Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- PS2 emulator NetherSX2 now supports Hardcore RetroAchievements on Android.
- Hardcore mode disables save states, rewind, and cheats to level the competitive playing field.
- RetroAchievements tracks over 5 million achievements across more than 9,000 retro games.
For retro gamers looking for a challenge, Hardcore RetroAchievements are as challenging as it gets. Despite being available exclusively on emulators, they require you to do things the hard way, without any modern niceties like save states or cheats. Late last year, the requirements for unlocking Hardcore RetroAchievements were tightened, but as of this week, the PS2 emulator NetherSX2 on Android has passed the test.
Now, enabling hardcode mode on NetherSX2 version 1.8 or newer will unlock Hardcore RetroAchievement on your account. Trying to use banned features like save states, rewind, or cheats will swap you to Softcore achievements, which are not tracked competitively in the retro gaming community. A popup will warn gamers before this happens so it won’t accidentally kill any runs.
RetroAchievements are the best way to showcase your skill in retro games.
Essentially, Hardcore RetroAchievements are the “real” version, and they award mastery badges (similar to Platinum Trophies on PlayStation) and points for placement on the global leaderboard. Softcore achievements are more for fun and typically don’t count toward events and challenges. Some emulator features, such as fast forward, are still allowed for Hardcore achievements.
The team behind RetroAchievements announced in December that emulators that haven’t been updated in two years will be downgraded to Softcore achievements, and others would need to be manually approved. NetherSX2 fell into the latter category, but after confirming that hardcore mode on NetherSX2 is working correctly, the team added it to the approved emulator’s list. Importantly, AetherSX2, which NetherSX2 is based on, is not supported.
RetroAchievements launched in 2012, and as of 2025, it tracks more than 5 million achievements across 9,310 retro games and ROM hacks. It boasts more than a million users, and user Sarconius tops the leaderboard with well over 1,000 retro games mastered.
