Glossary
Below is a list of terms used around the RetroAchievements site described to help explain them!
Award / Badge
Awards, also sometimes referred to as badges, are given for completing various tasks.
There are three different types of awards
- Event Awards – Given for completing events.
- Game Awards – Given for completing or mastering game sets.
- Site Awards – Special awards given out for completing certain tasks
Cheevo
Short for "Achievement".
Core
A core, also referred to as a libretro core, is essentially a program that runs through emulators like RetroArch, RALibretro, and BizHawk to play a particular game.
For example, you might use the DeSmuMe or MelonDS DS core for Nintendo DS games.
You would manage all of this inside RetroArch and download the cores needed for the games there. This is why RetroArch is listed as supporting many systems.
On the Emulator Support page, you can see what libretro cores are supported for each system, if applicable.
Completion
Completion is the softcore version of a mastery.
You earn it for collecting every achievement in a game or set.
Developer
Around the site, you'll see "developers" and sets "developed by" users of RetroAchievements. These are almost always users of RetroAchievements developing the achievement set, not the game.
Whenever you see someone listed as a "Developer" or "Jr. Developer", they are individuals who develop achievement sets for the site.
Event
An event is a list of challenges put on by the community to challenge players into doing various tasks for a badge.
See the dedicated page for more information and some active events you can hop into!
Hardcore
"Hardcore" is a mode for achievement collecting that disables certain emulator features to simulate playing as you would on a real console.
Collecting every achievement in a set in hardcore mode gives you a mastery of the game, and a badge for your profile.
See the FAQ entry for more information about Hardcore/Softcore mode.
Hash
A game hash is a specific version of a particular game. This is used to verify your copy of the game to ensure it supports achievements.
See the relevant FAQ for more information.
Mastery
This is when you collect every achievement in a game's set in Hardcore mode.
Mastering a game awards you a badge for your profile.
RetroPoints
The "white points" you see next to the blue normal points. A tooltip describes them as the points adjusted for rarity.
See the FAQ entry for more information.
Set
A "set" is a collection of achievements for a game.
Game and set are usually used interchangeably, as many games have only one achievement set. A game may also have a handful of subsets.
See what is an achievement set? for more information.
Multiset
Multiset is an emulator feature that allows you to earn achievements towards multiple achievement sets for a single game at once.
See the dedicated subsets page for more information.
Subset
A subset is an additional set for a game, containing additional challenges or requirements that are beyond the requirements of the game's base set.
You can see these by going to a game's page and navigating to the other icons above the achievement list.
See the dedicated subsets page for more information.
Softcore
"Softcore" is a mode for achievement collecting that allows you to use all of an emulator's features.
Collecting every achievement in a set, in either hardcore or softcore, gives you a Completion of the game, and a badge for your profile.
See the FAQ entry for more information about Hardcore/Softcore mode.
Standalone
Typically, all games run on an emulator. However, some games run standalone. Currently, there are just Terraria and Final Fantasy XI, but more may be added in the future. You'll see these under "Standalone" or "EXE".
Standalone games run as is, without an emulator, and require something else, like a mod, to get you connected to RetroAchievements.
Ticket
A ticket is a bug report for an achievement.
You may also see them referred to as "reports" or "issues" with the achievements.
See how do I report a broken achievement? in the FAQ for more information about reporting.