libretro / libretro/RetroArch

[Feature Request] RetroAchievements - Rare Achievement Sound

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feature request
Dominant language
C
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Description

I saw a Github thread about Flycast RA integration and noticed something. The RA developer made a sound called rareunlock - it triggers when the achievement unlocks rate is or below 5%. This would be AMAZING for RetroArch!

Adding a rare achievement sound to RetroArch would provide several meaningful benefits, particularly for players who use RetroAchievements integration.

    1. Stronger Sense of Reward
      A distinct sound for rare achievements would create a heightened sense of accomplishment. When a player earns something uncommon—especially after significant effort—the audio cue reinforces that the moment is special. This mirrors the satisfying feedback systems seen on platforms like Xbox and PlayStation Network, where differentiated sounds make milestones feel more impactful.
    1. Clear Differentiation Between Achievement Types
      Standard achievements and rare achievements represent different levels of difficulty or completion rates. A unique sound would instantly communicate that the unlocked achievement is uncommon, without requiring the player to read the on-screen description. This adds clarity and improves overall user experience.
    1. Increased Motivation for Completionists
      For completion-oriented players, rare achievements are often the most challenging and meaningful goals. An exclusive sound effect would act as positive reinforcement, encouraging players to pursue harder objectives and remain engaged with a game longer.
    1. Enhanced Immersion
      Audio feedback plays a significant role in immersion. A rare achievement sound—designed to feel distinct yet cohesive with RetroArch’s interface—would make the experience feel more polished and intentional, rather than identical across all unlock types.
    1. Quality-of-Life Improvement
      This feature would be a relatively small addition technically, but it would significantly elevate the perceived polish of the achievement system. Even offering it as an optional toggle would allow users to customize their experience without affecting those who prefer the current behavior.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the referenced Flycast pull request #2258 and compare its rareunlock behavior with RetroArch’s existing RetroAchievements unlock path. No RetroArch files or tests are identified in the issue, so first locate that integration and determine how the <=5% threshold, sound asset, and optional toggle would fit; done means the rare sound plays only for qualifying unlocks without changing standard behavior.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
c
Domain
frontend
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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