10 Final Fantasy Secrets it Took YEARS to Find

 Aeriths Post-Death Dialogue

Final Fantasy VII (1997)

Final Fantasy VII has no shortage of hidden secrets, as you guys will find out from the oppressive amount of FF7 entries on this list, but some of the games strangest discoveries requires a GameShark, which lets players access and modify hidden files for retro consoles, including the PS1. Of course, one of the first things players wanted to do with the GameShark was keep Aerith alive past her scripted death, and because of this players have found that she still has unique dialogue written into the game, well past the point where her life ended. This suggests that her death might not have ORIGINALLY been a part of the game, or at least not at that point in the game. OR, alternatively, maybe she was meant to be like Casper the Friendly Ghost, following players and offering helpful advice Probably not.

Final Fantasy X Reference

Final Fantasy IX (2000)

Ahhh, Final Fantasy IX, famous for the longest-held hidden secret in Final Fantasy history, but Im saving that for later! That hidden secret shares similarities with this entry however, in that Western players were unaware of it due to it being hidden behind translation. In Final Fantasy IX, players can randomly encounter a quirky enemy called Ragtime Mouse while exploring forests on the world map. During these encounters, he presents a true-or-false quiz, and answering all sixteen of his questions correctly rewards players with a hefty sum of Gil. Unusually, the card Ragtime Mouse holds features a question written in Japanese that says FF10s theme is GUTS! True or false? The question cant actually be answered, leaving fans to speculate until Final Fantasy X was eventually released.

Date with Barret

Final Fantasy VII (1997)

Heres one that most players didnt realise until years later when guides and secrets were more readily available online and through forums. During the Gold Saucer portion of the story, players typically go on a date with either Aerith or Tifa (and also secretly Yuffie). However, some eventually discovered an alternate option, a bro date with Barret. This hidden scene is rarely seen in a first playthrough because unlocking it requires you to consistently alienate your female party members by being cold, rude, and dismissive in your dialogue choices, which most players choose not to do, because WAH WAH WEE WAH.

Infinite Health Glitch

Final Fantasy VII (1997)

I promise there WILL be entries from other games, but Im just a little hooked on Final Fantasy VII right now. Glitches have been part of gaming since its earliest days as they can be an effective way to cheese games, and exploit systems to benefit ourselves (the players). Years after Final Fantasy VIIs release, a few daring players discovered a glitch tied to the PlayStation console. By casting a spell and then opening the disc tray, you could fully restore your health without fear of being attacked. It takes a weird amount of bravery to open your console in the middle of a battle, which leads me to fully believe it was an accident caused by a younger sibling, and I know this almost for sure because I WAS a younger sibling.

Chocobos Paradise

Final Fantasy IX (2000)

Tucked away in Final Fantasy IX is Chocobos Paradise, one of the best-kept secrets in Final Fantasy history. Chocobos Paradise is a hidden realm that many players STILL dont know exists. Reaching this secluded utopia where Chocobos live in peace is tied to the games most demanding side quest. To get there, players must raise Choco to Gold Level, unlocking the ability to fly. They also need to complete every Hot and Cold side quest along the way, which is as annoying as it is lengthy. This location is so obscure that many miss it entirely, myself included, and I refuse to fill the list of requirements when YouTube playthroughs exist.

Pupu the Alien

Final Fantasy VIII (1999)

Otherworldly beings are a staple of Final Fantasy, but in Final Fantasy VIII, this gets taken to a whole new level, particularly with a section of the game taking place in space. In this alien heavy game, theres a deeply hidden side quest involving an alien named Pupu that is particularly difficult to discover as the game gives absolutely no guidance on it or information about it. Finding it is tough, and solving it is even trickier. To trigger the quest, players must visit every UFO sighting location scattered across the world map. After enough sightings, theyll be thrown into a sudden battle with a UFO and forced to abandon their vehicle. What many dont realize is that a second encounter with Pupu follows. Hes injured and looking for Elixirs to help him return home. If you give him what he needs, the reward is pretty epic, but well let YOU discover that Oh screw it, its a triple triad card, enjoy!

All Lucky Sevens

Final Fantasy VII (1997)

Seven truly is the magic number in Final Fantasy. OH MY GOD, THIS IS THE 7TH ENTRY IM TALKING ABOUT IN THIS VIDEO. That wasnt on purpose. It took years for players to discover that In Final Fantasy VII, if a characters HP lands exactly on 7,777 during battle, a special ability called All Lucky 7s is triggered. With this, the character unleashes 64 consecutive attacks, each dealing exactly 7,777 damage, totaling a staggering 497,728. Even after the barrage, theyll continue hitting for 7,777 as long as their HP stays the same. Its incredibly rare to trigger by chance, so pulling it off requires careful planning.

Mr. Clios Secret Cave

Final Fantasy V (1992)

Thank god the internet showed up, because while Final Fantasy V includes a handful of hidden areas, few were as elusive for pre-internet players as Mr. Clios Secret Cave. Located in an unmarked spot on the overworld with no visual hints or indicators, the cave is pretty impossible not to overlook. Inside, players find an NPC named Mr. Clio, who offers a surprising reveal: the game has been quietly tracking thevarious players statistics the entire time. By speaking with him, players can view details like total battles fought, enemies defeated, and how often they've saved their game. Its a fun way to see game details well before the days of Steam stats.

SaGa Frontier Saves Aerith

Final Fantasy VII (1997)

For years, rumors have swirled about secret methods to save or resurrect Aerith after her tragic death in Final Fantasy VII. While it's not possible through normal gameplay, several glitches have been found that can bring her back into the party, like with the previously discussed GameShark hack. But the strangest discovery of all? Swapping discs with another PlayStation game, SaGa Frontier, at a specific moment can also bring Aerith back following the events of Disc One. Admittedly, the steps required are a little more specific, and explain why it took SO MANY YEARS for it to be discovered, but the main part of the hack requires SaGa Frontier, which is easily the weirdest part. But, its been tested many times since, and it does actually work. Wild.

The Lost Neros

Final Fantasy IX (2000)

Beyond Chocobos Paradise, Final Fantasy IX hides another elusive side quest that remained undiscovered for nearly a decade, making it arguably the biggest kept secret in the series. This quest, which unfolds late in the game, centers around the Nero family. After visiting the Tantalus hideout in Lindblum, Zidane is told by brothers Benero and Zenero that several other family members have gone missing. To complete the quest, players must return to the hideout ten separate times, once after each battle in the final dungeon, Memoria. The craziest thing about this hidden quest is that it was only really secret to Western players, as it was clearly outlined on print in a Japanese game guide.