5 January 2026

I’m Shocked Stranger Things’ Best Spin-Off is this Free 81 Metacritic Game

By newsgame

I can’t believe it, but the time to say goodbye to Stranger Things has finally arrived. The Netflix series launched when I was a sophomore in college, and now that it’s nearly a full decade later, it’s wild to see the series come to a close. Stranger Things has been one of the biggest franchises of the past decade, and while its final season wasn’t perfect, it’s the end of a truly memorable era. The finale of Stranger Things is a bittersweet moment, and while it was time for the series to end, it’s surprising to me that it hasn’t expanded into other types of media, especially video games.

Yes, there is a wild amount of Stranger Things merch out there. Between an uptick in Eggo Waffles sales and the swarm of people wearing Hellfire Club shirts after Season 4, Stranger Things has maintained a vice grip on pop culture, but it’s remained confined to streaming. On paper, Stranger Things seems perfect for a video game adaptation, and while there have definitely been game spin-offs of the series, they haven’t gained significant traction. One of the most compelling takes on the franchise was even canceled before it got to see the light of day. Despite Stranger Things‘ lack of gaming success, that doesn’t mean that these spin-offs aren’t worth a look. One in particular might even be the best Stranger Things spin-off fans have at the moment. Aptly named Stranger Things: The Game, this 2017 title may have flown under some fans’ radars.

Stranger Things: The Game is also titled Stranger Things: 1984 depending on the online store.

Stranger Things: The Game is an Underrated Retro-Inspired Gem

Stranger Things: The Game is only available for mobile devices (iOS and Android).
The game takes place between Season 1 and Season 2.

Stranger Things: The Game currently stands as the highest-rated spin-off game in the franchise, and for good reason. With its 16-bit art style and simple, but classic, Legend of Zelda-like gameplay, it’s a solid homage to the decade that the show is set in. Turning Stranger Things into a retro, pixelated game with an overhead perspective just makes sense. Stranger Things games have struggled to gain traction, but this iteration does a wonderful job at keeping the spirit of the show alive, despite its mobile limitations. Frankly, being a mobile-only game actually works in its favor, since it’s a good platform to host simple gameplay mechanics. Players can take on a variety of beloved characters from the show, and while not all of them are present, the game still boasts a fun roster.

Stranger Things crosses over with Microsoft Flight Simulator

Every Playable Character in Stranger Things: The Game

Hopper
Mike
Nancy
Lucas
Will
Dustin
Eleven
Max (added in honor of Season 2)

Stranger Things: The Game may not be the deepest gaming experience, but for those who were itching for more 80s-fueled content after the hours of binge-watching Stranger Things, it was a great, low-effort option. Its simplicity only adds to its charm, making it an easy-going game that offers a little something extra for fans. This may be the best Stranger Things spin-off game, but it’s definitely not the only one. There are other options to consider, and while they fail to hit the same heights as Stranger Thing: The Game, they’re still worth mentioning, especially for the diehard fans who are craving more after the Stranger Things finale.

Stranger Things Games Feature One Hit and Two Misses

Game	Metacritic Score
Stranger Things: The Game	81
Stranger Things 3: The Game	53
Stranger Things VR	44

Even though Stranger Things 3: The Game and Stranger Things VR didn’t fare as well with critic scores, it’s still an example of how the Netflix series has tried to break into gaming in the past. Of course, doing this is far easier said than done. It can be difficult properly adapting a franchise into a new medium, and video games may be one of the hardest. Licensed video games have had notorious reputations in the past, and it’s hard to shake that. Most of the time, licensed video games are seen as low-effort cash grabs, but Stranger Things: The Game balanced simplicity with a strong aesthetic and gameplay, breaking it free of that curse. As fun as Stranger Things: The Game can be, it’s also a reminder of one now-canceled spin-off game that never got to make its debut.

Stranger Things is also no stranger to game crossovers. The franchise has been featured in Fortnite, Dead by Daylight, and even Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

Telltale’s Canceled Stranger Things Game Could Have Been the Franchise’s Big Break Into Gaming

telltale-games-new-engine-stranger-things

Little is known about the game, but it was slated for a 2019 release.
The game was canceled when Telltale Games abruptly shut down in 2018.

Unfortunately, this project ended up being added to the list of canceled games that could have been great. Games getting canceled in the middle of production is nothing new, but it always stings. Telltale Games has a long history of making strong adaptations of popular film and television IP. Batman, Game of Thrones, Back to the Future, and The Walking Dead were all handled incredibly well by the developer, and it’s a shame that we’ll never get to see how the team approached Stranger Things.

Even though Telltale Games was bought and revived by LCG Entertainment, its Stranger Things game continues to gather dust. At the moment, the developer is busy working on The Wolf Among Us sequel, and after that, it’s unclear what the team has planned for the future.

Stranger Things may not have hit the same heights in gaming as it has with the rest of pop culture, but there is at least one shining gem hiding under the rubble. The Stranger Things seasons may have faced their own highs and lows over the years, but at the end of the day, it remains a solid show that brought retro 80s nostalgia back into the spotlight. Whether it reignited one’s love of Eggos or introduced someone to the magic of Dungeons & Dragons, the end of Stranger Things marks the closing of a fun chapter in pop culture history.