Even among the large handful of legendary titles existing within the Final Fantasy franchise, the seventh numbered entry stands as an especially astounding gaming adventure. It was one of the first 3D RPGs, and its narrative stuck with gamers for months after the credits rolled.
With this legacy, it's no wonder Square Enix is pulling out all the stops with their upcoming remake. While the new version is on the horizon, the original classic still holds value and will continue to do so for years to come. People who have beaten it several times continue to unlock new secrets. To that effect, here are ten things most people didn't know they could do in Final Fantasy VII.
10 All Lucky 7s
Luck is a huge factor in any RPG. Every command in battle is virtual dice rolls determining whether the action will land and how much damage it will inflict. In that same spirit, the unlikely odds of ending up with 7,777 hit points triggers a bizarre event in battle.
When this happens, the character will attack an enemy sixty-four times, each hit doing 7,777 damage. Every following attack will do the same until the health value changes. A super-powered move, but one should never count on it to get them out of a jam
9 Getting Yuffie When Someone Else Is The Party Leader
For a brief stint on the second disc, Tifa and Cid lead the party while Cloud is missing. If one hasn't gotten the optional character, Yuffie, by this point, encountering her will trigger a different dialogue than if Cloud was leading the party. Mainly, the thief will refer to Tifa as "boobs." And Cid as "cranky-legged old man." Yuffie was never known for having a gifted tongue or respecting others. Still, that's part of the reason people love her.
8 Aerith's Ghost
When returning to Midgar later in the game, it is possible to stop by the abandoned church where Cloud first met Aerith. Upon entering the once sacred dwelling, a specter of the late character will appear tending to her flowers.
If one moves too close, it fades out of existence. Several glitches also surround this event, such as Reno being visible within the frame. It serves as a solid reminder that Aerith never really left.
7 Cactus Island
Cactuar are a series staple and sometimes the bane of the player's existence. They are hard to kill, can potentially cause heavy damage, and quickly flee a battle. They are a rarity in FF7, but one location has them in abundance. Appropriately, this place is called Cactus Island. The island is located on the southwest section of the map, and is exclusively populated by the iconic enemy. They give high experience and morphing them nets the Tetra Elemental, a helpful accessory that absorbs most elemental attacks. Because it's out in the middle of the ocean and has no beaches, one cannot get there until they obtain the Highwind.
6 Linking Final Attack With Phoenix
While modern releases let players refill their health and limit gauge at the push of a button, some purists still prefer playing without these assists. For those playing the old fashioned way, their preferred method of cheating game overs is linking the Final Attack Materia with the Phoenix summon.
With the two combined, one will activate the summon upon defeat and revive the party. The higher each Materia's level, the more times this happens in a single battle. Just be sure to have enough MP when health reaches zero.
5 W-Item Duplication Glitch
Both the horror and beauty of old games is the developer's inability to patch in bug fixes after launch. In this case, the bug is beneficial to the player. Using W-Item, it is possible to duplicate any item selectable from battle.
The glitch involves selecting one item, and then choosing a second item, but cancelling when the arrow appears telling the player to choose who receives it. Not only does this method save money, but it is also a virtual Gil-making machine since players can sell the expensive stock they created without expense.
4 Getting Quadra Magic Without A Chocobo
Quadra Magic allows the linked spell to be cast four times in a row for the cost of one. This helpful ability waits in one of the four Materia Caves scattered around the map. Typically, one needs a special Chocobo to reach the island where it sits, but precise maneuvering can grant access earlier. With the Highwind, one can land on a green patch of land right next to the barren part of the island. Move towards cliff and press square when disembarking, and the character should end up on the side with the cave. Getting the ability a little earlier helps out exponentially with some boss fights.
3 Great Gospel
Despite Aerith's early exit from the party, she still has an ultimate limit break. Somewhat ironically, it is one of the hardest abilities to obtain in the game. There are no hard battles or gameplay challenges, but there is a long list of menial steps one must follow in order to obtain it. Considering the short amount of time people can use it, most don't consider it worth the effort. Still, completionists will take the time. After all, Aerith does so much to save the world, is going the extra mile to get her a final ability too much to ask in return?
2 Going On A Date With Barret
One of the game's most memorable sequences is the date on the Gold Saucer. Depending on one's actions, Cloud will either spend a jolly time with Aerith, Tifa, Yuffie, or Barret. The last one is perhaps the least desirable for both parties, and also the hardest to get. One really has to tank most of the other relationships in order to go out with the second party member. One can smudge the numbers with a glitch in Cosmo Canyon where the dialogue resets and allows Cloud to continually increase Barret's affection.
1 Keeping Aerith Alive
This is the impossible dream Jim Nabors was singing about. Rumors swirled around for years about ways to revive the lovable character in the second or third disc. Ultimately, it is unattainable, but several glitches allow her to rejoin the party. Using a Game Shark, one can get her back into the fray. Alternatively, a bizarre disc-swapping bug with the game Saga Frontier allows her to come back after disc one ends. None of it is official or canon, but it's enough for many to be able to use her in battle after her demise.