Publications praised Donaldson for his accurate recreations of the sets, but some critics saw the video as unoriginal and a misunderstanding of Squid Game's anti-capitalist themes.

[13] Donaldson recreated several sets from the show, including the contestants' bunk room, the tug of war platform, and the indoor playground.

[21] Interviewed at the 2021 Gotham Awards, Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk responded to the video, saying "I loved it, and it helped me to promote the show, too, so I want more people to do it.

[13] Charles Cameron of Screen Rant praised the video's faithful re-enactment and called it an "admirable homage", but criticized its use of product placement for "ruin[ing] the immersion".

surpassed that of Squid Game itself on Netflix, YouTube's former head of creator product marketing, Jon Youshaei, tweeted in praise.

[24][26] He wrote that the video having a higher view count, a shorter production time, and "fewer gatekeepers" than Squid Game exemplified "the promise of the creator economy.

"[24][26] The tweet was criticized by publications and Internet users for ignoring the differences between the production of a television series and that of a YouTube video, and for apparently dismissing Donaldson's debt to the creators of Squid Game.

[24] Donaldson received criticism from some journalists and the wider online public for a perceived misunderstanding of Squid Game's anti-capitalist themes.

[17][18][23] Jackson called the video "perverse" and a "recreation of the villain's ultimate desire to watch desperate people compete for money purely for his amusement".

[23] According to Silberling, the video lacked the "emotional resonance and suspense" of the show because the contestants faced no risk of punishment for losing.

[12] Matt Pearce of the Los Angeles Times described stylistic differences between the show and the video, such as the replacement of Squid Game's "high-minded social commentary" with "the MrBeast house style of upbeat stunt philanthropy".

[13] Pearce noted the "narrative efficiency" of its extensive use of fast cuts, music changes, and sound effects and graphics in the style of American reality television.