On October 27, Stranger Things 2 comes to Netflix! Are you ready?
Netflix released a Stranger Things mobile game last week so you can spend some time exploring Hawkins and its surroundings while you wait for season 2. I’ve been playing through it and it’s been a lot of fun—and it’s free! You can download for Android or iOS.
The game is, of course, made to look like something you’d play on your SNES, with big-headed pixel versions of the characters from the show, and a huge map that encompasses the town of Hawkins, the quarry, Mirkwood, and Hopper’s trailer home on the outskirts.
You start off as Hopper, called to the lab to investigate. Each level is a “dungeon” and you’ll have to find and defeat a boss—but you’ll also rescue the various kids, who then join your party and have their own special abilities. Outside of the dungeons, you can just explore the map, though there are areas that are inaccessible until you unlock particular characters.
There are plenty of things you can smash to collect coins, hearts, and ammo, and there are also things to collect. You can tap on people to talk to them, and some characters are looking for particular items: Mrs. Wheeler needs some milk for her casserole; Joyce Byers can’t find her keys. Find them, and you’ll be rewarded with money or—even better—heart pieces, which will increase your maximum health. Oh, and while you’re at it, try to find the missing garden gnomes that are hidden all over the place.
There are two modes, Normal and Classic, and you can have one saved game in each mode. The primary difference seems to be how far it resets if you run out of health. If you’re in one of the dungeons, for instance, and you run out of health, Classic modes puts you back at the entrance of the dungeon, and Normal puts you back in the previous room you just left. I tried Classic briefly and decided that Normal was a better starting point for me.
Find all the VHS tapes hidden in the dungeons, and you’ll be able to visit the movie theater and watch the season 2 trailer! Of course, if you want, you can just watch it online, too, but you won’t get to see your videogame counterparts watching the trailer along with you.
Okay, I mentioned a giveaway! As Netflix says, no one should binge alone, so here’s your chance to win 3 months of Netflix for you and a friend so you can both binge together.
Here’s how you enter: click one of these links, and reply to the post on Facebook or Twitter, tagging a friend who doesn’t have Netflix:
On October 25, we’ll do a random drawing of all eligible entries, and the lucky winners will get 3 months of Netflix access just in time for Stranger Things 2 on October 27! (Note that if you win through another Netflix Stream Team member, you won’t be able to win again through this contest.)
Rules of Entry:
– Only one (1) Netflix Subscription code can be won by each entrant per calendar year
– Giveaway ends on 10/24/17 at 11:59pm PST, all entries must be cast by then to qualify
– If selected, winners must provide their email as well as the email of their tagged friend upon request to receive the complimentary code
Update: Congrats to Hollie and Amanda, winners of the Netflix giveaway! Enjoy the new season of Stranger Things (and the rest of the Netflix catalog)!
Disclosure: I’m a member of the Netflix Stream Team, and am provided with access to Netflix and giveaway opportunities in exchange for coverage.
