· Unlimited items
This trick requires the W-Item materia. The materia is obtained after your party parachutes back into Midgar in Disc 3. After entering the subway tunnels in Sector 8, your party may walk away from the screen and encounter the Turks, or walk towards the screen to reach another subway section. Select the second choice and follow the subway tunnel until it ends at a dead end with the W-Item materia.
Equip the materia on the character with the item to be duplicated. When a battle begins, select the W-Item entry on the battle menu, select an unimportant item and use it on any character. On the second item choice, select the item to be duplicated by pressing Circle, then press X to cancel your selection and increase the number of that item in inventory. Repeatedly press Circle followed by X to accumulate 99 of the duplicated item. Note: This will only duplicate item selectable in battle and can not be used to duplicate the various sources, materia, weapons, or armor.
· Refill HP
Cast Regen-All on your party, then quickly open the PlayStation lid when all opponents have been defeated. The game will be unable to load the victory screen, and may glitch while the HP for each party member fills. After everyone is at full health, close the lid to resume the game.
· Easy Battle Square handicaps
During the "slot machine" handicap sequence, rapidly tap Square in the Battle Square section at Gold Saucer. The slots will slow down, allowing an easier selection of your handicap. Note: This trick will also work in a similar manner with Cait Sith's limit break.
· Easy Chocobo races
While racing a Chocobo, hold R1 + R2 to slowly restore energy.
· Cast magic three times at an opponent
Have all characters with Reflect status. Then, cast any attack spell on all three of your characters. The spell will bounce three times into the enemy, each with the attack power of a full spell.
· Hints
Extra money
Sell a Master level All materia to get 1.4 million Gil. Since another All materia will appear when the original reaches master level, there will be no loss in usefulness.
Prevent back attacks
If a battle begins with a "Back Attack", press L1 + R1 to turn your character around before your opponents get a shot.
Nibelheim safe combination
The combination to the safe in the old mansion in Nibelheim that contains the key to enter the basement (and get Vincent) is Right 36, Left 10, Right 59, Right 97. Note: Push the button used to talk to people to select each number. After opening the safe and fighting the monster inside, a key to the other part of the mansion and Odin summon materia will be found.
Finding Vincent
Take the key from the safe that contained the Odin summoning materia in Nibelheim. After defeating the Boss, Lost Number, walk down into the basement. Open the door that was previously locked (right before enter the room with Sephiroth). Talk with Vincent, after finding him inside the purple coffin. When leaving the room, he will offer to join the party.
Turtle's Paradise prizes
The Turtle's Paradise restaurant in Wutai has hidden six flyers with their advertisement in various locations. Collect all six flyers and return them to the restaurant owner to receive a prize consisting of a Power Source, Guard Source, Magic Source, Mind Source, Speed Source, Luck Source, and a Megalixer. The flyers are located in the following places:
Sector 5 slums, on the wall upstairs in a house on the east side of town.
Posted on the bulletin board of the lobby of Shinra HQ.
On the wall next to the item shop in the Ghost Hotel at Gold Saucer.
Attached to the wall at the Tiger Lily Arms Shop in Cosmo Canyon.
On the wall next to the inn keeper's desk.
In Yuffie's basement (next to Turtle's Paradise), check the banner on the wall outside the trap room.
Materia to beat Weapons
Use the following steps to make the battle with the Emerald and Ruby Weapons easier. Note: This must be done after Meteor is summoned and the Highwind is in your possession.
1. Before fighting either Weapons, find and equip the Morph Matera before returning to the Undersea Reactor in Junon. Go through the sight-seeing tunnel (where the ocean can be viewed) and enter battles until the Ghost Ship appears. Use Morph when the enemy is low on HP to change them into an item called "Guide Book".
2. Leave Junon and return to Kalm. Go to the last house on the right, next to the bar. Go upstairs, where an old man will be encountered. He will explain how he wants to understand the afterlife, and ask you to find three items: Guide Book, Earth Harp, and Desert Rose. He will notice that you already have Guide Book and give you the Underwater Materia.
3. Equip the Underwater Materia. It does not gain AP and will not duplicate. This Materia removes the time limit when Emerald Weapon is encountered.
4. Defeat Emerald Weapon (a few mastered Mime and Knights of the Round will be helpful) to receive Earth Harp. Take it back to Kalm and give it to the old man to receive Master Summon (Red), Master Magic (Green), and Master Command (Yellow) Materia. These Materia can not level up or duplicate, but have all the abilities of their single counterparts. Master Summon grants all Summons for as long as MP are available. A similar effect is also used by Master Magic. Master Command is a little difficult to work with, but is still worth it.
5. Equip the new Materia and ram into Ruby, who is minding its own business in Gold Saucer. With luck, the single character Ruby allows to stay and fight will be ready to deal with this massacre.
6. Defeat Ruby and take Desert Rose to the man in Kalm to receive a Gold Chocobo. You probably will already have one, as Knights Of The Round is required for the Weapons battles. A good combo to use against the Weapons is HP Absorb + Knights (mega damage and mega boost in HP).
Easier Ruby Weapon battle
Kill two members of your party before fighting Ruby Weapon. Have the Summon Phoenix materia equipped on the remaining character, then run into Ruby Weapon. When fighting, Ruby will only attack the live character, and therefore not use the Quicksand attack. Wait until the Weapon sticks his claws in the ground. Then, use Summon Phoenix to attack it and revive the dead party members. All three party members are now available for the battle.
Another strategy is to have all characters equipped with the Final Attack + Revive or Phoenix materia combination. Have one character equipped with a weapon or armor containing Knights Of The Round + MP Turbo. Also have a Mastered Magic Plus materia (not MP Plus) somewhere else in the weapon or armor of each character. Have all three people wear the Mystile armor (first from Midgar Raid, second from North Cave, third from Ultimate Weapon when it is over Midgar). This will prevent Ruby's Ultima attack from injuring your characters. Kill two characters, then enter the battle with Ruby Weapon. When the Weapon's claws are in the ground, revive the two dead characters, and have W-Summon cast Knights Of The Round and have the other two characters Mime. This will hit Ruby Weapon for 9999 damage each time. It should be defeated after eight to ten rounds of this type of attack.
Another strategy is to kill two of your characters, then equip the following materia combination: HP Absorb + Knights Of The Round, W-Summon, Mime. Use a hero drink, then summon the Knights Of The Round. Each time he/she will gain over 9,000 HP points. Then, simply Mime this attack until the Weapon is defeated.
Another strategy is to use Mime in addition to the Final Attack + Phoenix materia combination. Get Cloud's limit bar full, and start the battle. Ruby will take your other two characters away with Quicksand. Attack with Omnislash. At Cloud's next turn, select Mimic and Cloud will use the Omnislash again. Repeat this attack. The only drawback to this strategy, is the need for a little bit in the limit meter. Without it, Cloud will jump forward after a brief flash, and Ruby Weapon will attack. When Cloud does the limit, the game will act as though you had a full limit bar, and delete all that remains in it. To effectively make this trick work, make sure Ruby Weapon hits Cloud before doing the Omnislash again.
Easier Emerald Weapon battle
Equip a member of your party with a Gravity materia, at any level. It will hit the Emerald Weapon for 9,999 damage. Using this and the Quad-Magic combo can take almost 40,000 hit points from one attack round alone.
Another strategy is to equip the following materia combination: HP Absorb + Knights Of The Round, W-Summon, Mime, Underwater (and nothing else). Use a hero drink, then summon the Knights Of The Round. Each time he/she will gain over 9,000 HP points. Then, simply Mime this attack until the Weapon is defeated. Keep your materia number as low as possible, the more materia equipped, the more the Weapon's Air Tam Stomp will effect the party. For example, if four materia are equipped the Air Tam Stomp will take off 4444 HP points, five materia will result in 5555 HP points and so on.
Extra Gil
When at the Gold Saucer Prison, go out in the desert and fight a enemy called Cactuar. Defeat him to get 10,000 Gil. This creature can also be found at Cactuar Island on the south-east area of the map, or south of Cosmo Canyon.
Exchange Gil for GP
When at Gold Saucer go through the welcome sign then come back out again. Keep on doing this until a man appears in the far background, near the save location. Approach him, and he will ask if you want to change Gil into GP. Answer yes to trade up to 10,00 Gil into 100 GP.
Key to Sector 5
Late in the game, go to the Number 7 gate at Midgar. A man outside the door will say that he lost his key to the city at an excavation site. The only excavation site is at Bone Village. Go there and talk to the man that asks about what you are searching. Reply "normal treasure" and place your excavators on the upper area. Eventually, a box will turn up after multiple digs. Search it in the morning to find the key.
Cloud mercenary flashback
After Cloud has had his coma, go to the basement at the Shinra Mansion. Enter the library and Cloud have a flashback and remember how he became a mercenary.
Back room of Cosmo Canyon General Store
The General store in Cosmo Canyon has a back room that is roped off when your characters first arrive. Check back after Meteor has been summoned. The rope will be gone, allowing your characters to walk back in the room and get an Elixir, Magic Source, and the "Full Cure" Materia.
Sleeping old man
Directly East of Junon is a small cave that is only accessible using the Highwind or riding on a blue/gold Chocobo. The old man in the cave can tell you how many times your party has fought or escaped. You can also get helpful items from him, but the last two digits in the times you have fought must be the same. For instance, speaking to him after you have fought 699 times may get you the Bolt Ring.
Date with Tifa
Never talk to Aeris unless it is vital for progression of the game. Then, Cloud will get a date with Tifa after Aeris dies.
Date with Barret
Never talk to Aeris or Tifa unless it is vital for progression for the game. Then, once Kalm has entered for the first time, Barret will ask Cloud for a date.
Bahamnant ZERO Summon Materia details
Walk around after boarding the Shinra No. 26 spaceship on disc two. Your party will be able to go down to the space pod or up the ladder to the right to the huge materia. Go to the huge materia and use the talk button at the tall glass to speak with Cid. He will explain the controls in this part of the game. Talk again at the case and enter the password Circle, Square, X, X to collect the Key Item "Huge Materia". After travelling to Cosmo Canyon later in the game, talk to Bugenhagen. He will take your party up to his observatory. Approach to the Blue huge materia and get closer. Your party will receive the Bahamnant ZERO summon materia.
Easy Power Source for super strength
Go to the meltdown reactor at Gonganga town. Then, get into a battle with a Heavy Tank. Morph it to get a Power Source to build your strength up by a point. Repeat this as needed to build as much strength as needed.
Status display
The highest number shown on the status menu is 255. However the game will allow items on that screen to be built higher, but will not display anything greater than that number.
Extra Ribbons
Go to Geas Cliff. In the first cave after wrapping around to the bridge overlooking the door that was used to enter, walk straight to enter a cave with a box. Open it to find a ribbon. For a third ribbon, go to North Cave and morph a Master Tonbury. It is helpful if it is stopped first.
Extra Tetra elemental
Go to Cactuar Island in the south-west portion of the map. Explore until a Cactuar appears. Then, morph it to get the Tetra elemental.
Maneuvering the Highwind
The Highwind can be turned sideways or flown backwards without turning around. Hold Square and press the D-pad in the desired direction while flying.
Cosmo Canyon song
You can play the Cosmo Canyon song on your own by going to Tifa's house in Nibelheim. Then, press Square, Square, Square, X, Square, Circle, Circle, R1 + X, Circle, R1 + Square, R1 + Square, R1 + Square, R1 + X, Circle, R1 + X, R1 + Square, R1 + X, Circle, R1 + X, R1 + Square, Circle, Square, X, Circle, Square, X, Square. Note: This serves no purpose in the game.
Getting a Gold Chocobo
Get a Green Chocobo by mating two Great Chocobos or two Good Chocobos. Obtain Carob nuts by buying some the Gold Saucer Wonder Square for 500 GP or by stealing them from the Vlakarados creatures found near the Bone Village. Get the Chocobos to the S class, then give them a Carob nut. Race the Green Chocobo until it is in S class. Then, use a Carob nut and mate the same or different Chocobos. Then, race the Blue Chocobo until it is in S class. Use a Carob nut and mate the Blue and Green Chocobos. You will get a Black Chocobo. Race it until it is a S class Chocobo. Then, go to the Chocobo Tracks around the Icicle Inn area and get a Wonderful Chocobo. Race it until it is a S class Chocobo. Find the Zeio Nut on an island north of the Chocobo Farm. You can steal it from a Goblin that your party fights. If you do not steal anything at first, try a few more times then kill them and try again. Mate the Black Chocobo with the Wonderful Chocobo using a Zeio Nut. You should now have a Gold Chocobo that can go anywhere on the map.
Chocobo quality
Different Chocobo ranks can be found in various areas of the game:
Chocobo Ranch area: Poor/Weak
Junon area: Fair/Poor
Gold Saucer area: Good/Average
Rocket Town area: Mediocre
Wutai area: Average/Fair
Icicle Inn area: Wonderful/Weak
Mideel area: Great/Fair
Ancient forest
Ride up the hill with a black, gold, or green Chocobo to reach the Ancient Forest before disc 3.
Getting Yuffie in the party
Yuffie can found in a random encounter in one of the forest areas. After fighting her, do not pause or use the save point. Talk to her and answer her questions with the following responses:
Yuffie: "You spikey-headed jerk! One more time, let's go one more time!"
Answer: Not interested.
Yuffie: "You're pretty scared of me, huh?"
Answer: ......petrified
Yuffie: "I'm really gonna leave! REALLY!"
Answer: Wait a second!
Yuffie: "You want me to go with you?"
Answer: ......That's right.
Yuffie: "All right! I'll go with you!"
Answer: ......Let's hurry on.
Finding the best weapons
Each character has an ultimate weapon that must be found using the following instructions:
Cloud
Found after killing Ultimate Weapon (not in Mideel).
Barret
Found before fighting Hojo on Mako Cannon. Note: Barret must be in your party for it to appear.
Aeris
Found behind door four in the clock room at the Temple of the Ancients.
Tifa
Use the key to reach sector 5. Go to Wall Market and use the broken item machine.
Yuffie
Found in the downed Shinra Plane in the ocean.
Red XIII
Take Bugenhagen to the ancient city, then return to Cosmo Canyon on Disc 3 with Red XIII in your party. He will receive the weapon from Bugenhagen.
Cid
After the rocket in Rocket Town has been launched, talk to the man outside the item shop several times.
Cait Sith
When in Midgar for the second time, go to the Shinra Tower. Go to floor 64 and enter the locker room. Search one of the lockers in the third row on the left side.
Vincent
After getting a Gold Chocobo or the Submarine, find the cave behind the waterfall in the middle of a continent. Vincent must be in your party.
Level 4 limit breaks
Cloud: Omnislash
Get 32,000 battle points in Battle Square at the Gold Saucer, then trade them in at the machine. This is worth getting, as it does more damage than Knights Of The Round when used at a high level with the Ultima weapon.
Barret: Catastrophe
Once Meteor has been summoned, go to North Corel and speak to the woman whose husband died. She may be found in the first hut on the second level in the town.
Red XIII: Cosmo Memory
Defeat the Lost Number monster found in the safe at the Shinra mansion.
Tifa: Final Heaven
Go to Nibelheim with Tifa in the party. Then play the following notes on the piano in her room by pressing X, Square, Triangle, R1 + Triangle, R1 + Square, X, Square, Triangle, R1 + X, Circle, X, Square, Triangle.
Aeris: Great Gospel
Find the sleeping man on the first continent that can tell you how many fights you have had. He is in a cave near Condor Fort, across a river. The buggy (hitch a ride from Costa Del Sol) is needed to reach that location. Once you find him, wander outside and keep getting in fights until the last two digits of your fight total are the same (e.g. 688,133). Return to the may to receive some mithril. Go to the weapons shop near Gongaga and talk to the man inside. He will offer you a small or large box. Select the small box, then look in the box that is upstairs.
Yuffie: All Creation
Win all the battles in the pagoda in Wutei.
Cid: Highwind
Found in the Gelinka (the sunken Shinra plane).
Vincent: Chaos
Using the submarine or a Gold Chocobo, go to the circular lake on the second island on disc 3. Vincent only has one break per level.
Summon Materia locations
Choco Mog
Talk to the Chocobo at the front of the farm and reply "Waaark".
Shiva
At the Junon coast after saving Pricilla.
Ifrit
On the boat after beating Jenova-BIRTH.
Ramuh
Lying on the floor in the Chocobo Jockey waiting room.
Titan
In the wreckage of the Gongaga reactor.
Odin
Defeat the Lost Number enemy inside the Shinra mansion safe.
Leviathan
Defeat everyone in the Pagoda in Wutai.
Kjata
Walk to the second area in the Sleeping Forest and it will be floating around. Wait in the spot where it is first seen, then tap the Action button to take it. Do not use against fire absorbing enemies.
Alexander
After the snowboarding sequence, find the hot spring and touch it. Then find the area where you leave markers and keep to a straight path. Find the hut there and enter. Leave through the downward facing door. Go right, find the cave and talk to the person inside. Defeat her and the materia will fall from the sky.
Bahamut
Defeat the red dragon at the Cetra shrine.
Typhoon
Defeat the Ultimate Weapon a few times until it dies. A crate will remain. Go to the jelly object on top of the mountain and its at the end.
Neo Bahamut
After Geas cliff; just pick it up.
Phoenix
Found while collecting the Huge Materia at Mount Condor. After defeating the enemies and the man sends you out to check on the condor egg, it can be found on the ground.
Hades
On the wreckage in the Gelinka.
Bahamut ZERO
Collect the four Huge Materia. Store them in the Observatory, then look closely at the blue Huge Materia.
Knights Of The Round
Found on the island only on the final disc. It is unmarked at the top right of the map, and requires a Gold Chocobo to reach it.
Materia Caves
The location and contents of four Materia Caves are as follows:
Materia Cave #1, Knights of the Round
This cave is located far north of the Chocobo Farm and can only be reached by a Gold Chocobo.
Materia Cave #2, Quadra Magic
This cave is located south-east of the Chocobo Farm and can be reached with the Highwind and a Green Chocobo.
Materia Cave #3, HP and MP conversion
This cave is located far West of Rocket Town use a blue chocobo to get there.
Materia Cave #4, Mimic
This cave is located north of Corel and can be reached with a Blue Chocobo.
Good Materia combinations
Cover + Counter + Elemental with either Fire, Ice, Bolt, or Earth. Effect: Character covers for teammate and counter-attacks with an elemental attack.
Quadra magic + Bahamaut ZERO. Note: This does work with Knights Of The Round. Effect: Casts a summon four times in one turn.
Final Attack + Phoenix summon. Effect: When character dies he immediately casts Phoenix and is revived.
MP Turbo + Knights Of The Round. Effect: Increases damage from 80,000 to 129,987 AP.
Sneak Attack + any Barrier or Haste. Start battle by immediately casting whatever you linked it with.
Mime. Effect: Mimics attack preceding it. Especially useful when it follows Bahamaut ZERO or Knights Of The Round.
