The 20 Hardest Games to Earn a Platinum Trophy

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Ignacio Weil

Gaming - March 31st 2025, 23:07 GMT+2

Air Twister (2022)

“Wait, what even is Air Twister?” is probably your first thought – and that’s fair. This wild rail shooter from Yu Suzuki (yes, *the* Yu Suzuki of Shenmue fame) looks like a fever dream mashed together with 80s arcade vibes and flying swans. But don’t be fooled by its whimsical aesthetic – platinuming *Air Twister* is a punishing journey. The trophy list demands perfect runs through increasingly chaotic levels, with zero room for error, pixel-perfect dodges, and insane enemy patterns. Some trophies are tied to unlocking all weapon types and in-game challenges, many of which require repeated playthroughs and serious mastery of its movement mechanics. It's not long, but it’s *mean*. A hidden gem that makes you work for that shiny platinum. | © YS NET

Aliens Fireteam Elite — Aliens: Fireteam Elite (2021)

If you thought surviving xenomorph attacks with two AI buddies was going to be a cakewalk, *Aliens: Fireteam Elite* is here to laugh at your optimism. This squad-based shooter leans heavily into chaos, especially on higher difficulties. Want the platinum? You’ll need to beat the game on *Insane* difficulty – where even the tiniest mistake means game over – and grind through endless waves of acid-spitting nightmares. Trophies tied to class mastery, challenge cards, and randomized modifiers can stretch the experience into a repetitive slog. Oh, and don't forget about the RNG-heavy trophies requiring specific mission variants to even *appear*. If you’re not already on edge, the stress of missing a mission cue and resetting an hour-long run will get you there. | © Cold Iron Studios

Crash Bandicoot 4 Its About Time — Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (2020)

This game has no chill. *Crash 4* looks colorful and playful on the outside, but it’s a twisted platforming gauntlet hiding behind a mask of nostalgia. The platinum trophy requires you to 100% – nay, 106% – the game. We're talking flawless runs, perfect relics, *inverted* levels, collecting every gem, and doing it all without dying. Some levels take well over ten minutes to complete, with no checkpoints allowed for certain trophies. Oh, and did we mention there's a time trial for almost everything? Crash fans might love the challenge, but even the most seasoned platformer veterans have been humbled by this beast. "It's About Time" you gave up and threw your controller. | © Toys for Bob

Devil May Cry 5 (2019)

Stylish? Yes. Difficult? Oh absolutely. *Devil May Cry 5* doesn’t just want you to beat the game – it wants you to beat it six times, on progressively harder difficulties, including the infamous *Hell and Hell* mode (where enemies are at full health and you die in one hit). Yep. One. Hit. And did we mention no checkpoints? Combine that with the requirement to earn an S-Rank on every mission, use each character skillfully, and max out all upgrades, and you’ve got a platinum trophy only the truly *devil-may-care* dare to pursue. The game’s combat is glorious, but this platinum? It’s a full-on trial by fire, stylish points included. | © Capcom

Tetris Effect (2018)

How hard can a *Tetris* game be to platinum, right? Wrong. *Tetris Effect* isn’t your grandma’s Game Boy version – it’s a synesthetic, VR-optional, transcendent experience that also happens to include some truly brutal trophy requirements. One trophy asks you to reach level 50 in the game’s multiplayer *Connected* mode, which involves grinding (and winning) countless matches. Another involves achieving S-Rank on all stages in *Effect Modes*, some of which require near-perfection and lightning-fast reflexes. Even the Zen mode isn’t exactly relaxing when you're eyeing that platinum. It’s one thing to drop blocks; it’s another to do it under pressure while trying to become one with the universe. | © Enhance Games

Monster Hunter World — Monster Hunter: World (2018)

If you thought hunting massive beasts with friends sounded like a good time, *Monster Hunter: World* is here to prove that camaraderie only gets you so far. The grind to Platinum this game is the stuff of legends – and not the good kind. The real monster here? RNG. Several trophies require you to capture monsters with *crown sizes –* the tiniest and biggest variants of each species. These sizes are *random*, which means dozens (or hundreds) of hunts just for one measly measurement. You’ll also need to max out hunter logs and complete countless investigations. It’s a gorgeous, deep game with excellent combat, but the Platinum asks for patience, spreadsheets, and maybe a blood pact. | © Capcom

Pathfinder Kingmaker — Pathfinder: Kingmaker (2018)

This CRPG is what happens when you take *Dungeons & Dragons*, remove your dungeon master, and replace them with a sadistic achievement list. *Pathfinder: Kingmaker* is sprawling, buggy (even post-patches), and wildly complex, with branching storylines, kingdom management, and brutally unforgiving mechanics. Want the Platinum? Hope you’ve got a walkthrough the size of a phone book. You’ll need multiple playthroughs, obscure choices, and zero room for error on higher difficulties. Miss a hidden requirement ten hours in? That’s a restart. It’s a brilliant game for fans of deep RPGs, but its trophy list feels like it was crafted by a trickster god with a clipboard. | © Owlcat Games

Wolfenstein II The New Colossus — Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (2017)

BJ Blazkowicz has taken down entire Nazi armies, but the true final boss of *Wolfenstein II* is the trophy called Mein Leben. Sounds poetic, right? It’s not. This sadistic challenge asks you to beat the entire game *on the hardest difficulty* *in one sitting*, *without dying*, and *without saving*. Blink and you’re dead. Get stuck on a level? Too bad. Dog sneezes? Restart. For a fast-paced shooter with no checkpoints and a ton of insta-death moments, it’s one of the most intense gaming feats out there. The rest of the list isn’t easy either, but *Mein Leben* is what separates casual trophy hunters from digital masochists. | © MachineGames

Cuphead (2017)

Look, *Cuphead* never pretended to be easy. Its gorgeous 1930s cartoon aesthetic is a cruel disguise for what is essentially a boss rush marathon from hell. The Platinum trophy is so tough because the game requires *perfection*. You’ll need to complete every boss fight on Expert mode, earn top grades, and never use the more forgiving power-ups. Oh, and there’s a trophy for finishing the entire game without getting hit more than three times – *total*. If you’re going for Platinum, expect to memorize every attack pattern, die hundreds of times, and question all your life choices. But hey, at least it’s got jazzy music while it breaks your soul. | © Studio MDHR

Outlast 2 (2017)

*Outlast 2* doesn’t just want to scare you – it wants to break you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually before handing over its Platinum trophy. The killer here is the *Insane* difficulty trophy, which requires you to beat the game *without dying once*. No saves. No checkpoints. Just you, your camcorder, and a nightmare of religious cultists and cornfield chases. One wrong move and it’s back to the beginning. The rest of the trophy list isn’t exactly friendly either, with collectibles hidden in panic-inducing chase sequences and audio logs buried deep in pitch-black environments. Outlasting the game is one thing. Outlasting it *without dying*? That’s horror on a whole new level. | © Red Barrels

Street Fighter V (2016)

You might think you’re decent at *Street Fighter V* because you can pull off a Hadouken and win a few casual matches online – but the Platinum trophy list is here to body you harder than a pro at EVO. This isn’t just about winning. It’s about winning *a lot*. Trophies like “Reach Level 50 with one character” and “Reach Level 30 with all characters” demand an absurd grind. Then there’s “Fight in 1,000 online matches” – *1,000*! – and guess what? You don’t even need to win them. Just suffer through them. Add in trophies tied to Challenge Mode combos, which ask for frame-perfect inputs and inhuman reflexes, and you’ve got yourself a Platinum that separates button mashers from actual warriors of the arcade. | © Capcom

Jotun Valhalla Edition — Jotun: Valhalla Edition (2016)

*Jotun* is a beautiful, hand-drawn action game rooted in Norse mythology, and it will absolutely punish anyone who dares to underestimate its deceptively simple appearance. The real Platinum hurdle is the *Valhalla Mode*, a brutal boss rush against souped-up versions of the game’s already unforgiving jotun. You’ll need to defeat these titanic gods with perfect timing, flawless dodging, and not a single mistake. There are no armor upgrades or stat boosts to help you here – just raw skill. And the game’s floaty combat style? Yeah, that’s not doing you any favors. Beating Valhalla Mode without taking damage is an achievement in itself; the trophy list just wants to see if you can *actually* become legend. | © Thunder Lotus Games

Crypt of the Necro Dancer — Crypt of the NecroDancer (2015)

Dancing and dungeon crawling might sound like a fun mix… until you try platinuming *Crypt of the NecroDancer*. This rhythm-based roguelike demands that every movement, attack, and decision be made *on the beat –* no pressure. But the real nightmare? Trophies like “Lowest of the Low,” which challenge you to beat the game with *no upgrades*, using the weakest character, with permadeath. Others require you to complete the game *as every character*, each with their own wild restrictions – like one who can’t attack, and another who dies if they miss a beat. Oh, and let’s not forget “Hard Mode All Zones” clears. It’s a musical, masochistic marathon with a Platinum that only true tempo gods can claim. | © Brace Yourself Games

The Elder Scrolls Online (2014)

You want a Platinum that’ll eat your social life, your calendar, and your hard drive space? Welcome to *The Elder Scrolls Online*, where the Platinum is less a trophy and more a second job. It’s not just about finishing the main quest – no, you’ll need to complete *every faction’s storyline*, max out multiple skill trees, and collect absurd amounts of lorebooks, skyshards, and achievements scattered across *Tamriel*. Some trophies require running hundreds of dungeons, others involve time-gated events that can only be completed during limited seasonal windows. You’ll also need to master PvP in the chaotic Cyrodiil battlefield. This isn’t a Platinum – it’s an odyssey. Clocking in over 500 hours? Yeah, that’s if you're efficient. | © ZeniMax Online Studios

Cropped NINJA GAIDEN 3 Razors Edge — Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge (2012)

Ryu Hayabusa is back, and he’s brought along one of the most rage-inducing Platinum trophy lists in action game history. *Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge* doesn’t just want you to beat the game – it wants you to beat it on *every difficulty*, including the sadistic Ultimate Ninja mode where enemies are hyper-aggressive, have tracking missiles for eyes, and punish even the tiniest mistake. But that’s just the beginning. The Trials trophies will break your spirit. These co-op (or solo, if you’re extra bold) missions toss you into unfair, enemy-dense arenas with zero forgiveness. Miss a dodge? You’re toast. Survive? You’re still toast. Platinum this, and you’ve truly become the Ninja of Legends. Or a glutton for punishment. Probably both. | © Team Ninja

Terraria (2011)

At first glance, *Terraria* looks like a chill, pixelated sandbox where you can dig, build, and chill. But underneath its cutesy exterior is a relentless, never-ending rabbit hole of grinding, boss fights, and rare drops that’ll eat your free time like a ravenous Eater of Worlds. The Platinum trophy? Oh, it demands *everything*. Every item, every enemy, every biome, every obscure crafting recipe – it’s all on the table. And some trophies are tied to *multiplayer*, so unless you have friends who are equally unhinged about 100% completion, you’re in for a lonely, long haul. RNG is your worst enemy, and farming rare loot can take dozens of hours alone. Fun? Absolutely. Easy? Not even close. | © Re-Logic

Super Meat Boy (2010)

Meat Boy is cute, sure – but he's also here to make you question your reflexes, sanity, and the concept of fun. *Super Meat Boy* is a precision platformer from hell, with levels designed to be fast, deadly, and unforgiving. Want the Platinum? You’ll need to complete *everything* in the game, including the sadistic *Dark World* levels, and earn A+ ranks for doing it *fast*. Oh, and there’s the Cotton Alley stages, unlocked after finishing the game, which dial up the difficulty to near-unreachable heights. These levels don’t just test your timing – they demand mechanical perfection. You'll die hundreds, maybe thousands of times, all in the name of that elusive, glimmering trophy. | © Team Meat

Cropped Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 — Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (2009)

Ryu Hayabusa never goes easy on you, but *Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2* is where the real pain begins. The Platinum trophy here is less about beating the game and more about surviving it in ways that feel unfair by design. Sure, there are multiple difficulty modes – each more brutal than the last – but it’s the Team Missions that really ruin lives. These co-op challenges are so punishing that even the AI partners don’t want to be there. You’ll face enemies with health bars longer than your patience and patterns that require perfect dodges just to stay alive. And if you're planning to solo some of the hardest missions? Bring snacks, and maybe a stress ball. Or two. | © Team Ninja

STAR OCEAN — Star Ocean: The Last Hope (2009)

This Platinum is infamous for a reason. *Star Ocean: The Last Hope* isn’t just a JRPG – it’s a sprawling, stat-heavy, timeline-sensitive beast that demands *literal hundreds of hours*. The real monster here is the *Battle Trophies* system: 900 individual achievements tied to performing obscure tasks in combat with every character. Want a trophy for defeating 30 enemies with a specific move while poisoned and airborne? Yup, it’s probably in there. You’ll also need multiple playthroughs to see all endings, complete all quests, and recruit every character under extremely specific conditions. Completionists beware – this one will consume your calendar. And your soul. | © tri-Ace

Cropped Metal Gear Solid 4 — Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)

MGS4 might be a cinematic masterpiece, but its Platinum trophy is one of the sneakiest, most exhausting grinds in the stealth-action genre. First off: the game didn't even *have* trophies at launch – they were patched in years later, almost as a challenge to diehard fans. Then comes the kicker: you need to earn *ALL emblems*, including the soul-crushing Big Boss Emblem, which requires you to beat the game on the hardest difficulty with *no kills, no alerts, no continues, no healing items*, and in under five hours. Sound fun? It’s not. It’s stressful, exacting, and borderline impossible without planning every step. Kojima didn’t just want you to play – he wanted you to *prove yourself*. | © Kojima Productions

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Earning a Platinum Trophy is the ultimate badge of honor for PlayStation gamers. It means you've conquered every challenge, unlocked every achievement, and pushed your skills to the absolute limit. But not all Platinum Trophies are created equal – some demand hundreds of hours, razor-sharp reflexes, and relentless dedication. In this article, we’re diving into the 20 hardest games to earn a Platinum Trophy across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and even a few classics from the PS3 era. Whether you're a trophy hunter looking for your next conquest or just curious which games separate the casuals from the elite, these brutally difficult titles are sure to test your limits.