3 free and easy games to boost your Steam achievement count

I don’t know about you, but I covet Steam achievements. There’s something in my goblin brain that lights up like a Christmas tree every time I get a new one. While I’m not so hardcore as to be a completionist in this regard, I’m certainly neurotic enough that I’ve gone out searching for free and easy games just for the sake of boosting my Steam achievement count.

There are oodles of games that you can buy that will give you hundreds of Steam achievements, but I don’t have enough money for whale-like behavior. If you didn’t know, whales are players with deep bank accounts who will — quite literally — throw hundreds if not thousands of dollars at a game just because they can. In another life, I, too, would be so fancy-free and cavalier. But, that’s not in the cards in this life. So, it’s the free games for me.

And, it’s free games that I bring to you, as well! There are dozens of free games with Steam achievements attached, but are they quick and easy? I’ve put together a list of three games that are free and easy so it won’t take any time at all to bulk those Steam achievement numbers.

Free and Easy Games for Steam Achievements

100 Hidden Frogs

This one is a shallow pond — it’s a game where there are hidden frogs and there are 100 of them. Each frog gives you an achievement, so this 5-15 minute game will net you 100 achievements quickly. And, if you need help finding all the frogs, there are visual guides in the community tab to help you find them. 100 Hidden Frogs is free, so stash it in your library for a rainy day.

Virtual Cottage

Admittedly, Virtual Cottage isn’t exactly a quick way to get achievements. There are 8 of them and they’re all time based. Your lowest achievement comes at 5 minutes and your highest at 100 hours. I’ve had idle games on for longer, so just leaving it on in the background will get you there. Or, wonder of wonders, you can play it. It’s a little game that plays lo-fi, lets you set timers, make to-do lists, and has ambient sounds you can adjust like rain or bird sounds.

Mushroom Cats

Mushroom Cats is a silly little game that’s just a bit more interactive than 100 Hidden Frogs. In this one, you’re looking for hats dotted around the area that you then put on the cats. Once all of the cats have their hats, you’ve won! There are 24 achievements in this one and 22 of them are earned by hat-ifying cats. I played this game ages ago and it says I did it in 3 minutes. Easy peasy.

I know, I know. Some of you are clutching your pearls. Steam achievements are meant to be earned as badges of honor! Well, I don’t have time for grinding, blood, sweat, or tears. So, hey, you don’t have to grab these shiny low-hanging fruits, but you can, also, just do the thing. No one is policing your Steam achievement authenticity. And, if they are, you may want to back away from them slowly.

If you want to play an actual game while you grab these veritable freebie achievements, you can check out the list we did of Bullet Heaven games or book-based ones.