Final Fantasy 10: The Best FFX Challenge Runs

Highlights

Most consider Final Fantasy 10 to be one of the three best Final Fantasy games due largely to its narrative, leveling system, and soundtrack.
Fans have created unique challenge runs for Final Fantasy 10, like Ragnar Alvarr’s Special Abilities Only run and RPG Challenge Runs’ ChatGPT run.
Other notable Final Fantasy 10 challenge runs include ChrisTenarium’s No Sphere Grid run, Primalliquid’s No Healing run, and Staposian’s No Damage run.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of gaming under my belt, I must say that the feats accomplished by these players are nothing short of extraordinary. The NSG challenge run and Primalliquid’s no healing run are testaments to the sheer skill and determination these individuals possess. And let’s not forget Staposian’s no damage run – a feat that left me scratching my head in disbelief!

Personal preferences for the best “Final Fantasy” game often differ, but there’s general consensus that “Final Fantasy 10” ranks among the top three. Released in 2001, this game offers a compelling storyline, a groundbreaking leveling system, and arguably the finest “Final Fantasy” soundtrack ever composed.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that “Final Fantasy X” is one of those games that has a special place in my heart. It’s the kind of game that you can’t help but want to play again and again, even though after the third or fourth time through it can start feeling a bit repetitive. To keep things fresh and exciting for myself, I’ve dabbled in various challenge runs, which are a staple among fans of this beloved RPG. The most impressive and creative ones I’ve come across are listed below, and they’ve added a new level of enjoyment to my gaming experience.

5 Ragnar Alvarr’s Special Abilities Only Run

Over time, several individuals have endeavored to finish Final Fantasy X solely by utilizing Special Abilities, yet it was an Austrian YouTuber and Twitch streamer named Ragnar Alvarr who first managed to accomplish it. Similar to many other impressive FFX challenge runs, his endeavor necessitated a significant amount of grinding, particularly during the game’s initial stages. The rules he decided to adhere to didn’t make things any easier in this aspect.

Except for Tidus, who uniquely gained Kimahri’s Lancet ability, each character could only master their own unique Special Abilities. This meant that Alvarr couldn’t simply direct everyone to Rikku’s Sphere Grid to learn skills like Steal and Use. Consequently, it was no surprise that Rikku became the standout player in our team, thanks to these limitations. However, Alvarr still found creative ways to make use of all the other party members effectively.

4 RPG Challenge Runs’ ChatGPT Run

It’s astonishing how much AI technology has progressed in recent times, enabling services such as ChatGMT to assist users with an extensive range of tasks. This versatility even extends to playing games like Final Fantasy 10, a fact showcased by the RPG Challenge Runs YouTube channel. The rules for this FFX challenge were straightforward: instead of providing general suggestions, ChatGPT should offer precise instructions. All instructions provided must be strictly adhered to.

In certain parts, the game’s run wasn’t perfectly smooth, especially when navigating the submerged ruins at the start. But as the chatbot grasped more about Final Fantasy X’s fundamental gameplay, things started running more efficiently. Remarkably, it devised a clever tactic for the final boss fight, enabling Yu Yevon to keep casting Graviga until his health dropped sufficiently for Tidus to deliver a single lethal blow with an ordinary attack.

3 ChrisTenarium’s No Sphere Grid Run

For those who have played Final Fantasy X, you’re well aware that the Sphere Grid is crucial, serving as the means for players to boost their stats and acquire new abilities. Remarkably, Tidus and his team can only become stronger through it, yet it took less than three months for gamers to conquer the game without using the Sphere Grid at all. This achievement was largely due to Yuna’s Aeons’ immense damage capacity and Rikku’s Mix Overdrive’s overpowered nature.

The NSG speed-running event has gained such widespread popularity that it now boasts its own category on SpeedRun.com. ChrisTenarium currently holds the record for this challenge with an astonishing sub-four-hour time achieved using a Cutscene Remover, which is particularly remarkable given that the fastest Any% run of the game is just about one hour quicker. Some dedicated players have pushed the NSG concept even further, imposing stricter rules like prohibiting Summons and disallowing a Trio or Quartet of 9999.

2 Primalliquid’s No Healing Run

Primalliquid started posting YouTube videos as early as 2017, but it wasn’t until he embarked on challenge runs that his channel gained significant popularity. One of his most daring challenges, a no-healing run of Final Fantasy X, took place in mid-2024. During this attempt, he aimed to complete the entire main story without ever restoring health or taking damage. He was allowed to use story-based healing since it was unavoidable, but any other form of healing was off-limits.

The establishment of these rules presented a significant challenge since engaging with Final Fantasy 10’s save spheres completely revitalizes the team’s health and magic points. As a result, Primalliquid predominantly used auto-saves throughout the gameplay and could only participate in Final Fantasy 10’s Blitzball mini-game post-story recovery. Regrettably, due to the Sinspawn Ammes and Geosgaeno mini-bosses’ gravity-based attacks, he had no choice but to use a single Hi-Potion during the Klikk battle in the subterranean ruins. Nevertheless, once Primalliquid completed the tutorial phase, he managed to finish the rest of the gameplay without requiring manual healing again.

1 Staposian’s No Damage Run

On the very same day that Primalliquid shared his non-healing playthrough on YouTube, a different YouTuber named Staposian unveiled an incredibly impressive no-damage run for Final Fantasy X. In this playstyle, Staposian aimed to complete the entire game without losing a single health point. The run commenced once he gained access to the Sphere Grid and concluded with the demise of Yu Yevon.

Besides an extraordinary level of ability, this run demanded a great deal of patience since any minor injury would force Staposian to restart from his last save. One exception was granted, as evading Yunalesca’s Hellbiter attack at the start of her second phase wasn’t possible, but Staposian cleverly sidestepped this issue by equipping armor that boosted his character’s health by 20% before entering the fight and then discarding it after sustaining damage, ensuring everyone completed the battle with full health.

Honorable Mention – Alymere’s Water Flan One-Shot

Despite not being a traditional “Final Fantasy X” challenge run, Alymere’s feat of defeating the Water Flan in Besaid deserves recognition. Much like numerous players before him, Alymere pondered if Tidus could singlehandedly kill the Water Flan to bypass the magic tutorial with Lulu and Wakka. After over 100 hours of persistent grinding, he succeeded in his endeavor. The accomplishment was definitely worth the time invested, as it resulted in an amusing scene of Wakka acting foolish following the Water Flan’s defeat.

2024-08-17 19:23