Play This Set January 2026 - 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. Our inbox is always open, whether you're an achievement developer looking to promote your work or a player wanting to spread the word about your favorite hidden gem. If interested, submit your write-up as a private message to {% rauserpic RANews %}.

Game	Console	Genre
Super Mario 64	Nintendo 64	3D Platforming, Collect-a-thon

Game	Console	Genre
Super Mario 64 [Bonus Subset - Coin Collector]	Nintendo 64	3D Platforming, Collect-a-thon

• Sets by: {% rauserpic SporyTike %}, {% rauserpic SamuraiGoroh %}, {% rauserpic Edel %}, {% rauserpic WarriorTYS %}, {% rauserpic Layton %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Desolate00 %}

Super Mario 64 doesn't really need much introduction. It was the 3D Platformer of N64, and one of the two launch titles for the system. Even to this day, it has aged pretty well, and is my overall favorite 3D Mario.

The story of the game is quite simple. Princess Peach invites Mario for cake, and when he gets there, Lakitu tells Mario that Bowser kidnapped Peach and stole the Power Stars. As you can see, it's really simple, much like every Mario game.

Overall, the gameplay is really solid and a smooth transition of the Mario formula into 3D. Instead of having a huge amount of levels, you are given bigger worlds with multiple missions in them, with 120 stars in total. The controls are so fluid and fun to use. My only major gripe is that the camera doesn't really work in certain stages.

As for the sets, the main set is a pretty good starter set. It has the right balance of difficulty alongside having fun challenges. The Coin Collector subset is a fun little distraction with a couple of insanely hard achievements. The hardest achievements are Jump onto the Stone Cliff for the main set and Treasure XIII for the Coin Collector subset.

Overall Rankings:

Super Mario 64

• Gameplay: 10/10
• Achievements: 10/10

Coin Collector Subset

• Gameplay: 9/10
• Achievements: 9/10

Game	Console	Genre
Mathematics II	Interton VC 4000	Educational

• Set by: {% rauserpic Sutarion %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Jurbadis %}

I won't sugarcoat it. On its own, this game is largely unremarkable. It's a maths-training game for the Interton VC 4000, a rather obscure German console from the late '70s. It can get a bit tricky to set up and figure out the controls (the controller has a full numpad, which is needed for the inputs in this game). And the inputs can feel clunky at times.

However, I feel like this is a clear example of excellent set design, where an achievement set helps elevate the whole experience by not only highlighting how the game works, but adding extra content that is actually pretty fun! I discovered this game back in 2023 during Mario Party RA. I was tasked with earning some points from an Interton VC 4000 game and, being a maths graduate and enthusiast, I was moderately intrigued by what this game could offer. One hour later I had gotten not only my target points, but a whole mastery and a way better time than I had expected.

Progression is points based, with the win condition requiring an amount of points that is easily reachable by doing basic challenges in the set. Said challenges cover the different sets of operations that the game challenges you with solving. This goes from basic multiplication and addition, to chaining multiple of these operations with up to 3 digits. And last, but certainly not least, we come to the challenges that just take this set to a whole new level: Math Quizzes! The set developer, {% rauserpic Sutarion %}, came up with some fun questions that will test your general knowledge of gaming history, or send you on a treasure hunt to find the needed values. These feel like the kinds of puzzles you would find in those Escape Room type of tabletop games (like Exit). It's really satisfying when you finally enter the final calculated value into the game and see that achievement pop.

So, I would love to see this set featured in The Unwanted. It's the kind of hidden gem that I feel should be experienced by more people. And, given that the entire RA library of the Interton VC 4000 (save one game) is eligible to be featured in said event, I feel like this game would fit right in. Even if you're not a frequent event participant, give this set a go. You'll have a good time and a fun mastery!

Game	Console	Genre
~Hack~ Sonic 2: Retro Remix	Genesis/Mega Drive	2D Platforming

• Set by: {% rauserpic YuriRod50248 %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Prota %}

I tried this hack out thanks to an old RA Roulette reroll task from back in 2023, and I ended up really enjoying it. It looks like it hasn't had many more players since then, so I figured I'd bring a little attention to it. This hack has some good classic Sonic gameplay mixed in with a nice emphasis on exploration, featuring an overworld hub that you can traverse to reach the game's levels. The goal is to find the Chaos Emeralds that are scattered throughout each level in special stages, monitor boxes, enemies, and floating around in the stages themselves. There's a radar function, just like in the Sonic Adventure series, that lets you know when you are nearing any emeralds. Collecting them will unlock new areas in the hub to progress in. I enjoyed the extra layer of exploration that the emerald hunting provided and found myself having a good time searching the well-made level layouts for any emeralds that remained hidden. Sonic also has a number of abilities added from future entries, like the homing attack, wall jumping, and an aerial spin kick, which made exploring stages feel even more fluid and fast-paced. This was the first Sonic hack that I tried on RA, and it left me wanting to try more in general. If you feel like you "gotta go fast" and want to try something with a bit of a twist on the classic formula, I'd recommend giving the hack a shot.

Game	Console	Genre
Worm Visitor	Mega Duck	Arcade

• Set by: {% rauserpic Pikur %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic LordAndrew %}

Worm Visitor is a game released on the Mega Duck that is inspired greatly by Frogger where you traverse obstacles in order to make it to the end, the key difference being, of course, that you play as a worm! The main gameplay is incredibly simple, with you crawling through the stages where you can go in all directions in various distances. Playing as a whole different creature that can have a greatly longer hitbox makes for a good challenge, as if you aren't aware of your surroundings, you can easily get hurt if you get too greedy, so it really challenges you throughout the stages to plan your movement carefully. You can also be rewarded with several different power-ups, like the pepper that increases your movement speed or the clock which stops obstacles from moving, rewarding you greatly for good gameplay.

The stage variety is quite nice too, having similar levels to Frogger by going through traffic with several cars and trucks, and going over logs and crocodiles over water, but there are some new stages designs too, like an area full of bars that move and are incredibly close to each other, which forces you to utilize the right distance with your worm to crawl in between the tight spaces. As you get further into the stages, these all get combined into really challenging sections that really test your skills!

While this game is rather simple, it still provides good amounts of challenge in a fair way, and the different movement compared to Frogger makes this a really fun game to traverse and complete the stages, giving a really satisfying feeling when you get the hang of it. Overall, it’s a really fun set that more people should play!

Game	Console	Genre
Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble	Game Gear	2D Platforming

• Set by: {% rauserpic ikki5 %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Sniwott %}

Sonic the Hedgehog needs no introduction; he's the iconic blue rat with a mixed bag of games, some of them are terrible and some of them are amazing. One of these games is a Game Gear exclusive that sets itself apart by having a new story that even introduces a brand-new character to the Sonic franchise. That game is Sonic Triple Trouble!

Rather than trying or claiming to be a somewhat different version of Sonic 3 for Sega's handheld, Sonic Triple Trouble offers some new mechanics. This includes some neat new powerups like the Swim Fins to temporarily make some sections of Tidal Plant Zone go by faster, and the Submarine, which does much of the same except for being a bit slower, with the added positives of being able to shoot projectiles and lasting as long as you don't jump out of it or get hit. The most interesting mechanic of all is the fact that when you jump off of springs, you can time pressing the jump button to curl either Sonic or Tails up into a ball, which is a required technique for the first boss of the game, as well as one of the Chaos Emeralds and one of the speedrun achievements that you'll find in this excellent set! Just ignore the fact that any other time would be when Sonic and Tails could just roll into a ball from a spring jump...

Sonic Triple Trouble's set includes a fine list of achievements that cover every aspect of the game; flipping the end-of-level's goal plates for all of the different little portraits (some of which give you bonuses), getting all of the Chaos Emeralds, getting a high score, and using every powerup at least once. Where the set truly shines is with its challenge achievements, one for Act 1 of every zone and every boss, as well as an achievement for beating the game without using any continues. Sure, every boss challenge is a damageless achievement, but I don't think that really hurts the set because of it; you'll have to get good at fighting the bosses anyhow if you want that continueless achievement. The bosses in Triple Trouble aren't too bad to deal with once you learn the strategies needed, which can be made a little easier by knowing that you can use the level select code to quickly get more attempts in for every boss, especially since the code isn't that egregious to punch in. This is very useful for the final boss' damageless achievement as it is a 5-phase fight, and getting the hang of it without too many deaths can be a real headache at first, but with time and practice it is most certainly doable! The speedrun achievements are all also quite simple once you get some practice in, and once again you are allowed to use the level select code to quickly get more attempts in for every level needed. I found them quite fun, even as someone who gets stressed out somewhat easily when it comes to being timed. And remember when I mentioned needing to use the spring jump mechanic for a speedrun achievement? Meta Junglira's speedrun achievement requires one of these spring bounces to be able to reach the goal plate before the 50 allotted seconds are up. At first, I thought it was impossible, but then I watched a speedrun of the level, and from there it clicked. A little elbow grease later, and the cheevo was mine!

Despite being somewhat basic, thanks to this set, I have found a new appreciation for Sonic Triple Trouble that I was sorely lacking from nearly 10 years ago when I first tried this classic game out. At that time, I had never gotten past the second zone due to frustration, and I didn't want to spam save states just to say I beat the game. The set looked very approachable, so when I was looking for another Sonic game to master, it seemed like a good chance for me to redeem myself, and boy was I right. Many thanks to the developer for such a fun, balanced set that doesn't ask too much of the player, but still provides a good challenge for a good game!

Game	Console	Genre
Super Widget	SNES/Super Famicom	2D Platforming

• Set by: {% rauserpic Alena %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Kingsombra %}

Far away in the majestic Orion constellation, there is a hypnotic and beautiful cloud called the Horsehead Nebula, formed by the dust of dying stars. In the center of this cloud lies a small purple planet, which is the home of the Watchers. One of these Watchers is the little Widget, who through an accident landed on Earth. Now he is tasked to protect this planet from evildoers who want to exploit and pollute the earth.

Super Widget is based on the now mostly forgotten early 90s cartoon "Widget the World Watcher" that aired 52 episodes from 1990 til 1992 and has mostly the same messages as Captain Planet, but with more of a science fiction flair, as they also travel to other planets from time to time.

The game came out in 1993, a year after the show was actually finished. It’s a rather simple platformer with around 30 levels to go through. You can do several transformations with Widget, just like he did in the show, from octopuses to dragons and androids.

The design of this game is very colorful and faithful to the show, with a lot of variety in the different levels. The boss fights are all against villains from the show, like Ratchet the World Thrasher, Megaslank, and Dr. Dante. The soundtrack is also surprisingly decent.

I was a bit surprised how low the game completion was, as it's not a very hard game. This game is a very chill time to go through in about an hour or 2. You can get lots of 1-ups, and there is a password system.

You might not save the environment with this game, but you will certainly save your sanity with this game.

Game	Console	Genre
~Hack~ RetroAchievements Vanilla Level Design Contest Vol. 1	SNES/Super Famicom	2D Platforming

• Set by: {% rauserpic SubliminalSiren %}, {% rauserpic LordAndrew %}, {% rauserpic Sutarion %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic authorblues %}

I'm no stranger to collab hacks. SMWCentral hosts tons of contests, and I've even been a judge for a few. There are some great Super Mario World creators out there doing some really fascinating stuff with the game. Some contests focus on creative levels, some focus on difficulty, but a common contest is the Vanilla Level Design Contest. Vanilla, in this context, refers to the tools available to the level designer, not difficulty; these are levels built from the same parts that the original game was made with.

What makes this hack special is that it wasn't made by the usual suspects. A lot of collab hacks and contests these days feature a lot of familiar names. That's great, because the SMW community is filled with uniquely talented creators. But this hack was filled with fresh faces and fresh ideas, and that is so rare. The levels vary, admittedly. Some of them are rather simple or short, while some of them are inspired in a way that make you think they were made by veteran creators. But they're all worth playing, and the RA set that {% rauserpic SubliminalSiren %} put together really encourages you to explore every level to its fullest.

Let me use this space to make my plea: I hope that someone will organize something like this again, and I hope that you, dear reader, will submit a level. There is no judgement here, and a project like this is a great way to get started learning about level design. Even if you've never used Lunar Magic before, the tools are pretty easy to use and it doesn't take too much effort to make a single polished level. Worst case scenario, you don't enjoy the process, nothing lost but a bit of your time. Best case scenario, you discover a love of SMW level design, and you've found a fun new hobby.

Game	Console	Genre
Fear Effect	PlayStation	Action-Adventure, Survival Horror

• Set by: {% rauserpic AntonioFNN %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic lagoooona %}

Fear Effect is a game that raised some eyebrows at the time it was released, but sadly has largely been forgotten about as time has gone by. With its tank control scheme that was ubiquitous in the late 90s / early 2000s, it would be easy to dismiss Fear Effect as yet another Resident Evil clone, but this game offers so much more than that. Allow me to explain.

Released in the year 2000 exclusively for the PSX, Fear Effect is an action game with elements of survival horror and stealth. Right away, this game stands out from the pack with its cel-shaded art style. Instead of using pre-rendered backgrounds, you move through environments consisting entirely of looping cel-shaded FMV. Today with our modern HD resolutions, these FMVs are looking a little rusty, but the art itself remains gorgeous. The game is a real treat to look at.

But Fear Effect is not just about its aesthetics. It also comes with some great characters, a unique setting, and a dark, off-the-wall story. Fear Effect takes place in Hong Kong in the year 2050 and focuses on a trio of mercenaries – Hana, Glas, and Deke. Wee Ming Lam, the daughter of a powerful Hong Kong Triad boss, has disappeared. Our protagonists' goal is to find Wee Ming first and hold her to ransom for a handsome reward. Of course, things do not go to plan and everything spirals out of control from there. The story is truly unique; it begins as a simple gangster story but quickly takes a turn toward the supernatural with elements of Chinese folk religion featured heavily.

The gameplay is straightforward. It is predominantly action focused with our mercenaries brandishing a variety of weapons for you to use. There is the option of stealth sometimes, but it's mostly optional if that's not your style. There are also some puzzles to solve which are mostly fun and well designed, with the solutions usually found in the environment nearby. Now, here's my one caveat. If you don’t like classic tank control games, you’ll probably want to pass on this. The game does make some small improvements on the formula - you can fire while moving and there is a roll mechanic that allows you to dodge enemy fire. The HUD also tells you when you are locked onto a target, which is helpful. However, as per the nature of tank controls, the movement can be awkward and the aiming is sometimes inconsistent.

The achievement set for Fear Effect is very fun to blast through. There are a variety of challenges that are all balanced and fair and definitely bring out the best of the game. Stupidly, I didn’t even realise this game had a stealth mechanic until I played this set!

If you’re okay with the controls, I highly recommend this game. It is a truly unique entry in the PSX library which is absolutely dripping with style & general coolness. Fear Effect is a hugely ambitious title which deserves to be enjoyed by more people.

Game	Console	Genre
Zooming Secretary	Uzebox	2D Platforming, Arcade

• Set by: {% rauserpic Pudpod %}, {% rauserpic KingS1zzle %}, {% rauserpic StingX2 %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Frenchy70 %}

I was made aware of this game while clearing out player tasks for CL100 Evergreen and was pleasantly surprised with a fun, but hectic maze chase game. You’re a secretary who needs to pick up incoming calls for 7 days and give the correct paperwork for the caller, while dodging co-workers and drinking coffee to be able to be fast enough to not miss calls. Miss 3 calls and you’re out of the job, but fortunately they’ll always hire you back if that happens. The ladders and screen wrapping is like a mix between Donkey Kong and Pac-Man, but with a twist of only being able to hold one type of paperwork at a time and it switches to the most recent file cabinet that you’ve passed. This leads to you needing to figure out the correct path to each phone while keeping the correct paperwork for each one. It ends up being fun and rewarding when you get the hang of it, and I wouldn’t have known about it if it wasn’t for the event. Give it a chance - the set features some difficult, but fair challenges for each stage that will have you coming back.

Game	Console	Genre
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time	Nintendo 64	Action-Adventure

• Set by: {% rauserpic Altomar %}, {% rauserpic GameDragon %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic kalonZombie %}

There's not much I can say about Ocarina of Time that hasn't already been said. Fantastic game, Zelda's first foray into 3D knocked it out of the park, 10/10 game, one of the best on the Nintendo 64, etc. etc., yadda yadda.

We're here to talk about the set for the game, which is, quite frankly, one of my favorites I've done so far. The set is everything I wish a Zelda set would be. It takes you through the game in ways that the challenges ask you to become better at it, but none of them are unreasonably difficult to pull off. It asks you to get all the upgrades, but not much more. It shows you, in its own way, ways to defeat bosses more quickly and efficiently. There's some fun challenges in there too, like talking to all the gossip stones.

The biggest ask the set has of you is doing a run with only 3 hearts, and not getting any maps or compasses. This sounds intimidating for sure, but when you get used to having only 3 hearts, you learn to take things slower and combat becomes far more engaging. I've never really cared too much about how much damage I took before, but now that every situation is basically life or death from Jabu-Jabu on, I started paying very close attention.

Overall, this is one of the best sets I've ever played, and if you're a fan of Ocarina of Time, you owe it to yourself to play this.