RetroAchievements Put a Modern Spin on Classic games

The evolution of video games has brought about controversial additions like constant online connectivity and battle passes, but some of these newer features are actually quite good. Take for instance the modern achievement system, popularized in 2005 with the release of the Xbox 360 and later implemented on platforms like PlayStation, Steam, and more. Now, most games have a small set of challenges to complete, tracked across your system of choice, offering more replayability and more ways to test your mastery of any given title. Achievements might feel like a purely modern feature, but thankfully, there’s a way to get that experience with your favorite classic games too. Created by a dedicated and passionate community, RetroAchievements is a must-have feature for any fan of old school gaming.

How to Unlock RetroAchievements

As you might expect from the name, RetroAchievements is a feature that adds custom achievement sets to retro games, mainly through the use of emulators like RetroArch. Getting started is super easy, as you simply need to make an account on the RetroAchievements website, then sign in with a supported emulator. Now, when you play your favorite games and accomplish various objectives, you’ll earn RetroAchievements, often complete with an on-screen notification and a decent dose of dopamine. Better yet, this system can be implemented on more than just your desktop PC, as platforms like the Steam Deck or homebrew hardware can also be tuned up to support RetroAchievements.

With over 50 supported game consoles and nearly 10,000 supported games, there’s a ton of achievement fun to be had, and you can do so in your desired fashion. There are two types of RetroAchievements, softcore and hardcore, offering two distinct play styles. If you want to use emulator-specific features like save states, cheats, and gameplay rewind, you can only unlock softcore RetroAchievements. On the other hand, enabling hardcore mode will force you to play these games as originally intended, and only hardcore players will be able to earn official “mastery badges” for unlocking all of a game’s achievements. These badges, along with your total RetroAchievements score, are all tracked online and shared on various leaderboards, letting you further boast your retro skill.

More Than Just GamerScore

Digging a bit deeper into the offerings of RetroAchievements, you’ll notice that retail games are just a small portion of what’s supported. Achievement sets are also available for homebrew games, ROM hacks, beta versions, and more. Games that are super popular often have multiple achievement sets too, with extra achievements that focus on glitches, speedrunning, and ultra-difficult challenges. Take Super Mario 64 for example, which has 5 different “official” achievement lists, as well as 50+ supported ROM hacks.

RetroAchievements has been going strong for over 10 years, but it still feels like one of the best-kept secrets in retro gaming. That said, the community is growing at a rapid pace, so there’s no better time than now to get involved. New achievement sets are added daily, while new consoles are also added with surprising frequency. 2024 brought us support for Nintendo GameCube games, and with any luck, some other fantastic platforms will be added in the coming months. So, if you like nabbing trophies and achievements, check out RetroAchievements and begin your quest to ultimate retro gaming mastery.

The post RetroAchievements Put a Modern Spin on Classic games appeared first on Old School Gamer Magazine.

Advertisements