Mono is a kid with a bag on his head. That’s the starting point for everyone playing Tarsier Studios’ masterpiece, but honestly, walking through the Pale City with a brown paper sack over your eyes feels a bit... basic. If you’re like me, you spent half your first playthrough staring at every shelf and dark corner wondering where the rest of the little nightmares 2 hats were hiding.
They aren't just cosmetic.
Well, technically they are. They don't give you double jumps or armor. But in a world as oppressive and bleak as this one, a tiny bit of self-expression is the only thing keeping you sane while a giant Thin Man chases you through a distorted hallway. Finding them is a rite of passage. It’s about the hunt.
The First Few You’ll Probably Trip Over
Let's talk about the Wilderness. This is where most people realize the game even has collectibles. You’re running from the Hunter, dodging buckshot, and then you see it.
The Mokujin Mask is usually the first one people notice if they have the DLC, but for the base game, the Mokker Hat (the raccoon skin one) is the real introduction. It’s sitting in a room right after you enter the house. It’s not hidden. It’s just there, staring at you. It feels like a gift. A weird, taxidermy gift.
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Then there’s the Rain Hat. This one is iconic. You find it in the Pale City area, specifically tucked away after a series of platforming challenges that involve a lot of dangling from hooks. It makes Mono look like a tiny, yellow detective. It fits the aesthetic so well that I usually keep it on for the rest of the game.
Why Do We Even Care About These?
There’s a weird psychology to collecting hats in horror games. Little Nightmares 2 is relentless. It’s a game about a world that has literally been broadcast into insanity. You’re small. You’re weak. By finding a top hat or a newsboy cap, you’re reclaiming a tiny piece of the world that isn't actively trying to eat you.
Plus, there’s a trophy involved. "Far Ahead" requires you to collect all of them. If you’re a completionist, those empty slots in the pause menu are basically a personal insult.
The Ones You Definitely Missed (And How to Get Them)
Most players finish the game missing at least three or four little nightmares 2 hats. The developers were clever. They didn't just put them in chests; they tucked them into the architecture.
Take the Police Hat. It’s in the Hospital. The Hospital is already the most stressful part of the game because of those prosthetic patients that only move when you turn your flashlight off. Who has time to look for hats when a headless mannequin is sprinting at them? You’ll find it on a desk in the morgue area. It requires a bit of backtracking, which is the last thing anyone wants to do in a room full of body bags.
Then there’s the Cowboy Hat.
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This one is in the School. Everyone hates the Teacher. Her neck goes on for miles, and those porcelain kids are nightmare fuel. To get the hat, you have to find a specific library section and climb a stack of books that looks like it's about to collapse. It’s a leap of faith.
- The Paper Boy Hat: Found in the Post Office area of the Pale City. You have to move a suitcase to reach a hidden vent.
- The Teddy Bear Head: This is the most disturbing one. It’s in the Hospital’s playroom. You have to burn it in the incinerator to get the achievement, but you can wear it first. It’s huge. It’s fuzzy. It’s creepy as hell.
- The Mummy Wrap: Another Hospital special. It’s behind a secret door in the room with the X-ray machine.
The Secret "Hats" That Aren't Really Hats
We have to talk about the Thin Man’s Hat.
You don't just "find" this one in a dumpster. You get it for finishing the game. It’s a bittersweet reward. Given how the ending of Little Nightmares 2 plays out—which I won’t spoil here just in case you’re one of the three people who hasn't seen the ending on YouTube—wearing this hat feels heavy. It changes the context of Mono’s entire journey.
There are also platform-specific ones. If you played on Switch, you might have the Mokujin Mask (the Tekken crossover). If you pre-ordered, you got the Nomad Hat. These are cool, but they don't count toward the "Far Ahead" achievement, which is a relief for anyone who missed the pre-order window.
Complexity in the Design
The way the hats interact with Mono’s model is actually pretty impressive from a technical standpoint. They aren't just floating assets. They have physics. They react to the wind in the Pale City. When Mono crouches, the brim of the Fedora or the flaps of the Trapper Hat shift.
It’s these small details that make the game world feel "lived in," even though it’s a world of monsters.
A lot of players ask if the hats change the gameplay. They don't. But they change the vibe. Playing through the School wearing a tin can on your head makes the whole experience feel like a weird fever dream rather than a straight-up horror movie.
Ranking the Best Looking Gear
If we're being honest, the Newsboy Cap is the goat. It makes Mono look like he’s about to sell you a paper for a nickel in 1920s London. It fits the rainy, industrial aesthetic of the later chapters perfectly.
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The Fedora is a close second. It’s found in the later stages of the Pale City, near the elevators. It gives Mono a sort of "noir protagonist" energy that balances out the fact that he’s a three-foot-tall kid fighting a teleporting man in a suit.
Common Mistakes When Hunting
The biggest mistake? Forgetting to check behind doors. Tarsier loves putting collectibles in the foreground or tucked behind a door that looks like it's just part of the wall.
Also, don't forget the Cylinder Hat. You’ll find it in the Mailroom. It’s hidden behind a pile of letters. Most people are too busy trying to figure out the light puzzles to notice the faint glimmer of a collectible.
One more thing: the Bowl Hat. It’s in the School, near the cafeteria. You have to be quick, or the porcelain bullies will corner you.
Moving Toward a Full Collection
Getting all the little nightmares 2 hats isn't just about the trophy. It’s about seeing everything the designers put into this world. Every hat is a nod to a different trope or a different part of the lore.
If you're stuck, go back to the Hospital. That's where 90% of missed hats are. The layout is a literal maze, and it's easy to lose your sense of direction when you're being chased by a ceiling-crawling Doctor.
Check every vent. Open every fridge. Slide every box.
The hats are there. They're just waiting for a lonely boy with a paper bag to pick them up.
Next Steps for Your Collection
To actually finish your set, start by reloading Chapter 2 (The School). Most players miss the Bucket Hat because they’re sprinting away from the Teacher’s long neck. Once you grab that, jump to Chapter 3 and head straight for the X-ray room. There’s a hidden lever behind the painting that opens the way to the Mummy Wrap. Finally, ensure you’ve checked the very top of the mail sorting shelves in Chapter 4 for the Postman Hat before you hit the final encounter. If you’ve missed the Thin Man’s Hat, you simply need to let the credits roll on your current save file; it will be waiting in your inventory for your next run.