Kumari Shreya
Despite the fact that Netflix’s ‘Squid Game: The Challenge‘ primarily follows the same format as ‘Squid Game,’ there are certain major differences between the two shows that stand out a lot. All the viewers and participants were certainly surprised to see the game of Tug of War being replaced by an original challenge titled Warships. The challenge is similar to the board game we all might also know as Battleship and requires some critical thinking. However, many of the viewers cannot help but wonder just how the game is played and the difference between the show’s version compared to what we are used to.
The Objective
In a usual game of Battleship, the goal is to sink each and every ship in one’s opponent’s fleet. This can be achieved by attacking a specific position on your opposition’s grid, which, depending upon the placement of their ships, can either be a hit or a miss. In the Netflix show, the final goal is changed slightly instead of the whole fleet, as each team has to sink the other team’s two ships first in order to claim victory. This rule was likely made in order to not have a large number of players be eliminated.
The Boards
The boards for a usual game of Battleship entail two grids of squares for each side. Both sides have the same-sized boards, often square in shape. One edge grid is marked with alphabets, while the other side is denoted by numbers, giving each square a unique identity. For example, an attack on C4 would mean that the player has decided to launch an attack at the intersection of Column/Row C and Row/Column 4. Each side has two grids that they need to use to play the game. One grid is where they place their own ships and keep track of hits and misses they have taken. The other grid is to keep track of all the attacks they have launched against their opponents and the results of the same.
In ‘Squid Game: The Challenge,’ the grids used by the players are 8×8 in size. This means that the teams had only eight rows and eight columns over which they could spread their fleet and launch their attacks. In order to launch a hit, the teams had to put a cylinder on a vertical grid, with the cylinder changing colors depending on whether or not the attack was a hit or a miss. A white-colored cylinder denoted a miss, while a successful attack meant that the cylinder would light up in the attack team’s color.
For example, if the red team in Warships launches a successful attack against the blue team, the corresponding cylinder on the red team’s vertical board will become blue. Meanwhile, a blue-colored spotlight will shine on the hit square of the red team’s horizontal grid, where the ships are located. Said grid, where the ships and their corresponding players are situated, is actually on the floor from where the shipmates can also offer their suggestions to their team leaders.
The Ships
Battleship is a versatile game when it comes to the type of ships the players choose from. The only hard and fast rule in this situation is apparently that each side must have the same number and types of board. This not only allows for an even playing field but also gives the players a better idea about how to mount an attack if they know exactly what kind of ships are in the opponent’s field. For Warships, the game played in the Netflix show, each team has four ships.
Each team in Warships has one five-square-long ship, often called an aircraft carrier. They also have two three-square-long ships called cruisers/submarines. There is also a two-square-long ship called a destroyer that the players have to use. Given that each square on a ship is meant to hold a player as well, the stakes are even higher. While a destroyer is easier to hide, it is also quicker to be eliminated should even a single square is attacked.
The Gameplay
An ordinary game of Battleship and a round of Warships basically follow the same strategy when it comes to attacking. One side launches an attack on a square of their choosing on their opponent’s grid. The attacked team has to then share whether or not any of their ships were hit by stating “hit’ or “miss,” respectively. In Warships, the players don’t have to exactly announce which square they mean to attack and the results of the same, as the showrunners do that by making announcements about the same.
As previously mentioned, the Netflix show only required their players to win by sinking only two ships. However, given the varied size of ships, the elimination rates were certainly not easy to predict. Both teams get an alternate chance to attack each other until the end of the game, making the game even more interesting. While there are certain variations of Battleship in which the player who has successfully mounted an attack can continue attacking until their next “miss,” this is not the version that the Netflix showrunners have used.
In a game of Battleship, it generally does not matter how many of your ships have sunk as long as you sink the entirety of the enemy fleet first. However, the same cannot be said for Warships, in which each sunken ship means shattered dreams. In the Netflix show, any ship that has been hit completely leads to the elimination of the players corresponding to it. So, it is possible that even if one’s team wins the match, they are evicted since the victory was not achieved without the sinking of their own ship. Additionally, the losing team’s Captain and Lieutenant are also eliminated from the competition.
Read More: Are the Sets in Squid Game The Challenge Real or CGI?
