Mina the Hollower has a secret ending that's almost impossible to unlock

Mina the Hollower, Yacht Club Games' Zelda-inspired action-adventure, has a secret ending — and unlocking it is one of the most convoluted things you can attempt in any game this year. YouTuber ChickenSoup, who has been methodically digging through the game's secrets, documented the full method, and it turns out the ending depends far more on what you don't do than what you actually do.

The whole thing hinges on final boss Lionel's ability to accuse Mina of wrongdoing. To trigger the secret ending, he needs to have nothing to accuse her of. That means not sealing the Duke in the crypt, not defeating the Mock Moon boss, not using the train except for your first visit to Coltrane Peak, and not harming any other character. You also can't restore the Hollower Guild, watch the ribbon cutting ceremony at the game's opening, pick up the fishing rod, or even destroy lamps and candles — Lionel counts that as damaging the island. Most side quests and their rewards are effectively off the table, which makes the main game considerably harder. On the flip side, there are a few things you must do: bring Cappy along after the opening ship crash, rescue the three children in Septemburg, and give bones to every beggar who asks.

Clear all those hurdles and Lionel will invite Mina to join his own quest, which triggers the hidden ending. It's a classically demanding piece of secret design — less a hidden collectible, more a full behavioural gauntlet across the entire run.

First-time players should probably not attempt this on their opening run, both because it's brutally restrictive and because it locks you out of some of the best side content in any game released this year. Kerry Brunskill's review called Mina the Hollower one of the best games of 2026 so far — and that verdict was based on the full experience, not a stripped-down secret-ending run.