No matter your skill level, there comes a point where the game starts to feel stale. You’ve beaten the final boss, seen the credits, and maybe even picked up a few rare items. So what keeps you coming back? That’s where gaming challenges come in, they breathe new life into games you already know by giving you new goals, tougher rules, or even new ways to play. They are essentially a natural answer to the replayability problem without needing to buy a brand-new title.
The challenges players set for themselves during gaming sessions bring meaning to their experience. The competitive aspect of these challenges allows players to compete for bragging rights or actual prizes. Sites like BestCompetitions, for example, provide players with a variety of contests, tournaments, and task-driven giveaways, which are great opportunities to prove your skills outside of the standard leaderboards.
100% Completion
Not everyone wants to rush through a game. Some players prefer mastering every detail of the game. 100% completion provides players with the demanding task of gathering all collectables. This can only be achieved by completing all levels and achievements and finishing all side quests, and exhausting the entire game content.
Certain games provide incentives to players who put in extra effort. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Red Dead Redemption 2, for instance, provide special cutscenes and in-world rewards to players. Others just give you that satisfying checklist tick.
Be warned, though, this requires additional patience since it follows a marathon pace instead of a sprint. The reward players receive in the end is the experience of finishing the game, no extras.
Speedruns
The term speedrunning describes the act of completing games in the shortest time possible. The game experience remains intact when players use every available in-game shortcut that avoids complete destruction. Speedrunners achieve time reductions by using precise timing and repeated practice, and creative strategies.
There’s a whole gaming world built around speedruns. For example, the charity event Games Done Quick attracts millions of dollars through its display of expert runners. The speedrunning competition features three main categories, which include “Any%”, which essentially is “complete by any means”, to “100”, a challenge based on fluidity and how quickly players can move through the game without hiccups.
The challenge you face with speedruns is finishing quickly and mastering the game with absolute precision.
PvP Gauntlets
The gaming experience between players forms its own unique category. Your single-player mastery will not prepare you for the unpredictable nature of human opponents. The competitive mode in League of Legends and Street Fighter 6, and multiplayer options in Call of Duty require players to face intense challenges.
Some players can quickly find individual targets, which include winning ten consecutive ranked matches. This includes aiming for diamond rank and playing an entire season without changing their main character. The challenges for players come from seasonal competitions and tournament entries.
It’s pretty similar to esports leagues, where every match loss brings valuable knowledge that players can use for improvement. A live opponent provides the unpredictability that AI opponents do not provide.
Ironman or Permadeath Runs
The Ironman or permadeath runs are perfect for you if you enjoy a little stress while gaming. The challenges in these runs result in complete game termination after a single mistake. Your character dies, and that’s it. The game is over, there’s absolutely no reloading, and there’s no such thing as second chances.
Strategy games like XCOM require players to exercise some caution and but also need players to think fast. Official RPG modes sometimes eliminate saving features to create more intense gameplay experiences. The challenge here is playing a game from start to finish without “death”, something you can share or brag about on any gaming forum.
Daily or Time-Locked Challenges
If you are short on time, then daily challenges might be what you need. Games such as Slay the Spire, Fortnite, or Destiny 2 have daily or weekly mini-tasks. Some are somewhat trivial, while others are bizarrely difficult. That’s the fun of it. You jump in, try your hand, and see how you fare, not only against yourself but your gaming friends, or the global leaderboard. While the commitment seems small, it really is about the replay value.
Community and Event Challenges
Community and event challenges are not about beating the game, but focus on doing it in a way that brings people together. Several games like Twitch Plays Pokémon or TikTok’s challenge to beat Dark Souls with a banana controller are events and challenges that players often complete.
While these games aren’t officially supported, they spread like wildfire. They’re funny, creative, and often completely ridiculous. The challenge for players lies in sharing their pain and triumph with others online. It’s not so much about solo achievements but about being part of something silly, chaotic, and weirdly inspiring.
No-Hit Runs
The ultimate test of discipline exists within this challenge. The no-hit run requires players to steam through action-packed games such as Dark Souls and Sekiro, and Cuphead without sustaining any hits. A single hit forces the player to restart the game/level from the beginning.
The execution of these runs requires you to know enemy patterns while having precise timing and laser-sharp reflexes. Players who participate in God Runs attempt to complete Demon’s Souls through Dark Souls III without receiving any hits across different games. The level of dedication required for this type of achievement means having the necessary gaming skills.
Randomizer Runs
Randomizers are mods that shuffle item and enemy positions as well as level structures. The game you loved suddenly transforms into a confusing puzzle that you will enjoy. During a randomizer run, for instance, you could come across the Master Sword in the first dungeon of Zelda while facing endgame bosses at the start of the game.
The runs require players to continuously adapt while learning unpredictable variations of familiar games. Randomizer challenges have gained popularity among streamers and players who enjoy The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Dark Souls, and Super Metroid.
Overall, trying new challenges like randomizer runs or even speedruns provides experiences that go further than the typical gaming session. It allows players to pursue personal bests and join leaderboards while adding variety to their gaming sessions. While some challenges require patience, others require focus and creativity.
