Mysterious Final Fantasy Gameplay Secrets That Are Hard To Trigger

Summary

Final Fantasy games contain hidden mechanics that can help or hurt players, like saving Cid with fish in FF6.
Some secrets, like Gold Saucer dates in FF7, impact gameplay outcomes without explicit instructions.
From Steiner’s weapon in FF9 to Tidus’ Blitz Ace in FF10, players constantly uncover mysterious mechanics in the series.

Since 1987, the world of Final Fantasy has continued to thrive and grow. Across main series games as well as spin-offs, developers have poured immense effort into crafting intricate mechanics that continue to puzzle fans even today. These elements extend beyond mere Easter Eggs, encompassing instances where a character’s weapon or outfit makes an appearance in another game.

Unveiling the less apparent workings behind the scenes, these mechanics can potentially benefit or disadvantage players if they aren’t cautious and may require guides to find. Let’s delve into some of the most bewildering and elusive gameplay secrets that Final Fantasy has ever concealed.

Light Spoilers Ahead for Final Fantasy.

7. The Cid Of It All (Final Fantasy 6)

Feed The Man Some Fish

In the storyline of Final Fantasy 6, Celes tends to a character resembling Cid, who serves as an imperial scientist. Stricken with a fatal illness, players are challenged to gather fish from the beach daily, which indirectly contributes to his recovery. The game doesn’t provide explicit directions; instead, players naturally discover where to find the fish, press the action button, and catch them. However, it turns out that this seemingly straightforward task plays a significant role in the overall narrative of the game.

In this game, Cid gradually loses Health Points (HP) each second, so players need to act swiftly. There are three kinds of fish that can either harm or heal Cid, but the distinctions between them are minute, mysterious, and challenging to discern. Prior to being able to delve into the game’s data through the SNES ROM, many might have assumed that Cid would perish regardless of their actions. However, it has been discovered that he can be rescued by employing lightning-fast reflexes and a keen eye, and despite updates and remakes, the specific mechanics behind this have never been explained in-game.

6. Gold Saucer Dates (Final Fantasy 7)

Barret Is Still Funny

Many enthusiasts of Final Fantasy 7 likely recognize the well-known Gold Saucer date event that happens towards the end of the game. Depending on your decisions throughout the game, Aerith, Tifa, Yuffie, or even Barret might ask Cloud out on a date. Among these options, dates with Aerith and Tifa are the most straightforward to secure, as Yuffie’s proposition may feel awkward due to her youth, and Barret’s request is more humorous than romantic.

In “Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth,” Red XIII joins as another playable character, and the interactions among all characters can be heartfelt and endearing, particularly those involving Tifa. Although fans have scrutinized the game’s data to determine how choices impact romantic outcomes, these specific details haven’t been clarified in any of the game versions. Unlike the “Persona” series, there is no progress bar for the dating mechanism, making it a long-standing enigma for many gamers.

5. All Lucky 7s (Final Fantasy 7)

Good Luck Triggering This

In Final Fantasy 7, although Gold Saucer is well-known, not everyone may be familiar with the All Lucky 7s mechanic. This special feature allows a character’s maximum HP to reach 9999. If, by extraordinary luck, their HP bar reaches 7777 during battle, it activates All Lucky 7s. This puts the character into a frenzy where they repeatedly attack, each strike dealing 7777 damage. After the initial onslaught, they will continue to inflict 7777 damage with every subsequent turn.

If the character gets healed or sustains damage, they are removed from their active state, often referred to as being knocked out. Skilled players who manage to set their maximum Health Points (HP) to 7777 at the beginning of a fight might gain an edge against hidden bosses such as Ruby Weapon and Emerald Weapon, but achieving this is extremely rare. It was arguably less probable to trigger this naturally on PlayStation 1 than stumbling upon a shiny Pokémon in the early versions of the Pokémon games.

4. Steiner’s Strongest Weapon (Final Fantasy 9)

Obtaining Excalibur 2

In the Final Fantasy series, powerful weapons are a common element, and usually, their acquisition paths are clearly defined or well-known. However, this isn’t true for Steiner’s best weapon in Final Fantasy 9. To obtain it, players must first progress to the game’s final dungeon, which appears on the fourth disc. After that, they need to battle Lich, but acquiring it by chance seems to be the only way.

Following the boss battle, you’ll discover Excalibur 2 hidden within Lich’s performance stage. However, there’s a challenge: players must reach this location within only twelve hours. This is quite difficult without employing speedrun strategies, exploiting cheat codes, or simply powering through the game at high speed. Rushing like this means missing out on much of the game’s content in order to acquire just one weapon. Such a playstyle seems strange and contradictory to how such games are typically enjoyed.

3. Tidus’ Blitz Ace Assists (Final Fantasy 10)

Cloud Wasn’t The Only Blonde Romeo

In Final Fantasy X, similar to how romance was portrayed in Final Fantasy VII, there’s a relationship-building aspect. However, unlike the theme park ride scenario in VII, Tidus builds bonds with certain characters through acts like healing them in battle and offering protection. These actions accumulate points, influencing who appears alongside Tidus in some cutscenes, such as Rikku riding on a snowmobile with him towards the end of the game.

In the video game “Final Fantasy X,” the Limit Breaks are referred to as Overdrives. Tidus’ strongest Overdrive is called Blitz Ace. At the end of this Overdrive sequence, either Lulu, Rikku, or Yuna will throw a Blitzball to Tidus based on past player choices. Though the game’s main romance centers around Tidus and Yuna, this interaction may seem peculiar as it offers varying outcomes. Many players might not have realized that unlike in “Final Fantasy 7” where the Gold Saucer ride had fixed results, there are different endings to Blitz Ace based on player actions.

2. The Secret Chest (Final Fantasy 12)

Obtaining The Zodiac Spear

In the series, there’s an exceptional weapon anomaly hidden within the initial version of “Final Fantasy 12”. To obtain the most potent weapon, the Zodiac Spear, players must be cautious not to damage certain barrels and open specific chests along the way. If they manage this task successfully, a chest holding the Zodiac Spear will materialize later in the game. However, if they make even the slightest mistake during this quest, it becomes invalid.

In the remastered edition of Final Fantasy 12, some people appreciated the changes while others didn’t, especially those who mastered obtaining the Zodiac Spear in the PS2 version. It’s a contentious approach, indeed, and it’s yet another instance where Final Fantasy has sparked debate among its fanbase by discouraging exploration and treasure hunting – activities that gamers often engage in instinctively.

1. Cloud’s Hidden Talents (Final Fantasy Tactics)

Seek The Materia Blade

This final piece of information is connected to a weapon and a hidden character too. In a sequence of tasks, the character Cloud from _Final Fantasy 7_ can join the team in _Final Fantasy Tactics_, however, he begins at level one and doesn’t possess any unique abilities. If you select him on the character roster, a dialogue box will appear hinting at something concealed near a volcano. Having Cloud as part of your squad may suggest that players should journey to Mount Bervenia, but nothing transpires when they arrive there.

The key is to endow Cloud with the skill of a Chemist’s Treasure Seeker, after which you should guide him to the summit of the volcano. At the peak, he will uncover his Materia Sword, empowering him to activate Limit Breaks. This treasure-seeking ability usually allows characters to gather items on maps; however, it’s seldom anything as scarce and distinct as the Materia Blade. Unless a player thoroughly explores the entire map with Cloud or any character possessing the Treasure Seeker skill, they would never stumble upon the Materia Sword.

2025-06-02 04:05