8 Mind-Bending Survival Shows And Death Game Thrillers To Watch After Alice In Borderland

Are you craving another high-stakes, life-or-death survival thriller after binge-watching Alice in Borderland? You are not alone. The Japanese live-action series, based on Haro Aso's manga, set a new benchmark for the 'death game' genre, blending intense action, complex psychological puzzles, and deep moral dilemmas. Fans are constantly searching for shows with similar themes: ordinary people trapped in an extraordinary, deadly contest where intellect, strategy, and pure luck are the only keys to survival. The good news is that as of , the genre is thriving with fresh, intense, and equally captivating alternatives, spanning from recent Korean hits to classic Japanese psychological thrillers.

The core appeal of Alice in Borderland lies in its intricate card-based game system and the compelling mystery of who is behind the whole operation. If you love the adrenaline-pumping tension of Arisu and Usagi navigating a deserted Tokyo, solving deadly puzzles, and forming fragile alliances, this curated list of the best survival and death game shows is your next obsession. We’ve scoured the latest releases and deep-cut classics to bring you the most compelling series that share the same DNA of high-stakes survival, dystopian dread, and psychological warfare.

The Ultimate List of Death Game and Survival Series

The shows on this list are selected because they perfectly capture the core elements that make Alice in Borderland a global phenomenon: the death game premise, the psychological strain on characters, and the mystery of a hidden world. From the newest 2024 sensation to the genre's foundational classics, prepare for your next binge.

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1. The 8 Show (2024) – The Fresh K-Drama Survival Hit

Released in 2024, The 8 Show is one of the freshest and most relevant recommendations for fans of Alice in Borderland and Squid Game. This South Korean series takes the survival game concept and grounds it in a sharp critique of capitalism and class structure.

• The Premise: Eight strangers are invited to participate in a mysterious reality show, trapped inside a building where they earn money simply by existing. The catch? The money is split unevenly, and the total prize fund increases as time passes.
• Why It's Similar: Like the card games in Alice in Borderland, The 8 Show forces participants into moral compromises and strategic alliances. The psychological pressure cooker environment and the clear visualization of class struggle echo the desperation seen in both AiB and Squid Game.
• Topical Authority Entities: Ryu Jun-yeol, Bae Sung-woo, Han Jae-rim (Director), Class Critique, Psychological Thriller, Netflix K-Drama.

2. Squid Game (2021) – The Global Phenomenon

It's impossible to discuss death game survival shows without mentioning Squid Game, the series that arguably brought the genre to its peak global popularity. While Alice in Borderland focuses more on intellect and puzzles, Squid Game emphasizes childhood games with deadly consequences, driven by financial desperation.

• The Premise: Hundreds of cash-strapped contestants accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games for a massive cash prize. Inside, the stakes are deadly, and failure means immediate execution.
• Why It's Similar: Both series feature a massive, mysterious organization running the games, a hidden master controlling the chaos, and a desperate group of protagonists fighting for their lives. The moral decay and the sheer brutality of the games are highly comparable.
• Topical Authority Entities: Hwang Dong-hyuk (Creator), Lee Jung-jae, Global Phenomenon, Economic Inequality, Survival Drama, Red Light Green Light.

3. Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor (2007) – The Psychological Predecessor

For purists of the death game genre, Kaiji is often cited as the closest in tone and structure to Alice in Borderland. Based on the long-running manga series, Kaiji is less about physical survival and more about pure, high-stakes psychological gambling.

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• The Premise: A young slacker named Kaiji Itō finds himself deeply in debt and is tricked into participating in a series of increasingly elaborate and cruel gambling games on a cruise ship and later in a secret underground facility.
• Why It's Similar: The games in Kaiji—like "Restricted Rock-Paper-Scissors" and "Brave Men Road"—are mind-benders that require strategic thinking, deception, and a deep understanding of human psychology, much like the "Clubs" and "Diamonds" games in AiB.
• Topical Authority Entities: Nobuyuki Fukumoto (Manga-ka), Psychological Gambling, Strategic Thinking, Anime Adaptation, Debt Slavery, High-Stakes Wagers.

4. As the Gods Will (2014) – The Supernatural Game

Directed by Takashi Miike, As the Gods Will is a live-action Japanese film that captures the sudden, inexplicable nature of the games in Alice in Borderland's opening scenes. It is based on a manga by Muneyuki Kaneshiro (the writer of Blue Lock).

• The Premise: High school student Shun Takahata's boring life is shattered when his classroom teacher's head explodes, and a Daruma doll appears, forcing the students to play a deadly game of "Daruma-san ga Koronda" (Red Light, Green Light).
• Why It's Similar: The film shares the same rapid, brutal introduction to a new, deadly reality. The games are based on children's toys and are seemingly controlled by supernatural forces, creating a similar sense of chaotic, unavoidable doom found in the deserted Tokyo of AiB.
• Topical Authority Entities: Takashi Miike (Director), Live-Action Film, Supernatural Horror, Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Daruma Doll, Sudden Onset Dystopia.

5. Liar Game (2007) – The Pure Strategy Game

If you prefer the "Diamonds" games of pure logic and deception, then the Japanese drama Liar Game is an essential watch. It strips away the action and focuses entirely on the mental chess matches between contestants.

• The Premise: A naive college student, Nao Kanzaki, receives a large sum of money and an invitation to the "Liar Game Tournament," a contest where participants must trick each other to win and avoid massive debt.
• Why It's Similar: This series is a masterclass in psychological manipulation and high-level strategy. Every episode is a complex puzzle, requiring the protagonists to outsmart their opponents using game theory and ingenious deception. It perfectly satisfies the intellectual curiosity sparked by Alice in Borderland's puzzle-based games.
• Topical Authority Entities: Shinobu Kaitani (Manga-ka), Psychological Manipulation, Game Theory, Japanese Drama (J-Drama), Fukunaga, Akiyama Shinichi.

6. From (2022–) – The Mystery of the Trap

For fans who were drawn to the overarching mystery of *who* and *why* the characters in Alice in Borderland were trapped in the Borderland, the American horror-mystery series From provides a compelling, ongoing enigma.

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• The Premise: A group of people is mysteriously trapped in a nightmarish middle-American town that won't let them leave. The town is also home to terrifying, nocturnal creatures that prey on the inhabitants.
• Why It's Similar: While not a 'death game' in the traditional sense, From shares the core theme of a group of strangers forced to survive and cooperate in an inexplicable, isolated, and hostile environment. The search for a way out and the gradual unraveling of the town's rules and history mirrors Arisu's quest for the truth behind the Borderland.
• Topical Authority Entities: Harold Perrineau, Lost Creator (similar feel), Supernatural Horror, Trapped Dystopia, Mystery Box Plot, Town of Perpetual Night.

7. All of Us Are Dead (2022) – The High-Octane Survival

If the action-heavy, fast-paced survival sequences—like the "Spades" games in Alice in Borderland—are what you loved most, this high-energy Korean zombie series is a perfect match.

• The Premise: A high school becomes the epicenter of a zombie virus outbreak. Trapped students must use their wits and whatever resources they can find to survive the onslaught until help arrives—or until they can escape the school grounds.
• Why It's Similar: This series captures the intense, desperate, and often brutal fight for survival in a confined, hostile space. The focus on young protagonists forming bonds and making difficult moral choices under extreme pressure aligns perfectly with the emotional core of AiB.
• Topical Authority Entities: Lee Jae-kyoo (Director), High School Zombie Outbreak, K-Zombie, Survival Horror, Ensemble Cast, Moral Dilemmas.

8. Battle Royale (2000) – The Genre Originator

No list of death game series is complete without the foundational Japanese film, Battle Royale. This movie set the stage for virtually every survival contest that followed, including The Hunger Games and, to a degree, Alice in Borderland.

• The Premise: Under the fictional "Battle Royale Act," a class of ninth-grade students is taken to a remote island and forced to fight to the death until only one survivor remains. Each student is given a random weapon and a map with "danger zones."
• Why It's Similar: This is the ultimate "kill or be killed" scenario that defines the genre. It explores the psychological break and moral cost of survival when forced to turn on friends, a theme deeply present in the face card games of Alice in Borderland.
• Topical Authority Entities: Kinji Fukasaku (Director), Koushun Takami (Author), Tatsuya Fujiwara, Genre Foundation, Dystopian Law, High School Survival.

Why the Death Game Genre Continues to Thrive

The popularity of shows like Alice in Borderland, Squid Game, and the new hit The 8 Show speaks to a deep fascination with the 'what if' scenario. These series are more than just blood-soaked action; they are powerful psychological experiments. They explore the limits of human morality, the true nature of friendship under duress, and the arbitrary cruelty of fate.

The best death game series, including all the titles listed here, use the high-stakes environment to strip away societal norms. They force characters to make impossible choices, revealing the heroes, villains, and every shade of grey in between. If you've finished Alice in Borderland and are looking for that next rush of adrenaline and intellectual challenge, these eight shows offer the perfect blend of dystopian dread and compelling human drama.