10 Best Reality TV Competition Shows Like Beast Games

Inspired by his record-breaking YouTube channel which often features players competing in various challenges for big cash prizes, "Beast Games" is the brainchild of Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson and his crew. The Amazon Prime Video series, which saw its first season wrap up in February 2025, began with 1,000 contestants all competing for the game's ultimate grand prize: $5 million. That field quickly dwindled over the first couple of episodes via various challenges and other types of mass eliminations, until a much more reasonable number of competitors took one another on in the ensuing episodes before the big winner was finally crowned.

Though there are some aspects of "Beast Games" that are unique to the reality competition series genre, it's largely an amalgamation of many of the shows that came before it. While fans of the show wait to see if it gets a Season 2, there are no shortage of similar shows to watch, with literally hundreds of seasons between them. Every show in this feature shares one or more elements of "Beast Games," whether it's the large field of competitors, the combination of physical and mental challenges, the forming and severing of alliances, or the interpersonal drama both on and off the field. In fact, one show even has its own YouTuber host. 

And just as an editorial note: For consistency's sake, this list will be defaulting to the American versions of any show with multiple international versions, even if the American version isn't the original.

Any show you saw in the last 20 years or so that had people competing in events in a jungle or on a beach with any sort of survival element likely only exists because of "Survivor." CBS's reality competition juggernaut might not have been the very first entry in the genre, but it was definitely the first to become massively successful — and there have been countless shows since then that clearly began with the pitch, "Okay, picture 'Survivor,' but with [enter twist or gimmick here]."

Debuting in 2000, the basic premise of "Survivor" is that a group of people are dropped into a desolate location where they have to not only compete in various challenges but are also supposed to find their own food and shelter. Of course, the actual survival element of the show is questionable — CBS isn't about to let anyone starve to death for viewers' entertainment — but the illusion of it gives the games and challenges a feeling of having even higher stakes than they otherwise would have. 

The other reason people tune into "Survivor," and a big part of why it has remained on the air for 25 years and counting, is all of the drama that unfolds between the competitors as they propose — and then subsequently break — alliances with one another, culminating in the players getting together at the end of each episode to vote a player off the island. Remarkably, "Survivor" doesn't seem to be getting any worse with age. When looking at every "Survivor" season ranked worst to best, the more recent seasons have plenty of representation among the top 10.

One of the more obvious sources of inspiration for "Beast Games" is "Squid Games." No, people aren't shot to death when they lose a challenge on "Beast Games," but the silent people in masks that oversee the challenges, and the large glass box in the middle of the field that displays the grand prize winnings, are both clearly drawn from the Netflix phenomenon. Of course, Netflix itself had already done its own real version of "Squid Games" sans the blood and death with 2023's "Squid Games: The Challenge."

Mirroring the fictional show on which its based, "Squid Games: The Challenge" has players competing in versions of childhood playground games. Each time a player is eliminated, it adds to the prize winnings, meaning that the last person standing takes home the combined bounty of all the eliminated players. Some of the games from the original were replicated for "The Challenge," including Red Light Green Light, the dalgona candy shape challenge, and a non-deadly version of the glass bridge. New additions include a life-sized recreation of the board game Battleship, and the classic classroom game Seven Up. 

Unfortunately, "Squid Game: The Challenge" producers had to address controversial filming condition allegations, casting a shadow over the series — and making a Season 2 seem unlikely. But if you can look past that, it's a pretty entertaining approximation of the competition featured in the original show. 

Even existing shows that were already doing just fine for themselves can eventually succumb to a "Survivor"-esque reinvention. That's exactly what happened when "Deal or No Deal," a fairly traditional game show that took place entirely in a studio, got a makeover in 2024 that brought that action into the jungle with "Deal or No Deal Island." It's exactly what it sounds like — take the basic premise behind "Deal or No Deal," but add the element of a large group of people competing in various challenges that play into the wilderness survival motif.

Rather than the briefcases already being present as they were in the original, the contestants on "Deal or No Deal Island" have to find the briefcases as they participate in challenges. Special kinds of briefcases give players the option of swapping with another player's case. Once the dollar amounts in each briefcase are revealed, those with lower amounts must negotiate with the banker — played in a fun cameo by original "Deal or No Deal" host Howie Mandel in the Season 1 finale  — in order to save themselves from elimination. In her review for The Daily Beast, Fletcher Peters pointed out that the premise feels like a fake "30 Rock" sketch come to life, following along with similar recent examples of reality competitions like "MILF Manor" that sound like parodies but are in fact very real. But she also praised "Deal or No Deal Island," calling it "a welcome twist on the original romp."

"Escape the Night" is a lot different than anything else on this list. And at first glance, it might not seem to have all that much in common with "Beast Games," either. But digging a little deeper, it's easy to see why it's a solid recommendation for not only "Beast Games" fans but anyone who is looking for a different take on the reality competition show genre. 

First and foremost, "Escape the Night" is more of an improv show than a game show. A group of contestants are given a basic story premise, and then are left to ad lib their way through the various things that are presented to them — typically in the way of challenges and dangers. True to its title, the whole thing has a murder mystery vibe, and the cast is a combination of the contestants as well as the performers who are following more of a script. There's no prize for winning, but it's still in a competitor's best interest to win as it means they get to be on the show for longer. The competition aspect is real, however, and the outcomes aren't determined in advance for the most part — with the main exception being when a competitor has to leave the show for some reason, like scheduling conflicts, and specifically requests to be "killed off."

Beyond all that, "Escape the Night" has a direct "Beast Games" connection in that it was hosted by a YouTuber — in this case, Joey Graceffa. And many of the contestants were YouTubers as well, including Liza Koshy, Justine "iJustine" Ezarik, and Tyler Oakley. It ran on YouTube Red/Premium for its four seasons between 2016 and 2019. 

"Beast Games" and most of its ilk consist of a combination of challenges that are both physical as well as mental. But "Tough as Nails," which ran for five seasons between 2020 and 2023, went all in on the physical. Many of their challenges are physically demanding and potentially dangerous, like cutting down trees or loading freight ships. Sometimes though, things go a little lighter and more fun, like apple picking or grocery shopping. However, what challenges might lack in pure muscle, they more than make up for in endurance.

One of the unique angles of "Tough as Nails" is that players who are eliminated aren't automatically sent home, and are instead given the opportunity to still compete for smaller prizes as part of teams. As a result, there isn't as much drama as we see in other shows in this genre, as contestants need to maintain a sense of camaraderie with the other competitors as they could become teammates at any time. True to the vibe of the show, the grand prize winner not only earned cash but also a brand new Ford pickup truck. "Tough as Nails" was not only a great show for fans of reality show competitions, but also those who enjoy series like "Deadliest Catch," "Ice Road Truckers," and other shows that follow people pushing themselves to the limit for dangerous professions. 

"The Amazing Race" hasbeen nominated for the outstanding reality competition program Emmy pretty much every season it's on the air — and has taken the award an impressive 10 times. That's on top of its five additional wins in various technical categories. The show's bona fides as a powerhouse in the genre can't be denied, and it goes without saying that anyone who enjoys any of the other shows in the genre should also be watching "The Amazing Race."

To be fair, there isn't as much reality TV-esque drama in "The Amazing Race." That is probably the main thing that might keep a "Beast Games" fan away from the show. That, and the fact that there aren't a lot of bright lights, flashing colors, and exaggerated pageantry. "The Amazing Race" is a very no-frills celebration of the human spirit and what the human body is capable of, both alone and within a team. But if you don't need all that fluff or to have some wild new twist every 10 minutes, you'll see exactly why "The Amazing Race" is the most decorated entry in the reality competition show genre. In fact, it's easily one of the best reality TV shows of all time, period, regardless of subgenre. 

"The Mole" first ran on ABC between 2001 and 2008. The main angle is that the contestants must find the titular traitor, who is known only by the producers who secretly informed that person of their status. The players then compete in various challenges, with the mole needing to sabotage other players in a way that doesn't make their role known. What helps is that they obviously don't end up being the only ones engaging in shady back-stabbing in an effort to advance through the competition.

Knowing there is a mole among the players' ranks instantly ratchets up the tension of mistrust much higher than it already often is on these types of shows. There's already a "don't trust anyone" aspect to a reality competition show, especially ones where there is only going to be a single winner at the end of a season. But knowing for a fact that one of the players has been told that it's specifically their job to double-cross everyone else brings things to a whole new level.

After five seasons on ABC, Netflix relaunched "The Mole" with an MSNBC anchor taking over hosting duties. But Alex Wagner only hosted the first Netflix season, with NPR's Ari Shapiro emceeing the second. 

Those who have never actually watched "Big Brother" might assume it's more of a "Real World" type of reality show, following a group of people living together in a house. That, or they think the competition elements mostly revolve around mental game-playing, as seen on shows like "The Circle" or "Too Hot to Handle." But those that have actually watched the show know that neither of those assumptions are true.

While much of "Big Brother" does revolve around people toying with each other's minds and emotions in a house, there is a much heavier competitive aspect than people might be aware of. Competitors will often compete in surprisingly elaborate games that wouldn't be out of place on "Beast Games" or "Survivor," which afford them various advantages in the overall competition. That being said, the main reason to watch "Big Brother" is very much the trashy drama at play — from fights to hook-ups and everything in between. It's not exactly prestige television, and it isn't a huge shock that "Big Brother" doesn't have a single Emmy nomination to its name. But that hasn't stopped it from finding a devoted enough fanbase to keep the main series on the air for over 25 seasons and spawn numerous spin-offs. 

Though it's not the very first reality show, MTV's "The Real World" is definitely the show that sculpted the genre as we know it today. And its sister show, "Road Rules," would do the same for the competition subgenre of reality television, as it wasn't simply a group of people co-existing but actually having to complete various challenges. "Road Rules" then spun off into "Road Rules: All Stars," the second season of which was focused on a direct competition between cast members of "The Real World" and "Road Rules" — a focus that continued as that show subsequently evolved into "The Challenge," as it is still known today. 

As a result, the unique TV record you didn't know "The Challenge" holds is that it's actually the longest-running reality competition show, having technically debuted a year before "Survivor." A show doesn't stay on the air for over 25 years unless it's doing something right, and clearly "The Challenge" has done an excellent job at continuing to prove that it has what it takes to compete with the many competitors that have popped up to take it on. 

One thing "The Challenge" has going for it is it often features celebrities from various other reality shows — initially just "Real World," "Road Rules," and other MTV show alums, but subsequently expanding that to include contestants from "Big Brother," "Vanderpump Rules," "American Ninja Warrior," "America's Got Talent," and more, as well Olympic athletes and WWE wrestlers. It's easily the most star-studded reality competition show of all time, and that alone is reason enough to get many people to tune in.

Take the murder mystery vibe of "Escape the Night" and combine in with the double-stabbing mistrust of "The Mole" and you've got the foundation for "The Traitors." Hosted by Alan Cumming, this Peacock original feels a lot like one of those popular party games like "Werewolf" or "Spyfall" in which players need to deduce who are the good guys and who are the villains, and try and weed out the villains before it's too late.

The show being set in a real Scottish castle goes a long way in adding to the fun mystique of "The Traitors," helping both the audience and the contestants themselves really get into it. The players completely embrace their roles, even when that means screwing over an ally who they had been helping out up to that point. This leads to some shocking twists, with one of the wildest reality TV moments of 2024 being the double cross that nobody saw coming during the show's Season 2 finale. If some of your favorite moments of "Beast Games" were the epic backstabs — and no shade if that's the case — then "The Traitors" will definitely be up your alley, as it's a show basically built around backstabs.