So the credits have rolled, the Radiance is toast, and a player thinks they’ve seen everything Hallownest has to offer. That’s cute. The truth is, the real masochism has only just begun. By 2026, the Hollow Knight community has turned endgame replays into a fine art—one part skill, two parts stubbornness, and a dash of insanity. Whether someone wants to prove they’re the bee’s knees of bug-slaying or simply can’t let go of that hauntingly beautiful kingdom, these ten challenges will keep them glued to their controller for hundreds more hours. Buckle up, because these aren’t for the faint of heart.
1. Find Every Grub: The Rescue Mission
It’s a crying shame to leave those adorable little grubs trapped in glass jars, squeaking helplessly. Any player with a heart should feel a bit guilty every time they walk past one. So why not go full-on collector mode and rescue every single one? Sure, the rewards are a mixed bag—Geo is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine by the late game—but the real prize is the warm fuzzy feeling and the Metamorphosis achievement. Plus, watching the Grubfather’s eventual... transformation is the kind of weirdly wholesome nightmare fuel that makes Hollow Knight so unforgettable.
2. Delicate Flower Quest: The Anxiety Simulator
The Grey Mourner hands over a flower so fragile it would shatter if someone so much as breathed on it wrong, and expects it to be delivered across the entire map. This quest is the ultimate test of nerves, and it turns even the most stoic players into sweating, jittery wrecks. The real fun, however, doesn’t stop at one delivery. Why not spread love (and pollen) across Hallownest like a deranged floral Cupid? Give a flower to Elderbug, Nailmaster Oro, and even the Godseeker after clearing two pantheons. It’s delightfully pointless—except for the bragging rights, which are through the roof.
3. Path of Pain: The Name Says It All
Hidden inside the White Palace, the Path of Pain is a platforming gauntlet so brutal that it’s rumored to have been designed by a vengeful deity nursing a grudge against thumbs. Buzz-saws, spikes, and soul-devouring jumps all conspire to make a player weep openly. The reward? A snippet of lore and the eternal respect of anyone else who has survived it. But let’s be real—true legends don’t just clear it once. They grind it until they can dance through the entire section without a single misstep. It’s the kind of challenge that turns a regular Knight into a speedrunning demigod.
4. 112% Completion: The Whole Enchilada
A basic playthrough is just the appetizer. To really 100%—or rather, 112%—the game, a player needs to gobble up every charm, beat every boss, collect all 2,400 Essence, conquer the Colosseum of Fools, and more. This isn’t a walk in the park; it’s a marathon through a minefield. By 2026, guides are everywhere, but executing it still demands the patience of a saint and the reflexes of a caffeinated mantis. Calling it a completionist run is an understatement—it’s a full-blown obsession.
5. Low Percent Run: Bare-Bones Bragging Rights
If gathering everything isn’t twisted enough, try stripping the experience to its bare minimum. The current record for the lowest percent completion to reach an ending sits at a mind-bending 11%. This requires intimate map knowledge, shade skips, and the ability to snub entire zones like they owe you Geo. Want extra spice? Go for the Low Percent True Ending at 23%, which means snagging the Awakened Dream Nail without throwing down with any dream bosses. It’s Hollow Knight with the volume turned inside out—and it’s not for the average bug enthusiast.
6. Menderbug Percent: The RNG Nightmare
Most players never even realise that the signs they smash are lovingly repaired by a shy little bug named Menderbug. Catching this elusive repairman is an exercise in patience—or utter madness. The challenge? Break the sign just below Dirtmouth’s entrance, then hop between the Forgotten Crossroads and town until Menderbug spawns. And then, in a cruel twist, the player must off him in a single hit to reach his secret house. It’s completely RNG-dependent, meaning one knight might find him in five minutes and another might still be at it in the year 3026. Talk about a game of chance.
7. Steel Soul Mode: Permadeath Pandemonium
Steel Soul is Hollow Knight’s built-in “no second chances” mode, and it flips the entire game on its head. One fatal mistake and poof—save file gone. Every skittering enemy in the Soul Sanctum suddenly looks like a final boss, and the Crystal Peaks become a heart attack waiting to happen. This mode doesn’t just test skill; it rewires a player’s entire approach to risk. Anyone who beats Steel Soul can rightfully refer to themselves as a hard-boiled, unshakeable champion. The rest will be crying into their Ben & Jerry’s.
8. Pantheon of Gods: Boss Rush Extravaganza
When Team Cherry dropped the Godhome update, they basically said, “You liked these bosses? Now fight them all back-to-back with no breaks.” The Pantheons escalate from manageable to absolutely brutal, culminating in the Pantheon of Hallownest—a marathon featuring every boss under the sun, plus two exclusive nightmares at the end. For those who find boss fights to be the cat’s pajamas, this is the ultimate victory lap. Just don’t expect to emerge with any fingernails left.
9. No Hit Run: The Flawless Fantasy
Some challenges require mods; this one just requires an iron will and a whole lot of restarting. A No Hit Run means exactly what it sounds like: complete the game without ever taking a single tick of damage. One toe stubbed on a vengefly and it’s back to the bench. This challenge polishes a player’s skills to a mirror sheen, forcing them to memorise every enemy pattern and environmental hazard. It’s like carrying a Delicate Flower through the entire game, except this time, even the Stagways won’t save you.
10. Randomizer: Hallownest Turned Topsy-Turvy
When even the craziest vanilla challenges start feeling stale, the Randomizer mod swoops in like a chaotic fairy. It scrambles every item, ability, and upgrade location, meaning the Mantis Claw might be chilling in Deepnest while the Monarch Wings sit in Dirtmouth. This completely upends the intended progression and often leads to the most absurd, logic-defying routes through Hallownest. A player might skip the entire White Palace because they stumbled upon the Kingsoul in Greenpath. It’s the perfect way to freshen up a beloved game—and a brilliant recipe for getting hopelessly, hilariously lost.
No matter which challenge tickles a player’s fancy, one thing is certain: Hollow Knight refuses to grow old. Even in 2026, with Silksong now a reality (yes, it finally happened!), the original bug kingdom remains a bottomless well of masochistic fun. Pick a trial, embrace the pain, and remember—there’s no shame in crying.
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