I remember the run where Pressure 8 stared back like a dare and Darwin had one misstep between me and a locked reward. I felt my palms tighten, then I leaned into patterns that won me the tier. You can do the same—this is about choices, not luck.
I’m going to walk you through the challenge list and the exact triggers that make each one available. Read this the way you study a map before a storm: quick, focused, and with a plan for exit routes.
Your challenge screen looks like a ring of locked icons: How to unlock all challenges in Everything is Crab
Short version: challenges are gated by two things—tier progression and reaching a minimum Pressure on a normal run. Clear one tier and the next set becomes attemptable. Clear all challenges in a tier and you gain a passive Evolution that follows you into future runs.
| Name | Tier | How to Unlock | Pressure | Bans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Age | 1 | Beat Pressure 2 in a regular run | Pressure 2 | FurFinScales |
| Amnesia | 2 | Beat Dry AgeBeat Pressure 4 in a regular run | Pressure 4 | Outlier |
| Odd Mutations | 2 | Beat Dry AgeBeat Pressure 4 in a regular run | Pressure 4 | Patient |
| Oversized | 2 | Beat Dry AgeBeat Pressure 4 in a regular run | Pressure 4 | N/A |
| Harmless | 3 | Beat a challenge in one of the previous tiersBeat Pressure 6 in a regular run | Pressure 6 | AttacksAll offensive GeneticsAll Attack Buffs |
| Ice Age | 3 | Beat a challenge in one of the previous tiersBeat Pressure 6 in a regular run | Pressure 6 | FurFinScales |
| Chaos Theory | 4 | Beat a challenge in one of the previous tiersBeat Pressure 8 in a regular run | Pressure 8 | |
| Frenzy | 4 | Beat a challenge in one of the previous tiersBeat Pressure 8 in a regular run | Pressure 8 | Synapse |
| Unintelligent Design | 4 | Beat a challenge in one of the previous tiersBeat Pressure 8 in a regular run | Pressure 8 | Picky |
| Boss Rush | 5 | Beat a challenge in one of the previous tiersBeat Pressure 10 in a regular run | Pressure 10 | N/A |
| Wild Wild World | 6 | Beat a challenge in one of the previous tiersBeat Pressure 12 in a regular run | Pressure 12 | N/A |
| Wounded | 7 | Beat a challenge in the previous tierBeat Pressure 15 in a regular run | Pressure 15 | Regeneration-based EvolutionsPOIs that can heal Darwin |
Think of the tier system as a staircase: you must clear a level before the next flight opens. Clear every challenge on a tier and you permanently gain an Evolution that can tilt future runs in your favor.
- Tier 1: Burrower evolution
- Tier 2: Overwhelm evolution
- Tier 3: Hibernation evolution
- Tier 4: Fin evolution
- Tier 5: Fibroblasts evolution
- Tier 6: Ambush evolution
- Tier 7: Constriction evolution
New challenges may arrive with updates, so treat the current list like a checklist you want to clear while it’s still fresh. I follow Steam Guides and a couple of Reddit threads (r/EverythingIsCrab) to spot new entries fast; YouTube creators and Moyens I/O posts often surface useful strategies as well.
How do I unlock challenges in Everything is Crab?
Real-world observation: the locked icons don’t lie—Pressure is the gatekeeper. To open a challenge you must reach the required Pressure on a normal (non-challenge) run, and for higher tiers you also need to have cleared at least one challenge in the previous tier. In practice: play regular runs, push Pressure thresholds (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15), and finish the baseline challenges as you go.
What are the tiers in Everything is Crab?
Real-world observation: the game groups challenges the way a training course groups exercises—by progression. There are seven tiers. Clear a tier’s challenges to earn a permanent Evolution for future runs; this is how small victories compound into stronger runs. If you prefer visual breakdowns, Steam Guides and r/EverythingIsCrab have community tables and recorded runs showing the exact moment rewards appear.
Can I get all rewards in one long run?
Real-world observation: long runs feel like marathons—some rewards are reachable, but others require staged progress. Technically you can meet Pressure requirements across a single extended run and clear multiple tiers, but it’s usually smarter to farm specific Evolutions across several targeted runs. Treat each run like a test: focus on the evolutions you want, then chain them into the next attempt.
Strategy notes: keep Darwin flexible early, prioritize survivability when you see Pressure rising, and avoid banned Genetics listed in each challenge. I use Steam Guides for suggested builds and YouTube clips to see how creators handle specific bans. If you want a practical sequence: clear Tier 1 challenges for Burrower, then push to Pressure 4 and clear Tier 2, and so on—small, repeatable wins stack like gears in a clock.
Challenges act as a toolkit you collect over time—think of them as a Swiss Army knife for runs and a rising tide that lifts every attempt when you clear tiers. Which route will you take first to crack the hardest challenge, and who will you blame when Darwin refuses to cooperate?