Alice in Borderland has been taking over Netflix since it made its return with new episodes earlier this month, so now it’s time to go through each of the deadly games from Season 3 to figure out the best of the best. Alice in Borderland has returned to Netflix for a third and final season to complete Arisu and Usagi’s story. Because while the second season’s ending seemed like a grand finale, it was soon revealed that there was actually a whole new season of deadly new games coming for the two as they are both drawn into the Borderland once more in search of something in the world beyond.
Alice in Borderland Season 3 has a fair share of major games that stand out from what was seen in the first two seasons, and a new group of characters are playing in order to save their lives. It’s one intense game after another, but there are some that are better put together than some of the others seen throughout this third season. There are a few that stand out from the pack, so here’s a breakdown of all the games since in this season ranked from the weakest to strongest. Warning as there are spoilers for Alice in Borderland Season 3 below.
9.) Dodging Lasers
This game is only seen for a brief moment in Episode 3 as it was revealed to be the first major game that Usagi had been playing on her side of the tournament, and unfortunately it’s at the bottom of this list because it’s so simple compared to everything else. It’s a game that needs to get a lot across with very little screen time, so seeing a bunch of random lasers cutting down players gets the danger across quickly. But when compared to the other games that get more thought put into them, there’s just no way that it can really stack up.
8.) The Final Game
The final game in Alice in Borderland carries a lot of thematic weight for Arisu’s future and the future of the Borderland, but like the lasers before it, it’s unfortunately very simple compared to everything we had seen thus far. It’s a major moment for the Borderland and it pushes Arisu to the brink of death for the first real time, but it’s a game in name only as there really wasn’t a way to win or lose. It was a notable conversation that needed to be had to get more of the season’s thesis across, but it’s not really a game that has any real substance when it comes to being an actual “game.”
7.) Tokyo Bingo Tower
Getting into the actual games we get to see in the season that have their full slate of rules and gameplay explained, “Tokyo Bingo Tower” is fun but just doesn’t have the deadly appeal of some of the others. It’s intensely physical as Usagi and the others need to hit buttons while climbing the Tokyo Tower in order to get a bingo, and the players all need to work together to make it happen. But there’s just no strategy involved. It’s all physicality, and the deaths come with randomly launched metal balls that fall from the top of the tower at various times. There’s no rhyme or reason to the hazards coming down, so there’s no strategy involved in dodging them, nor is there a punishment for not climbing to certain heights. Funny enough, it just doesn’t feel as punishing as the others.
6.) Old Maid
“Old Maid” gets Alice in Borderland Season 3 off to a very strong start. Not only is this the only game that takes place in the real world, but its punishments are hard and fast. It’s relatively simple in the grand scheme as it is just a game of Old Maid without any real twists to the rules, but the losers are immediately shocked and killed in the place where they sit. It’s a good reintroduction to the series to really emphasize the stakes of the games we’ll see later, and there’s a level of brutality present her that pushes it all to an extra level fitting for a third season.
5.) Kick the Can
But if we’re talking about both physicality and brutality, there’s no better example of this than with “Kick the Can.” It’s a very intense game with an explosive device that not only needs to be brought to its goal within 30 seconds, but also counts down that window with each person that picks it up. It leads to a full blown struggle where people are fighting over it, and it really leads to some big moments and injuries. It’s also where some of the key characters start to die out after working together for so long, and that makes it even more emotional at this point in the season. As the second to last game in the tournament, it’s really one loss after another. It’s a great game to see play out.
4.) Sacred Fortunes
As the first proper game of the season, and Arisu’s reintroduction to Borderland, “Sacred Fortunes” has the highest body count of the season overall. Players are tasked with randomly getting a fortune, and must solve the riddle within it. As punishment for getting it wrong, flaming arrows rain down representing how far off from the right answer they were. It’s a very intense game to get thrown into as not only do some of the questions seem impossible to answer correctly, but there was actually a secret goal hidden the entire time that Arisu didn’t figure out until the last minute. This game not only reflects the huge scope of the previous season with its millions of arrows raining down at once, but then adds a bit of cruelty with just how unfair it actually seemed. A great start to a new season of games.
3.) Runaway Train
“Runaway Train” combines some of the best reasons why these games can help stand out as it combines both the scope of something you can only get in the Borderland, with the specific rules that can spell deadly doom. By challenging these players to make it through several different train cars that can be filled with poison, each person is forced to try and make it with only a few oxygen canisters. This one would have been higher on the list if it didn’t fall apart within its final moments, but it’s also the game that nearly brings Arisu and Usagi together during the season. But on the outset it’s a game that seems impossible to win, and just actually might be. Usagi only makes it through by cheating, technically, so that just raises the stakes even more.
2.) Possible Futures
“Possible Futures” combines both thematic and emotional weight together with a truly interesting game. Players are given a total of ten points, and much find an exit out of a grid based system. Leaving a room costs a point, and each room comes with its own surprises. Then it’s taken to that next level by revealing a kind of potential future a person will face if they go through a certain door. This leads some to go through doors they want to instead of following Arisu’s plan, and makes it a very compelling watch that also reveals more about the characters we’ve been following to this point. But there’s still one game that beats it out by just being a much more fun watch at the end of the day.
1.) Zombie Hunt
“Zombie Hunt” is the game that Alice in Borderland spends the most time with, and it’s with good reason because it’s the best game in the third season overall. This game not only includes deadly consequences for the losers, but is a team based strategy game as well. Infecting certain players with a “Zombie” card, players then need to tag someone and play a one on one game collecting cards. The goal is to spread the zombie infection, and the side with the most players ultimately wins. There is so much going on under the hood with this one, however.
The central strategy is so intriguing as zombies need to hide their identity, and humans seem like they are ultimately going to win it out before a final round swerve that turns the tide. It’s so well done that I don’t even want to spoil how it gets to the result. If there’s one game you watch during the season, make sure it’s this one. It’s just such a well put together game start to finish.
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