The Final Fantasy VII Remake game is padded with bevy of side activities to help occupy players who stray off the beaten path. Compared to the original game's Midgar section, it is a treasure trove. Don Corneo's Colosseum and the Shinra Combat Simulator are two recurring diversions that the story introduces before more optional bouts become available.

Related: 10 Burning Questions Fans Have About The Next Final Fantasy VII Remake Game (That We'll Wait Years To Find Out)

The ten matches listed below are the hardest that players will find in both Corneo's Colosseum and the Shinra Combat Simulator. The upside of these matches is the player gaining experience in the battles, something many other Final Fantasy titles eschew.

10 Shear's Counterattack Side Quest

Jury Rigged Cutter Final Fantasy VII Remake corneo colosseum

Depending on the choices made prior to this part of the game, players unlock one of two batches of side quests. If Madam M tells about another bout in the colosseum before meeting with Aerith again, players will face off against a Jury-Rigged Cutter. These electric-type enemies are mean beasts, but Cloud should be used to fighting them by now. A close eye on one's health bar and liberal use of magic to accelerate its stagger should make quick work of this optional boss.

9 Two-Person Team Vs. Team Payback

Two-person team vs team payback final fantasy VII remake

This Chapter 14 bout tops off with a fight against a Jury-Rigged Cutter and a Mark II Monodrive. Take out the latter enemy first in order to better focus on one at a time. Most magic should work fine except fire attacks, since a prior enemy has complete immunity to it.

8 Two-Person Team Vs. High Fliers

Team high fliers final fantasy VII remake

With High Fliers in the title, one can expect plenty of aerial enemies to show up. With this in mind, it is best bring Barret into the fight since he can easily reach those pesky opponents from afar.

Related: 10 Pro Tips For The Final Fantasy VII Remake On The PS4

Having Aerith as the second character is not a bad idea either. She similarly attacks from a range, and the pair's moves put together can take out most of the enemies quickly.

7 Three-Person Team Vs. Team Ragbag

Team Ragbag Final Fantasy VII Remake

This one is available in Chapter 16 after the party proves themselves to the contact in the Shinra Building. Do it as soon as possible to earn the EXP Up Materia. Except for the last round, none of the other fights are particularly challenging, though the Trypapolis can be irritating with its clones. For the final incursion against the Blast Ray and Sweeper Prototype, be sure to have Lightning Materia, since they are both weak against it.

6 Aerith Vs. Soldier Trainees

Final Fantasy VII Remake Aerith in shinra combat simulator

Several sets need to be tackled by characters individually. While every party member is a blast to control, Aerith is probably the weakest on her own, making her solo romps through the Shinra Combat Simulator the most difficult.

Related: 10 Hidden Secrets Many Still Haven't Found In The Final Fantasy VII Remake On PS4

The Phantom is a particularly troublesome foe as it constantly disappears and reappears on a moment's notice. Since items are locked and players only recover thirty percent MP after each round, have Pray equipped to restore health without using MP.

5 Two-Person Team Vs. Dynamic Duos

Aerith and Cloud Vs dynamic duos copy

These two-on-two rounds should not prove too troublesome as long as the party is well-equipped. It starts off with a duel against a Phantom and a Ghost, who are tricky, but the player already has substantial experience against both at this point. The final round versus a Sweeper and Queen Grashtrike is probably the hardest, but there's no special trick or unfair maneuvers to watch out for.

4 Aerith Vs. 3-C Soldier Candidates

Aerith Vs 3C soldier candidates

This is probably the hardest solo round in the game, and it is made doubly difficult when tackling it with Aerith. At least she can attack from afar, but that's little solace. The M.O.T.H. Unit is a particularly pesky enemy. Its Ultrahigh Voltage move puts itself into a pressured state, which is the player's opportunity to spam it with magic and quickly increase its stagger.

3 Hell House

This story encounter also proves to be one of the toughest fights one takes on in Corneo's Colosseum. If the player is not sufficiently prepared for the enemy, it can take upwards of twenty minutes to defeat. Have as much magic Materia as possible equipped along with Assess, since its weaknesses change mid-battle. For fans of the series, this is perhaps one of the most creative uses of a classic enemy from the original 1997 PlayStation RPG.

2 Three-Person Team Vs. Monsters Of Legend

ff7 remake cloud aerith barret vs malboro

This set includes some powerful monsters already fought in side quests, like the Tonberry and Type-0 Behemoth. It also includes the only appearance of the Malboro, whose trademark Bad Breath makes what gamers can only imagine to be a stinky return.

Related: 10 Awesome Hidden Side Quests In Final Fantasy VII Remake On The PS4

Staying to the sides or the back of Malboro should help avoid its worst moves, though players can acquire the aforementioned move with Enemy Skill if they so desire.

1 Three-Person Team Vs. Top Secret

Pride and Joy prototype Final Fantasy VII remake

Players slash their way through several summons, including Bahamut, and then face off against Pride and Joy Prototype, easily the single hardest enemy in the game. Even at level fifty with the best Materia available, one is in for a long and tough encounter. Victory nets the Gotterdammerung, an accessory which starts every battle with a full Limit Gauge.

Next: 5 Scenes From The Original Final Fantasy VII We Can't Wait To See In The Next Game (And 5 We Hope They Change)