The first time we did Squid Game: Survive the Trials at Netflix House Dallas, Luke won.
Obviously, I couldn’t let that stand forever.
We went back to Netflix House at Galleria Dallas and did the experience a second time. This round, I finally came out on top. I’m not going to walk through every challenge here because a lot of the fun is not knowing exactly what’s coming, but the main thing you need to know is this: it is considerably harder than it looks.
Netflix puts groups of up to 24 players through five games in about an hour. Everyone wears a Player Wristband that tracks scores, updates the rankings, and keeps the leaderboard drama moving. The experience currently advertises games including Red Light, Green Light and Round and Round, along with other challenges inspired by the series.
The setup does a good job of making you feel like you stepped into Squid Game without, thankfully, the actual consequences of being in Squid Game. There are guards, show-style sets, theatrical lighting, the Front Man, and enough pressure in the room to make grown adults forget how to do things that sound simple when you’re standing outside the attraction talking big.
Children’s Games Get Weird Under Pressure
That’s the part I liked most.
When you’re watching Squid Game from the couch, it is very easy to say, “Come on. It’s Red Light, Green Light. How are these people messing this up?”
Then somebody puts you in a room with 23 other players, starts a countdown, adds lights and sound effects, tells you your score is being tracked, and suddenly everyone starts making bad decisions.
People rush because they don’t want to fall behind. Somebody gets nervous and botches something they could normally do without thinking. Some games ask for strategy, some need reflexes, and some make you deal with other players while also wondering whether the person beside you is helping or quietly wrecking your chances.
Netflix describes the experience as testing reflexes, strategy, nerve, and teamwork. After doing it twice, that feels about right.
It also made me appreciate the premise of the show a little more. Nobody at Galleria Dallas thinks they’re about to get taken out by a giant robot doll, but even fake pressure changes how people act. Add the stakes from the actual series and some of those ridiculous-looking mistakes start making a lot more sense.
Luke 1, Dad 1
Our family standings are now officially tied.
Luke won the first visit. I won the rematch.
I’m sure he would like me to point out that he is still a child competing against adults, but I do not remember seeing an asterisk next to my name on the leaderboard.
Netflix House itself is free to enter, but Squid Game: Survive the Trials is one of the ticketed attractions inside. Standard tickets are listed starting around $39, with prices varying by date and time. It is an all-ages experience, though younger guests need adult supervision, and you are upright and moving for much of the hour. This is not just a themed hallway where you take a few pictures and leave.
Netflix House Dallas is at Galleria Dallas on North Dallas Parkway, and the whole place is built as a year-round Netflix destination with rotating experiences, food, retail, and other attractions. Survive the Trials is the part I would point people toward first if they like Squid Game or competitive interactive stuff.
Just don’t walk in assuming you are going to dominate because you were good at children’s games when you were eight.
Twenty-three other people are about to find out the same thing.
And if you want to see how I finally took Luke’s crown, the video has the evidence.
Details
- Address: 13550 N Dallas Parkway, Dallas, TX 75240
- Hours: Netflix House Dallas is generally open Monday-Thursday 10AM-9PM, Friday-Saturday 10AM-11PM, and Sunday 10AM-8PM. Squid Game: Survive the Trials has separate ticketed attraction hours.
- Website: https://www.netflix.com/house/dallas/squid-game/survive-the-trials
