6.01 Ancient Forest

You can grab items (frogs, big frogs, wasp nests, etc.) by pressing the button. When you grab a frog for the first time, you get a message informing you that if you press the button, the entire area will reset, returning all the items to their proper place. However, it also returns you to the very start of the area, no matter how many screens you've worked your way through. If you mess up on an area (you run out of frogs to use for transportation), you can cheat by leaving the area and returning (if it's possible to leave given your current location). But if you're really stuck, you have no choice but to reset the whole level by pressing . You will keep all items and materia orbs you've collected so far, though. Also, when you hear a frog croaking, look for a place where you can let go of a small frog you might be carrying as it'll be replaced with a big frog.

In the first area, pick up three frogs and go beneath the earth bridge. Put them near the three bags hanging from the trees. Now, quickly take the frogs and press the button to make them hop into the bags; repeat this until all three bags are full by standing on a bag and pressing to put a frog into the next bag. When they're all full, hop to the other side of the gap. Once on the other side, go down the slope and carefully inch towards the center of the large snapping plant. Press to grab the bag (which contains the Supershot ST gun). If you get too close, the plant will close and you'll lose almost all your HP. You can make as many attempts as you want, but it's best to try and not touch the center of the plant in the first place. Continue to the right when you're finished here and Cloud will automatically use the pink vine to reach the other side. Go past the tree and nab the item bag on the hill (there's a Spring Gun Clip inside), and head right to reach the next part of the forest.

In the second area, pick up one frog and approach the pink vine. Choose the top option to leap to the ledge. If you leave the frog on the ledge, it'll be switched with a big frog (or you can just use your small frog). From here, you can put the frog in the bag and leap across to the second (already-full) bag. You'll automatically use the pink vine to jump to the ground. Now, pick up a frog and climb on top of the green ledge to your right; let it go and it will leap into the left bag. If you wait long enough, you'll be sent flying to the ledge above when the frog escapes (you have to use a big one). Once on the ledge, take the wasp nest. Jump back down. Stand near the small snapping plant and press to release the nest; if you're at the right distance, the nest will fly backward and land in the plant, which will snap it up. Take the yellow materia (Slash-All). Pick up the big frog again. Climb to the green ledge one more time and let the frog jump into the right bag. Jump atop it and wait until you are thrust onto the opposite side of the huge snapping plant. Run to the right to reach the next zone.

In the third area, pick up two frogs, toss them into the bags, and leap across to the pink vine. You'll be lifted into the treetops. Go left, then down the trunk to reach the big bag you saw back in the second area. A Minerva Band is inside. If you go too far down the trunk, you'll jump down to the ground, so return to the treetops after grabbing the bag. If for some reason you can't, just hop back down repeat the last few steps to get across the plant, get into the next screen, and return to the treetops.

Once you're back in the trees, climb to the upmost branch and head right, then make your way towards the broken branch; Cloud will vault across three of the pink vines and land on another branch. Go south to get yet another item bag holding a red materia (Typoon). Now, go back across the vines, and take the lower branch that leads behind the leaves to the ground level (look for a path leading right). Once on the ground, grab a frog. There are two bags to your right; look for a high ledge beneath them, stand on it, and toss the frog into the bag. Then, hop onto it and make your way over to the second bag, then to the ledge with the wasp's nest. Take it and drop to the ground, then approach the snapping plant and press O to release the nest. If you are positioned correctly, you'll toss the nest into the plant, which will close up.

Pick up a small frog and move past the plant. Stand on the left ledge, and let go of the frog; it will jump into the nearby bag. Hop across the bag and onto the ground. Run to the left and grab a frog. Put it in the hollow in the tree next to you and a big frog will jump out. Take it and go back the way you came (put the big frog in the bag, jump to the other side, and wait for it to land by your feet). Grab it again, go to the far right ledge, and release it into the bag. Now, stand on the bag and wait for the frog to escape. Doing this sends you flying across the gap to a cave entrance.

In the cave, walk to the right to find a chest with the Apocalypse sword lying within. Head to the north, then go east to find another chest (there's an Elixir in it). Finally, exit through the opening to your left. You're back outside! Yup, there are no bosses to fight in this area (which is a good thing in case you had a hard time dealing with the snapping plants).

6.02 Vincent's Waterfall

Beyond the waterfall is a room made of white stone. If Vincent isn't in your party, then you'll get a message stating his name when you step past the threshold of the room. So, return with Vincent. This time, there's a woman there, Lucresia, and you'll get to see a flashback of Vincent's past. While you don't get anything out of this if you visit only once, you can get Vincent's best weapon and his Level 4 Limit Break Manual if you come here with him in your party again in the second or third disc. Refer to the 'Ultimate Weapons' section for more information on this area.

6.03 Bonus Materia Locations

There's nothing in here but a glowing yellow light. Try to touch it, and you'll get a yellow materia (Mime). Notice how there's still a glow after you've taken the Materia? :)

Inside this icy blue cave is a twinkling purple materia (HP<->MP).

This sandy cave is empty, save for a blue pyramid-shaped object. If you examine it, you'll get a blue materia (Quadra Magic).

This may be another empty area, but the red pyramid lying by the tree trunks is none other than the Knights of Round summon materia--the most damaging summon spell in the entire game. Simply examine it to pick it up.

6.04 Yuffie's Sub-Quest

After arriving at the southern tip of the Westernmost Continent, head north. There is a curving path that leads up to a high plateau. As you go along the curve (even if you are riding a Chocobo) you will be interrupted by Yuffie. The screen switches to that of a plain, and Yuffie runs up, steals your Materia*, and escapes, but not before leaving you with two Shinra guards to contend with! The guards are easily beaten, though. If Yuffie was in your party when she tricked you, you'll have to fight the guards only using two people (in which case Barret will join the party afterwards, and if he's already in your party, then whoever isn't being used will join. Keep in mind that you can rearrange the party in whatever way you'd like afterwards).

Note that if you have the Highwind, you're better off landing near Wutai, then trying to enter the town (you'll still end up in the wilderness area with Yuffie). This is because you won't have to walk as far when the quest is over).

At this point, your characters will refuse to board the vehicle you used to get here (Highwind, Tiny Bronco, or Chocobo), insisting that they find Yuffie instead. If you were on a Chocobo when Yuffie stole your Materia, then you'll still be on it when the sequence ends, but you won't be able to board the Highwind, and if you get off the Chocobo, you can't get back on. If you use the 'Start with Gold Chocobo' code, then you can leave the island, but I don't know what happens if you do this sub-quest while riding a real Gold Chocobo. In any case, you can use the Chocobo to cheat and simply ride all the way to Wutai, Yuffie's hometown. If you're not on a Chocobo, you'll have to walk.

From the curving path, head north until you cross a bridge, then go west across a second bridge. Head southeast once you reach the other side; this leads to a north-bound path that runs under the bridge. Follow it and it will lead up to another bridge. Past the bridge, the land becomes flat and grassy. Keep heading north and you'll arrive at Wutai.

When you enter the town, Yuffie will see you and run away. Head to the upper-left corner of town. There's a path here that leads to a large courtyard and a pagoda. Enter the building to your right and walk along the hall until you arrive at a room with a man sleeping inside. Enter it and talk to the man. He is Godo, Yuffie's father. Keep talking to him until he stands up, at which point Yuffie will appear and then be chased away by her father. If you follow Yuffie, you'll find that she has disappeared. Before leaving this area, enter the room next to Godo's and examine the right wall. There is a hidden panel here that will open, revealing a passage. At the end of the passage is a chest containing the Hairpin (a weapon for Red 13). On your way out, go into the room to the left of the entrance. You can come here and spend the night for free, but if you examine the scroll on the left wall, it will lift up, revealing another passage. The chest at the end of this passage has a Magic Shuriken inside it.

Return to town and go into the eatery in the southwest corner of town. The Turks are her! Talk to them all (Elena, Rude, and Reno). When you are finished, go to the Item Shop. Normally, there is a woman standing in front of a treasure chest (preventing you from getting at it) but now she will have moved away. Open the chest and you'll get a MP Absorb materia, but Yuffie will drop down from the ceiling and swipe it from your hands! Leave the shop and go to the southeast edge of town. There's a building here near the entrace. Go inside and examine the folding panel to the left. Hiding behind it is Yuffie, who dashes away as soon as she is discovered. Chase her outside and go to the eatery. If you look at the jar standing outside the eatery, you'll see that it is moving. Approach it and press O to make your friends block all the exits. Then press O three times to make your main character hit the jar until Yuffie jumps out. Seeing that she can't escape, she'll lead your characters to her house.

Meanwhile, two Shinra soldiers run into the eatery to meet with the Turks. After Elena leaves, you'll find your characters in Yuffie's house. When she goes downstairs, follow her. I was sure that I found an item in this room once, but I guess I was mistaken...anyway, don't miss the Turtle's Paradise Flyer that's on the far wall when you go downstairs. Talk to Yuffie. When you can move again, examine the levers in the back room; you can pull the right lever or the left one. It doesn't matter which one you choose, since either one will make a cage drop on top of your allies! Yes, Yuffie has tricked you again. Examine either lever a second time to free your friends, then leave the house.

Return to the courtyard area where the pagoda is and you'll see that you can now enter the building to your left. Climb up the steps and examine the bell to ring it; this will reveal a hidden door. Beyond the door, you'll find Yuffie, who has been taken hostage by none other than Don Corneo, the mohawked pervert that tricked you back in the Wall Market. He has captured Elena as well. Before chasing after him, open the chest to your right to find a Swift Bolt, and open the chest to your left to get an Elixir. Go up the stairs and you'll find yourselves in the altar room back in Godo's house. Three Shinra soldiers appear and attack you, allowing Corneo to escape. Kill the guards (they're the same as the ones that attacked you back on the curving path), then go outside.

Here, you'll run into Rude and Reno. Talk to them, then return to town and head to the northeastern corner of Wutai. There's a path here that leads up into the mountains, where huge Dachao statues have been carved into the rock. Talk to the Turks again as you follow the path, and keep going along the path until it splits. Take the path that goes north. It leads past a huge head to a crossroads. Rude is standing here, blocking the entrace to a cave. If you talk to him, he'll enter the cave. You can't get across the fire-pits yet unless you've gotten the Leviathan Scales from the Junon Underwater Mako Reactor. There's a chest here that has a weapon for Cid in it, too (Dragoon Lance). Talk to Rude again and then exit the cave and head south to find Corneo, who's tied Elena and Yuffie to the face of a Da-chao statue. When you confront him, he summons a boss to attack you.

You'll find yourself back in the World Map again, but I wouldn't leave just yet if I were you. Return to Wutai and enter the building near Yuffie's house. It's full of cats. Normally, there's nothing you can do here, but now you can climb up the steps in the back to find a secret passage. Walk north (towards the screen), to find a cat and a chest. Inside the chest is a HP Absorb materia. Take it and go back outside.

Now, head back to the courtyard. Enter the pagoda and talk to the man there, Goorikii. He'll inform you that if she wishes, Yuffie can fight by herself against the five guardians of the Pagoda of Five Strong. Choose the top option to accept and the bottom option to decline. After each battle, go up the stairs and talk to the person there, picking the top option to fight them and the bottom option to not fight them. You don't have to kill all the guardians in one go, and if Yuffie is killed in battle, the game won't end, although she'll have zero HP and will need to be revived before she can fight again. Your enemies are:

First Floor: Gorky, a winged creature.