Play This Set November 2025 - 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
Monster Rancher Battle Card GB	Game Boy Color	Collectible Card Game, Turn-Based RPG

• Set by: {% rauserpic Blatancy %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Tayadaoc %}

Monster Rancher Battle Card GB is what happens when Yu-Gi-Oh meets Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. In this game, you must first explore a dungeon (randomly generated like in PMD) to get items and new cards, and eventually fight the leader at the bottom. You obtain new monsters by defeating the leaders, and their attack cards by defeating the enemies in the dungeon, or in the arena by either betting cards or trading items. When the first 3 dungeons are clear, you can take the challenge to increase your rank and open new dungeons (and repeat the process until you're the very best - or the king of games).

The game doesn't offer a lot of variety, so it is not very hard to learn, and allows saving everywhere, making it ideal if you can only play in small sessions. If you just want to beat the game, it can be done in a few hours, but completionists should be prepared for a long journey where RNG will be your main opponent.

Game	Console	Genre
Rayman: Hoodlum's Revenge	Game Boy Advance	2.5D Platforming

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

Rayman: Hoodlum's Revenge stars our beloved limbless hero Rayman as he chills with his best pal Globox, but finds that he disappears after a nap, and journeys to find and rescue him from the hoodlums who are trying to clone Reflux and take revenge for their fallen leader, Andre from Rayman 3!

This game has all the classics of Rayman being able to jump, glide for a short amount of time, and charge up punches to defeat baddies, all skills needed to make it through the levels. You can also control Globox on some levels, who takes a more stealthy approach, as he gets scared from the hoodlums and needs to find plum juice in order to defeat them and progress through the level.

There's quite a good variety of levels to this game, and the set capitalizes on this by having you complete objectives in each one. There are the standard collectathon ones, like collecting all the Lums and Teensies with a high enough combo and score to get all three Murphy stamps, plus timed achievements requiring you to speedrun the level. These are my favorite ones to complete, as they really tested my route planning, requiring tight jumps I thought not possible to make, but with enough practice it’s really satisfying to nail, and gave a nice dopamine rush when I pulled it off!

The score achievements were also another favorite of mine, as the level design sets Lums, gems, and enemies close enough so that you can get really high combos and scores if you’re quick enough. Figuring out a route to seamlessly get to another part of the level can allow you to extend your combo even further!

Overall, while the set can be quite challenging, I really enjoyed the thoroughness of feeling like I truly mastered each level and all it has to offer. I urge you to give it a try!

Game	Console	Genre
Hidden Objects: Mystery Stories	Nintendo DS	Hidden Object, Mystery

• Set by: {% rauserpic Hexadigital %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic xnaivx %}

The hidden object genre could be found in the early days of gaming in titles like The Great Waldo Search, but at that point in time it was not much more than a little fun for preschoolers. Hidden objects as a separate subgenre in gaming came into its own only in the mid and late 2000s. Starting from the early 2000s, casual gaming has seen a surge in popularity, with more and more new people having access to personal computers each year. Now all of a sudden, computer games were not only made for hardcore players who spend hours of free time in complex strategy games like StarCraft or performing headshots in first person online arena shooters like Unreal Tournament. There suddenly appeared a big niche for stressless casual games that are easy to understand and pick up, and that could be played in a short amount of time. And for those of us who liked relaxed and pleasant gaming experiences, either as a short rest from everyday duties or from more traditional video games, there were these magic, beautifully drawn hidden object games.

While games of this genre were primarily made for Windows PCs, some of those found their way to other popular platforms, especially Nintendo DS, since it also had its share of casual gamers. And the set I want to suggest you play is Hidden Objects: Mystery Stories by {% rauserpic Hexadigital %}. This is a port of the PC game Mystery Stories: Island of Hope, and it has everything that you need if you want to experience a typical and well crafted hidden object game. It has a mystery story that slowly evolves as you progress through the game. It has lots of colourful levels. It has extra puzzles, beyond your ordinary "find that stuff" routine. And it has power ups, which help you not to get stuck for long.

From a set design standpoint, {% rauserpic Hexadigital %} did a great job adding some challenges into a game that isn’t even supposed to have any challenges in the first place. It's not much, but the last thing that we need is a stressful hidden object game. Overall this game for me is a time capsule of a Windows XP computer with limited internet, Zuma, Bejeweled, and these simple but charming hidden object puzzle adventure games with a female protagonist exploring some magical world or solving a mystery on some tropical island. It was a simpler time.

Game	Console	Genre
~Hack~ BAZR	Nintendo 64	3D Platforming, Roguelike

• Set by: {% rauserpic Layton %}, {% rauserpic authorblues %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic scatter %}

This SM64 hack is something special. The concept is simple - all your moves are consumable cards, and you have to build your deck effectively to collect 16 stars and defeat Bowser. In practice it plays more like a puzzle game, where you have to use your limited resources to traverse the levels as efficiently as possible, keeping in mind which cards you have left in the deck and what your backup plan is if RNG screws you a little bit. I've played a lot of SM64, and this game makes me look at it in a whole new way. I have a blast playing this game, and I can't even really explain why, it's just such a fun way to approach this game. The variety will keep you busy for quite a while, too. I don't know how many cards there are, but it must be over 50, each with a unique ability you can use to your advantage (or disadvantage), and all the starter decks make each playthrough a different experience from the start. I haven't finished playing this set yet, and with the Demon Deck I'm not sure if I ever will. Hugely recommended to anyone who's ever had a good time playing Super Mario 64, no matter how much experience you have.

Game	Console	Genre
Super Mario Bros. 3	NES/Famicom	2D Platforming

• Set by: {% rauserpic Brian %}, {% rauserpic pgj1997 %}, {% rauserpic Searo %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Frenchy70 %}

As one of the greatest 2D platformers and greatest games of all time, its praise has been sung since its release almost 36 years ago. So, I was surprised no one had talked about the amazing set that was made for it on the site before. Therefore, let’s give our blue and yellow flowers to one of the standouts sets that represents the creativity and innovation the website brings to the retro game scene.

You have the usual progression, power up, and basic game mechanic achievements, but also ones that dig deep into the culture and deeper secrets the game has cultivated. Achievements like The Wizard, Backstage, and Transformed are beloved and more well known. Though the set also features more obscure ones like Scenic Route, Goomba Massacre, and Dry-bones Dance-off! that will have you learn new things about this game and help you develop the skills to be able to say that you’re a master of this classic.

Leading into the two styles of playthroughs of the game, Back In Time For Dinner and What a Peach represent true mastery over the game with beating the game as fast as possible and fully liberating the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser’s children. Along with the perfect clears of each world and White Mushroom challenges, that will have you say you truly conquered SMB 3 and reach true wizard status with that icon on your page.

Game	Console	Genre
NiGHTS into Dreams...	Saturn	Action

• Set by: {% rauserpic LeFrench %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic WanderingHeiho %}

When you think of Sonic Team, it wouldn’t be surprising to think of, well, Sonic games. But the team made a few games unrelated to Sonic back during the Saturn and Dreamcast era. You never quite knew what to expect with these titles, but I feel that’s Sega in general (for better or worse). And this time, I want to bring attention to one of their titles that accentuated what I believe to be a core element of the Sonic series: the score attack gameplay.

NiGHTS into Dreams… is about two kids suffering from nightmares: Claris and Elliot. During these dreams, they meet NiGHTS, a jester-looking entity that helps them conquer their nightmares. Gameplay seems simple at first, with a boost mechanic and being able to make loops that collect all items inside of them. You fly around the level collecting Blue Chips to reobtain one of the orbs stolen from you at the beginning of the level, called Ideya. Once you reclaim an Ideya, you can fly back to the start of the level and begin the level’s next route for another Ideya. Once you clear four routes in the level, you battle the stage’s boss, unlocking the next level for that character after beating the boss. The game is quite short, only having eight stages, but the game makes up for it with its replayability: trying to improve your score and clear every level with an A rank.

With the early Sonic games, one could say they are on the easy side of the difficulty spectrum because of rings being a safety hit that could be picked up endlessly in some situations. But another way to play Sonic games is of self-improvement: memorizing the layouts, speeding through the stages efficiently, trying to get all the rings for a perfect bonus, or going for the best score. All of these put your skills to the test, going far beyond what would be needed to beat the game. The same is true for NiGHTS. 2 minutes is more than enough time to get the 20 Blue Chips to collect the Ideya and return to the start of the level to begin the next route, but that’s only where NiGHTS begins. Upon getting the Ideya, you will get double the points for anything you do before finishing the route, even doing more loops that respawn the collectibles. Combined with the combo mechanic that increases the value of items collected if you keep picking them up without a long gap between them, and you can start to see why those 2 minutes will become more of an obstacle than a benefit. If that timer reaches 0, you stop flying and lose most of your score from that route. It’s a risk and reward system that will leave you trying to get as high of a score as you can, but still leave you time to reach the start. And with bosses being able to give you a multiplier to your entire score based on how quickly you beat them, precision and continuing to improve your skills is what NiGHTS excels at offering the player to do. You could even make the argument that this ranking mechanic was the testing ground for what would later appear in the Sonic series, with added flexibility in how you obtain that score.

If you’re a fan of score attack games with a beautiful soundtrack, I strongly recommend trying NiGHTS into Dreams…

Game	Console	Genre
KoroKoro Post Nin	PlayStation	2D Platforming, Puzzle

• Set by: {% rauserpic timenoe %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Erodion %}

This game is one of those often looked for hidden gems. You control an anime girl who has to deliver some mail in 2D timed stages. But what you really control is the stage, rotating it left or right. The girl follows gravity, and if you put her on the floor in a descending 45 degrees, she will run, which is the only way to kill some enemies and obstacles. If you don't, they will deduct some time, same if you touch the expected spikes. There are also insta-kill balls, some clocks to add time, and items that grant points. The game is pretty short. That's why {% rauserpic timenoe %} added a few insane cool challenges for you to suffer enjoy a bit more this little gem.

Game	Console	Genre
~Hack~ UzeMaze RA	Uzebox	Puzzle

• Set by: {% rauserpic pinguupinguu %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic 1stPrize %}

Back in the year of 2023, the RA Discord was called out, eventually forming a group of 15 people. Their leader, {% rauserpic pinguupinguu %}, had a simple, yet unusual request. The 15 users were tasked with creating mazes for a game called UzeMaze. So they got to work... grid after grid, click after re-click, the 15 mazes slowly but surely took their final form, and after ironing out any complications and testing out the minimum amount of moves, the mazes were released into the community…

That is the story of UzeMaze RA, a hack of UzeMaze for the Uzebox The game features mazes, in which you control a tiny cube which is forced to move straightway until it hits a solid, while leaving paint as its trail. Your goal is to cover everything possible in that paint, in a certain number of moves. It's pretty simple gameplay, but also pretty strategic. It's definitely an underrated piece in the community, and I feel like more people should try it. It's cool to see what some members from here came up with 2 years ago. So... why not give it a go?

Game	Console	Genre
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3	PlayStation 2	Extreme Sports - Skateboarding

• Set by: {% rauserpic SnowPin %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic dumbFKNidiot %}

THPS3 PS2. Why do I love this? This set has so much salt on it for the “monotony” of having to complete the game 22 times, each with a new character. No problem, if you ask me! The game is fun. Each character has a variety to the experience, as small as it may be.

But the most bitter salt comes from the Shaun Palmer demo achievement that is required to obtain set mastery. Many other players have protested the inclusion of this achievement, and while I see their point, (to paraphrase my comment from the set’s page) I was glad to have the Palmer demo instead of having to land all gaps in the game. Indeed, “find / perform all gaps” seems to be a trend in many of the THPS sets. It can be a daunting journey. With some patience and research, toughing out the Palmer demo felt less frustrating than a gap hunt. That said, I recommend playing this set. Respect to {% rauserpic SnowPin %} for dev’ing it!

Game	Console	Genre
~Hack~ Super Mario Sunshine Arcade 2	GameCube	3D Platforming, Collect-a-thon

• Set by: {% rauserpic stfN1337 %}
• Write-up by: {% rauserpic Adenothe %}

This game is mainly a series of pure platforming levels. Each world has its own theme, and each level is quite original and fun to discover. The sequence of levels is very fluid and satisfying, and can sometimes be challenging, but almost always fair. This hack is accessible for all of those who played and mastered Super Mario Sunshine, and the set has some challenges such as red coin speedruns that may sometimes be hard, but not too frustrating to try again. There are also achievements to get all blue coins in all levels, but don't worry if you miss any, you'll be able to return to any level when the game is finished. Overall, a very good hack and a nice set!