What are the most memorable gaming achievements?
We all have our own moments of gaming pride – whether it’s beating Dark Souls for the first time or completing a game in under an hour. Our top 8 gaming achievements are all moments that made us feel a sense of accomplishment.
The most memorable gaming achievements vary depending on the game. Beating Dark Souls or Cuphead will always bring a huge amount of pride, while beating games with specific conditions, like Dishonored with no kills or detections, or beating Metal Gear Solid 3 with only tranquilizers, gives players a sense of having accomplished a lot.
Everyone has different tastes in games and gaming experiences, so we’ve asked some of our writers about the moments in games that made them feel proud. From childhood games like Blaster Master and Kid Icarus, to modern games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Fallout 3 and New Vegas, here are eight of the most memorable achievements in gaming.
The hardest Dark Souls boss
“I remember beating the Four Kings for the first time without dying. It was a sense of relief that I had finally done it, and it felt like I had taken a step towards greater things.” – Liam Fox, writer
Beating Dark Souls for the first time or completing it in under an hour are two of the most memorable achievements in gaming – especially when you compare it to games like Cuphead, which take hours, if not weeks to beat.
There’s no doubt that Dark Souls is a difficult game, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. In fact, the most difficult Dark Souls boss is Ornstein and Smough – especially Ornstein, who can kill you in one hit if you aren’t careful.
Final Fantasy XII’s Espers
“I remember the sense of pride and accomplishment when I beat all three Espers in Final Fantasy XII for the first time. It took a lot of trial and error, and meant that I needed to grind for several hours, but it was still worth it.” – Ashleigh Beevers, writer
Final Fantasy X provided some challenging achievements, including obtaining Tidus’s, Lulu’s, and other characters’ legendary weapons. Equally, creating an overpowered team in Final Fantasy X-2 is also a difficult achievement, but the sense of satisfaction after completing those two games is immense.
However, there are some tasks in Final Fantasy X that some players found frustrating. Dodging lightning in Blitzball matches or winning the chocobo race in a short amount of time can be tedious and time-consuming, especially when you’re trying to complete other sidequests or grind for items. For players who just wanted to have fun, being forced to complete every sidequest and obtain every difficult item wasn’t fun – it was stressful.
Being a Spectre in Mass Effect
“Becoming a Spectre in the first Mass Effect. It’s a really significant achievement, especially for someone who doesn’t really play a lot of games.” – Ashleigh Beevers
Many players have finished the Mass Effect trilogy, but the first game was a great achievement for those who don’t play a lot of games, or those who have trouble with shooters.
The support and encouragement from loved ones only added to the sense of accomplishment. Watching a 4-year-old cheer after beating a difficult level is one of the most heartwarming things to witness.
Blaster Master
“I managed to beat Blaster Master on the NES with all of the upgrade items. It was a long, difficult task, but my brother and I worked together to get through it.” – Mark Donald, writer
Beating Cuphead is a source of pride for many players, but not everyone has the patience to get through its difficult bosses.
For those who do have the patience, and those who have improved their skills with each boss, beating Cuphead can be extremely satisfying. Watching videos of others playing through the game, though, can be frustrating, which is why the support from loved ones, like a four-year-old cheering after beating a difficult level, is extremely heartwarming.
Kid Icarus
“I got all of the weapons in Kid Icarus on the NES as a kid. It was a lot of grinding, but I was proud of myself for getting 100% completion.” – Mark Donald
Kid Icarus is one of those games that you play as a child, 100% complete, and then forget about. But, for those who played the game, it was a satisfying achievement that caused children to play hours of the frustrating game.
Final Fantasy X-2
“Beatting Final Fantasy X-2 after finishing X. It’s not a particularly difficult achievement, but it meant I was able to get all of the summoner’s ultimate weapons in one go.” – Ashleigh Beevers
For those who have played Final Fantasy X, X-2’s achievement is not difficult. However, for those who have finished X, and are expecting X-2 to be similar, achieving the ultimate summoner weapons in one go can be satisfying.
Battletoads
“Finishing Battletoads without dying is one of my proudest achievements.” – Mark Donald
Battletoads is one of those games that no one has completed without dying, but Mark Donald claims to have done just that.
