GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

How to Score 9,000 Points in 48 Hours (That's 3 Points a Minute!)

Rack up 9,000 Xbox Live achievement points in just 48 hours, and find out which Live Arcade games are good for quick points and which Xbox 360 games are tougher for getting points.

760 Comments


When the Xbox 360 launched, few people expected achievement points to become such a driving force for people to play games--even games they didn't particularly like. Last year, we showed you how you could boost your gamerscore by 6,000 points with as little effort as possible and then followed that up with 1,000 points courtesy of Xbox Live Arcade. Now, we're back again to help you boost your gamerscore by more than 9,000 points. That's right, in less time than it takes to beat a lengthy role-playing game, you can send your gamerscore through the roof! We've also scouted out the best new Xbox Live Arcade games for scoring quick points and identified some of the toughest recent Xbox 360 games to get points from. Let's get started!

Fuzion Frenzy 2

Points: 1,000

Estimated Time: Four to six hours

All you need to get 1,000 points out of Fuzion Frenzy 2 is patience--skill is optional. Start with the single-player game, set the "number of worlds to win" option to two, and then plug in as many controllers as you can find. If you're able to fill all four controller spots (dance pads, guitar controllers, and driving wheels will work just fine), you're guaranteed to breeze through the game with each character in no time at all. If you can't fill all four controller ports, simply set the CPU to easy, and you should have little trouble beating the game with each character.

Zak Master - 50 points
Win the main battle tournament with Zak.

Naomi Master - 50 points
Win the main battle tournament with Naomi.

Jet Master - 50 points
Win the main battle tournament with Jet.

Geena Master - 50 points
Win the main battle tournament with Geena.

Samson Master - 50 points
Win the main battle tournament with Samson.

Dub Master - 50 points
Win the main battle tournament with Dub.

Custom Master - 50 points
Win an offline custom game.

Fuzion Frenzy Rookie - 25 points
Play three types of minigames (practice mode doesn't count).

Minigame Collector - 150 points
Beat the game, and you'll have unlocked all of the minigames.

Fuzion Frenzy Master - 150 points
By the time you've beaten the game, you should have unlocked all of the minigames. Make sure you go back and play the last game you've unlocked, or you won't get the points

The online portion of the game is dreadful, thanks to an unbalanced card system and an incredibly obnoxious announcer that can't be skipped. You can get the online points legitimately with a little bit of effort, but let's face it, we're trying to expend as little energy as possible here. Find a buddy that's looking for points, set the other two CPU opponents to easy, and take turns earning achievements. If you don't have any friends that want to play, it's quite easy to find someone to help you out since the only reason people are playing the game online is to earn points.

Tournament Hero - 100 points
Win an online tournament.

Minigame Frenzy Hero - 100 points
Win 10 online battle minigame frenzies.

The First Victory - 25 points
Win one victory in the online battle minigame frenzy.

Custom Hero - 100 points
Win an online custom game.

Easy Xbox Live Arcade Points

 

Easy Points Fever!

Pac-Man

Easy Points: 170

Even inexperienced Pac-Man players shouldn't have too much trouble chomping their way to 170 achievement points. Clearing round 21 might seem like a daunting task, but this tip can make it a little easier. In the options menu, change your number of lives to five. Because you can start a game from the last level you've cleared, you basically have five lives to clear any level in the game. The only superdifficult achievement here is trying to eat each ghost four times in a single stage--that one's no joke.

 

TMNT

Points: 1,000

Estimated Time: Five to six hours

Thanks to some cheap deaths due to a lousy camera, and the Turtles yelling catchphrases every few seconds, patience is a more valuable asset than skill when you're trying to get through TMNT. The good news is that the game isn't really all that bad; it's supereasy, and it doles out points like candy for just beating a level.

Mystical Jungle - 20 points
Complete level one.

Get Your First Coin - 15 points
This doesn't mean the silver coins you collect during every level. Beat the first level quickly and without dying to earn an "A" rating for that level. Now you can go back and play it as a challenge level. Just a minute or so into the level, you'll come across a gold coin, and when you scoop it up, you'll be awarded 15 achievement points.

Clean Sweep - 50 points
Complete a level without taking damage. This one sounds tricky, but it's a piece of cake on the first level of the game. When you do have to fight, try to take on one guy at a time, mash the buttons, and you should get this one with ease.

Vigilantism - 24 points
Complete level two.

Techno Ninjutsu - 28 points
Complete level three.

Used Don's Special Move - 30 points
This achievement is unlocked in level three.

Cowabunga Carl Getaway - 32 points
Complete level four.

Used Mike's Special Move - 30 points
This achievement is unlocked in level four.

Spirit of the Forest - 36 points
Complete level five.

Used Leo's Special Move - 30 points
This achievement is unlocked in level five.

Ninja Tag Time - 40 points
Complete level six.

Family Unit - 15 points
Do a co-op move combination attack. This can be done in level six.

The Game Is the Foot - 44 points
Complete level seven.

Foot Trail - 48 points
Complete level eight.

Tower Power - 52 points
Complete level nine.

When the Slime Comes - 56 points
Complete level 10.

O Brother Where Art Thou - 60 points
Complete level 11.

Used Raph's Special Move - 30 points
This achievement is unlocked in level 11.

Bite Me! - 64 points
Complete level 12.

All Is Forgiven - 68 points
Complete level 13.

Ninjas in the Crypt - 72 points
Complete level 14.

The Mysterious Leader - 76 points
Complete level 15.

Winter's Secret - 80 points
Complete level 16.

Easy Xbox Live Arcade Points

 

Points Wrapped Up
With a Bow

Ms. Pac-Man

Easy Points: 170

Many people say that the main difference between Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man is that she's got a bow. That's the difference between the two game's achievements as well, because here you'll be getting those same easy Pac-Man points…while wearing a bow. Like you did in Pac-Man, in Ms. Pac-Man change your number of lives to five and keep plugging away, one level at a time. Once again, eating all four ghosts four times in a single level is going to be the most difficult achievement, but feel free to give it a shot!

 

NBA Street Homecourt

Points: 870

Estimated Time: Five hours

Finally, a game with easy points that's fun to play, too. You can get 1,000 points with ease if you've got the time to level up a second baller and find someone willing to take the online bullet, but even if you don't, you can get 870 by just playing through the homecourt challenge mode and playing 10 games online. The fastest way through the game is to set the difficulty to easy and then play the games that require the fewest points possible to win. You'll only want to play games to 21 or higher if you're trying to do things like complete four gamebreakers in a game.

Ash Park Champ - 50 points
Win the Ash Park tournament.

Rupert Bell Champ - 70 points
Win the Rupert Bell tourney.

Cloverdale Champ - 100 points
Win the Cloverdale tournament.

Ultimate Journey - 150 points
Finish the game by beating Carmelo Anthony in the Air Jordan gym.

Freaked - 40 points
Earn a freak skill. Your freak skill is awarded to you after you reach level five. Pick shooting, and you'll be unstoppable from behind the arc, burying two-pointers with ease and finishing games in no time at all.

Mastered - 80 points
Earn a master skill. You get this when you get to level 15.

GB Insanity - 50 points
Successfully complete four gamebreakers. Pick a game that goes to a high score, and this should be no problem. If you're having trouble getting four gamebreakers in before you win, make sure you're not doing too many tricks during the gamebreaker--you don't want to score too many points. Also, let the computer score some points here and there. If the CPU is close, you're less likely to turn the ball over.

Named - 50 points
Earn a nickname. This is given you when you reach level 10.

Dunkalicious - 50 points
Complete five jump-off dunks. When one of your teammates crouches at the top of the key, jump off his back and dunk by pressing the B button. You can usually just dribble around and wait for him to crouch, but if he's not cooperating, you can press down on the D pad and he'll assume the position.

Dialing Long Distance - 50 points
Score seven baskets from beyond the arc. Once you've got your shooting-freak skill, pick a game that goes to at least 14 points and fire away from behind the two-point line.

Tricked Out - 50 points
Complete 10 trick moves in a game. Get near an opponent and press the trick button (X or Y), and eventually you'll pull off a trick. You probably won't have to try very hard to get this one, but if you're having trouble, you can play a longer game or wait until you've got better players who are more adept at performing tricks.

Ultimate Finish - 50 points
Win a game with a gamebreaker.

Doubling Up - 50 points
Complete three double dunks. This one takes a little practice: You've got to hold down the dunk button until the meter is full to perform a double dunk. If you hold it too long, you'll clank the dunk. This is a little tricky at first, but by the end of the game, you'll have the timing down and you'll be double dunking with ease.

Online Showdown - 30 points
Play 10 games online. You don't have to win the games; you've just got to play them.

If you've got some extra time on your hands, these points aren't terribly difficult, but there are faster ways to earn points.

King of the Court - 70 points (Slightly More Time-Consuming)
Win 10 consecutive games online. This can be earned along with the "Play 10 Games Online" achievement, but you're going to need the help of a buddy.

Seeing Double - 60 points (Slightly More Time-Consuming)
Level up two different created ballers to level 10. This isn't hard, but it requires too much time for just 60 points.

Easy Xbox Live Arcade Points

 

The Race for Points

New Rally-X

Easy Points: 200

By now, you may be noticing a pattern here: Namco's Live Arcade games have some easy-to-get points. New Rally-X is no exception. You'll get most of the game's points by the time you've finished round 16, but that's no problem since you can restart from the last level you cleared. This ability will also help you easily earn what should be the game's most difficult achievement. The "No-Miss (Round Seven)" achievement requires you to beat the first seven levels without losing a life, but hey…that would take extra work, and that's not how we roll. Here's what you do: Once you've gotten to, or past, the seventh round, go ahead and lose. Then, choose round seven as the starting level and beat the level without dying. When your game's over, you'll be the proud owner of 40 shiny, new achievement points.

 

Cars

Points: 775

Estimated Time: Six hours

Like TMNT, this game isn't difficult, but it can test your patience since the races get pretty boring after a while. Be sure the game is set to the default difficulty since you won't get any achievements if you choose the easy setting. This easy game is made even easier if you enter the code VROOOOM in the cheats menu. This gives you unlimited boost. You don't actually get the ability to boost until a few races in, but if you've entered the code, you'll be able to boost as much as you want. You can't use the boost in the Piston Cup races, but those are supereasy, so it's not much of a problem.

Palm Mile Speedway - 75 points
Finish in first place.

Motor Speedway of the South - 50 points
Finish in first place.

Ornament Valley - 75 points
Unlock Ornament Valley.

Sun Valley International Raceway - 75 points
Finish in first place.

Tailfin Pass - 75 points
Unlock Tailfin Pass.

Monster Truck Mayhem - 50 points
Finish in first place.

Rustbucket Race-O-Rama - 50 points
Finish in first place.

Smasherville Motor Speedway - 75 points
Finish in first place.

Radiator Springs GP - 50 points
Finish in first place.

Ornament Valley GP - 50 points
Finish in first place.

Tailfin Pass GP - 50 points
Finish in first place.

LA International Speedway - 100 points
Finish in first place.

It's hard to leave 225 points on the table, but these three achievements are time consuming and can be extremely frustrating to earn. You've played enough of Cars by now. It's time to move on.

Tractor Tipping - 75 points (Time-Consuming)
Successfully complete all levels of Tractor Tipping. It's not as easy as it sounds, thanks to horrible camera angles and lousy controls.

Lizzies Postcard Hunt - 100 points (Time-Consuming)
Collect all available postcards in Postcard Hunt Mode. If you simply must do this one, head over to GameFAQs and use a walk-through.

Sheriffs Hot Pursuit - 50 points (Time-Consuming)
Successfully complete all levels of Sheriffs Hot Pursuit. You're driving a lousy car and dealing with lousy controls here. Just skip it.

Easy Xbox Live Arcade Points

 

Pump Up those Points!

Dig Dug

Easy Points: 200

Here are some more easy points, courtesy of the wonderful folks at Namco. When trying to get the "Dig" achievement, where you have to dig up an entire level, make sure you leave at least two enemies alive (or the last one will leave the level). If they're giving you too much grief, pump them up a few times to give yourself some space, but don't blow them up completely. The achievement for crushing four enemies with a single rock is probably the most difficult, but it's not impossible. Try using a rock near the top of the level and dig a tunnel straight up from the bottom. As long as you've got four guys behind you, they're toast.

 

Major League Baseball 2K6

Points: 1,000

Estimated Time: Three to four hours

Ah, good old 2K Sports and its easy achievement points. This is another game where a cheat code helps us get those points even faster. Simply go to the cheats menu and enter: Derek Jeter. This unlocks a whole slew of cheats to make the points even easier to get. It's also probably worth your time to pick a team, max out its stats, and then take another team and lower that team's stats.

Unhittable - 200 points
Strike out 15 batters with one pitcher on the "pro" difficulty setting. Using that handy Derek Jeter code, turn on the option for two-strike strikeouts. This should be no problem if you've lowered the stats of the opposing team.

Super Slugger - 200 points
Blast three balls out of the park in one game with the same player on the "pro" difficulty setting. Once again, we turn to our old pal Derek Jeter. Activate the cheat that lets bunted balls travel as far as a normal hit, and then use the cheat that makes every hit a fly ball. Now, start a game and bunt with every player. If you're still having trouble: Anytime you get on base, take over control of the runner and let the CPU hit the homers for you.

Offensive Explosion - 300 points
Score 20 runs in one game on the "pro" difficulty setting. You'll probably get this with no problem, but if you're having trouble, activate the diamond cutters cheat, which awards you a run for stealing a base. With your players' stats maxed out, they'll steal bases with ease, especially if you lowered the opposing catcher's throwing ability.

Thief - 150 points
Steal an amazing five bases in one game on the "pro" difficulty setting. With your players' stats maxed out, they'll steal bases like Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughan steals cars, especially if you lowered the opposing catcher's throwing ability.

Robbery! - 150 points
Make a wall-climb catch. This is probably the most difficult of the five achievements, but it's still not too tough. Play against a good-hitting team like the NL or AL All-Stars (you can raise their hitting stats so they'll hit the ball farther if you'd like). Make sure your outfielders have their fielding and speed stats maxed out and then use the batter-up cheat that creates all fly balls, the superdefense cheat, and the superturbo cheat. Once the game has started, move your fielders back (left bumper), make every pitch right down the middle, and when a ball is headed toward the seats, press up on the right analog stick when prompted. As soon as you've robbed the homer, you're given the achievement, so you can quit and move to the next game.

Easy Xbox Live Arcade Points

 

Achievements Attack

Galaga

Easy Points: 200

Everyone be sure to thank Uncle Namco for all the easy achievement points. Reaching stage 30 may seem like a daunting task, but like all of the previous arcade games in the list, Galaga lets you start a new game from the last level you reached. Other achievements like finding the scorpion, stingray, dragonfly, galboss, and mosquito aren't much harder than knowing what level each appears in, which, if you're keeping score, are levels 5, 8, 11, 12, and 19, respectively.

 

NCAA March Madness 07

Points: 780

Estimated Time: Three to four hours

What's this, another sports game? It sure is! The easiest way to get the achievements here is to max out the stats (and height) of one team and lower the stats (and height) of another, just like in MLB 2K6. Hey, we never said you'd be proud of how you got these points.


You can earn 155 points in one short game. Here's how:

All-American Hero - 30 points
Win a game without attempting a three-point shot on All-American difficulty. Here's the secret: Don't take any three-pointers.

No Three-Pointers for Opponent - 35 points
Participate in an entire game where your opponent has made no three-point shots. This one should be a piece of cake if the game is short enough. You can let the CPU dunk all day, but make sure you guard closely on the perimeter.

No Turnovers - 40 points
Commit no turnovers in a game.

Win on Buzzer Beater - 50 points
Play a short game, and make sure you get the last possession with the score tied. Right before the clock expires, take a short jumper (don't try to dunk), and you should get the achievement.

You should be able to get many of the following achievements in the same game by playing the longest game possible.

100% Shooter - 25 points
Have a player shoot 100 percent from the field (a minimum of 10 shots). Dunk every time down the court with the same player until he's dunked 10 times. Then, either don't take another shot with him or sit him on the bench for the rest of the game.

Double-Double - 20 points
Have a player on your team get a double-double.

Triple-Double - 35 points
Have a player on your team get a triple-double.

Quadruple-Double - 50 points
Have a player on your team get a quadruple-double.

22 Assists - 65 points
Have a player get 22 assists in a single game.

13 Steals - 60 points
Have a player get 13 steals in a single game.

100 Points - 100 points
Have a player score 100 points in a single game.

15 Three-Pointers - 65 points
Have a player hit 15 three-pointers in a single game.

Floor General Play - 15 points
Call a floor general play.

Pump Up Crowd - 20 points
Pump up the crowd.

Pump Up Team - 20 points
Pump up a teammate.

Upload Roster - 30 points
These are some of the easiest achievement points in any game. All you've got to do is upload a roster to the EA Sports locker.

14 Blocks - 60 points
Have a player with 14 or more blocks.

Now it's time for some online points. The best thing about these is that you don't have to win; you've just got to finish.

Unranked Custom Match - 20 points
Finish an online unranked match against another player.

Ranked Challenge - 20 points
Challenge another player to an online ranked match and finish the game.

Ranked Custom Match - 20 points
Finish an online ranked match against another player.

The next group of points is attainable, but they're difficult enough that it will take a long time and a fair amount of skill to earn them all.

51 Rebounds - 70 points (Time-Consuming, Somewhat Difficult)
Have a player get 51 rebounds in a single game. If you spend an entire game tossing up bricks from near midcourt, you should be able to get this one. Unfortunately, you aren't likely to get many other achievements, so it's not worth it.

30 Free Throws - 60 points (Time-Consuming, Somewhat Difficult)
Have a player make 30 free throws. If you've got a friend to sit there and foul you over and over again, this is doable, but it's really time-consuming.

20 Points From Free Throws - 20 points (Time-Consuming, Somewhat Difficult)
Participate in an entire game where your team scores 20-plus points from the free throw line. Again, if you've got a friend to sit there and foul you over and over again, this isn't all that tough, but it's really time-consuming.

100% Free Throws - 40 points (Time-Consuming, Extremely Difficult)
Participate in an entire game where your team makes 100 percent of its free throws (a minimum of 10 shots) on All-American. Forget it--it's extremely difficult.

All-American Victory - 30 points (Time-Consuming, Somewhat Difficult)
Participate in an entire game where your team wins versus the CPU, with default settings and All-American difficulty.

This Game Is a Points Wasteland

 

Giant Robots Mean
Hard Points

Chromehounds

Why it's not recommended: Great game, but points are scarce and extremely time-consuming to get.

Giant robots are awesome, and Chromehounds is a heck of a game, but it's not a great game if you're looking to earn a bunch of easy points. Not only are most of the points earned by playing tons of hours online, but you've also got to put some serious time in if you're going to earn any points at all. All you need to know is that you can spend 50 hours of your life on the game and walk away with less than 300 points.

 

NBA Live 07

Points: 900

Estimated Time: Three hours

NBA Live 07 is a lousy game, but what it lacks in gameplay, it makes up for with easy achievement points. Like March Madness, Live 07 lets you get many of these achievements in the same game session. Because only the best players have the ability to do superstar moves, your best bet is to use an all-star team.

Perform Level Three Playmaker Move - 50 points
Perform at least one level three playmaker superstar move.

In the Zone Playmaker Move - 70 points
Perform at least one in the zone playmaker superstar move.

Perform Level Three Scorer Move - 50 points
Perform at least one level three scorer superstar move.

Perform Level Three Post Move - 50 points
Perform at least one level three post superstar move.

Perform Level Three High-Flyer Move - 50 points
Perform at least one level three high-flyer superstar move.

Perform Level Three Shooter Move - 50 points
Perform at least one level three shooter superstar move.

You've got to score a bunch of points before a player gets in the zone, but once you do that, the in the zone moves are just like the superstar ones.

In the Zone Scorer Move - 70 points
Perform at least one in the zone scorer superstar move.

In the Zone Post Move - 70 points
Perform at least one in the zone post superstar move.

In the Zone High-Flyer Move - 70 points
Perform at least one in the zone high-flyer superstar move.

In the Zone Shooter Move - 70 points
Perform at least one in the zone shooter superstar move.

Four Users on One Machine - 50 points
The hardest thing about this one is tracking down four controllers. Once you've got the controllers, make sure you've got two players on each team, and then play and finish a short game.

Online Multiplayer Co-Op - 100 points
Finish a multiplayer co-op online game with at least one friend against two or more users. Before you return that extra controller you borrowed from the previous achievement, go ahead and use it to get an easy 100 points online.

Challenge an Online User/Ranked - 100 points
Challenge an online user to a ranked game, and finish this game. Feel free to lose horribly--the 100 points you get for this will never rat you out.

Play and Finish a Ranked Match - 50 points
Play and finish a normal ranked match against any opponent.

In theory, the last achievement should have been the easiest of them all, but you'll probably never be able to get it. This game is so bad that it took a concentrated effort from points fiends to get 1,000 people online at the same time. Sadly, that day has come and gone, and it's not likely to happen again.

Online With 1,000 people - 100 points (Good Luck With This One)
Be online when there are 1,000 people online at the same time.

This Game Is a Points Wasteland

 

These Points Are Dead Hard

Dead Rising

Why It's Not Recommended: Great game, but point achievements are very demanding and the save system doesn't help.

Dead Rising is another top-notch game that's a loser when it comes to earning easy achievement points. You can earn some easy points for dropping from a height of 16 feet and taking pictures of lots of zombies, but you'll have to be really hardcore to kill 53,594 zombies (20 points), escort eight female survivors simultaneously (20 points), or survive for seven days (20 points). The game's funky save system doesn't help you out much and makes it difficult to do many of the seemingly simple tasks required to earn points. On the plus side, no matter how few points you find yourself getting, it's always a blast to run over a zombie with a lawnmower.

 

Madden NFL 07

Points: 700

Estimated Time: Five hours

Madden 06 was a points bonanza, and thankfully, so is the sequel--although, it is a bit more difficult to get all 1,000 points. Nonsports fans will be pleased to know that you can earn every single achievement by simulating games. You never have to play a single down.

Create-A-Player - 5 points
Create a player.

Minigames - 5 points
Enter the minigames mode. You don't even have to play!

Are you ready to simulate some football?! Head to franchise mode, take control of every team, grab some food and a drink, and kick back for a couple hours of hitting the X button.

30 Years of Franchise - 100 points
Complete 30 years of franchise mode. You can simulate this one.

Madden Gamer Level Two - 10 points
You'll get this one while you're simulating 30 years of a franchise.

Madden Gamer Level 10 - 20 points
You'll get this one while you're simulating 30 years of a franchise.

Madden Gamer Level 20 - 40 points
You'll get this one while you're simulating 30 years of a franchise.

Madden Gamer Level 30 - 70 points
You'll get this one while you're simulating 30 years of a franchise.

Madden Gamer Level 40 - 85 points
You'll get this one while you're simulating 30 years of a franchise.

Madden Gamer Level 50 - 100 points
You'll get this one while you're simulating 30 years of a franchise.

Super Bowl Win - 30 points
Win the Super Bowl.

Perfect Season - 30 points
Successfully complete a perfect season.

Game Record - Passing TDs - 10 points
Set the single-game record for passing touchdowns.

Game Record - Receiving TDs - 10 points
Set the single-game record for receiving touchdowns.

Game Record - Passing Yards - 10 points
Set the single-game record for passing yards.

Game Record - Rushing Yards - 10 points
Set the single-game record for rushing yards.

Game Record - Rushing TDs - 10 points
Set the single-game record for rushing touchdowns.

Game Record - Receiving Yards - 10 points
Set the single-game record for receiving yards.

Game Record - Interceptions - 10 points
Set the single-game record for interceptions.

Game Record - Sacks - 10 points
Set the single-game record for sacks.

Game Record - Receptions - 10 points
Set the single-game record for receptions.

Season Record - Receiving TDs - 20 points
Set the season record for receiving touchdowns.

Season Record - Rushing TDs - 20 points
Set the season record for rushing touchdowns.

Season Record - Receiving Yards - 20 points
Set the season record for receiving yards.

Season Record - Passing TDs - 20 points
Set the season record for passing touchdowns.

Season Record - Receptions - 20 points
Set the season record for receptions.

Season Record - Passing Yards - 20 points
Set the season record for passing yards.

Season Record - Sacks - 20 points
Set the season record for sacks.

Season Record - INTs - 20 points
Set the season record for interceptions.

Season Record - Rushing Yards - 20 points
Set the season record for rushing yards.

All-Madden Shutout - 10 points
Pitch a shutout on All-Madden difficulty.

Live Opponent - 5 points
Play a live opponent game.

The rest of these points are attainable but simply aren't worth the time (or, in the case of importing a draft class, monetary) investment that it takes to get them.

Import Draft Class - 10 points
Import a draft class from NCAA College Football 07. If you've got the game, you might as well do it, but 10 points isn't worth renting the game for.

SS Season - 30 Passing TDs - 10 points
Get 30 passing TDs in a single season of superstar mode.

SS Season - 10 Receiving TDs - 10 points
Get 10 receiving TDs in a single season of superstar mode.

SS Season - 1,400 Rushing Yards - 10 points
Get 1,400 rushing yards in a single season of superstar mode.

SS Season - 140 Tackles - 10 points
Get 140 tackles in a single season of superstar mode.

SS Season - 16 Sacks - 10 points
Get 16 sacks in a single season of superstar mode.

SS Season - Seven Forced Fumbles - 10 points
Get seven forced fumbles in a single season of superstar mode.

SS Season - Seven INTs - 10 points
Get seven interceptions in a single season of superstar mode.

SS Career - 200 Passing TDs - 20 points
Get 200 passing TDs in your superstar mode career.

SS Career - 60 Receiving TDs - 20 points
Get 60 receiving TDs in your superstar mode career.

SS Career - 10,000 Rushing Yards - 20 points
Get 10,000 rushing yards in your superstar mode career.

SS Career - 500 Tackles - 20 points
Get 500 tackles in your superstar mode career.

SS Career - 100 Sacks - 20 points
Get 100 sacks in your superstar mode career.

SS Career - 20 Forced Fumbles - 20 points
Get 20 forced fumbles in your superstar mode career.

SS Career - 25 INTs - 20 points
Get 25 interceptions in your superstar mode career.

This Game Is a Points Wasteland

 

Tough Points. Sorry, Ladies.

Dead or Alive Xtreme 2

Why It's Not Recommended: Collecting points is a long and tedious process in this mediocre game.

Do you love collecting swimsuits? Well, do ya?! If so, Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 is the game for you. Forty-five of the game's 46 achievements involve collecting swimsuits. But if you love collecting easy points, you might want to think twice before trying this one. Even putting an exclamation point after their names (such as "Gather as Many Swimsuits as You Can With Lisa!") doesn't make these achievements any less tedious. Oh, and in case you were thinking that the 46th achievement might be an easy one…that one requires you to collect every item in the game. To add insult to injury, the game itself is pretty lousy--even if you're a fan of ridiculous-looking, huge, computer-generated breasts.

 

Fight Night Round 3

Points: 1,000

Estimated Time: Five to six hours

Yep, it's another sports game, but at least this is a really good sports game. And what's more, you don't even have to be a great boxer to earn all 1,000 of Fight Night's points. Here's what to do: Set the game difficulty to easy, turn off the autosave feature (that way you can simply reset the game if you lose and try again), turn on the three-knockdown rule, and turn off illegal punches. You'll still be able to perform illegal shots, but you won't be penalized for them. Nice eh? Now, head off and start a career.

When creating a boxer, it's OK to favor power over other attributes, but you'll want a fairly well-rounded boxer in the later stages of your career, so don't go overboard. Fight Night's achievements are doled out for winning sponsored fights, so all you've got to do is win--there aren't any extra points for looking good. This means you're free to dish out low blows and head-butts (using the B button) whenever you need to. You might want to turn the heads-up display on so you can closely monitor your opponents' energy levels and attack when they're weak. When you've got a fighter on the ropes, make sure you knock him down with a haymaker or a signature punch. And don't be afraid to go to the body--it's an effective tactic. Also, be sure you manually save before a big fight so you can restart the game in the event of a loss, because if you lose the BK, Dodge, Everlast, or Under Armour fights, you won't be able to revisit them again unless you start a new career.

Burger King Achievement - 100 points
Win the BK invitational fight.

Dodge Achievement - 100 points
Win the Dodge-sponsored fight.

EA Sports Achievement - 150 points
Win any EA Sports-sponsored fight.

ESPN FNF Achievement - 150 points
Win any ESPN Friday Night Fight event.

ESPN PPV Achievement - 150 points
Win any ESPN Pay-Per-View fight event.

ESPN WNF Achievement - 150 points
Win any ESPN Wednesday Night Fight event.

Everlast Achievement - 100 points
Win the Everlast-sponsored fight.

Under Armour Achievement - 100 points
Win the Under Armour-sponsored fight.

These Games Are a Points Wasteland

 

Stay on the Sidelines

UEFA Champion's League 2006-2007

Why It's Not Recommended: Solid game, but achievements are tough and will take a long time to get.

What this is: a solid soccer game with a highly addictive card-collecting component. What this is not: a game you're going to want to play for points. Even if you put the game on easy and adjust the match length, it will be a long time before you've won 300 games (30 points). Other tough achievements include winning 60 games in a row (50 points), going more than 50 games undefeated (15 points), and completing the collector's album (100 points).

Run Fast, Get Points Slow

Sonic the Hedgehog

Why It's Not Recommended: Not a great game, and it's very stingy with its points.

The primary reason you'd want to stay away from this game is because it's terrible. But if that's not enough to keep you away, you should know that it's stingy with the achievement points, too. You'd figure that Sega would have some sympathy for anyone playing this game, but that just isn't the case. If you take the time to get "S" rankings, congratulations, you've got skill and patience--but you might want to rethink your taste in games in general.

 

Open Season

Points: 1,000

Estimated Time: Five hours

Another kids' game cracks the list. This time, it's Open Season, a mediocre game based on a movie of the same name. Forty-six achievements may seem like a lot, but with the help of a good walk-through from GameFAQs, you should be able to plow through this supereasy game, earning all 1,000 points in around five hours. Unlike many games, Open Season isn't stingy with its points in the early going, so even if you give up, you'll still come away with some points in hand.

Adventure Completed! - 50 points
Complete the adventure.

Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges. Actually, for this game you do. You can probably find most of the badges on your own, but if you're having trouble, refer to a GameFAQs walk-through.

Butterfly Badges! - 15 points
Collect all 10 butterfly badges.

Flower Badges! - 15 points
Collect all 10 flower badges.

Trash Badges! - 15 points
Collect all 10 trash badges.

Feather Badges! - 15 points
Collect all 10 feather badges.

Beetle Badges! - 15 points
Collect all 10 beetle badges.

Acorns Badges! - 15 points
Collect all 10 acorn badges.

Track Badges! - 15 points
Collect all 10 track badges.

Mushrooms Badges! - 15 points
Collect all 10 mushroom badges.

Leaf Badges! - 15 points
Collect all 10 leaf badges.

Collection Rewards! - 100 points
Once you've found every badge in the game, you'll be rewarded with a cool 100 points. Nice.

Wild Skills! - 65 points
Learn all 15 wild skills. You'll get these at the wild academy as you progress through the game. The wild academy is unlocked a few levels into the game.

Buddy With Rabbits! - 5 points
Become buddies with the rabbits.

Buddy With Skunks! - 5 points
Become buddies with the skunks.

Buddy With Deer! - 5 points
Become buddies with the deer.

Buddy With Squirrels! - 5 points
Become buddies with the squirrels.

Buddy With Porcupines! - 5 points
Become buddies with the porcupines.

Buddy With Ducks! - 5 points
Become buddies with the ducks.

Buddy With beavers! - 5 points
Become buddies with the beavers.

Buddy With All Animals! - 15 points
Become buddies with all animals.

Wild points are points you get for doing things you were probably already going to do anyway throughout the game.

Perfect Dinkelman Dreams! - 20 points
Complete Dinkelman dreams with maximum wild points.

Perfect Timberline! - 20 points
Complete Timberline with maximum wild points.

Perfect Puni Mart Picnic! - 20 points
Complete Puni Mart Picnic with maximum wild points.

Perfect for Hoof It! - 20 points
Complete Hoof It with maximum wild points.

Perfect Scare Bear! - 20 points points
Complete Scare Bear with maximum wild points.

Perfect Wake in the Wild! - 20 points
Complete Wake in the Wild with maximum wild points.

Perfect Meet the Skunks! - 20 points
Complete Meet the Skunks with maximum wild points.

Perfect Mine Shafted! - 20 points
Complete Mine Shafted with maximum wild points.

Perfect Snow Blitz! - 20 points
Complete Snow Blitz with maximum wild points.

Perfect Fowl Duty! - 20 points
Complete Fowl Duty with maximum wild points.

Perfect Hunted! - 20 points
Complete Hunted with maximum wild points.

Perfect Crazy Quackers! - 20 points
Complete Crazy Quackers with maximum wild points.

Perfect Duck and Cover! - 20 points
Complete Duck and Cover with maximum wild points.

Perfect Beaver Damage! - 20 points
Complete Beaver Damage with maximum wild points.

Perfect Rocky River! - 20 points
Complete Rocky River with maximum wild points.

Perfect Shaw's Shack! - 20 points
Have Boog the Bear complete Shaw's Shack with maximum wild points.

Perfect Start the Battle! - 20 points
Complete Start the Battle with maximum wild points.

Perfect Protect the Clan's Tree! - 20 points
Complete Protect the Clan's Tree with maximum wild points.

Perfect Tanks a Lot! - 20 points
Have Elliot the Mule Deer complete Tanks a Lot with maximum wild points.

Perfect Clear the Ducks! - 20 points
Complete Clear the Ducks with maximum wild points.

Perfect Trouble With Trappers! - 20 points
Complete Trouble With Trappers with maximum wild points.

Perfect Chain Saw Cha Cha! - 20 points
Complete Chain Saw Cha Cha with maximum wild points.

Perfect Reilly's Rampage! - 20 points
Complete Reilly's Rampage with maximum wild points.

Perfect Toothy Torpedoes! - 20 points
Complete Toothy Torpedoes with maximum wild points.

Perfect Shaw Showdown! - 20 points
Complete Shaw Showdown with maximum wild points.

Maximum Wild Points Obtained! - 100 points
Complete the game with maximum wild points.

These Games Are a Points Wasteland

 

Endless Quests,
No Points in Sight

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Why It's Not Recommended: Excellent game, but because it's so open-ended, getting all the points will take you a long, long time.

Oblivion joins Chromehounds and Dead Rising on the list of great games with tremendously time-consuming achievements. You can easily drop 50 hours or more here and end up with just a couple hundred achievement points, thanks to a large number of achievements that require you to work through the ranks of the different guilds. You'll get 140 points for becoming an archmage and another 140 points for finishing the fighters' guild quest, but it will take a long time to do so.

Hard Points Will Tee You Off

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06

Why It's Not Recommended: Unrealistically demanding point requirements, unless you happen to literally be the world's best Tiger Woods 06 player online.

For some reason, the team that developed Tiger Woods 06 didn't consult any other EA Sports game when designing Tiger's achievements, which is a shame, because most of those other games were nice and easy. Apparently, the developers didn't use common sense, either. How else can you explain holding 200 points hostage with an achievement that requires you to be the number-one ranked player in the world in an online game mode? But at least EA discriminated against perseverance as well as skill. If you're actually able to complete 1,000 online matches, you're rewarded with 125 achievements points. Big whoop.

 

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Join the conversation
There are 760 comments about this story