Going off of the title alone, it may seem like Netflix's wildly popular South Korean drama series Squid Game would have plenty of common ground with Splatoon, Nintendo's multiplayer series that pits teams of squid-human hybrids against each other. However, one with only little familiarity with either can tell you that the name is where the obvious similarities end.
Squid Game, directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, focuses on a contest in which hundreds of cash-strapped players compete against each other in a series of six childrens' games, for the entertainment of several mysterious figures known only as VIPs. While the games are seemingly easy, main characters Seong Gi-hun, Cho Sang-woo, and Kang Sae-byeok soon learn that they will be killed if they lose, while the last one standing after all six games will win a huge cash prize. In contrast, Splatoon turf wars have teams of four against each other with paint-shooting weapons and the team that has covered the stage with the most paint from top to bottom after three minutes wins.
As anyone who has watched the first scene of the show can attest, Squid Game has nothing to do with actual squids. The name comes from a playground game, in which players play on a grid shaped vaguely like the head of a squid. And while its title could summarize Splatoon (a game about squids) in the most concise way possible, nothing about the show's grim dystopian setting is likely to make anyone think of the paint-splattering, family-friendly deathmatch involving Splatoon's Inkling squid kids. However, players still joke about a possible connection between the show and the game. While those theories may be far-fetched, the two share some subtle similarities.
While the stakes differ, both Squid Game and Splatoon hinge on good teamwork. The games in Squid Game are not always team-based, but the main characters ended up making teams of their own. As Player 001 demonstrated in the tug-of-war in Squid Game, having a good strategy can make up for having a team of apparently weaker players. Similarly, brute strength is not everything in Splatoon. Since the objective is not to eliminate other players, but simply to cover the level in each match with the most paint, less aggressive players can make key contributions that help their team win, by focusing on covering ground rather than targeting other players.
In their own ways, players in Squid Game and Splatoon are also two-faced: literally and figuratively. At several points in Squid Game, characters betray each other in order to win games and, consequently, save themselves. While Splatoon does not allow any sort of friendly fire, characters are literally two-faced: they constantly alternate between squid and human forms.
More superficially, outfits similar to those in Squid Game are available in Splatoon 2. The in-game green zip hoodie bears some resemblance to the green jumpsuits worn by every player in the show. Additionally, there are in-game slip-on shoes similar to the style of the players' distinctive uniform white Vans slip-ons, which have become so synonymous with the show that sales of white Vans have spiked by 7800% to meet the increasing demand for Squid Game Halloween costumes.
With the worldwide popularity of the show (and its countless memes), it seemed almost inevitable that people would link unrelated squids of popular culture to Squid Game. While a second season of Squid Game is yet unconfirmed, it is still one of the top shows on Netflix. Meanwhile, Splatoon 3 is scheduled to be released on Switch sometime in 2022.
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