Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is not only a fascinating retelling of one of gaming’s most beloved titles — it’s also among the most feature-rich games of this generation. From vast open areas to explore that teem with activities to densely populated cities and tense dungeons, there’s at least 100 hours worth of content to uncover here if you’ve got the time and energy to complete it all.
As you work through the game, you’ll find that a surprising amount of this playtime sees you engaging with minigames, both to advance the story and just for fun to earn optional rewards. And though there are a few duds scattered along the way — we’re looking at you Gears and Gambits — most of the minigames you’ll encounter offer a unique and enjoyable diversion for Cloud and friends. We’ve gone through a tough elimination process and decided on our picks for the top five minigames in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
5. Dolphin Course
It wouldn’t be a proper remake of Final Fantasy VII without the return of everyone’s favorite porpoise who helps us reach Upper Junon. And thankfully, riding the dolphin in the Under Junon area isn’t a one-time deal this time either, as you’ll find that you need to race this little guy through the course multiple times throughout your journey in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth — especially if you want to complete everything. Luckily, it’s a hell of a thrill that harks back to classic watercraft racing games like Jet Moto and Wave Race 64, and it’s hard not to wish that there was even more of it.
As you hold on for dear life and let the dolphin lead the way, you have to dodge obstacles, jump off ramps, and perform some tight turns while collecting balls that increase the sea-dwelling mammal’s speed. Of course, the faster it goes, the harder the minigame becomes, ensuring that most folks will need to replay it a few times if they want to learn the course fully.
4. Fort Condor
The Fort Condor assault minigame is an intriguing part of the original Final Fantasy VII, though figuring out when new battles were (often only briefly) available was sometimes frustrating. However, in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, this fast-paced and strategic tower defense experience is the focal point of one of Chadley’s open-world activities and can be replayed to your heart’s content, as it’s now in the form of a board game.
As you work to push back your opponents and ultimately destroy their boss units, you have to consider which units are best suited to deploy against enemy units so you can exploit weaknesses and push your army forward more quickly. It’s a riveting minigame that rewards careful planning before and during battles. There are even hard mode battles unlocked later in the game for those looking to truly test their mettle, so fans have plenty to do if they want to master Fort Condor.
3. Piano Performances
There are various pianos scattered around the world of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Cloud can sit down to play a tune at any of them. You can always freestyle and make your own ditties any time you’d like, but the pianos also serve as one of the game’s most compelling and well-designed minigames.
As you find pieces of sheet music throughout your adventure, you can play along to these at a piano in a rhythm game that uses the DualSense’s two sticks to select keys. It’s not exactly easy, but it does provide you with immense satisfaction upon nailing a performance of one of the beautiful songs pulled from the game’s classic soundtrack. Go ahead, get an S-Rank playing Aerith’s Theme without crying. We dare you.
2. Chocobo Racing
Chocobo Racing was a fun and lighthearted addition to the original 1997 game, and it returns in Rebirth as one of the remake’s most fleshed-out minigames. You can tell a substantial amount of time and effort was put into this Gold Saucer-based event, as there’s a wide selection of races to choose from and plenty of creative mechanics that make it feel like an old-school kart racer like Mario Kart. You’re always dodging crazy obstacles, drifting around tight corners, collecting items to increase your speed and ability power, or using air vents to propel you across gaps for a clever shortcut.
However, perhaps the most exciting part of Chocobo Racing is the addition of chocobo gear, which you can equip to whichever feathered pal you’ve chosen to boost their stats and give them unique abilities in races. Making sure you have the best gear for each race can be pivotal, and you can buy new pieces by visiting specific merchants and using the golden plumes you’ve collected from repairing chocobo stops.
Here’s to hoping we may someday get another full-fledged Chocobo Racing game in the vein of this wonderfully enjoyable minigame (pour one out for the ill-fated Chocobo GP).
1. Queen’s Blood
Queen’s Blood is the deepest and most rewarding minigame in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, granting you a fun and highly strategic diversion that kicks off early in the game and continues throughout the entire adventure. There are dozens of opponents to face off against, as well as multiple types of puzzle-based challenges at Costa Del Sol and the Gold Saucer. It even features an unsettling side story that unravels as you rank up and gain new insight into the game’s eerie past.
Queen’s Blood is a game that requires intense attention to card placement, a thorough understanding of what cards and moves your opponents have at their disposal, and — as with most card games of this type — a smattering of luck. As you advance through the game beating challengers and earning new cards, you soon find that this minigame is relatively easy to learn, but incredibly difficult to master. Making your way to the highest rank demands patience and confidence.
We’d say it’s well worth the investment to become adept at Queen’s Blood, and as with Chocobo Racing, we can only hope the widespread adoration of this wildly addicting card game will entice Square Enix to make a spinoff. Or better yet, a physical edition.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is out now on PlayStation 5.
