Play This Set January 2023 - RetroAchievements/RANews GitHub Wiki

Play This Set is a showcase for our passionate community members to write about the games and achievement sets they love. Whether you're an achievement developer looking to promote your work or a player wanting to spread the word about your favorite hidden gem, we're always looking for new Play This Set submissions. If interested, submit your write-up as a private message to {% rauserpic RANews %}.

Game	Console	Genre
Pocket MuuMuu	PlayStation	Action, Minigames

• Set by: {% rauserpic KingS1zzle %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic TheJohanx %}

This game is a spinoff of Jumping Flash!, a series I have not played, but I had a lot of fun with this one! This game has a lot of minigames (around 70+), and every one has 3 requirements to fulfill in order to unlock the stars and achieve the 100%. You can also earn Mu while playing, which is the in-game currency to buy more games and build stuff for your park. Thanks to the amazing guide created by the dev himself, {% rauserpic KingS1zzle %}, you will have no problem finding out what to do, but be warned that since some of the minigame challenges are pretty tough! I tried this game for mere curiosity and found out a great compilation! This also is the origin of the myth, the legend, the Kiwi! If you tackle this set, prepare yourself for a good time and fun challenges!

Game	Console	Genre
Metroid: So Little Bubble	Game Boy Advance	Action-Adventure

• Set by: {% rauserpic Sasrir %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic MatheusBrazuca85 %}

Anyone who will play this has probably already played Metroid: Zero Mission, or at least any other Metroid like Super or Fusion, so I won't explain what type of game it is, but instead how the hack changes the main game.

First of all, the map is themed around "bubbles". It is a short hack that you can master in one hour if you start from zero without knowing where the items are, the speedrun route, what to do, and so on, so it's very beginner friendly to play and master it. That said, at the same time it is a dynamic hack. If you haven't played Metroid yet (or not on RA), So Little Bubble is a good introduction to Zero Mission itself and hacks like Scrolls 6, SR387, or Super Metroid: GBA Edition like it was for me.

Also, if you are a Daily Distractions player like me, this set and the Metroid series as a whole can help you a lot for some things like "25 points achievement", "speedrun", "no damage", and bonus distractions like Bingo.

Good luck and have fun! \o/

Game	Console	Genre
Rockman: New Year	NES	2D Platforming

• Set by: {% rauserpic zxmega %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Chauckles %}

Once a year Puresabe, blessed creator of Rockman 4: Minus Infinity, descends upon us to deliver a boss fight experience that pushes the bounds of Mega Man hacking and provides a challenge that would make any Super Fighting Robot go white-knuckled. This set adds a nice little "hub" for these hacks, making them easy to access and adding a couple of extra challenges.

Each hack contains a single boss to fight based on the release year's Chinese Zodiac animal, though each one has its own twists and turns and a few go beyond what you might expect. I recommend playing through them in order as seeing how Puresabe's power level rises and just how wacky the fights get is a bit of fun on its own.

Prefer dashing & wall jumping over jumping & shooting? There is also a set of Rockman X hacks that are also worth your time.

Game	Console	Genre
Celeste Classic	Game Boy Advance	2D Platforming

• Set by: poyopoyo
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic xtagnado %}

What is there to say about this masterpiece? Playing Celeste is always rough, painful, and stressful, but that friendly game always captures my attention. If you live under a rock, maybe you can't understand how Celeste could be a life changer. The game consists of climbing a mountain to reach your goal and learn about yourself. That "climbing game" flirts with life, loss, and regrowth.

When I found this homebrew game I felt a mix of joy and fear (I previously played the PICO-8 original within the PC version), so I tried one more time to fight my lazy skills and revisit this game. This set is fully fair with the learning curve. Each time you die, you learn something that helps you until the end. You never "game over" for losing lives, but some "floors" can be very frustrating (like kaizo levels). You just have to get every strawberry, finish the game ASAP, deathless, and complete each floor in 7 seconds or less. See? Pretty fair.

I've played for around 1-2 hours and am still missing 4 achievements, but I will definitely master this set. So, try something unique, get some points, maybe you'll love it (or hate it), but definitely try something new! If you wanna talk about the game, cheevos, or something else, just message me. I am always happy to talk about Celeste Classic.

Game	Console	Genre
Shaman King: Master of Spirits 2	Game Boy Advance	Metroidvania

• Set by: {% rauserpic MeCKooLL %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic StingX2 %}

So you're saying you don't like Shaman King, but do you like Metroidvania? Is Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow your jam? Well, you might say this little licensed game is worth a shot, as it's made from assets left over from that project! Many of the issues that plagued the first game are gone. No longer will you find yourself just lost on the world map on where to go. The fast travel mechanic that was hidden in the first game is thankfully just now an unlock when it's naturally needed in progression.

At its core, Master of Spirits 2 never loses its focus as you travel across different landscapes grabbing new spirits to play with, searching for permanent upgrades, and fighting cool bosses. It does lose some step at the end when you go through this gauntlet of similar stages, but each time it gets slightly frustrating, it pays off big time by rewarding the player with shiny toys to play with or battle.

The music is a top tier part of this experience. Shaman King sets a very specific kind of grim and spooky mood. Pairing that with with over-detailed sprite animation, Shaman King really sets itself apart even from the game it's cloned from by having a unique look.

What makes this game special is the oddity level of its existence, as this game released well after the show was over in America. In Japan this game didn't even release, so this was a Western world exclusive made by the Japanese team that'd eventually go on to make Metal Gear Acid. So if you decide to give this a shot, stock up on sandwiches and make sure you don't run out furiyoku battling other shamans.

Game	Console	Genre
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land	Game Boy Advance	2D Platforming

• Set by: {% rauserpic Rewsifer %}, {% rauserpic GalacticSpear %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic s0uth %}

Kirby is one of my favorite series out there. Although Nightmare in Dream Land is not my absolute favorite game in the series, I have to say it was the most fun I had on an RA set. A revision was put into effect by {% rauserpic GalacticSpear %} that includes plenty of super fun challenges, and requires you to play the game in ways I didn't even know were possible. These include unique challenges against bosses, as well as certain levels. These challenges make playing through this remake so much more fun. Some of my favorites include Three and also Five, which requires you to bring Kirby to the end of a level in 35 seconds, as well as Bounce Tales, which requires you to use Kirby's Ball ability through the whole level. Besides the challenges, this game is a blast to play through. It is extremely polished and it feels good running through all 7 worlds. If you've played Kirby's Adventure, you should 100% check out this remake. You get to see the world in a whole different light, and there's also a new mode that lets you cruise through the game as Meta Knight. As far as Kirby sets on RA go, I feel like this is also one of the easier ones, so I think everyone should give it a try, and go for that mastery!

Game	Console	Genre
Sonic Delta 40Mb	Mega Drive	2D Platforming

• Set by: {% rauserpic BahamutVoid %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic FlamingDoom %}

For everyone who enjoyed playing the classic games of Sonic the Hedgehog, I bring this hack to your attention which I think is the best way to play all the classics in one compilation game (in comparison to other similar games in the site like Sonic Jam). This hack features all the zones from Sonic 1 to S&K plus the beta zones from Sonic 2 that were removed from the final product (like Hidden Palace Zone), making a total of 37 zones in the Sonic campaign. This game also features all the options from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, like the save states to play any level you want and the Grand Prix mode, along with other inclusions like the Blue Spheres mode that you could play with the Lock-On cartridge. One side note is that they replaced some themes like Ice Cap and Launch Base with the beta songs and there is no way of changing it, but if anyone only wants to play the game the later versions lets you also customize the themes for all the stages and bosses.

As for the set itself, it's quite abundant. With 164 total achievements it's gonna take a lot of hours of gameplay if you are planning to go for a mastery, but it's totally doable if you don't expect to get all of them in one go. The set features the traditional progression achievements for completing each zone (with no lives lost) and each classic game individually, but apart from that it makes use of the fact that you can load any stage after you complete the game with each character to implement what I call “act exclusive challenges”; basically, it's a compilation of achievements to earn in each particular act for doing some task, which ranges from very easy to challenging tasks for those who are more familiar with these games. It also features a lot of miscellaneous challenges as well as exclusive achievements for the Blue Spheres Mode and the Grand Prix.

In summary, this set covers pretty much all the things this hack has to offer and I think is a must play for every fan of the classic Sonic games.

Game	Console	Genre
Half-Minute Hero	PlayStation Portable	Action RPG

• Set by: {% rauserpic TeddyWestside %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic BloodParade %}

insert a joke about having 30 seconds to write this and running out of time

Half-Minute Hero is a turbo-charged spin on the regular RPG formula, where you only have 30 seconds to defeat the bad guy and save the world from destruction! Luckily for you, you have the blessing of the Time Goddess, a money-loving deity who will reset your timer for a Hail Mary and a small monetary tribute. The same concept extends to different characters with their own game modes - Dark Lord 30, a strategy spin focused on controlling units, Princess 30, a scrolling shooter, and Knight 30, a defense mode where you protect a sage.

The set extensively covers just about everything there is to do in the game; if you want the mastery, you will need to overcome every challenge the game throws at you. Most levels are incredibly short, though, making retries practically painless. If you're more of a leaderboard person, every stage in the game has its own leaderboard, and the game itself was practically made for this! This is especially noteworthy in Hero 30, as the customization and consistently manipulable RNG mean that even the slightest change in your gear, routing, or even movement can drastically improve your times.

With an enjoyable OST, fast and entertaining gameplay with a lot of optimization possibilities, and a quirky story, this game is a PSP gem that you absolutely should at least give a try! If you decide to go for the mastery, you can also check the forum thread for a list of all the titles and how to earn them.

Game	Console	Genre
Densetsu no Stafy 2	Game Boy Advance	Platforming

• Set by: {% rauserpic Dimedime %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic ShadwSonic %}

I have heard this series, in the past, referred to as "Kirby of the sea", and while there's no copy ability to justify that mechanically, in spirit it very much applies! Which makes it almost criminal that not one, but TWO games in the series so far have been unplayed enough to feature in The Unwanted! You'd expect that to be filled with B-list games at best, yet this entire series should've been around Shantae levels of beloved at least! I can only think of one reason why that's not the case: localization, or the lack thereof. As you could tell from the title, this is a JP-only game, as are its sequel and prequel... but you really, REALLY do not need reading comprehension to enjoy these games! Especially with the in-depth RAGuide made by the set author!

But enough intros, I should tell you about the game itself. You play as Starfy, a somewhat scatterbrained starfish... I think? He lives in a cloud kingdom, so I'm not completely sure... Anyway, the villain from the last game has broken free, captured his mother, and sent ten children out into the world to cause problems. With a somewhat crabby clam to keep Starfy on track, he must adventure across seas, mountains, jungles, and a couple castles to put paid to the tiny terrors and then the big bad himself. Mostly in water, though there are plenty of land segments as well. Along the way, he'll run into several characters, some of which will teach/remind him of several moves: improving attack, movement, or in some cases both at once! There's also a few vehicle segments, none of which are long enough to overstay their welcome... except maybe the koala suit.

All this results in a game that's pretty simple to breeze through to normal completion, but it can get rather tricky when going for 100%... just like Kirby usually is. This is especially true when factoring in the special challenges that the set asks for (the ones not normally covered by 100%), they all feel really good to pull off! In short, don't let the lack of English text put you off of this unfairly unrecognized game or series, it's truly a must for avid gamers such as ourselves!

Game	Console	Genre
Super Metroid: Subversion	SNES	Metroidvania

• Set by: {% rauserpic Cadaxar %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic 14ausher %}

Super Metroid: Subversion is an absolutely fantastic Metroid hack that released fairly recently, and it really shows. The hack has tons of cool features that set it apart, from custom power-ups to custom gravity to a nav logbook that records information on everything you find automatically to a nice little hint system in the log book that's easy to skip if you don't like it but a lovely asset if you are you willing to use it, with hints that just come in the form of reminders of conspicuous things you saw before that you may have forgotten about. It's great at nudging you without being super blatant, though the game is very reasonable even without it. The game also has percentages for how many collectibles you've found in each area, and a late-game thing also makes getting 100% very painless. Most of the bosses have a clever spin on them to make fighting them more unique, and there's even one boss that's almost completely custom, which is an extreme rarity as far as Metroid hacks go (the only other one I've seen was in Ascent and the one in this game is far superior). The game is full of cute little subversions and "ah ha!" moments that could have been obnoxious, but they were executed in such a way that they were just lovely to experience; it's just a joy to play if you love Super Metroid as much as I do. You don't have to a Metroid master to play it, though; the game itself on Normal doesn't require any tricks or advanced tech at all, and the bosses are reasonably balanced to be beaten by anyone.

Completing the whole set is a different story though, as it requires the game to be beaten on Hard (which is certainly much harder and annoying) and also a super secret "2nd Quest" mode that I'm loathe to spoil but anyone who looks at the set will see it anyway. 2nd Quest re-arranges the items to basically be a somewhat hardcore randomizer. Figuring out where to go with the items you have can be very tricky, and it asks the player to do some somewhat ludicrous things, but your knowledge of Super Metroid tricks doesn't exactly need to be very high - wall-jumping and mid-air morphing and crystal flashing are probably enough (though crouch jumping certainly helps). It's a very fun puzzle, though some late-game stuff will really feel like it's giving you a run-around if you don't know what to do. The set also has you checking a couple of Easter eggs, though they're not exactly super hard to find. Overall, I would strongly recommend the hack to anyone who likes Super Metroid.