This section contains a list of the side quests that you can complete in Final Fantasy VIII. However, if you have already reached the end of the game’s main story, you can use the link at the very top for an overview of all the side quests and end-game content. You should only use this page if you’ve reached the end of the game. It provides a sequential overview of how to complete all of them as efficiently as possible:
Walkthrough Guide
Have you completed the Lunatic Pandora and Ultimecia’s Castle at the end of the game? This section provides a full overview of how to complete all the side quests and end-game content before you complete the end of the main story.
Complete Side Quest List
The complete list of side quests is included below, and they are listed in the order that players would typically complete them during a regular playthrough:
Bump your SeeD ranking to the top level to increase the amount of gil you receive as a salary after completing the Dollet SeeD exam.
You can’t fully complete this side quest until much later in the game, but there are many steps that you need to complete early on in your playthrough. The Queen of Cards can help you obtain several rare Triple Triad cards.
A very short side quest involving the Queen of Cards’ son and her dog inside the city of Dollet.
There are several rare cards you can win from them, and you can challenge them to games to retrieve your lost or refined cards.
Traveling to the remote town located north of Trabia Garden to help the local sculptor complete their work and pick up a few small rewards along the way.
Completing the puzzles in the Chocobo Forests and using Chocobos to travel around to each of the other forests around the world.
Traveling to the Centra Ruins and defeating Tonberries until the Tonberry King itself appears to challenge you.
Picking up an optional Guardian Force that doesn’t behave like other GFs. Note that this side quest is optional, and many opt to skip it.
Picking up an optional Guardian Force that doesn’t behave like other GFs. This Guardian Force is also optional, but it’s easy to obtain if you’re doing the other side quests.
Have Zell meet up with his secret admirer, known only as Pigtail Girl, at the Balamb Hotel for a gift.
Collecting all the issues of Timber Maniacs lying around in various places as you play through the game. Unfortunately, a few of them are missable…
Use the raw ingredients, including the Solomon Ring from Tear’s Point, to create the new Guardian Force, Doomtrain.
Defeat Jumbo Cactuar on Cactuar Island to pick up a new Guardian Force (GF).
Flying out to the abandoned research facility to challenge Bahamut, farm Tri-Faces/Curse Spikes, and, if you choose to, defeat Ultima Weapon and obtain Eden.
Find all the locations where the UFO gets close to the Earth to meet PuPu and obtain its Triple Triad card.
Tracking down the hidden message stones and the irritating monkey to pick up a few mediocre item rewards and earn a trophy.
Level up your characters on these islands full of high-level monsters and pick up some hidden Draw Points while you’re there.
Defeat the most challenging boss of the game in the Chapel of Ultimecia’s Castle.