Global Leaderboard and Achievement Hunting Rules
TL;DR - Golden Rules
Participants of the Global Leaderboard are required to earn their achievements fairly and legitimately.
In general, a player must unlock achievements:
- Using the latest release version of an approved supported emulator;
- Inside of a game by in-game actions;
- By their own control;
- Without outside-modifying game files or game code;
- Without using another player’s save files or passwords, and;
- Without using outside cheat programs.
While these rules aim to be comprehensive, the RetroAchievements team reserves the right to designate an account as Untracked if a player's methods, even if not explicitly forbidden, clearly violate the spirit of fair competition and legitimate achievement hunting.
These rules are designed to keep players honest in their gameplay and honest towards each other in Global Leaderboard competition.
Table of Contents
Global Leaderboard
The RetroAchievements global leaderboard is the main official community competition. This includes a unique site rank based on the sum of achievement points earned in comparison with every other ranked player. Each account with points greater than 0 is ranked by default.
What is considered fair and legitimate play versus unfair (cheating) on the global leaderboard has been shaped continually by the community since it's inception. The rules below are what we expect from every player who would like to participate in the ranking system. Any indication of a player's failure to follow the rules herein may lose use of the global leaderboard, also known as Untracked status.
Hardcore vs Softcore
There are two modes of play: Hardcore and Softcore.
- Hardcore mode is a feature where the emulator disables save state loading, rewind and slow motion. The fast-forward feature is the only accepted exception. Users who take the global leaderboard seriously will most likely earn achievements in hardcore. Also, events will almost always require achievements to be earned in Hardcore.
- Note: Creating save states is allowed in hardcore and can be done to help practice an area later on in softcore, or help developers resolve tickets.
- Softcore mode allows for emulator features such as save states, rewind, slow motion, emulator cheats, etc. This mode is much less competitive and is geared toward players who just want to do their own thing. This mode can be somewhat problematic when it comes to achievement processing; therefore, error reports are often taken with a grain of salt.
Untracked
Users who have the Untracked status are omitted from all rankings. Their activity is hidden from view outside of their user page and their unlocks do not affect achievement statistics. This status is for users who share their accounts, have zero interest in hardcore and softcore rankings, are suspected of cheating, or actually are cheating. Untracked users can still earn achievements how they normally would, obtain mastery badges, etc.
Voluntary untracks can be reversed by resetting all progress and contacting RAdmin.
Involuntary untracks are generally the result of being flagged for suspicious timestamps. If your account becomes untracked, you can contact RAdmin or RACheats to find out how to get it reversed.
If you notice a player has become untracked: do not harass them, accuse them of cheating, make a public scene, etc. Do not ask moderators or admin why a user was untracked. It is none of your business.
WARNING: Unlocking achievements using methods outside supported emulators results in having your account set as untracked. When this happens, the only way to be on the global leaderboard again is by doing a full reset of all achievements on your profile. There are no exceptions and no appeals. Severe cases of this can also result in a ban.
Not Allowed
- Do not use methods that circumvent achievement code to instantly unlock achievements.
- Do not earn achievements in a way that contradicts what the description asks.
- Do not use save files or passwords that are not your own or were made by under other conditions of play.
- Do not modify the game's file(s) or memory by any means.
- Do not use game files or programs known as "trainers".
- Do not use TAS (tool-assisted speedrunning), bots, or complex scripting to gain achievements.
- Do not allow other people to access your account and earn achievements for you.
- Do not be abusive to developers.
- Do not create or share cheating methods.
- Do not use in-game cheat codes unless it is specified as allowed by the developer.
1. Do not use methods that circumvent achievement code to instantly unlock achievements.
Even if you "should have" unlocked the achievement. Even if the game is bugged. Even if the achievement is removed or broken entirely. When it's detected, it will lead the account to be Untracked.
In the cases where you should have unlocked the achievement but it didn't trigger or it didn't get registered in the site due to a network problem, you should follow the steps described in FAQ to request a manual unlock.
NOTE: make sure you are using the latest release version of an approved supported emulator.
2. Do not earn achievements in a way that contradicts what the description asks.
If you discover a back-door to an achievement, it is a bug. Please report this bug using a ticket report.
See also the allowed rule 2.
Examples:
- You unlock achievements for finishing levels via a level select cheat code; it's a bug and must be reported/fixed.
- You notice that if you go back and forth between two rooms, you unlock achievements intended for progressing though the game.
- You've found a method of earning damageless boss achievements while taking damage during the fights.
3. Do not use save files or passwords that are not your own or were made under other conditions of play.
Occasionally a developer might provide a save file or password for you to use to earn certain achievements. This is appropriate according to the judgement of the set developer.
Examples:
- Downloading a clicker game save online.
- Begging a friend to send you his save file because your house burned down and you lost all your PC files.
- Loading a save file for Hardcore you created while playing on a non-RA emulator.
- Loading a save file for Hardcore you created in Softcore in order to gain Hardcore points.
4. Do not modify the game's file(s) or memory by any means.
Examples:
- Opening up specific game files with a text/hex editor and changing values to what you want; editing properties such as "read-only" for game files; etc.
- Editing the stats or unlocks in a game, and then saving the data.
5. Do not use game files or programs known as "trainers".
Programs which can boost your powers in games, unlock debug modes, speed the game up, modify game code, etc.
Examples:
- Using a trainer program for anything.
- Using trained ROMs for any game (they will not be linked).
- Using unofficial/old mods/emulators that act as trainers or debug/cheat toolsets.
- Game Genie / Action Replay and other similar cheat tools.
6. Do not use TAS (tool-assisted speedrunning), bots, or complex scripting to gain achievements.
These are all advanced scripting of a game far beyond simple tasks (sometimes even synced to clockspeed) to allow complex, unique, and/or non-monotonous/non-repetitive sections of a game to be played without human interaction.
Examples:
- using a TAS to complete a difficult speedrun or no-death achievement.
- using a complex script with advanced functionality.
- using complex scripts that complete entire games or large portions of games with no human input but requiring many unique actions.
7. Do not allow other users to access your account and earn achievements for you.
Including your "little brother" or your "cousin". You must earn your achievements yourself. Letting people earn achievements on your account is not allowed in general and if anyone cheats or breaks the rules on your account, you will still be held accountable.
Examples:
- Having a friend who is more skilled at a game complete a difficult section for you in a single-player game.
- Letting someone log into your RA account to beat a difficult part of a game for you.
- Letting your little brother work on a grindy achievement for you.
8. Do not be abusive to developers
Via forums, PMs, discord, email, etc. You’re allowed to complain, ask for changes, leave negative reviews/comments and other such respectful criticisms, but you give all of us in the achievement hunting community a really bad name when you harass/attack developers because of what they did to their game’s achievements.
Examples: Issuing threats or flagrant insults to devs because they added achievements to their game that you do not like; using extreme/excessive rudeness while demanding a developer remove or change achievements; etc.
9. Do not create or share cheating methods.
Examples:
- Teaching someone how to use memory hacking tools.
- Posting on the forums to promote an egregious game file edit method.
- Sending someone a link to memory hacking tools or trainer programs.
- Teaching someone how to hide cheating.
- Creating a non-allowed complex script and sharing it around, even if you never use it yourself.
10. Do not use in-game cheat codes unless it is specified as allowed by the developer.
The other side of the coin for allowed 2. Cheat codes and debug modes are not allowed unless the developer has made note of which and when it is allowed. Even if the achievements are earnable with cheat codes, this is usually unintended behavior, considered cheating if done intentionally, and should be reported as a bug via the ticket system.
Allowed
- Fast-forward is allowed.
- When explicitly said in achievement's description, in-game cheat codes/modes and in-game debug tools are allowed.
- Making use of in-game glitches, in-game exploits, and "cheesy" tactics are allowed.
- Using online guides/walkthroughs is allowed.
- Playing co-op/competitive games with another player or players is allowed.
- Turbo is allowed.
1. Fast-forward is allowed.
Even in hardcore mode fast-forward is allowed, as a modern convenience. It's almost a consensus that fast-forward offers no risk to the fairplay and then it's available for everyone to use it.
NOTE: in softcore mode savestates, rewind and slow motion are also allowed, but expect to have some issues. Read in this link Why you shouldn't use the load state feature.
2. When explicitly said in achievement's description, in-game cheat codes/modes and in-game debug tools are allowed.
This is a complement to the not allowed rule 2.
The achievement developers are instructed to protect their work so the achievements can't be unlocked easily by simply using a cheat code. However, some cool and fun challenges can be created taking advantage of some cheats. In these specific cases, using in-game cheats are allowed.
NOTE: if you find achievements unlockable by using in-game cheats with no pertinent description, consider opening a ticket and reporting it.
Examples:
- In Tetris (Game Boy) you should activate the speed cheat to earn the Challenge of the Gods achievement, where you have to clear 20 lines on speed 19.
- In Guerrilla War (NES) you're allowed to use the "level and difficulty select screen" cheat to earn the achievements where you have to beat the stages without killing any hostages.
3. Making use of in-game glitches, in-game exploits, and "cheesy" tactics are allowed.
In-game glitches/exploits/cheesy tactics are allowed, however developers can code their achievements to disallow them programmatically. It's usually mentioned in the achievement's description.
This does not include when there are flaws in the achievement developer's code. In such cases, please create a ticket report, and earn the achievement as intended by the developer. See also not allowed rule 2.
Examples:
- Breaking out of normal bounds to avoid enemies.
- Doing something strange inside of a game to "bug a game out" so you become invincible.
- Accessing powerful items earlier than intended.
- Standing somewhere enemies can’t hit you.
Examples where developers disallow it: Megaman (NES) - beat bosses damageless without using the pause glitch.
4. Using online guides/walkthroughs is allowed.
Examples: youtube video guides; GameFAQs; puzzle solutions; collectible lists; etc.
A note on honesty: Using solvers for sudoku/picross is considered cheating. Unenforceable tolerated cheating but cheating nonetheless.
5. Playing co-op/competitive games with another player or players is allowed.
Playing co-op is allowed, however developers can code their achievements to disallow it programmatically. It's usually mentioned in the achievement's description.
See also not allowed rule 2.
Examples: a skilled friend playing Streets of Rage or Goof Troop with you; etc.
6. Turbo is allowed.
Turbo is where you hold a single button down and the button is automatically re-pressed again and again quickly. Turbo is either built into controllers, or into emulation software. In either case it is allowed.
In cases where there is any more complex scripting than repeating the same button in quick succession, this is not allowed. See Not allowed 6.
Special Thanks
This document is heavily based on the 100Pals Unified Achievement Hunting Rules (the "UAHR"). This version is trimmed down and tailored to topics that are specifically relevant to the RetroAchievements context.
100Pals/AchievementHunting.com is an all-platforms achievement hunting community founded in 2015.