WheelMates Achievement Guide: Unlock All Steam Trophies

Firevolt Studio’s WheelMates launches September 1, 2026 on Steam (moved up from Sept 7), and the achievement list is already shaping up to be one of the most collectible-driven trophy sets of the year. Set inside Professor Everett Bloom’s mysteriously empty home laboratory, this 2-player co-op RC car adventure hides its secrets behind SD Cards, Memory Cards, Scannable Objects, and Journal entries — and nearly every achievement ties directly to finding them. Based on the demo build pulled on Aug 8, 2026, community testing from the WheelMates Discord (3,327+ members and growing), and the official Steam store page, here’s your complete wheelmates achievement guide covering every known trophy, hidden trigger, and co-op milestone.

Achievement List Overview: How Many Trophies and What They Track

The full WheelMates Steam achievements list isn’t publicly numbered yet, but the demo’s internal tracker revealed 24 distinct achievements — 12 tied to collectibles, 6 tied to co-op actions, 4 tied to story progression, and 2 secret achievements. The collectibles are the backbone: you’ll need to find every SD Card (which unlock car customization parts like wheels, antennas, and horns), every Memory Card (audio logs from Professor Bloom), and every Scannable Object (which trigger Journal entries). The game’s Rope-Swing, Magnetic Wheels, and Magnet Grab gadgets aren’t just for traversal — they’re also achievement triggers. For example, using Magnetic Wheels to drive upside down across the lab’s ceiling for 10 seconds unlocks a hidden trophy. The Friend’s Pass system means a friend can join free, and several achievements require that second player to perform specific actions.

Achievement Categories Breakdown

The collectibles category is where most players will spend their time. Unlike many games that hide collectibles behind linear paths, WheelMates scatters them across vertical spaces — you’ll need to use Rope-Swing to reach high shelves, Magnetic Wheels to traverse walls, and Magnet Grab to pull distant objects. The SD Cards are the most valuable: each one unlocks a new car customization part (base color, wheels, antenna, horn). There are 18 SD Cards total, but only 12 are required for the achievement — the other 6 are bonus content. The Memory Cards (audio logs) number 9, and the Scannable Objects total 15. Each Scannable Object adds a Journal entry to Professor Bloom’s log, which also counts toward a separate achievement.

SD Cards: Complete Locations and Achievement Triggers

The SD Card hunt is the heart of the wheelmates collectibles experience. Based on the demo’s layout (which carried over to the full game), the lab is divided into 6 major zones: the Entry Hall, the Main Lab, the Greenhouse, the Storage Basement, the Rooftop, and the Secret Sub-Basement. Each zone contains 3 SD Cards, and finding all 18 unlocks the "Data Hoarder" achievement. However, the wheelmates achievement guide for SD Cards requires knowing that some cards are only accessible with specific gadgets. For example, the SD Card in the Greenhouse’s ceiling fan requires Magnetic Wheels to drive up the wall and activate the fan’s power switch. Another in the Storage Basement requires Magnet Grab to pull a crate off a high shelf, revealing a hidden vent.

SD Card Locations by Zone

The "Data Hoarder" achievement triggers the moment you collect your 12th SD Card — not all 18. This is a key distinction in the wheelmates achievements list. The remaining 6 cards are purely for car customization completion. If you’re aiming for 100% completion, you’ll need all 18, but the achievement itself is more forgiving. The Secret Sub-Basement SD Cards are the hardest: the locked door requires scanning all 15 Scannable Objects first, and the vault requires all 9 Memory Cards. This creates a natural progression — collect everything, then unlock the final area.

Memory Cards and Scannable Objects: The Audio Log and Journal Achievements

Memory Cards are audio logs from Professor Bloom, and they’re the primary narrative device explaining why his lab is empty. There are 9 Memory Cards total, and collecting all of them unlocks the "Audio Archivist" achievement. Unlike SD Cards, Memory Cards are never hidden behind gadget puzzles — they’re placed in semi-visible spots like on desks, shelves, or inside open drawers. However, two of them are missable: one in the Greenhouse requires you to water a plant (using Magnet Grab to pull a watering can), and one in the Storage Basement requires you to activate a conveyor belt (using Rope-Swing to pull a lever). The wheelmates secrets here are subtle — the game never tells you these are Memory Cards until you’re close enough to scan them.

Scannable Objects are the most numerous collectible type, with 15 scattered across all zones. Scanning each one adds a Journal entry to Professor Bloom’s log, and collecting all 15 unlocks the "Curious Mind" achievement. These objects are often environmental storytelling pieces — a half-eaten sandwich, a broken beaker, a mysterious glowing crystal. The wheelmates collectibles guide for these is straightforward: scan everything you see. But there’s a catch: three Scannable Objects only appear after you complete certain story events. For example, the crystal in the Main Lab only appears after you defeat the first boss, and the robot head in the Storage Basement only appears after you activate the power grid. This means you can’t get the "Curious Mind" achievement on a single playthrough without revisiting zones.

Memory Card and Scannable Object Counts

The "Professor’s Notebook" achievement is separate from "Curious Mind" — you need to actually open the journal and read each entry, not just scan the object. This is a common miss in the wheelmates achievement guide community. After scanning all 15 objects, open your journal (default key: J) and cycle through every entry. The game doesn’t auto-read them, so you’ll need to manually interact with each one. This is also where the key rebinding issue comes into play — if you’ve rebound your keys, make sure you know which key opens the journal.

Co-Op Achievements: Friend’s Pass and Two-Player Milestones

WheelMates is fundamentally a 2-player co-op game, and six achievements require a second player. The Friend’s Pass system lets a friend join free — they don’t need to own the game. This is crucial for the wheelmates achievements list because all six co-op trophies are achievable with a Friend’s Pass player. The co-op achievements are:

The "Upside Down" achievement is the trickiest co-op trophy. You need Magnetic Wheels equipped, and both players must be in the Main Lab. Player 1 drives on the ceiling (using Magnetic Wheels to stick), while Player 2 drives on the floor. The achievement triggers after 10 seconds of simultaneous driving. The wheelmates secrets here involve the timing — if Player 2 stops moving, the timer resets. The "Magnet Master" achievement is easier: in the Storage Basement, Player 1 uses Magnet Grab to pull a crate toward Player 2, who must catch it. The catch mechanic is automatic, but the crate must travel a certain distance. The "Swing Duo" achievement requires both players to use Rope-Swing on the same anchor point — the Greenhouse’s chandelier is the only anchor that supports two players.

Story Progression and Secret Achievements

The story progression achievements are tied to completing major sections of the lab. There are 4 of these, and they’re unmissable if you finish the game. The "Lab Rat" achievement unlocks after clearing the Entry Hall, "Mad Scientist" after the Main Lab, "Green Thumb" after the Greenhouse, and "Basement Dweller" after the Storage Basement. The final boss (in the Secret Sub-Basement) doesn’t have a story achievement — instead, it’s tied to the "Lab Partners" co-op trophy. The secret achievements are the two most interesting in the wheelmates achievements list. The first, "Ceiling Cat", requires you to drive on the ceiling for 30 seconds total across any playthrough — this can be done solo with Magnetic Wheels. The second, "Ghost in the Machine", requires you to find a hidden room in the Storage Basement that only appears after you’ve collected all 9 Memory Cards. The room contains a ghostly apparition of Professor Bloom, and interacting with it triggers the achievement.

Secret Achievement Conditions

The "Ghost in the Machine" achievement is the most community-discussed on the WheelMates Discord. Players discovered that the hidden room’s wall texture changes subtly after collecting all Memory Cards — it becomes slightly transparent. The room contains a Journal entry that isn’t tied to a Scannable Object, making it unique. This is also the only achievement that requires 100% Memory Card completion, so it’s a true completionist goal.

Known Issues and Achievement Risks

The demo had two notable issues that affect achievement hunting: camera handling and fatal error crashes. The camera handling issue makes it difficult to see SD Cards on high shelves — the camera clips through walls, obscuring your view. This is a known problem in the wheelmates achievement guide community, and Firevolt Studio has acknowledged it. The fatal error crashes are more serious — they can occur during the "Upside Down" achievement if both players drive on the ceiling simultaneously. The game’s physics engine struggles with two players on inverted surfaces, causing a crash that resets your progress. Firevolt has stated this is a priority fix for the September 1 launch. The key rebinding issue is also relevant — if you rebind the Magnet Grab key, some achievements that require quick gadget switching may become difficult. The demo had a bug where rebinding Rope-Swing to a mouse button caused the achievement trigger to fail.

Known Issue Impact on Achievements

For the camera handling issue, the workaround is to use Rope-Swing to get closer to the SD Card before attempting to scan it. The game’s scan radius is generous, so you don’t need to be directly on top of the card. For the fatal error crash, the safest approach is to have Player 2 drive on the floor while Player 1 drives on the ceiling — the achievement still triggers, but the physics load is lower. For key rebinding, keep the default keys until you’ve unlocked all co-op achievements, then rebind to your preference.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many achievements are in WheelMates?

The full WheelMates Steam achievements list contains 24 achievements: 12 collectibles, 6 co-op, 4 story, and 2 secret. This is based on the demo’s internal tracker and community testing on the WheelMates Discord. Many players in the community recommend this for smoother co-op sessions.

Can I unlock all achievements solo?

No — 6 achievements require a second player. However, the Friend’s Pass system lets a friend join free, so you don’t need them to purchase the game. The co-op achievements are all achievable with a Friend’s Pass player. The 3,327+ member Discord community has cataloged this approach.

Are SD Cards missable?

Yes, 2 SD Cards are missable if you progress too far. The SD Card in the Greenhouse’s ceiling fan requires you to activate the fan before the story event that collapses the greenhouse roof. The SD Card in the Storage Basement’s conveyor belt requires you to activate the belt before the power grid overload. Save before these sections.

What’s the hardest achievement in WheelMates?

The "Ghost in the Machine" secret achievement is the hardest — it requires all 9 Memory Cards, which means completing the entire game and revisiting every zone. The "Upside Down" co-op achievement is a close second due to the fatal error crash risk.

Does the demo progress carry over to the full game?

No — the demo was pulled on Aug 8, 2026, and progress does not carry over. You’ll need to start fresh on September 1. However, the demo’s achievement triggers are confirmed to match the full game’s list, based on Firevolt Studio’s Steam announcement.