By now, it is well known that Netflix not only wants to be your trusted streaming service for series and movies: it also aims to be a place where you go to play. It’s an ambitious plan, of course, but they are acquiring several mobile game licenses that make it a real alternative. Wonders like World of Goo, Sonic Mania Plus, Civilization VI, Shredder’s Revenge, or Twelve Minutes are hidden among the free titles (if you pay your monthly subscription, of course) on the platform.
All that is very well, but Netflix also hides another type of titles: those produced by themselves with blood, sweat, and, as we will see later, a lot of staff. The games about Netflix franchises. Those that have been created to try to stretch the gum and for people who are already fans of things like Sex Education or Stranger Things to stay a little longer trying them. And believe me. There are many, many more than you expect, on the most unexpected (and less innovative) topics. Let’s take a look!
Stranger Things
There are two games based on one of the trending series on the platform that are surprisingly good. The first, Stranger Things: 1984, is a classic adventure filled with pixelated graphics from a top-down perspective where our protagonists have to navigate paths while riding bikes, fight against enemies, and use their powers to reach the end. The other is Stranger Things 3: The Game, which has an isometric perspective and where your task is to make your way to the end in a kind of graphic adventure that recreates the third season. It’s not a masterpiece, but it will satisfy your craving until the next installment arrives.
Money Heist
In this case, and as it could not be otherwise, it is a cheap narrative game in which you will play as Sydney, a new character who is involved in the Dalís heist and who, while talking with the protagonists of the series, will have to solve small puzzles of extremely simple difficulty levels. Your decisions will influence the plot, yes, but at the end of the day, by now you already know how things end, so the excitement is relative.
Sex Education
Well, more of the same: a conversational adventure in Moordale where you will be someone new in their class and you can meet the protagonists of the series, giving them advice about their love life and influencing the plots of the series. It gives the impression of being made in a week from start to finish, so, no matter how much of a fan you are, don’t expect much.
Narcos
How ethical is it to make a video game about Pablo Escobar building his drug empire? Very little. But that doesn’t matter when it comes to Narcos, apparently! This is a strategy game where you can build and construct your own cartel, assemble a group to kill your enemies, and ultimately seize all the power, becoming one of the greatest villains Latin America has ever known. And all from your mobile! Wow, pure fun!
The Squid Game
Participate in the events of Squid Game by just wasting time (and not your life)! Use your skills, survive new challenges, die a few times, let the rest do it. It’s a battle royale style game where all players will fight against each other. The only problem is, after the excitement of season 2… Will there be enough people to set up a game and try to be the only one to survive? Honestly, and considering what’s coming next, it’s one of the best in the catalog. Yes, seriously.
The Queen’s Gambit
It is true that it has some innovations based on the series, but basically, the Queen’s Gambit game is -oh surprise- a chess. You can learn to play, relive matches from the series, find hidden aids, discover various puzzles, and go through the series’ storyline, but at the end of the day, it’s that: a board, some pieces… well, that’s it. A chess game. At least it has multiplayer, you can customize your experience and… Hey, it’s free, what more do you want?
Perfect Match
We enter the zone of filth. You have been warned! Are you hooked on Netflix dating reality shows? Yes? Really? Would you like them to last forever? Well, you’re in luck, because now Perfect Match is also a video game where you can create your character, flirt with pixels that resemble the type of people who go on these types of shows, answer seemingly spicy questions and, in the end, leave there with a partner. Virtual, of course. When you turn off your phone, the only thing you’ll see in the reflection is your face sighing for a fictional love.
The Perfect Couple
A game that revisits the plot of the miniseries starring Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber: there’s a wedding and a murder on the beach, and only you, a bridesmaid, can become a detective and find out who committed the crime. How, you may ask? By collecting clues, looking at photos, and talking to people before reaching your final deduction. The game promises us that every time we play there will be new twists and secrets to uncover. Another option is to watch the series and find out what really happened, but of course, what a hassle.
Love is Blind and Playing with Fire
Did you want to discover the cyber love of your life on Perfect Match? You’re in luck, because Love is Blind and Too Hot to Handle have their own games (well, actually Too Hot to Handle has three, absolutely identical to each other) where the mechanics are more or less the same. Create your character, start flirting, hook up, turn off the phone, discover that this incredible person is not sitting next to you giving you warmth and that instead there is a cold emptiness on the other side of the bed. The true gamer experience!
Outer Banks
While its creators prepare the final season of Outer Banks, which will premiere in 2026, you can relive the series in the official game, where you can create your own character to join the group, make choices that affect the plot, uncover mysteries, maybe fall in love, who knows. Is a cheesy conversational game the best way to discover a series of 40 episodes for the first time? Probably not, but you’ll have to try it to find out.
Emily in Paris
Ninety percent of Netflix games are overwhelmingly the same, yes. Choose your character, talk to others, make dialogue choices, find love. At this point, it seems quite clear that they make them in bulk, but hey, as long as it keeps working…
Other “choose your story” games
I don’t want to bore you, so I’m just going to list the rest of the “games” that are made with a template, just in case you find your favorite series: Sunset: The Golden Mile; Virgin River; Virgin River (Christmas Edition); Shadow and Bone and The Ultimatum. But don’t worry, because they have already announced that there will be many more like these in the near future. Phew, what a relief!
