Norwegian developer Dani built Crab Game in roughly two weeks and released it free on Steam on 29 October 2021, giving it a deliberately odd name to stay clear of Netflix's lawyers. Lobbies hold up to 35 players who run rounds of childhood games until one survivor is left, and the store page lists 28 maps. Reviews sit at 91 percent positive across about 83,000 ratings.
Crab Game features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Light Green Light | Opening round, full lobby | Movement practice, easy survival for patient players | Hider |
| 2 | Stepping Stones | Mid round, thinned lobby | Free information from whoever goes first, fast eliminations | Hider |
| 3 | Hide and Seek | Any round, works best with 15 or more players | The best use of proximity chat in the game, long round timers | Speedrunner |
| 4 | King of the Hill | Mid to late round | Points from time held, knockback fights, chaotic finishes | Speedrunner |
| 5 | Lights Out | Late round, smaller lobby | Weapon variety, the highest tension round in the rotation | Speedrunner |
Red Light Green Light: Starting Area
Move on green, freeze on red, cross the line before the timer expires. The trap is that stopping cleanly is harder than starting, so most eliminations happen from momentum carrying you a step too far.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Opening round, full lobby |
| Key Rewards | Movement practice, easy survival for patient players |
| Recommended Build | Hider |
| Key Equipment | Knife |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Round by round elimination. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Stepping Stones.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Stepping Stones: Early Game
Two columns of panels where one of each pair holds and the other drops you. There is no way to tell them apart, so the only real strategy is deciding whether to lead or to follow.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid round, thinned lobby |
| Key Rewards | Free information from whoever goes first, fast eliminations |
| Recommended Build | Hider |
| Key Equipment | Knife |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Momentum based sliding. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Knife if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Hide and Seek.
Hide and Seek: Mid Game
Hiders scatter, seekers hunt them with knives, and the proximity voice chat turns the whole thing into something between a horror game and a comedy. Spots with two exits beat spots with better cover.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Any round, works best with 15 or more players |
| Key Rewards | The best use of proximity chat in the game, long round timers |
| Recommended Build | Speedrunner |
| Key Equipment | Knife |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Pistol becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Proximity voice chat for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
King of the Hill: Late Game
Everyone gets a bat and fights to stand on top of a hill the longest. It is a scrum, and the winner is usually whoever arrived second rather than whoever charged in first.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid to late round |
| Key Rewards | Points from time held, knockback fights, chaotic finishes |
| Recommended Build | Speedrunner |
| Key Equipment | Pistol |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Pistol should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Randomised weapon rounds mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Lights Out.
Lights Out: Endgame
Players get about seven seconds to hide, then the lights go out and everyone is handed a random weapon. You either fight or you stay hidden, and the weapon roll decides which one is sensible.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Late round, smaller lobby |
| Key Rewards | Weapon variety, the highest tension round in the rotation |
| Recommended Build | Speedrunner |
| Key Equipment | Pistol |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Objective Holder for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Red Light Green Light → Stepping Stones → Hide and Seek → King of the Hill → Lights Out. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Crab Game Guides
- Crab Game Crab Game Overview
- Crab Game Best Builds
- Crab Game Tier List
- Crab Game Walkthrough
- Crab Game Beginner's Guide
- Crab Game Tips & Tricks
- Crab Game Weapons Guide
- Crab Game Combat Guide
- Crab Game Boss Guide
- Crab Game Crafting Guide
- Crab Game Classes & Characters
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