Hunting for platinum trophies can be a daunting task for gamers new to the hobby. Many games require players to engage with high difficulty levels, perform speedruns, or complete story scenarios multiple times. These challenges pose little threat to seasoned trophy hunters, but new players may struggle to stay invested and are more likely to give up if they choose the wrong game.
So, which games are the best for beginners to earn their first platinum trophy? The following games are well-known in the trophy hunting community for their simplicity and high quality, and are likely to have a place on every trophy hunter’s list.
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14. Astro’s Playroom
Difficulty: 2/10
Time: 5 Hours
A free pack-in title for the PlayStation 5, this game was an unexpected hit on launch day that delighted many casual players and trophy hunters alike. Its trophies are easy to obtain, requiring players to beat the campaign, grab all the collectibles, and perform some tricks. Simply playing through the game normally is likely to net you a large majority of the game’s trophies, and any that are missing are easy to clean up with or without a guide.
The game’s rarest trophy “Twisting Metal” was acquired by 5.0% of players on PlayStation Network and 47.85% of players on PSN Profiles. It asks the player to jump three consecutive times during a spin attack on ice. It is an easy trick to do once you know the trophy exists. The low percentage can be attributed to the high attachment rate of the game, as many players likely have not checked what the trophies entail.
13. Marvel’s Spider-Man
Difficulty: 3/10
Time: 25 Hours
Spider-Man is often considered to be the quintessential trophy hunter game. The original title on the PlayStation 4 encouraged scores of casual players to achieve 100% completion thanks to its seamless map design and objective tracking.
For those looking to get into trophy hunting, Marvel’s Spider-Man is a fantastic choice as the game actively compels players to explore the city and indirectly complete its platinum requirements. Any miscellaneous trophies remaining after beating the story are easy to obtain, such as talking to NPC’s, visiting certain locations, and performing tricks while web-slinging.
The rarest trophy, “With Great Power…” sits at 13.5% completion on PlayStation Network and 49.47% of players on PSN Profiles. Without spoiling anything, players only need to go to a specific location on the game’s map to find a secret to obtain this achievement.
It is worth noting that the game also has DLC trophy stacks that are more difficult than the base game’s requirements. The trophy “Screwballed” can be challenging depending on your aptitude with Spider-Man’s abilities. Many hunters may also be irritated by the New Game+ stack, which requires players to complete an additional playthrough on the game’s hardest difficulty setting. Thankfully, none of these trophies are necessary for the platinum.
Miles Morales is a natural next step if you enjoyed this game. Insomniac also recently released the sequel, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 if you want even more. The trophy requirements for both are similar in difficulty and content to the original game.
12. Life is Strange
Difficulty: 1/10
Time: 10 Hours
There is a reason that the Life is Strange games are notorious in the trophy hunting community. They are lauded for having an engaging character-driven narrative that allows players to make pivotal choices.
For trophy hunters, all you need to do is finish the story and snap a few collectible photographs. There is also a handy chapter select option that allows you to go back for any photos you miss, so a guide isn’t necessary at the start.
Each game in the series requires only one playthrough and takes around 10-15 hours to complete. Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a prequel story that provides a bit more context to the events in Life is Strange. Life is Strange 2 and Life is Strange: True Colors both have entirely new stories with different characters. All of the trophies for these games are very similar and easy to complete.
11. God of War (2018)
Difficulty: 4/10
Time: 40 Hours
God of War, the Game of the Year in 2018, surprised many long-time fans of the series with its drastically different gameplay and story direction. The game offers a straightforward path to the platinum and is a great introduction to many of the common hallmarks of trophy hunting. Completing the story, finding collectibles, and doing side quests are the main requirements. Even the game’s most difficult battles should not take too long with enough practice.
The rarest trophy, “Allfather Blinded,” has a 5.6% completion rate on PlayStation Network and 28.63% on PSN Profiles. To obtain this achievement, players must find all 51 of Odin’s ravens. There is a sound cue when you’re close to one, but you are probably better off using a collectible guide to clean up any you missed since they are often off the beaten path in places you may not expect.
The game’s sequel, God of War: Ragnarök would be a natural follow-up to this platinum, as it is similar in difficulty and length. If you’d like to see the series’ roots, you may want to check out the original God of War trilogy. Just keep in mind that trophy hunting for these titles is generally much more difficult than the newer ones.
10. The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series
Difficulty: 1/10
Time: 10 Hours
Like Life is Strange, The Walking Dead series offers fairly simple visual novel-like gameplay with a great narrative. The platinum trophy only requires players to complete the game’s story.
The sequels are similarly easy to complete, except for the Final Season, which requires the player to find collectibles and perform a few specific tasks during action and exploration sequences. None of these tasks are very difficult but may require you to reload a save if you make a mistake.
If these games resonate with you, consider checking out the other Telltale titles, like Tales from the Borderlands or Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series.
9. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
Difficulty: 3/10
Time: 40 Hours
Many Dragon Ball Z games have attempted to retell the early arcs of the anime series with varying levels of success. Kakarot is among the least polarizing entries, offering both fluid combat and an immersive world.
This game is a no-brainer for trophy hunters, too; completionists only need to beat the story, complete some side quests, and do some miscellaneous tasks, many of which will likely be achieved through normal gameplay and exploration.
The game’s rarest trophy, “Only the Finest,” has been achieved by 9.0% of players on PlayStation Network and 34.16% of players on PSN Profiles. You have to make 5 full-course meals by gathering the ingredients in the overworld and engaging with the game’s cooking mechanic.
Now is a great time to go for this platinum trophy as well, as a PlayStation 5 version has been released along with additional story content. At the time of writing, no additional trophies have been added coinciding with the DLC.
8. Bugsnax
Difficulty: 2/10
Time: 15 Hours
Many gamers will remember the odd game with the googly-eyed food and banger soundtrack that got announced during a PlayStation showcase in 2020. The game is full of surprises, but thankfully, not so much on the achievement front.
The platinum journey will take you through a short romp of the game’s story and various biomes, tasking you with collecting the creatures and performing various tasks for residents. It is a must-try experience for those interested in unique and eerily cute games.
The rarest trophy is “Sundae Best” and was obtained by 10.6% of players on PlayStation Network and 41.89% of players on PSN Profiles. To get this achievement, you must feed a Grumpus three specific Bugsnax: Scoopy, Banopper, and Cheery, all of which can be found in the Frosted Peak area.
Bugsnax also added “The Isle of Bigsnax” DLC, fit with three additional trophies: “Deep Impact,” “Dapper Capper,” and “Live Laugh Hut.”
- “Deep Impact” can be achieved simply by completing the adventure on the new island.
- “Dapper Capper” tasks players with finding 10 Bugsnax wearing hats. Thankfully, the game lets you know which region to explore via a photo in Gramble’s barn.
- “Live Laugh Hut” requires players to fully furnish their home. The necessary items can be obtained from requests received in the mailbox.
These trophies are more time-consuming than difficult.
7. Ghost of Tsushima
Difficulty: 3/10
Time: 40 Hours
Sucker Punch’s brand-new IP, Ghost of Tsushima, is a visually stunning game with an entertaining trophy list accompaniment. Like Spider-Man, the game only requires you to complete the story, side-quests, and all objectives on the map. The tracking in the game is top-notch, making it easy for new trophy hunters to find everything they need in Ghost of Tsushima’s world.
The rarest trophy, “Cooper Clan Cosplayer,” sees players dressing up as an iconic PlayStation mascot (spoiler: who also appears on this list!). It was completed by 9.7% of players on PlayStation Network and 39.58% of players on PSN Profiles. In order to join their ranks, you will need to find five armor pieces in the game’s world and wear them together.
Ghost of Tsushima’s various DLC offerings also hold additional trophies and is worth a word of caution for would-be 100% completionists; Iki Island is easy, but the Legends online mode may prove to be more difficult, especially for solo players.
There is also an additional New Game+ stack that will require another playthrough. Thankfully these are not required for the platinum, but players should tread carefully if they intend to go for 100% completion.
6. Tales of Arise
Difficulty: 2/10
Time: 60 Hours
Despite boasting the longest completion time on this list, Tales of Arise has surprisingly tame requirements for its platinum trophy. This is a JRPG in the long-running “Tales of” series, and like most games in the genre, requires a steep time commitment simply to beat the story.
The platinum trophy does not require much more work after that point, however; you just need to engage with the post-game content and side quests. Unlike other games in the series, this entry also has no missable trophies, so completionists can rest easy and enjoy the story. This makes Tales of Arise an excellent entry-point to the “Tales Of” series and JRPG’s for trophy hunters.
The rarest trophy, “Arms Stockpiler,” asks players to forge 100 different weapons. The game keeps track of which ones you have already created in the crafting menu, so the only difficulty lies in getting the necessary ingredients as drops from battles. This trophy was unlocked by 14.8% of players on PlayStation Network and 37.66% of players on PSN Profiles.
A DLC pack also came out for this game titled “Beyond the Dawn.” The trophies are pretty straightforward and exactly what you would expect based on the base game’s list. The most difficult trophy is probably “Elite Vanguard, Again,” which requires the player to clear the Ultimate level of group training.
If you are interested in this series, you should consider checking out the other “Tales Of” games. Just keep in mind that they will really test your commitment to being a trophy hunter, as they are much more difficult than this one!
5. Spyro the Dragon
Difficulty: 2/10
Time: 7 Hours
The Spyro the Dragon series has left a mark on players ever since it was first released back in 1998. Thankfully, a remake of the core games came out in 2018 on the PlayStation 4, with an easily achieved platinum to boot.
Many of the trophies can be unlocked with normal gameplay, and any that remain after beating the game can be obtained simply by reading the trophy description or using a guide.
“What Really Grinds My Gears” was unlocked by 8.4% of players on PlayStation Network and 45.81% of players on PSN Profiles. It involves destroying six gears in the Twilight Harbor world. These are well-hidden but can be found with the aid of a guide.
The sequels, Ripto’s Rage and Year of the Dragon are also similar in time commitment and difficulty. This series is an excellent choice for new trophy hunters to get under their belt and can likely be completed in just a few afternoons.
4. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
Difficulty: 2/10
Time: 10 Hours
Like Spyro the Dragon, the Sly Cooper series is a classic PlayStation IP with fun and easy platinums to be collected. It is ideal for trophy hunters looking to ramp up the difficulty of their list gradually, as the later games require a bit more effort to complete.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus introduces collectible trophies in an easily digestible form: clue bottles. These items make a loud clinking sound when you are close and are generally easy to find without a guide.
The first game’s platinum can be achieved in a weekend, and the sequels should take you between 10-20 hours each.
3. Undertale
Difficulty: 2/10
Time: 5 Hours
This incredibly popular game is praised for its narrative and depth of gameplay systems, boasting multiple different routes with real impact for the player to discover and enjoy.
However, it may surprise a layperson to know that the platinum trophy does not require players to complete the game, much less multiple times. You simply need to complete a partial playthrough, collect several items, and donate in-game currency to an NPC; all easily completed in a single play session.
The game’s rarest trophy is “Dognation Level 15” and requires the player to donate 350G to the dog shrine. This is the last in a set of 15 trophies related to the dog shrine. It is easy to do but may tire you out what with the button mashing required (only 1G can be donated at a time!). 15.0% of players on PlayStation Network and 44.64% of players on PSN Profiles risked breaking their thumb obtaining this trophy.
If you enjoy getting the platinum, Undertale is well worth completing fully and even exploring the other routes, as they add a large amount of meaningful content.
2. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm
Difficulty: 2/10
Time: 20 Hours
Like Dragon Ball, Naruto is another anime that has seen many game adaptations of its story. The Ultimate Ninja Storm series is widely considered to be a faithful reproduction of the show’s main story beats without the filler.
For the first game in the series, trophy hunters only need to complete the story mode, grab some collectibles, and perform specific maneuvers in battle. The game does ask the player to beat more difficult missions (ranging from D-rank to S-rank), however, only 50% are required to achieve the platinum trophy. For that reason, players have more than enough wiggle room to skip certain missions that are more difficult than others.
The rarest trophy is “Naruto Cannon Master,” which is related to the overworld rather than the battle mechanics. Players need to clear 42 or more rings with one Naruto Cannon launch, which can be done during “Jiraiya’s Special Training.” While not mechanically difficult, it does require some set-up and may be easier if you watch a video ahead of time. This video in particular is short and suited my needs well. Only 5.2% of players on the PlayStation Network and 28.56% of players on PSN Profiles managed to land this trick.
1. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Difficulty: 2/10
Time: 10 Hours
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is an exemplary title showcasing the PlayStation 5’s capabilities. It deserves your time simply for the technical feats accomplished by the development team.
New trophy hunters will also appreciate the game’s continuous action and simplistic list. You only need to beat the game and grab various collectables—and that’s it! One trophy is worth noting, though; players should keep an eye on “Shifty Character” to ensure they do not miss it during the relevant story segment.
The game’s rarest trophy is “Return Policy,” which requires leveling up the Void Repulser weapon to level five and using it to defeat ten enemies. 11.7% of players on PlayStation Network and 58.39% of players on PSN Profiles managed to do so.
New trophy hunters can’t go wrong with attempting any of these games as their first platinum. If you are looking for more challenging games to platinum, consider checking out my list of the most difficult games to platinum.
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