Story walkthrough

Mako Reactor No. 1: place the bomb, rescue Jessie and escape

1. Meet Barret and speak to Biggs and Jessie to open the doors. Use the elevator and ladders to descend to the reactor core.
2. Check the save point, then inspect the core and place the bomb. Use Cloud's Thunder against Guard Scorpion, and stop attacking while its tail is raised.
3. After the battle, return outside within 10 minutes. Speak to Jessie, whose foot is trapped beside a ladder, and help her before continuing. Speak to your companions to open the exit door.
4. After meeting the flower seller in Sector 8, escape the pursuing soldiers and board the train. Enter Seventh Heaven in Sector 7.

• Watch the remaining escape time while checking where to rescue Jessie and where to exit.

Sector 7 and Mako Reactor No. 5: Tifa joins; three switches

1. Finish the planning meeting below Seventh Heaven and rest. The next day, take Barret and Tifa onto the train. Share Cloud's materia and decide who can heal.
2. At train checkpoints, move to the next carriage. After jumping off, follow the winding tunnel into the Sector 4 plate interior.
3. After planting the bomb at Reactor No. 5's core, press the three control-room switches in time with your companions' signal. If you fail, you can retry at the same place.
4. Outside, Air Buster is fought from front and rear. Watch facing and attacks from behind, then continue to the church scene after the fall.

Sector 5 church and Aerith's house: evade pursuit

1. Speak to Aerith in the church and flee farther inside when Reno arrives. Use attic barrels against the pursuers approaching the separated Aerith, or have her fight herself.
2. Cross the rooftops into Sector 5. Rest at Aerith's house, then leave the room without running during the nighttime escape. If footsteps send you back, retry by walking.
3. After seeing Tifa's carriage at the Sector 6 park, head to Wall Market. Replenish equipment and healing items first.

Wall Market: disguise preparations and the sewers

1. Ask the entry requirements at Corneo's mansion, then speak to the woman at the dress shop. Tell her father in the bar what you want, return to the shop and collect the dress.
2. Get a wig through the gym's squat contest. Finish optional preparations at the pharmacy, diner, materia shop and other locations before changing for the mansion.
3. Change clothes at the dress shop and enter Corneo's mansion. Meet Tifa, then defeat Aps in the sewer after the scene.
4. In the Train Graveyard, travel through carriages and across roofs, moving engines to connect the route. Return to Sector 7 and head to the plate pillar.

• Not every version of the disguise accessories can be obtained in a single save. A table of affection values for every choice is not included.

Sector 7 plate pillar: break the Pyramids

1. Climb the pillar stairs and meet Barret above. Check all three characters' equipment and materia before Reno.
2. If an ally is trapped in a Pyramid, attack that Pyramid to free them. Respond before all three are trapped.
3. After escaping the pillar, hear the explanation at Aerith's house. Buy batteries at Wall Market and climb the plate's exposed side.

Shinra Building: keys, coupons and password

1. Choose the front entrance or stairs and head upward. In the floor 60 guard section, signal companions to move.
2. Solve Mayor Domino's puzzle on floor 62. Inspect library categories and misplaced books to work out the password. If pursuing Zokusei materia for a first-answer success, keep a save before answering.
3. Plan floor 63 coupon collection using the limited doors you can open and the vents. On floor 65, restore pieces to the Midgar model to obtain a keycard.
4. Rescue Aerith from floor 67 onward and meet Red XIII. Collect Enemy Skill materia on floor 68 before proceeding to the cell scenes.
5. Follow the blood trail and finish the upper-floor scenes and consecutive battles. Prepare ranged attacks for the elevator fights separately from healing for Cloud's solo battle against Rufus.
6. Escape by motorcycle and defeat Motor Ball. Once on the world map, go to Kalm.

• Check the building's chests, flyers and floor 68 materia. Not every location can be revisited later.

Kalm and Chocobo Farm: cross the marsh

1. Continue Cloud's recollection at Kalm's inn. In the Nibelheim flashback, inspect the piano in Tifa's house; choose to play it if pursuing the later Zokusei materia.
2. After the flashback, visit Chocobo Farm. Speak to the chocobos inside the fence to receive Chocobo & Moogle.
3. Prepare Chocobo-yose materia and greens in the barn, then catch a chocobo encountered at footprints. Defeat the accompanying enemies without hitting the chocobo.
4. Ride the chocobo across the marsh and enter Mythril Mine. Defeating Midgardsormr is not required.

• Chocobo & Moogle's wind element is an International change. Treat it as non-elemental in the standard Japanese PS version.

Mythril Mine and Junon: dolphin and boarding the ship

1. After leaving Mythril Mine, you can take a side trip to find Yuffie in a forest. You can continue to Junon without recruiting her.
2. Defeat Bottomswell on Under Junon's beach and rescue Priscilla. The next day, use the dolphin's jump to reach the tower above.
3. Disguise yourself as a soldier in upper Junon and proceed through the parade and send-off. Finish shopping before boarding the transport ship at the harbor.
4. Find and speak to your companions aboard the ship, then defeat Jenova・BIRTH in the hold. Pick up Ifrit after the battle before leaving the room.

• You cannot freely return to the transport ship after completing it. Check your inventory for Ifrit.

Mt. Corel, Gold Saucer and Corel Prison

1. Leave Costa del Sol for Mt. Corel. Follow track branches and switches, then take the ropeway from North Corel to Gold Saucer.
2. Meet Cait Sith in Wonder Square. After the Battle Square incident, you are sent to Corel Prison.
3. In the prison, look for Dyne with Barret in the party. Barret fights Dyne alone, so leave healing materia or items with him.
4. Pick up Ramuh in the race waiting room. Completing the chocobo race unlocks the buggy.

• Ramuh's waiting room cannot be entered after this event. Collect it before starting the race.

Gongaga and Cosmo Canyon: Cave of the Gi

1. Cross the river by buggy and check the side trip to pick up Titan at Gongaga's reactor. Continue to Cosmo Canyon afterward.
2. Hear Bugenhagen's explanation, then enter Cave of the Gi with Red XIII. Examine the rock mechanisms and walk across the oil-covered floor.
3. Collect Tsuika-kouka materia before proceeding to the deepest part. Healing effects damage Gi Nattak, so using an X-Potion on the enemy is an option.
4. Finish the town's events, then continue to Nibelheim.

• You cannot return to Cave of the Gi after completing it. Do not postpone collecting Tsuika-kouka.

Nibelheim, Shinra Mansion and Mt. Nibel

1. Exploring Shinra Mansion is optional. To recruit Vincent, open the safe, defeat Lost Number and collect the basement key.
2. The safe is right 36→left 10→right 59→right 97. Confirm each number without passing it. A fight starts immediately after opening it, so heal before exploring.
3. At the basement coffin, discuss Sephiroth, then speak again to ask his name. Vincent follows and joins when you turn back from the basement.
4. On Mt. Nibel, explore the pipe section and defeat Materia Keeper. Equip Enemy Skill if you want to learn Trine.
5. Leave the mountain for Rocket Town.

• Recruiting Vincent and exploring Shinra Mansion are not required for story progression.

Rocket Town: obtain Tiny Bronco

1. Advance the conversations at the rocket and Cid's house. Defeat Palmer during the event involving the plane behind the house, then board Tiny Bronco.
2. Cid joins, and you can travel through shallow water along the coast. This vehicle cannot cross the open ocean or high mountains.
3. Before heading to the Temple of the Ancients, follow the weaponsmith's cabin and old man's hut steps if preparing Aerith's Great Gospel.

• Receive Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki from Rocket Town's old man before completing the later Underwater Reactor.

Wutai: a side trip to recover stolen materia

1. With Yuffie recruited, traveling to Wutai on the western continent triggers the materia-theft event. If your party relies on magic, prepare healing items and weapons first.
2. Search town for Yuffie, checking the materia in the item shop and hiding places in houses or the bar. Continue exploring town after she flees.
3. Go to the Da-chao statue and defeat Rapps to recover it. Heal with items and retain protection against Aeroga.
4. The five-floor pagoda is a separate side trip where Yuffie fights alone. To teach Trine to all four Enemy Skill materia, save Godo until you obtain the fourth at Chocobo Sage's house.

• Return to the main story after recovering your materia. Leave the pagoda until Trine preparations are ready.

Keystone: return to Gold Saucer

1. Ask about the Keystone's whereabouts at the weaponsmith's cabin, then visit Dio at Gold Saucer.
2. Inspect the Battle Square exhibit and accept Dio's offer. After obtaining the Keystone, continue to the overnight stay and date scenes.
3. Follow Cait Sith and finish the Keystone events. Check a separate save slot and Aerith's training before heading to the Temple of the Ancients.

• Once inside the temple, you cannot leave or change party members until completing it.

Temple of the Ancients: collect items before the mural and exit

1. Enter with three characters including Cloud and Aerith. Receive the Keystone from Tseng, then inspect the pedestal.
2. Collect Lucky materia in the multilevel passage and Henka in the rolling-rock corridor. Advance through gaps in the rocks and use the old man's healing and save services.
3. In the clock room, VI leads onward. First check Princess Guard at IIII, Ribbon at V, Horagai at VII and a Last Elixir at VIII. Do not confuse the standard version's clock controls with International's free controls.
4. Finish the old-man-catching puzzle and defeat Red Dragon in the mural room. Collect the Bahamut that appears and inspect the object farther inside.
5. Before Demons Gate at exit XII, remove Aerith's rare weapons, armor and accessories or replace them with obtainable alternatives. Materia returns when she leaves.
6. After the boss, Aerith leaves the controllable party. Do not postpone teaching Great Gospel until Disc 2.

• Pickups before reaching the mural and equipment changes before the exit battle are separate checks. Finish Aerith's learning before entering the temple.

Bone Village, Sleeping Forest and the Forgotten Capital

1. Request a Lunar Harp excavation at Bone Village. Use workers' directions after the blast as clues for digging, then take it to Sleeping Forest.
2. Check the side trip to collect the moving Kujata in the forest, then cross Coral Valley into the Forgotten Capital.
3. After resting in a house's bed, head to the altar. Prepare protection against water for Jenova・LIFE.
4. The events end Disc 1. Follow north through Coral Valley Cave toward Icicle Lodge.

Icicle Lodge and Great Glacier: cross the snowfield

1. Borrow the snowboard at Icicle Lodge and slide down from the village. Even if the landing point differs, explore Great Glacier and head to the mountain hut in the north.
2. Place markers as you cross the snowfield. When the screen orientation rotates, use their alignment to check direction.
3. For Alexander, touch the hot spring first, then fight Snow in the cave.
4. Hear Holzoff's explanation at the hut, heal and continue to Gaia's Cliff.

• Distinguish collecting Great Glacier's summon from climbing the cliff required for progression.

Gaia's Cliff and Whirlwind Maze: collect before Meteor is summoned

1. Warm up on ledges before body temperature drops, then climb the outer wall. Drop icicles inside the cave to connect the route.
2. Check Javelin and Ribbon before defeating Twin Head. Watch absorption on the fire and ice heads and prepare for party-wide attacks when each head dies.
3. In Whirlwind Maze, wait for the wind to weaken before crossing barriers. Collect Bahamut Kai, MP Turbo, Poison Ring and other items.
4. After Jenova・DEATH, continue the conversations about entrusting the Black Materia and the flashbacks. The events farther inside summon Meteor, after which the cliff and maze become inaccessible.

• Collect chests before Meteor is summoned. Bahamut Kai also matters for the later Bahamut Reishiki.

Escape from Junon: free Tifa and reach the airship

1. As Barret, proceed with the escape from the press room and meet Cait Sith. Going to the airport switches the scene to Tifa.
2. In the gas chamber, move her feet twice, then her head, then feet and head together to get the key. Combine head and hand actions to release the restraints. Follow the displayed buttons in order.
3. Inspect the device that stops the gas, then head out. Finish the scene with Scarlet at the end of the cannon and escape to the Highwind.
4. Speak to companions, Cid and the pilot aboard the airship, then choose a party in the Operation Room. Head to Mideel on the southeastern island.

• In ports with different controller mappings, follow the displayed buttons instead of blindly using the PS symbols.

Mideel: begin the operations as Cid

1. Hear about Cloud near Mideel's dog, then visit the clinic. Tifa stays behind and Cid becomes leader.
2. If you want the Curse Ring before the town collapses, complete the weapon-shop door and old-key side trip now.
3. Advance the conversations on the Highwind, then head for the North Corel train and Fort Condor's defense. You can choose which to do first.

Corel train: catch and stop it within 10 minutes

1. Go to the Corel reactor, defeat the soldiers and begin the train chase. Alternate ↑ and △ to catch up.
2. Move through carriages and finish the consecutive fights. Use Nusumu before defeating Eagle Gun if pursuing its Warrior Bangle.
3. Once at the front carriage, apply the brakes. Continue the controls using ↑＋△ and ↓＋×, then confirm through the scene that the train stopped.
4. Stopping it successfully gives Huge Materia and Ultima. If you reach the front but fail to stop, Ultima becomes a 50,000-gil purchase. If you fail to catch up, you cannot obtain Ultima either.

• Ultima is not in a Temple of the Ancients chest. Check that you both catch and stop the train.

Fort Condor: check the summit and old man after defending

1. Speak to the fort's old man and lookout to start the defense. This is separate from Gold Saucer and is not a GP-earning game.
2. Use mercenaries to halt the enemy advance. If they reach the hut and trigger CMD. Grand Horn, winning that battle also counts as a successful defense.
3. After victory, go to the summit to pick up Phoenix, then receive Huge Materia from the old man inside.
4. Failing both the defense and the boss battle makes the fort inaccessible. Keep a separate save before the operation.

Return to Mideel: Cloud and Tifa rejoin

1. After the Corel and fort operations, return to Mideel's clinic. During the Ultima Weapon battle, attack while healing until it leaves.
2. In the Lifestream, control Tifa and speak to Cloud in each direction. Check the Nibelheim and Mt. Nibel memories in sequence.
3. Return to the center and continue the conversation for both to rejoin. Choose a party on the Highwind, then use the reopened Gold Saucer and shops.

• This Ultima Weapon battle does not give Cloud's weapon with the same name.

Junon and the Underwater Reactor: three pickups before the submarine

1. Take the downward elevator from upper Junon to the Underwater Reactor. Prepare lightning attacks and party-wide healing for Carry Armor's restraints.
2. After the battle, check the three chests containing Totsugeki Rappa, Seiryuu Engetsutou and Suijin-sama no Uroko. This area cannot be revisited after starting the submarine game.
3. Take the submarine, read the controls and start the mission. Follow the nearby red submarine without losing it, using sonar if needed to sink it.
4. Victory alone does not put Huge Materia in your inventory. Inspect the sunken red submarine on the seabed to retrieve it. A failed mission's Huge Materia cannot be recovered.

• Two checks are required: chests before the game starts and the wreck on the seabed after victory.

Rocket Town: solve the code before escaping

1. Return with Cid in the party and defeat the soldiers and Rude at the launch pad. Use Nusumu on Rude if pursuing Ziedrich.
2. After the rocket scenes, visit the materia-room control panel. PS input is ○→□→×→×. Unlock it within the time limit and receive Huge Materia.
3. Head to the escape pod and continue Cid and Shera's scene. Escaping without unlocking it still advances the story, but fails this operation's pickup.
4. Consult Bugenhagen at Cosmo Canyon and place Huge Materia in the observatory.

• When checking materia colors, distinguish a save with all four successful recoveries from a save with a failure.

Key of the Ancients: from the seabed to the Forgotten Capital

1. Visit the Forgotten Capital with Bugenhagen and hear about the required key at the altar.
2. Explore the seabed by submarine and collect the Key of the Ancients deep inside the northern cave. This is separate from Huge Materia in the sunken red submarine.
3. Return to the Forgotten Capital and continue the altar scenes. After the scene showing a Weapon approaching Midgar, head to the coast.

The Weapon approaching Midgar: check your edition

1. In the standard Japanese PS version, no player-controlled battle against Diamond Weapon occurs. Continue the scenes and inspect the northern crater's situation.
2. International includes a Diamond Weapon battle. Steal Rising Sun before defeating it if pursuing that item.
3. After approaching the Northern Crater in the Highwind, decide to return to Midgar. Prepare for Hojo and save for exploration that will become inaccessible.

• Ruby and Emerald are also International additions. Do not add them to standard Japanese PS victory requirements.

Return to Midgar: underground passages, Shinra Building and Hojo

1. Parachute into Sector 8 and follow the underground passages. Check chests such as Aegis Armlet before dropping to points from which you cannot return.
2. W-Item can be collected deep in the winding tunnel's southern route. Check branches rather than rushing only toward progression.
3. On the branch to Shinra Building, collect items such as Marvelous Cheer on floor 64. Continuing without visiting the building loses this last collection opportunity.
4. Defeat Proud Clad and climb the Mako Cannon stairs. Include Barret in the party to make the Missing Score chest appear.
5. Complete the three stages: Hojo, Heretic Hojo and Ultimate Lifeform Hojo NA. Prepare status cures and party-wide healing for consecutive fights.

• Do not plan to return to the same stairs after defeating Hojo to collect Barret's ultimate weapon.

Disc 3 and Northern Crater: explore branches before Sephiroth

1. Separate final equipment from training equipment before entering. Materia still being trained gains no battle AP in a weapon with no growth.
2. When you obtain Save Crystal, decide where to use it. If checking every branch and chest, keep a separate save before descending to the final battles.
3. Split routes with companions at branches, then check pickups after regrouping. The waterside area on the left also contains enemies useful for AP training.
4. Before the final battles, check healing, revival and attack materia for each party. Continue to Jenova・SYNTHESIS, Reverse Sephiroth and Safer Sephiroth.
5. After Safer's party-wide attacks, restore HP and cure statuses. Finish Cloud's final scene to reach the ending.

• Final-boss HP varies with party composition and conditions, so this guide does not give a single fixed value.