Encounter the Upside Down at Stranger Things immersive experience at Bugis+

SINGAPORE – Fans who cannot wait for the fifth and final season of hit Netflix series Stranger Things in 2025 will be able to get their fix at Stranger Things – The Encounter: Singapore at shopping centre Bugis+, from Saturday to Oct 1.

Step inside the world of your favourite characters in the hour-long immersive and interactive retail experience, which includes a walking trail on Level 7 through various iconic locations from the 1980s-era sci-fi horror set in the fictional American small town of Hawkins, Indiana.

For instance, visitors can play games in the Hellfire Club (the Dungeons & Dragons-oriented society of Hawkins High students), face their fears in the haunted Creel House and enter Hawkins Laboratory where the hostile Upside Down dimension awaits. 

The event is organised by home-grown collectible company The Mighty Jaxx Group in collaboration with Netflix.

The company has been working with the streaming giant since 2021, and Stranger Things – which premiered in 2016 – is one of its best-selling product lines.

It released the Demopets series, a miniature reimagination of the fearsome Demogorgon monsters from the Upside Down.

Mr Darryl Tan, 36, project lead of Stranger Things – The Encounter: Singapore, tells The Straits Times: “We feel that the time is right to launch The Encounter due to the huge demand for experiences since the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, following Attack On Titan: The Exhibition at ArtScience Museum and Avatar: The Experience at Gardens by the Bay.”

Mighty Jaxx’s creative director Henry Soon, 43, adds that fan anticipation for Stranger Things – The Encounter has been building up in Singapore.

“We connected with fans through social channels such as TikTok and saw a lot of comments with screaming emojis. They seem excited and we hope our XPass (the digital ticket for the event) will be able to engage them in new and innovative ways.”

Here are The Straits Times’ top five highlights from the media preview on Friday.

1. Joyce’s House

Be bedazzled by the Insta-worthy Christmas lights and 1980s paraphernalia reminiscent of the first season, such as an analogue television playing retro advertisements. Visitors can even “dial” into a wall telephone to hear audio snippets of dialogue spoken by harried single mum Joyce Byers.

2. Hellfire Club

Roll a die and toy with fate in the Hellfire Club, where the story of Dungeons & Dragons comes to life with charismatic game leader Eddie Munson from the fourth season. The fantasy tabletop role-playing game, one of the key interactive features of the walking trail, integrates multi-sensory effects that will both spook and excite.

3. Hawkins Laboratory

Another interactive game awaits here, where one can play an arcade-inspired activity, watch CCTV footage of scenes from Stranger Things of Demogorgons wreaking havoc and witness the portal to the Upside Down dimension ripping open before them.

4. Creel House

Enter the smoky, thunderous, twisted hellscape of villain Vecna’s mind in this final destination of the walking trail. Strobe lights, life-size vines and blood-curdling sound effects introduced in the fourth season make for an atmospheric and terrifying immersive experience.

5. Starcourt Mall

The iconic mall, which became the battleground against the monstrous entity known as the Mind Flayer in Season 3, is given a vibrant revamp in this set-up located outside the walking trail.

Fans can purchase Singapore-exclusive Stranger Things merchandise and tantalise their tastebuds with the show-inspired Scoops Ahoy and Surfer Boy Pizza, brought to life by local F&B joints Burnt Cones and Papi’s Tacos.

Book it/Stranger Things – The Encounter: Singapore

Where: Bugis+ Level 2 (registration booth) and Level 7 (walking trail), 201 Victoria Street
When: Saturday till Oct 1, 2 to 10pm on weekdays, and 10am to 10pm on Fridays and weekends
Admission: From $39
Info:

www.strangerthingsencounter.com