15 Hardest Video Game Achievements, Ranked

Ever since achievements and trophies were first introduced, gamers have been pushing their limits to get them all. From epic boss battles that demand precision timing to mind-bending puzzles that test your cognitive prowess, these achievements are not for the faint of heart.

Many achievements and trophies exist that are close to impossible to acquire. Some require mastery of skills, while others are based on luck. If you have any of these, then you have reached the summit of digital triumph.

Updated by Stefania Ikeda-Stavridi on the 5th of March, 2024: We have updated our list to include five more challenging achievements, as well as, more relevant information for all entries. The rankings have also been rearranged to match the stats as seen on Steam and TrueAchievements.

15 Mr Perfect – Megaman 10

8% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On True Achievements

• Some of the most difficult boss battles in gaming.
• You have to complete the game without taking any damage.

While Megaman 10 is already over a decade old, it still holds the position of one of the hardest games to complete. The franchise is already known for its challenging boss battles and enemies, and this achievement is the cherry on top.

Mr Perfect requires you to complete the game without getting damaged. The positive thing is that you can complete this achievement on any difficulty. By playing in easy mode, you can save between stages and have fewer enemies to worry about.

14 The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe – Super Go Outside

4.2% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• Wait 10 years to unlock the achievement.
• Instead of skills, this one requires only patience.

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is known for its time-consuming achievements, from clicking on a door multiple times to speedrunning the game. It is the Super Go Outside achievement, however, that takes a bit longer to unlock. You are playfully dared to forget about the game for a decade.

While the temptation to tamper with time settings exists, many choose the honorable route, patiently waiting to claim the achievement. The game’s whimsical reminder of the fluidity of time contributes to the charm, turning the pursuit of achievements into a blend of humor and dedication. In the end, though, what is time?

13 Master Zoologist – ARK: Survival Evolved

3.2% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• Find and tame almost 100 different creatures.
• Search for the best taming and spawning locations.

In the unforgiving world of ARK: Survival Evolved, the Master Zoologist achievement stands as a monumental challenge for daring survivors. Amid the game’s already demanding survival mechanics, this achievement raises the bar by requiring players to tame every domesticable creature on the island.

Solely attainable on the island map, you must meticulously spawn and tame each creature, showcasing your mastery over the diverse ecosystem. Although it’s possible to unlock the achievement by using various commands in single-player mode, you can easily face technical issues. The best option is to take your time searching at optimal taming locations, and constantly save your game.

12 The Flapmaster – Goat Simulator

3,2% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• Play a game similar to Flappy Bird.
• You have to score 10 points while controlling the goat.

The Goat Simulator offers hours of fun gameplay but is quite difficult to complete. It has a few challenging achievements, but the most frustrating one is The Flapmaster. If you are familiar with the classic game Flappy Bird, you already know how excruciating it can be.

The original game, though, has been made even more taxing by having you control the goat playing the game. You can gain the achievement just by luck, hours of gameplay, or by trying to create some lag by using multiple mutators.

11 Bro Tree – Tree Simulator 2022

2% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• Play the game for 10,000 hours.
• An achievement solely based on patience.

In the world of Tree Simulator 2022, the achievement known as Bro Tree presents quite a time-consuming challenge akin to the one in The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. In this one, however, players are not allowed to quit the game but instead must dedicate a staggering 10,000 hours actively playing as a tree.

Can one spend so many hours playing as a stationary tree? Well, players have found a strategic approach by leaving the game on idle, which accumulates the required hours over time. While you don’t have to actively play the game, it still takes years to unlock this achievement, earning you every right to brag after succeeding.

10 Finishing Journey Of The Prairie King – Stardew Valley

1.7% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• The mini-game gets progressively harder and harder.
• A big part of the game is based on luck.

For a seemingly cozy and easygoing farming game, Stardew Valley has one of the most difficult mini-games to finish. Journey of the Prairie King is a game accessed on an arcade machine in the Stardrop Saloon.

You have to embark on a journey to the wild west and do your best to defeat multiple enemies. Precise timing, mastery of skills, and luck, all play a huge role in this mini-game. If you manage to defeat the boss, you are rewarded with your very own arcade machine, and the right to brag about your achievement.

9 And Good Riddance! – Terraria

1.8% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• Meet all criteria to spawn the Dryad.
• Satisfy the Dryad by completely purifying the world.

If you enjoy relaxing games like Stardew Valley, you might want to try Terraria. Its easy mode is perfect for those who want to unwind, while its normal mode is more combat-focused and challenging. There’s also a difficult achievement to unlock – And Good Riddance!.

This involves meeting various requirements like defeating multiple enemies to spawn the Dryad and completely purifying all Corruption from your world to satisfy her. Although this can take hours of playing time, you can make it easier by downloading TerraMap, an interactive map that helps you navigate the game world more efficiently.

8 None More Dark – The Evil Within

1.7% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• Play in Kurayami mode, where the entire map is covered in darkness.
• You can only use your flashlight for light. If you have the DLC, you can also use chemical lights.

While it is already one of the most terrifying games to play, it has also become one of the most challenging to complete after the addition of the None More Dark achievement. Before this, it was the You Asked For It achievement that terrified players, as it was required to play the game in the Akumu mode. One hit was all it took for you to die.

For None More Dark, though, you have to play in the Kurayami mode, which is an even more intense difficulty. What makes it so challenging? The entire map is covered in darkness. While the enemies are not stronger, the lack of light makes it horrifying. It is not, however, completely impossible to complete the game, as you still have the ability to save your progress.

7 Impossible Boy – Super Meat Boy

1.3% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• Complete The Cotton Alley Dark World without dying.
• Memorize the layout and timing.

When Super Meat Boy came out, it was one of the most frustrating games to complete. While it is a great 2D platformer, it has some of the most challenging achievements to acquire. You have to complete the most difficult levels without dying even once. Otherwise, you have to restart.

Many mods have been made to make the completion of the game much easier, but getting the Impossible Boy achievement without their help is a true challenge. You have to play for a significant number of hours in order to memorize the layout of the levels and get the perfect timing.

6 I Can See For Miles… Per Hour – Surgeon Simulator

1.2% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• Perform eye surgery inside a moving ambulance.
• Finish in less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

If you have played Surgeon Simulator, then you know how challenging it can be to control your hands. Now, what if you are thrown inside an ambulance and have to perform one of the most difficult surgeries?

That is what the I can see for miles… per hour achievement is almost all about. As if the surgery is not difficult enough, you have to perform it successfully in only 2 minutes and 30 seconds. It requires both luck and steady hands to succeed.

5 Laso Master – Halo

1% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On True Achievements

• Complete all four games in Legendary mode.
• Activate all skulls.

The Halo franchise is definitely not an easy one to master, especially with the addition of the Laso Master achievement. What does it stand for? Legendary All Skulls On. The skulls are powerful modifiers that significantly raise the game’s difficulty level. They achieve this by boosting the health of enemy characters, drastically reducing your ammo reserves, and much more.

In order to get this achievement, you have to play and complete on Legendary mode all four Halo games. Not only that, but you have to activate all Skulls as well. This one is for the truest and most persevering fans only.

4 Seriously 3.0 – Gears Of War 3

1% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On True Achievements

• Reach level 100.
• Earn all 65 Onyx medals.

The Gears of War games are known for their challenging to acquire achievements. Out of all the installments, Gear of Wars 3 is one of the most difficult ones to finish.

While the game offered a great conclusion to the trilogy for the Xbox 360, it brought with it the frustrating, at times, Seriously 3.0 achievement. Players need to hit level 100 and earn every Onyx Medal in the game. It requires absurd amounts of gameplay and mastery of all skills.

0,3% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On True Achievements

• Win multiple PvP battles and rise to the top.
• Problematic advanced players make it difficult for others to compete in the Alliance War.

The Elder Scrolls Online is one of the best MMORPGs out there but has one of the most difficult achievements to acquire. It requires you to win the Alliance War and become the Emperor of Tamriel. You do not only need great skills but also luck on your side.

As the war includes PvP battles, you will have to challenge the best players and win against them. If you are truly unlucky, you will be battling against the very top, and won’t hold a chance of winning. There have also been issues with advanced players manipulating the rankings, and making it impossible for anyone to become Emperor, unless they’re part of the Blue team.

2 Lowest Of The Low – Crypt Of The Necrodancer

0.3% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On Steam

• Complete a run with all the characters.
• You can not pick up anything, only gold.

Crypt of the NecroDancer’sLowest of the Low achievement is one of the most challenging and demanding feats in the game. To unlock it, players must complete a run with all characters without picking up items or using shrines, making it an extremely difficult task that demands astounding commitment and skill.

It takes over 80 hours of gameplay to complete, with no means to reduce damage, heal, upgrade weapons, or cast spells. Even with the introduction of DLC and additional achievements, Lowest of the Low remains a formidable challenge that requires unparalleled skills and perseverance. It’s a true test of a player’s abilities.

1 World Champion – Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter

0,1% Of Players Have Unlocked The Achievement On True Achievements

• An achievement that requires an immense amount of grinding.
• Get to the top of the universal leaderboard.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter has one of the most challenging achievements to date. As the name suggests, you must become the World Champion among all the other players. After a reset and update over a decade ago, it became an almost impossible to unlock trophy.

While cheating your way to the top is possible, that also requires hours of playing and character creation; you’d have to create 21 different accounts. In other words, it would be smarter to use that time honing your skills and earning the achievement the honorable way.