In Alice in Borderland, the sci-fi thriller based on the manga of the same name, each season takes place in the Borderland, an alternate version of Tokyo that pulls in players and forces them into increasingly dangerous and complicated games. The Japanese series, which stars Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, and Nijiro Murakami, follows a young man who suddenly finds himself in an empty version of the city he lives in, with no way to escape. Lucky for him, he’s obsessed with video games, and brings with him a keen eye for strategy and logic. Want to learn more about how the games in this mysterious world work? Scroll on to find out more about gameplay across Seasons 1, 2, and 3 of Alice in Borderland. 

How do the games work in Alice in Borderland Season 1? 

Players are given a visa once they arrive in the Borderland, which is basically a countdown of days they’re allowed to stay alive there. If the number hits zero, a laser from the sky zaps them from existence. The only way to buy more time is to win games — as many as they can. Every challenge is assigned a corresponding playing card that tells players about the game: the suit sets the vibe, the number sets the stakes. Diamonds mean it’s a brain game, clubs are all about teamwork, hearts are games of psychological warfare against other players, and spades are physical challenges. Once players clear a game, the number on the card indicates the number of days added to their visas. 

What about in Alice in Borderland Season 2? 

In Season 2, players are met with the Second Stage, in which the mission changes completely. Now it’s time for Face Cards, the most difficult games yet. Each challenge is hosted by one of the Citizens of the Borderland — those who’ve already won their own game in an earlier round and chose to stick around in the Borderland instead of going home. The games can only be cleared once the host Citizen is dead. Games are announced via Face Card posters hanging from passing blimps. If players clear every game, they are presented with the ultimate challenge: Stay in the Borderland for good, or go home with their memories of the place wiped clean entirely. 

How does the final game work in Season 3? 

At the start of Season 3, only one card is left to clear in the Borderland’s deck: the Joker. This time, Citizens already living in the Borderland, like Banda (Hayato Isomura), can handpick people to pull back into the game … and that’s how Arisu (Yamazaki) returns as he searches for the kidnapped Usagi (Tsuchiya). Now, the series of games is replaced with a full-on tournament. Players who make it through to the labyrinthine finale reunite in a fatal face-off. Meanwhile, a mysterious figure called the Watchman (Ken Watanabe) keeps a close eye on all the gameplay. 

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