Stranger Things: 1984 icon
Stranger Things: 1984 Delivers Nostalgic Adventure With Classic Gameplay

by Netflix, Inc.

3.4
ANDROIDAdventure Games
This app brings the Netflix series to life through retro-styled adventure gaming. Players explore Hawkins, solve puzzles, and uncover mysteries in a 16-bit inspired world. A solid choice for fans seeking deeper immersion in the Stranger Things universe.

Detailed Review

Netflix's Stranger Things: 1984 positions itself as an official companion to the popular streaming series, offering an adventure game experience that mirrors the show's 1980s nostalgia. The app serves as Netflix's early foray into gaming, providing exclusive content for subscribers while standing as a paid title for other users. Its release timing coincided with growing audience demand for expanded universe content beyond the television episodes. The core gameplay revolves around exploration and puzzle-solving across familiar Hawkins locations like the Hawkins National Laboratory and Mirkwood Forest. Players control multiple characters from the series, each with unique abilities—Eleven uses telekinesis to move objects, while Lucas operates his wrist rocket for ranged interactions. The game implements an inventory system where collected items combine to solve environmental puzzles, and features stealth sequences avoiding government agents. The branching pathways and hidden areas encourage thorough exploration, with progress often requiring backtracking with new character abilities. In practice, the controls present both charm and challenge with virtual directional pads and action buttons replicating classic console interfaces. The pixel art visuals successfully capture the 1980s aesthetic while maintaining clear character recognition, though some environmental details can appear repetitive. Real-world usage shows the game works well in short sessions, with automatic saving at key points making it suitable for mobile play. However, the fixed camera angles occasionally obscure important interactive elements, requiring players to methodically scan areas. User feedback indicates divided opinions on the game's execution. Many reviews praise the authentic atmosphere and additional story content that expands series lore, particularly enjoying the character-specific gameplay mechanics. However, some players report frustration with puzzle clarity and occasional control responsiveness, noting that certain solutions feel unintuitive without external guidance. The balance between challenging gameplay and accessibility appears uneven in later sections, where difficulty spikes may discourage casual players. Technical performance remains generally stable, though occasional frame rate drops occur on older devices during effects-heavy sequences. Overall, Stranger Things: 1984 succeeds as a faithful adaptation that will primarily satisfy dedicated series fans. The attention to narrative detail and period-appropriate presentation creates an engaging experience despite some gameplay rough edges. While not revolutionizing the adventure genre, it provides substantial content for its price point and stands as one of the more competent television-to-game adaptations available on mobile platforms.

Key Features

  • Character-switching mechanics allowing players to utilize unique abilities from multiple Stranger Things cast members during puzzle sequences
  • Exploration of iconic series locations including the Upside Down version of Hawkins with altered environmental interactions
  • Inventory management system where collected items combine creatively to solve environmental puzzles and progress the story
  • Stealth gameplay sections requiring careful timing to avoid detection by government agents patrolling key areas
  • Hidden collectibles and bonus content that expand series lore through documents and audio recordings
  • Period-appropriate visual design featuring 16-bit pixel art graphics and synth-heavy soundtrack matching the 1980s setting

Why Users Love It

Authentic series atmosphere
Substantial gameplay content

Perfect for: Perfect for Stranger Things enthusiasts wanting expanded universe content through classic adventure gameplay

Screenshots

Stranger Things: 1984 screenshot 1Stranger Things: 1984 screenshot 2Stranger Things: 1984 screenshot 3Stranger Things: 1984 screenshot 4Stranger Things: 1984 screenshot 5Stranger Things: 1984 screenshot 6

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Ranking History

Track Stranger Things: 1984's performance in Adventure Games over the last 30 days

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Current Rank

#41

Best Rank

#41

All-time high

Average Rank

#41

30-day average

User Reviews

linguistxx
Nov 16, 2024

As a hard-core Stranger Things fan, this hits every mark. I love the 8-bit classic style, and the gameplay is very fun. I must have 100% like three times across the two difficulties. There is a difficulty for beginners, and there is a difficulty for the players looking for challenge. How they use every character from the show, from Hopper to Max, each one working differently, is so cool. I love this game to death, and as you read, it is heavily recommended.

Aiden Dietrich
Nov 2, 2025

playing it again do to rewatching the show for season 5 I don't know why people are upset that you have to have a Netflix account to play when every big game studio requires it (ea,cod,rockstar,etc)

Bacon
Apr 20, 2025

Genuinely a great game, I loved every minute of it, only flaw is it now requires a Netflix Subscription, which is fine I guess, but not being able to outright own the game is a bummer

Hanna Kim
Aug 21, 2024

This is straight up 10/10. If you're pixel & rpg game lover just like me, you'll love this too. Difficulty is not hard as well. I suck at games that requires reflexes but I got this to 100% progress in both difficulty. Totally recommend.

Jaceiboiii
Apr 16, 2025

It feels like i'm apart of a new stranger things storyline but i keep the old characters and fight new villans.

App Details

Developer

Netflix, Inc.

Platform

android

Rating

3.4

Last Updated

11/30/2025