borderland combines high-stakes action with mind-bending puzzles, creating a gripping narrative filled with suspense and emotional resonance.

Can’t get enough of Alice in Borderland? Here are similar movies and mangas

3. The 8 Show (2023)

The 8 is a gripping Korean survival game TV show that pits eight participants against each other in a game show, where they will be locked inside a building and earn a substantial amount of money for each minute the game.

However, when they find out that the higher floors are earning much more than the lower floors, a power struggle emerges.

4. 3% (2016–2020)

In a dystopian future, society is divided into two factions: the impoverished Inland and the utopian Offshore. Every year, individuals have one chance to join the Offshore by competing in a brutal selection process.

3% is an intense psychological drama that examines themes of privilege, morality, and survival through a unique Brazilian lens.

5. Liar Game (2007–2014)

In this Japanese series, participants are roped into a high-stakes psychological game of deception and betrayal. Each round tests their ability to manipulate and outsmart their opponents.

Adapted from the manga, Liar Game is a masterclass in suspense and strategy, keeping viewers guessing until the very end.

6. Survivor (2000–)

Stranded on a remote island, contestants must work together to survive while competing in challenges and forming alliances. Each week, one is voted off until a sole survivor emerges. Survivor is a reality TV classic that set the standard for survival competitions, blending strategy, physicality, and social dynamics.

7. The Wilds (2020–2022)

A group of teenage girls crashes on a deserted island, forcing them to survive while grappling with personal trauma. Unknown to them, their predicament is part of a larger social experiment.

8. The Society (2019)

When a group of teens returns from a school trip, they find their town mysteriously devoid of adults. Forced to create their own society, they must navigate alliances, power struggles, and survival.

9. The I-Land (2019)

Ten strangers awaken on a mysterious island with no memory of how they got there. As they attempt to survive, they uncover dark truths about their situation.

While polarising, The I-Land delivers a mix of sci-fi mystery and survival tension.

10. Outlast (2023–)

A survival reality series where contestants are dropped in the Alaskan wilderness and must endure extreme conditions while competing for a cash prize.

While not an actual death game, Outlast’s real-life stakes and raw, unfiltered moments of human struggle make it both gripping and intense.

11. Alone (2015–)

Contestants are dropped into remote, wilderness locations and left to survive entirely on their own with minimal equipment. The last person standing wins.

Simialr to Outlast, Alone’s realistic portrayal of survival and focus on mental resilience renders it a captivating watch.

12. Panic (2021)

In a small town, graduating seniors compete in a series of dangerous games for a cash prize that could change their lives. Panic combines youthful rebellion with high-stakes challenges and explores the fears and desires that drive people to take risks.

13. Kill It (2019)

A veterinarian living a double life as an assassin is drawn into a deadly game of survival. Kill It blends action, suspense, and emotional depth, offering a fresh take on the survival genre with a focus on morality and redemption.

14. Sweet Home (2020–)

In an apocalyptic world where humans are transforming into monsters, the residents of a rundown apartment complex must band together to survive.

Adapted from the Webtoon, Sweet Home is currently on its second season on Netflix. Sweet Home’s unique monster designs and character-driven narrative set it apart in the survival horror genre.

15. Hellbound (2021–)

In a world where people receive mysterious decrees about their impending death, terrifying beings emerge to carry out the executions. Hellbound’s focus on existential dread and societal collapse offers a unique survival narrative that blends supernatural horror with philosophical depth.

16. All of Us Are Dead (2022–)

When a zombie outbreak starts at a high school, students must band together to survive while grappling with personal loss and betrayal. All of Us Are Dead delivers intense action and heartfelt moments, with a focus on the emotional toll of survival.

Love the undead? Here are similar TV shows to All of Us Are Dead

17. Kingdom (2019–)

Set during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, a crown prince investigates a mysterious plague turning people into undead monsters. Kingdom combines historical drama with survival horror, offering a fresh twist on the zombie genre.

18. Zombieverse (2023–)

In this reality dating show, contestants must survive a simulated zombie apocalypse in Seoul.

While not your typical survival game show, Zombieverse offers a humorous and comical twist, blending lighthearted fun with the thrills of a “deadly” survival challenge.

19. Danganronpa: The Animation (2013)

Fifteen high school students are trapped in an elite academy and forced into a deadly game of murder and investigation by a sadistic robot bear.

20. Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World (2016–)

Subaru, a young man transported to a fantasy world, discovers he can return to life after death. Using this ability, he must navigate deadly scenarios and find a way to survive.

21. Sword Art Online (2012-2020)

Sword Art Online takes survival games into the virtual realm, where thousands of players are trapped in a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) and must clear levels to escape. The twist: death in the game means death in real life.

22. Future Diary (2011)

Future Diary is a psychological thriller that plunges its participants into a deadly game where each contestant is armed with a diary that can predict the future. The last remaining player wins, and to do so, they must outsmart and eliminate others.

The show’s dark narrative is filled with intense mind games, shifting alliances, and shocking twists.

Binging at home? Here’s what else we recommend: