I’m Itching to Replay Classic Games With This Emulator Add-On

I can’t be the only one who gets a small rush of accomplishment when I see the achievement pop-up appear while playing a game. I’m not exactly a completionist, but these bite-sized rewards help motivate me to keep going and to experiment with a game’s world and systems.

Now consider that you can add achievements to retro games, and you’ve got a whole other reason to replay the classics.

Adding Achievements to Old Games

You can add achievements to old games thanks to the RetroAchievements project and a small number of emulators that are compatible with it (the most notable example being the ubiquitous RetroArch). RetroAchievements is a fan-run project, a community, and a trophy tracker all rolled into one.

You’ll need to register for a free account in order to take part, which also grants you access to the forums and a profile with which you can see your progress. You can even try your hand at expanding the project if you’re feeling up to it, with other contributors regularly adding new games to the database.

At the time of writing, there are nearly 10,000 games in the database, with over half a million achievements up for grabs. These range from old-school 8-bit consoles and the home computers that predate them, all the way through to later generations like the SEGA Dreamcast and Sony PlayStation 2. You’ll even find achievements for arcade cabinets (playable via MAME).

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How to Add Achievements to RetroArch and Other Game Emulators

Are you classically trained? Prove it!

Of course, you’ll need to supply your own (legally acquired) ROMs and any other necessary files. You can find a full list of compatible emulators on the Emulator Support page. In addition to RetroArch cores (listed as libretro cores), there are some standalone emulators that include support like PCSX2 (PS2), PPSSPP (PSP), DuckStation (PSX), and Dolphin (GameCube and Wii).

Getting started is as simple as logging in to your RetroAchievements account in your chosen emulator’s Settings menu and then starting a game.

An Excuse to Play the Classics Again

Dabbling in games from the past is fun, whether you fondly remember them from your youth or are discovering classics for the first time. Personally, I find myself firing up old titles to scratch the itch for an hour or two before inevitably getting distracted and moving on to something else.

But with the lure of RetroAchievements, there’s another reason to keep going. Level-based games often drop trophies at the end of each level, while well-worn tricks like finding the warp pipes in Super Mario Bros. now have a points-based reward. You can even check out the full list of achievements while playing and get an indication of when you’re close to unlocking one.

This can serve as a laundry list of things you might have missed in some of your favorite games. The RetroAchivements project works a lot like regular Xbox or PlayStation rewards, by showing you what percentage of players have accomplished the same feats as you. On top of this, you might find added challenges like beating a title within a certain time limit or completing arcade game runs with a single credit (assuming you like punishing yourself).

There are two types of achievements to unlock or rather two modes in which you can unlock them. “Softcore” mode allows you to use modern conveniences like save states or the ability to rewind time and other features that are so common in modern emulators. “Hardcore” mode disables these features, so you’ll need to earn the achievements just like you would if you were playing on original hardware.

Modern re-releases are commonly given the achievement treatment, like Bethesda’s recent re-releases of the DOOM and Quake games. RetroAchievements add an element of modern gaming culture to titles that might never see such released on modern platforms (and Nintendo games, a company that has famously resisted the practice).

I’ll Be Playing on the Steam Deck

You can do this on almost any platform thanks to RetroArch’s ubiquity and the existence of Android versions of emulators like DuckStation. You can install RetroArch easily on Windows, Linux, and macOS. The emulator is available for both iPhone and Android, complete with full achievement support in all mobile-friendly cores. You can even install it on an Xbox Series or Xbox One console via Developer Mode.

Personally, I find the Steam Deck to be the best way to relive the classics these days. You can set up the handheld with a full suite of emulators using EmuDeck and ten minutes in Desktop Mode. Transfer ROMs and BIOS files directly to the microSD card, or send them wirelessly using a tool like LocalSend.

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There’s a reason that the Steam Deck might just be the best handheld if you’re looking for a portable emulator. Emulation sips power on my OLED model, the 16:10 display aspect ratio prevents old 4:3 or 3:2 games from looking too small, and there’s enough power under the hood to enable additional eye candy like upscaled resolutions and antialiasing.

And if you fancy getting a few friends around in order to work your way through Streets of Rage or enjoy some classic SNES Super Mario Kart then it’s easy to turn your Steam Deck into a party console using a dock and whatever Bluetooth controllers you have lying around.

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As if you need another reason to buy a Steam Deck.

You can check whether your favorite games are supported over on the RetroAchievements website. Personally I’m looking forward to working through Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi on the Dreamcast, Disney classics Aladdin and The Lion King, and the fan-patched version of the PlayStation 2 classic racing game Gran Turismo 4: Spec II.

I’m just a bit salty that Commodore Amiga games are so underrepresented on the platform since I’d also love to work through games like Zool, Cannon Fodder, Sensible World of Soccer, and Putty Squad.