When Stranger Things 3: The Game hit the digital shelves on July 4, 2019, it promised fans a chance to step into the neon-lit world of Hawkins, Indiana, and experience Season 3 in a whole new medium. Developed by BonusXP and published by Netflix, the game aimed to immerse players in the quirky, supernatural chaos of the town while offering an interactive take on the show’s beloved characters.
At first glance, it seemed like a dream come true for fans who wanted to run alongside Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Steve Harrington (Joe Keery), or Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) through the mall or dodge Mind Flayer-controlled citizens. The pixel art visuals captured the retro aesthetic beautifully, invoking the 1980s nostalgia that has become the heartbeat of Stranger Things. Yet, as players dove deeper, criticism began to mount.
Reviewers and fans alike noted that the game largely mirrored the show’s episodes in a scene-by-scene fashion. While technically faithful, this strict adherence created a linear experience, leaving little room for creative exploration or deviation from the narrative. One reviewer remarked that the game felt “like watching the episodes with a joystick in hand,” highlighting the tension between faithful adaptation and interactive innovation. For a medium where player choice often drives engagement, the rigidity of the game design felt restrictive.
It’s not that the recreation lacked charm. The attention to detail—down to the mall décor, Hawkins’ streets, and the teen hangouts—was meticulous. Every poster, every background tune, even the layout of Starcourt Mall replicated the series with precision. Yet the interactive potential of video games, which traditionally allow players to affect outcomes or explore beyond the main story, was largely untapped.
The appeal of Stranger Things 3: The Game lay in its nostalgia. Players could inhabit their favourite characters, wield weapons against the Mind Flayer, or wander the pixelated halls of Hawkins. Seeing familiar scenarios unfold, hearing classic lines delivered by in-game sprites, and engaging with iconic moments from Season 3 was undoubtedly satisfying. It was like a love letter to fans, meticulously crafted for die-hard viewers who wanted to physically step into the series’ universe.
However, this reverence for the source material became the game’s greatest limitation. Critics argued that by relying heavily on nostalgia, the game sacrificed originality. Instead of expanding on the show’s lore, players were constrained to reenact scenes they could just as easily watch on Netflix. The experience felt transactional rather than transformative. Instead of providing new insights into Hawkins or introducing novel challenges, it replayed the story faithfully but without a unique interactive twist.
This tension—honouring the original narrative while also creating something distinctly playable—is a challenge for any video game adaptation. Shows like The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones have found ways to offer branching narratives, moral choices, and immersive storytelling beyond what viewers see on screen. Stranger Things 3: The Game leaned too heavily on replication, making it more a marketing companion piece than an independent gaming experience.
Yet there’s a nuance here. The game succeeded in building community engagement. Fans could discuss Easter eggs, revisit familiar locales, and test their knowledge of the show’s minutiae in ways that weren’t possible from passive viewing. It provided a shared interactive nostalgia, reinforcing the cultural footprint of the franchise even if it fell short as a stand-alone game.
As Stranger Things gears up for its climactic fifth season, the reception of Season 3’s game offers valuable insights. Franchise adaptations are tricky—they must honour what audiences love while providing an experience that feels fresh, playable, and rewarding. Stranger Things 3: The Game demonstrated what happens when fidelity outweighs creative innovation: the visuals and story may delight, but engagement and replayability can suffer.
Developers of future games tied to the series might consider ways to expand interactivity. What if players could explore Hawkins beyond the episodes, uncover untold stories, or even influence the fate of characters? With Season 5 promising new threats from the Upside Down, there’s potential for a game that complements the show rather than simply mirrors it.
The game also highlights a broader industry lesson: adaptations need not fear deviation. While faithful recreations cater to nostalgic audiences, adding branching paths, challenges, and emergent gameplay can deepen immersion and provide fans with a reason to return, long after they’ve watched the latest episode. A well-executed game could elevate Stranger Things from a must-watch series to a multi-platform phenomenon, offering both visual storytelling and interactive depth.
For now, Stranger Things 3: The Game remains a nostalgic curiosity—a pixelated window into Hawkins that rewards fans’ love for the show but leaves the potential of interactivity largely untapped. It serves as both a tribute and a cautionary tale: fidelity can charm, but innovation keeps players coming back.
As November approaches and Stranger Things 5 promises to push Hawkins’ narrative to new heights, fans hope that any future tie-in games will blend nostalgia with creativity, offering fresh ways to explore the Upside Down and the world of their favourite characters. If developers can capture the heart of the series while providing meaningful choice and adventure, the next interactive foray into Hawkins could be something genuinely transformative.
Whether it’s dodging Demodogs, unraveling mysteries, or simply wandering through the pixel-perfect corridors of Starcourt Mall, the future of Stranger Things games holds immense promise—so long as they balance homage with imagination, giving fans both the familiar and the unexpected.
