FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Alexander by drawing it from Edea during the second battle against her. During the Battle of the Gardens storyline, Squall and his companions infiltrate Galbadia Garden. After progressing through the building, you'll eventually confront Seifer and Edea. The first battle is against Seifer. Defeat him to advance to the confrontation involving Edea. Before attacking Edea, select the Draw command and examine her available magic. Alexander will appear among the available Draw options. Select Alexander and choose Stock to obtain the Guardian Force. The trophy unlocks immediately after Alexander is successfully drawn. You can then continue fighting Edea and complete the story encounter. Alexander is particularly valuable because its abilities are needed for obtaining Doomtrain later in the game.

Tip

Equip Draw on at least one active character before entering the boss encounter. Save before the confrontation so you can reload if you accidentally defeat Edea without obtaining Alexander. After recruiting Alexander, prioritize learning Med Data followed by Med LV Up. Med LV Up allows you to refine 10 Remedies into one Remedy+, and you'll need six Remedy+ items to summon Doomtrain. Collecting Alexander during this encounter helps prevent complications with another trophy later.

Warning

Alexander is missable during the main story. If you defeat Edea without drawing Alexander, your second opportunity is to draw it from Catoblepas inside Ultimecia's Castle. Although this provides a backup, obtaining Alexander so late can complicate your preparations for Doomtrain. Don't confuse Edea's first encounter in Deling City with the later battle in Galbadia Garden. Alexander is available during the second Edea confrontation. The party is busy confronting a powerful sorceress, but Squall still needs to stop halfway through the battle and check whether she's carrying a collectible Guardian Force. Trophy hunting demands priorities.

How to Unlock

Defeat Bahamut inside the Deep Sea Research Center to obtain the Guardian Force Bahamut. Bahamut is an optional Guardian Force available after obtaining the Ragnarok airship. Fly to the Deep Sea Research Center, a remote facility located in the far southwestern ocean of the world map. Land Ragnarok at the facility and enter the building. Inside, you'll discover a large central mechanism that periodically emits a bright blue light. Approach the mechanism carefully. When the light is glowing, moving toward it can trigger an encounter with a powerful enemy. Wait until the light disappears before advancing closer. Once you reach the central mechanism, interact with it to begin a sequence of questions and battles. For the first question, select: "It's not our will to fight." You'll then fight a Ruby Dragon. Defeat the dragon and interact with the mechanism again. For the second question, select: "Never." Defeat the second Ruby Dragon. When the final question appears, move the selection downward to reveal a hidden third answer. Choose: "It's our nature." This triggers the battle against Bahamut. Bahamut is a powerful opponent capable of dealing substantial magical damage, including his signature Mega Flare attack. Use strong Junctions, maintain your party's health, and attack with your most effective abilities and Limit Breaks. After defeating Bahamut, he'll join your collection of Guardian Forces and the trophy unlocks.

Tip

Make a manual save before entering the Deep Sea Research Center. Prepare strong defensive Junctions and reliable healing magic before fighting the Ruby Dragons and Bahamut. The Ruby Dragons can be dangerous, so avoid entering the facility with an underprepared party. Bahamut can learn valuable abilities, including Mug and powerful refinement options. Defeating Bahamut also unlocks access to the deeper sections of the facility, where you can eventually encounter Ultima Weapon and obtain Eden. If you're collecting every Guardian Force, complete both objectives during your visits to the Deep Sea Research Center.

Warning

Bahamut is optional and must be obtained before losing access to the Deep Sea Research Center during the late-game story progression. The third answer is hidden beneath the visible dialogue choices. Don't assume only two options are available. Moving while the central mechanism is glowing can trigger unnecessary Ruby Dragon encounters. Don't confuse Bahamut with Eden. Bahamut is obtained by defeating the dragon himself, while Eden must be drawn from Ultima Weapon in the lower facility. After defeating Bahamut, you may need to leave the facility and return later before the lower passage becomes accessible. Squall travels to a remote underwater research station, answers three philosophical questions, and gets attacked by dragons after each one. Whoever designed this interview process clearly wasn't interested in hiring anyone.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Brothers Guardian Force by defeating Sacred and Minotaur inside the Tomb of the Unknown King. During the main story, you'll travel to Deling City and need to retrieve a student's identification number from the Tomb of the Unknown King, located northeast of the city. Although obtaining the identification number is mandatory, completing the entire tomb and recruiting Brothers is optional. Enter the tomb, collect the number from the sword near the entrance, and continue exploring. The dungeon's navigation can be confusing because the camera consistently faces the same direction. A reliable method is to follow the corridors and repeatedly turn right at intersections. You'll eventually encounter Sacred, one of the two Brothers. Defeat Sacred, then continue through the tomb to activate the water-control mechanism and release the drawbridge. After completing the necessary mechanisms, return toward the entrance and take the central route across the bridge. You'll face Sacred and Minotaur together in the final battle. Cast Float on both enemies to prevent their Earth-based healing abilities from restoring HP. Focus your attacks on one Brother at a time, maintain your party's health, and defeat both opponents. After winning, Brothers joins your Guardian Force collection and the trophy unlocks.

Tip

Save before exploring the tomb because navigating its corridors can become confusing. Stock Float magic before the final encounter. Preventing Sacred and Minotaur from healing makes the fight considerably easier. Obtaining Brothers also rewards you with their rare Triple Triad cards, which are useful when challenging Balamb Garden's CC Group. Brothers provides valuable HP-related Junction abilities, including HP-J and percentage-based HP boosts. These can help you work toward Maximum HP later in the game.

Warning

Brothers is optional. Simply obtaining the student's identification number and leaving the tomb won't unlock the trophy. You must complete the tomb's optional puzzle and defeat Sacred and Minotaur together. Recruit Brothers before progressing into the late-game point of no return, when access to earlier world locations becomes restricted. Unlike several other Guardian Forces, Brothers isn't obtained by drawing from a story boss, so don't expect to find it automatically during normal progression. Two enormous stone brothers have been waiting inside an ancient tomb for someone to challenge them. Squall arrives looking for a student ID and somehow leaves with two new magical companions. Typical SeeD paperwork.

How to Unlock

Defeat Jumbo Cactuar on Cactuar Island to obtain the Guardian Force Cactuar. Cactuar Island is a small desert island located east of the Centra continent. You'll need the Ragnarok airship to reach the island conveniently. Once you obtain Ragnarok, fly to Cactuar Island and land on the desert. Look for an enormous green cactus that periodically rises out of the sand before disappearing again. This is Jumbo Cactuar. Approach the moving cactus and make contact with it to initiate the optional boss battle. Jumbo Cactuar has a large amount of HP and can deal significant damage with its powerful attacks. Use strong physical attacks, Limit Breaks, and well-junctioned magic to reduce its health as quickly as possible. The boss is vulnerable to Water, so Water-element attacks can provide additional damage. As Jumbo Cactuar becomes weaker, it may display messages indicating that it's getting nervous. This is a warning that the boss is preparing to escape. Increase your damage output and finish the battle before Jumbo Cactuar runs away. After defeating Jumbo Cactuar, the Cactuar Guardian Force joins your collection and the trophy unlocks.

Tip

Equip powerful Strength Junctions and use Aura to activate Limit Breaks more frequently. Squall's Renzokuken is particularly effective for dealing substantial damage before Jumbo Cactuar can escape. Jumbo Cactuar is weak to Water, so junctioning Water to elemental attack can help. The Cactuar Guardian Force is worth obtaining because it provides several powerful stat-bonus abilities and useful Junction options. Cactuar Island is also an excellent location for earning AP, making it useful when leveling Guardian Force abilities.

Warning

Jumbo Cactuar can escape when its HP becomes low. If it runs away, you'll need to encounter it again and restart the battle. Don't confuse ordinary Cactuar enemies with Jumbo Cactuar. Defeating regular Cactuars doesn't unlock this trophy. You must defeat Jumbo Cactuar before the late-game point of no return restricts access to the island. Avoid spending too long healing or casting low-damage spells once the boss becomes nervous. The remaster's 3× Speed and Battle Assist features can make the encounter easier without disabling trophies. Cactuars usually run away from danger. Jumbo Cactuar decided to become enormous, challenge experienced mercenaries, and then threaten to run away anyway. Some habits are difficult to break.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Carbuncle by drawing it from one of the Iguions during the assassination mission in Deling City. During the main story, Squall and his companions participate in a mission to confront Sorceress Edea. As the operation unfolds, Rinoa becomes trapped near the sorceress, and Squall and Irvine must reach her. You'll eventually encounter two Iguions, monstrous creatures resembling living stone statues. Before defeating them, make sure at least one party member has the Draw command equipped. Select Draw and target either Iguion. Carbuncle will appear among the available Draw options. Select Carbuncle and choose Stock to obtain the Guardian Force. The trophy unlocks immediately after Carbuncle is successfully drawn. You can then defeat the Iguions and continue the assassination mission.

Tip

Equip Draw on both Squall and Irvine before entering the encounter to ensure you have a reliable opportunity to obtain Carbuncle. Carbuncle specializes in defensive support and casts Reflect on the party when summoned. Its Junction abilities include HP-J and defensive options that can improve your party's survivability. Carbuncle's HP-boosting abilities are also useful when working toward Maximum HP.

Warning

Carbuncle is missable during the Deling City assassination sequence. If you defeat both Iguions without drawing Carbuncle, you'll lose your first opportunity. A second chance is available by drawing Carbuncle from Krysta inside Ultimecia's Castle. Because the Iguions are mandatory story enemies, it's easy to rush through the fight without checking their Draw lists. Make sure you specifically select Carbuncle rather than simply stocking ordinary magic. Squall encounters two terrifying animated statues guarding a powerful sorceress. Naturally, his first priority is checking whether either monster contains an adorable magical creature. Every mercenary has hobbies.

How to Unlock

Defeat every member of the CC Group in Balamb Garden. The CC Group is a secret organization of skilled Triple Triad players located throughout Balamb Garden. To challenge its members, you'll first need to establish yourself as a successful card player. Begin by playing Triple Triad against students and other NPCs around Balamb Garden. Win approximately 15–20 matches to build your reputation. If the first CC Group member still refuses your challenge, continue winning additional games. The CC Group becomes available after defeating NORG during the main story. Once the challenge is available, defeat the members in the required order. Begin with Jack, who walks around the first-floor central hall near the directory. Next, challenge Club, who wanders the Garden's hallways between the cafeteria and parking area. Then defeat Diamond, represented by two female students who occasionally stop near the directory. Continue to Spade, the student found near the second-floor elevator who originally gives Squall his starting Triple Triad cards. After progressing through the story and gaining access to the appropriate Garden areas, challenge Heart, who is actually Xu, located on the bridge. Joker is another required member. He appears randomly near the pier inside the Training Center and can be challenged after Jack without following the normal sequence. Once you've defeated the other six members, speak with Dr. Kadowaki in the infirmary. Return to Squall's dormitory, save your game, and rest in his bed. You may need to rest several times before the final member appears. The CC Group's King is revealed to be Quistis. Defeat Quistis in Triple Triad to complete the CC Group challenge and unlock Cards Club Master.

Tip

Collect strong Guardian Force cards before beginning the challenge. The Ifrit, Diablos, Sacred, and Minotaur cards provide an excellent foundation for your deck. You can also obtain powerful character cards, including Quistis, Zell, and Seifer, during the earlier portions of the game. Save between CC Group matches to avoid losing valuable cards. Defeating Joker allows you to obtain the Leviathan card and unlocks an upgrade for your Battle Meter. Winning the Gilgamesh card from King is especially useful because Card Mod can refine it into 10 Holy War items, which provide temporary party-wide invincibility. These items can make the Omega Weapon encounter considerably easier.

Warning

Cards Club Master is missable if you progress beyond the late-game point of no return without defeating the entire group. You must defeat all seven members, including Joker. Defeating Quistis without completing the other required challenges won't satisfy the trophy conditions. Heart and King aren't available immediately after NORG, so continue the story until the necessary areas and events become accessible. Regional Triple Triad rules can spread between locations. Rules such as Random and Same can complicate matches, so be cautious when introducing unfamiliar rules to Balamb Garden. Quistis may appear only after resting multiple times. If King doesn't challenge you immediately, leave the dormitory, return, and try again. Squall's instructors have secretly formed an elite underground card-playing organization, and their leader breaks into his dormitory to challenge him. Balamb Garden desperately needs a normal extracurricular activities program.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Cerberus by defeating the optional Cerberus boss inside Galbadia Garden. During the Battle of the Gardens storyline, Squall's party eventually infiltrates Galbadia Garden. As you explore the building, you'll reach the main hall, a large central area containing a three-headed monster standing in the open. This creature is Cerberus. Approach Cerberus and interact with it to initiate the optional boss battle. Cerberus uses powerful magic and can cast Double or Triple to increase the number of spells it casts during a turn. Use Dispel if Cerberus enhances itself with Triple, and maintain your party's health throughout the encounter. Attack with your strongest available abilities and exploit stagger-free opportunities to deal consistent damage. You can also Draw useful Double and Triple magic from Cerberus before defeating it. Once Cerberus is defeated, it joins your collection of Guardian Forces and the trophy unlocks.

Tip

Make a manual save before approaching Cerberus. Stocking Triple magic during the battle can be extremely useful because Triple provides excellent Junction bonuses, particularly when assigned to Speed. Cerberus can learn the Spd-J and Auto-Haste abilities, making it valuable for improving your party's combat speed. Defeating Cerberus during the Battle of the Gardens also ensures you won't have to rely on its much later alternative acquisition method.

Warning

Cerberus is an optional boss. You can progress through Galbadia Garden without defeating it, so don't walk past the creature. Unlike Pandemona or Alexander, Cerberus isn't obtained by drawing from itself. You must defeat it in battle. If you miss Cerberus in Galbadia Garden, you can obtain it by drawing from Gargantua inside Ultimecia's Castle. Complete the optional encounter before leaving Galbadia Garden to avoid unnecessary late-game cleanup. A giant three-headed dog is standing in the middle of a military academy, and nobody seems particularly concerned. Galbadia Garden's campus security standards could use some improvement.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Diablos by defeating him after using the Magical Lamp. After completing the Dollet SeeD examination, Squall returns to Balamb Garden and officially becomes a SeeD. Before departing on your first mission to Timber, speak with Headmaster Cid at the Garden's front gate. Cid will give Squall an important item called the Magical Lamp. This item allows you to summon Diablos for an optional boss battle. Before using the lamp, make a manual save and prepare your party with Healing magic, strong Junctions, and the Draw command. Open your inventory while on the world map, select the Magical Lamp, and use it. You'll immediately enter a battle against Diablos. Diablos specializes in Gravity magic, including attacks that reduce your characters' HP by a percentage of their current health. Use Draw to obtain Demi from Diablos, then select Cast to turn his own magic against him. You can also use Blind magic to reduce the effectiveness of his physical attacks. Keep your party healthy and continue attacking until Diablos is defeated. After winning the battle, Diablos joins your collection of Guardian Forces and the trophy unlocks.

Tip

Obtain the Magical Lamp immediately after becoming a SeeD so you don't accidentally leave Balamb Garden without it. You can save the actual Diablos battle until your party is stronger, provided you've already obtained the lamp. Casting Demi from Diablos's own Draw list is an excellent strategy because Gravity damage is effective against him. Diablos provides valuable abilities, including Mug, Enc-Half, Enc-None, and powerful HP boosts. Enc-None is especially useful for exploring dangerous locations and completing collectible objectives without repeated random encounters.

Warning

The Magical Lamp is missable if you leave Balamb Garden without speaking to Cid at the correct opportunity. Cid also provides the Battle Meter during the SeeD promotion sequence, but the Battle Meter and Magical Lamp are separate items. Simply obtaining the lamp doesn't unlock Diablos. You must use it and defeat the Guardian Force. Don't sell or otherwise discard the Magical Lamp before using it. Diablos's Gravity attacks can leave your party with very little HP, so avoid becoming careless just because the attacks don't always deal fatal damage. Headmaster Cid congratulates Squall on becoming a SeeD by handing him a mysterious lamp containing a dangerous demon. Most employers give their new recruits an ID badge and a welcome packet. Balamb Garden has different priorities.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Doomtrain by collecting the required items and activating Solomon's Ring. Unlike many Guardian Forces in Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, Doomtrain isn't obtained by defeating a boss or using the Draw command. Instead, you'll need to collect four specific items during your adventure. First, obtain Solomon's Ring from Tear's Point, located in the Great Plains of Esthar. The ring can be found on the ground near the center of the area. Next, collect six Malboro Tentacles. These can be obtained from Malboro enemies, which appear in locations such as the Great Plains of Esthar and Grandidi Forest. You can also refine Malboro cards into tentacles using Quezacotl's Card Mod ability. Then, collect six Steel Pipes. These are dropped by Wendigo enemies, commonly encountered around Timber and Galbadia. Alternatively, Card Mod can turn Elastoid cards into Steel Pipes. Finally, obtain six Remedy+ items. To create Remedy+, you must have Alexander learn Med Data followed by Med LV Up. Use Med LV Up to refine 10 ordinary Remedies into one Remedy+. You'll need 60 Remedies to produce all six. Once you have Solomon's Ring, six Malboro Tentacles, six Steel Pipes, and six Remedy+ items, open your inventory while on the world map. Select Solomon's Ring and use it. Doomtrain will join your Guardian Force collection, unlocking the trophy.

Tip

Recruit Alexander during the second Edea battle in Galbadia Garden. Obtaining Alexander early allows you to learn the refinement abilities needed for Remedy+. Malboros are dangerous because Bad Breath inflicts multiple status effects. Junction 100 Confuse and 100 Berserk spells to Status Defense to reduce the risk of losing control of your party. Card Mod can provide an alternative to farming dangerous enemies for materials. Doomtrain is especially valuable because it inflicts several status effects and can weaken powerful enemies.

Warning

Doomtrain is missable if you fail to obtain Alexander and its required refinement abilities. You must collect all the ingredients before activating Solomon's Ring. Simply possessing the ring doesn't unlock the Guardian Force. Don't confuse ordinary Remedies with Remedy+. The recipe specifically requires six Remedy+ items. Complete Doomtrain's requirements before the late-game point of no return to avoid losing access to important locations and resources. Most Final Fantasy heroes summon dragons, gods, or magical beasts. Squall summons a haunted locomotive that runs over his enemies. Public transportation has never been more threatening.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Eden by drawing it from Ultima Weapon in the Deep Sea Research Center. The Deep Sea Research Center is an optional location accessible after obtaining the Ragnarok airship. Fly to the remote research facility in the southwestern portion of the world map and enter the building. Your first major objective is to defeat Bahamut, who guards the facility's upper section. Approach the glowing central mechanism when its light is inactive and answer the questions presented to you. The correct responses are: "It's not our will to fight." "Never." "It's our nature." The final response is a hidden option located below the visible choices. After answering the questions and defeating the required Ruby Dragons, you'll battle Bahamut. Defeat Bahamut to obtain his Guardian Force. Next, leave the Deep Sea Research Center and return after the lower section becomes accessible. Resting at an inn before returning is a reliable way to advance this process. A passage will now lead into the deeper levels of the facility. You'll need to manage a limited supply of steam pressure units while opening doors and descending through the research center. One convenient method is to bring Zell in your party, since he can help open a later passage without consuming the normal number of steam units. Continue descending until you reach the Deep Sea Deposit. Proceed through the lower dungeon while preparing for increasingly dangerous encounters. Near the bottom, use Siren's Move-Find ability to reveal a hidden save point. Save your game before approaching the final mechanism. Use the required steam pressure units to activate the encounter with Ultima Weapon. During the boss battle, select Draw and examine Ultima Weapon's available magic. Eden will appear among the available Draw options. Select Eden and choose Stock to obtain the Guardian Force. The trophy unlocks immediately after Eden is successfully drawn. You can then defeat Ultima Weapon to complete the optional dungeon.

Tip

Make a manual save before the Ultima Weapon encounter. Equip Draw on at least one active character and obtain Eden before focusing on defeating the boss. Ultima Weapon also carries Ultima magic, which provides excellent Junction bonuses for your strongest characters. Eden is one of the most powerful Guardian Forces in the game and can deal tremendous damage when summoned. The Deep Sea Research Center is also an excellent place to prepare for Omega Weapon by collecting valuable magic and strengthening your party. If you haven't already obtained Bahamut, completing this dungeon allows you to earn both Guardian Force trophies during the same visit.

Warning

Eden must be drawn from Ultima Weapon. Defeating the boss without drawing Eden won't automatically award the Guardian Force. If you miss Eden during this encounter, you have a second opportunity to draw it from Tiamat inside Ultimecia's Castle. However, obtaining Eden from Ultima Weapon is recommended because you'll have access to its abilities earlier. Don't confuse Ultima Weapon with Omega Weapon. They are separate optional bosses encountered in different locations. Managing the steam pressure units incorrectly can complicate access to the lower dungeon, so plan your descent carefully. The original Deep Sea Research Center probably had a perfectly reasonable scientific purpose. Unfortunately, its current operating procedures involve giant dragons, ancient machinery, and a monster carrying one of the strongest summons in the game. Shinra would love this place.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Leviathan by drawing it from NORG during the confrontation beneath Balamb Garden. During the story, Squall returns to Balamb Garden and becomes involved in a conflict surrounding its leadership. Progress through the Garden's basement until you reach NORG's chamber. The boss battle begins with NORG concealed inside a protective pod, accompanied by two supporting devices. Attack the central NORG Pod until it breaks open and exposes NORG himself. Once NORG is visible, select the Draw command and examine his available magic. Leviathan will appear among the available Draw options. Select Leviathan and choose Stock to obtain the Guardian Force. The trophy unlocks immediately after Leviathan is successfully drawn. You can then finish the battle and continue through the story.

Tip

Make sure at least one party member has Draw equipped before starting the encounter. The two side devices change color during battle. Attacking them helps control their activity and reduce the threat they pose. Leviathan can learn useful support abilities, including Recover, which restores a character's HP without consuming stocked magic. Leviathan also provides valuable Junction options as you strengthen your party for later encounters.

Warning

You cannot draw Leviathan from the protective pod at the start of the fight. You must damage the central pod enough to expose NORG. If you defeat NORG without drawing Leviathan, you'll lose your first opportunity. A second chance is available by drawing Leviathan from Trauma inside Ultimecia's Castle. However, the safest approach is to obtain Leviathan during the original story encounter rather than relying on the late-game alternative. NORG spent a considerable amount of money building a secret underground chamber and an elaborate protective machine. Unfortunately, neither investment prevents Squall from stealing a legendary sea serpent during the fight.

How to Unlock

Complete the Obel Lake sidequest by solving its mysterious clues and discovering the hidden treasures. The easiest time to complete this quest is after obtaining the Ragnarok airship, which allows you to travel freely between the required locations. First, travel to Obel Lake, the horseshoe-shaped lake north of Timber. Approach the small peninsula extending into the lake and interact with the water. Choose the option to hum repeatedly until a mysterious shadow appears. Speak with the creature to learn about its missing friend, Mr. Monkey, and receive clues concerning several unusual rocks. Before searching for Mr. Monkey, interact with the lake again and repeatedly choose Throw a Rock until the game indicates that your stone skipped many times. Next, travel to the forest near Dollet and search for Mr. Monkey. After finding him, return to Obel Lake and speak with the shadow again. You'll now need to collect four special rocks. One is obtained through the interaction with Mr. Monkey after successfully skipping a stone many times at the lake. Another is found on a small island near the bridge east of Timber, around Mandy Beach. The third is located along Rinaul Coast, south of Balamb. The fourth is found by searching the Monterosa Plateau near Galbadia and Timber. Return to Obel Lake with all four rocks. The shadow will help reveal a hidden message directing you toward Mordred Plains, north of Esthar. Travel there using Ragnarok and search the ground. You'll encounter several colored rocks that provide directions. Pay attention to the red rocks, but follow the opposite direction from what they tell you. Continue searching until you uncover the hidden Three Stars item. Return to Obel Lake and speak with the shadow again to investigate its remaining clues. The final important destination is Minde Island, located southwest of Esthar. Land on the island with Ragnarok and search the ground until you discover the Luck-J Scroll. Finding the final treasure completes the Obel Lake sidequest and unlocks Obel Lake Secret.

Tip

Save before beginning the quest and keep a separate save during your late-game cleanup. Ragnarok makes the treasure hunt significantly easier because several locations are difficult or impossible to reach with earlier transportation. You can complete the sidequest without fighting powerful optional bosses, so it's a useful objective to tackle while collecting other world-map trophies. The remaster's No Encounters feature can help you explore without interruptions.

Warning

Complete Obel Lake Secret before entering the late-game point of no return associated with Lunatic Pandora and Time Compression. Finding Mr. Monkey isn't enough to complete the quest. You must continue through the rock clues and uncover the final treasure. The red rocks at Mordred Plains deliberately provide misleading directions. Following their instructions literally will send you away from the treasure. Make sure you obtain the Luck-J Scroll on Minde Island rather than stopping after discovering Three Stars. Squall can confront heavily armed soldiers and powerful sorceresses without hesitation, but apparently an unusually talkative lake is what finally turns him into a full-time treasure hunter.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Pandemona by drawing it from Fujin during the battle against Fujin and Raijin in Balamb. After Balamb Garden becomes mobile, the main story eventually brings Squall and his companions back to Balamb, which has been occupied by Galbadian soldiers. Investigate the town and progress through the events involving Raijin and Fujin. You'll first confront Raijin, followed by a battle against Fujin and Raijin together outside Balamb Hotel. During the second encounter, make sure at least one character has the Draw command equipped. Select Draw and target Fujin, the female opponent. Pandemona will appear among Fujin's available Draw options. Select Pandemona and choose Stock to obtain the Guardian Force. The trophy unlocks immediately after successfully drawing Pandemona. Once you've obtained it, finish the battle normally and continue the story.

Tip

Save before entering the final confrontation at Balamb Hotel. Inspect Fujin's Draw list immediately rather than waiting until she's nearly defeated. Pandemona is a Wind-element Guardian Force with useful abilities, including Spd-J, which lets you junction magic to a character's Speed statistic. Strong Speed Junctions are particularly valuable later in the game because they allow characters to take actions more frequently.

Warning

Pandemona must be drawn from Fujin, not Raijin. If you defeat Fujin without drawing Pandemona, you'll miss the Guardian Force during this encounter. Your second opportunity is to draw Pandemona from Red Giant inside Ultimecia's Castle. Although that backup exists, collecting Pandemona during the Balamb encounter is strongly recommended. Don't mistake the earlier solo battle against Raijin for the encounter containing Pandemona. You need the subsequent fight involving both opponents. Fujin already has enough trouble dealing with Raijin's enthusiasm. Now Squall arrives and steals her magical wind spirit. Balamb's occupation is going very badly.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Siren by drawing her from Elvoret during the Dollet SeeD examination. During the SeeD field mission, Squall, Zell, and Seifer travel to Dollet to fight Galbadian forces. Progress through the city and climb the communications tower. At the top, you'll initially battle Biggs and Wedge. After dealing enough damage, Elvoret appears and replaces them as the main boss. This is your first major opportunity to obtain a missable Guardian Force. Before defeating Elvoret, select the Draw command and examine its available magic. Siren will appear among the available Draw options. Select Siren and choose Stock to acquire the Guardian Force. The trophy unlocks immediately after Siren is successfully drawn. You can then finish the battle normally and continue the mission.

Tip

Make a manual save before entering the communications tower. Always equip Draw on at least one active character before boss fights. Several Guardian Forces are obtained exclusively through this mechanic. Siren can learn Move-Find, which reveals hidden draw points and save points throughout the game. This ability is particularly useful for discovering powerful magic and preparing for difficult encounters later in the story.

Warning

Siren is missable during the Dollet mission. If you defeat Elvoret without drawing her, you'll lose your first opportunity. There is a second chance to obtain Siren from Tri-Point inside Ultimecia's Castle, but this occurs very late in the game. The safest approach is to collect her immediately rather than depending on that backup opportunity. Don't confuse drawing ordinary magic from Elvoret with obtaining Siren. You must specifically select the Guardian Force. The SeeD examination already involves fighting an enormous flying monster. Naturally, the examiners also expect you to remember to steal its magical companion before defeating it.

How to Unlock

Collect all 12 Timber Maniacs magazines scattered throughout the game. Timber Maniacs magazines are collectible publications found in towns, hotels, and several story locations. Most remain accessible until the late-game point of no return, but the magazine aboard the White SeeD Ship is available only during a limited story sequence. To unlock the trophy, collect one magazine from each of the following 12 locations. 1. Balamb Hotel — Enter the hotel and go upstairs. The magazine is on a table in the guest room. 2. Timber Maniacs Office — Visit the publishing office in Timber. The magazine is on the floor between stacks of books in the main office area. 3. Timber Hotel — Pay for a room and inspect the round table inside to collect the magazine. 4. Dollet Hotel — Enter the hotel guest room and examine the table to find the magazine. 5. Dollet Pub — Go upstairs to the second floor and inspect the card table in the lower-left area. 6. Deling City Hotel — Pay for a room and inspect the floor near the foot of the central bed. 7. Fisherman's Horizon Hotel — Go upstairs and inspect the area near the bookcase in the guest room. 8. Fisherman's Horizon, Grease Monkey's House — Visit the house near the area where you rescue Mayor Dobe. The magazine is inside. 9. Shumi Village — Enter the Artisan's house and examine the bed. 10. Trabia Garden — Search the graveyard area near the central gravestones and draw point. The magazine is lying on the ground. 11. Edea's Orphanage — Enter the building and inspect the floor along the right-hand wall near the entrance. 12. White SeeD Ship — During the story visit to the White SeeD Ship, head up the stairs toward the bridge and collect the magazine lying on the left side. After collecting all 12 magazines, Timber Maniacs unlocks automatically.

Tip

Collect each magazine the first time you visit its location rather than leaving everything for late-game cleanup. The White SeeD Ship magazine deserves special attention. Once you board the ship and finish the relevant conversations, visit the bridge before progressing the story. You can check Laguna's articles through Selphie's computer at Balamb Garden to help identify which magazines you've already collected. Create a separate manual save before the White SeeD Ship sequence in case you accidentally leave without picking up its magazine.

Warning

The White SeeD Ship magazine is permanently missable once you leave the ship during the relevant story sequence. Most other magazines can be collected later, but you must obtain them before progressing beyond the late-game point of no return, when normal access to towns becomes restricted. Don't confuse Timber Maniacs magazines with Weapons Monthly or other collectible publications. Only the 12 Timber Maniacs issues count. There are alternate possible placements for the Balamb issue depending on earlier events, but only one copy is required. Make sure you've physically collected each magazine. Simply visiting its location doesn't count. Squall has fought monsters, survived military operations, and confronted sorceresses. Yet his Platinum journey can still be destroyed by forgetting a travel magazine on a boat. The true final boss is apparently responsible reading.

How to Unlock

Obtain the Guardian Force Tonberry by defeating Tonberry King inside Centra Ruins. Centra Ruins is an optional dungeon located on the Centra continent. You can reach it once Balamb Garden becomes mobile, although returning later with Ragnarok is also convenient. Enter the ruins and begin hunting regular Tonberry enemies. You'll need to defeat approximately 20 Tonberries before Tonberry King appears. In some cases, additional kills may be necessary. A convenient farming location is the area near the fountain and statue inside the ruins. Tonberries have substantial HP and are dangerous at close range. Their signature Chef's Knife attack can inflict heavy damage, so use your strongest physical attacks, magic, and Limit Breaks to defeat them efficiently. Continue defeating Tonberries until Tonberry King appears immediately after one of your victories. Unlike ordinary Tonberries, Tonberry King is much larger and wears a crown. This optional boss has significant HP and powerful attacks, so keep your party healthy while dealing consistent damage. Use strong Strength Junctions and Limit Breaks to shorten the encounter. After defeating Tonberry King, the Tonberry Guardian Force joins your collection and the trophy unlocks.

Tip

You don't need to defeat Odin to obtain Tonberry. The 20-minute timer inside Centra Ruins is associated with Odin's optional quest, not the Tonberry King requirement. If the timer expires and you're forced outside, you can return and continue hunting Tonberries without losing your previous kill progress. However, defeating Odin first removes the timer and makes Tonberry farming more convenient. Tonberry provides useful shopping-related abilities, including Call Shop and Haggle, which can help with your remaining trophy preparation. The remaster's 3× Speed and Battle Assist features can also reduce the time required to defeat repeated Tonberry encounters.

Warning

You must defeat Tonberry King to unlock the trophy. Defeating approximately 20 ordinary Tonberries only triggers the opportunity to encounter him. Tonberry King appears immediately after a regular Tonberry battle, so make sure your party is prepared before reaching the required kill count. Don't confuse Odin with Tonberry. Both are associated with Centra Ruins, but they have separate acquisition requirements. Complete this objective before the late-game point of no return restricts access to the ruins. Tonberries are small, slow-moving creatures carrying kitchen knives. After defeating enough of them, their king arrives to settle the matter personally. Apparently, the Tonberry monarchy takes customer complaints very seriously.

How to Unlock

Complete the optional PuPu sidequest by investigating four UFO sightings, defeating the UFO, and encountering the mysterious alien PuPu. This sidequest can be completed after obtaining Ragnarok, which makes reaching the required locations considerably easier. Before beginning, consider collecting five Elixirs if you want to receive PuPu's rare Triple Triad card. The sidequest begins with four special UFO encounters scattered throughout the world map. These encounters occur in specific regions and show a flying saucer carrying unusual objects. You don't need to fight the UFO during these first four sightings. Simply triggering each encounter is sufficient. Visit the following locations: 1. Winhill Bluffs — Travel to the grassy region surrounding Winhill and move around until the UFO encounter occurs. 2. Mandy Beach — Travel to the beach northeast of Timber and explore until you witness another UFO sighting. 3. Kashkabald Desert — Visit the desert region south of Esthar and continue moving until the UFO appears. 4. Heath Peninsula — Travel to the eastern side of Trabia, near the small island east of the peninsula, and trigger the fourth sighting. After witnessing all four encounters, travel to the Grandidi Forest region northeast of Esthar. Use Ragnarok to land on the elevated terrain north of the Chocobo Sanctuary. Move around the plateau until you encounter the UFO again. This time, you'll enter a battle against the flying saucer. Defeat the UFO to continue the sidequest. Next, return to the Balamb region and visit the location where Balamb Garden originally stood before becoming mobile. Explore the area until you encounter PuPu, the small blue alien responsible for the UFO sightings. During the encounter, PuPu asks for Elixirs. Give PuPu five Elixirs to complete the encounter peacefully and receive the PuPu Triple Triad card. The UFO trophy unlocks after completing the final encounter. Alternatively, defeating PuPu also awards the trophy, but you won't receive its rare card.

Tip

Use the remaster's 3× Speed feature to make traveling between the required locations faster. Keep No Encounters disabled while searching for UFO sightings, since they occur through special world-map encounters. You can obtain five Elixirs through shops, refinement abilities, or Card Mod. One particularly generous method is refining the Angelo card into 100 Elixirs using Card Mod, although doing so sacrifices the card. If you want to preserve Angelo, consider obtaining Elixirs through shops instead. Giving PuPu five Elixirs is recommended because it provides both the trophy and a rare collectible card. You don't need to complete the entire Triple Triad card collection for the Platinum, but obtaining PuPu's card is a satisfying bonus.

Warning

You must witness all four initial UFO sightings before the battle near Grandidi Forest becomes available. Simply visiting the four locations without triggering their encounters doesn't count. Defeating the UFO near Grandidi Forest isn't the final step. You must subsequently encounter PuPu near the former Balamb Garden location. Keep No Encounters turned off while searching for both the UFO sightings and PuPu. If you defeat PuPu instead of giving him Elixirs, you'll still earn UFO, but you'll permanently miss the opportunity to obtain his rare card through this encounter. Complete the entire sidequest before the late-game point of no return restricts access to the world map. Squall has fought sorceresses, monsters, dragons, and military armies, but the universe apparently decided he also needed to investigate alien abductions. At least PuPu is polite enough to ask for healing items before leaving.