Final Fantasy 7 Remake didn't have anywhere near as many mini-games as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but it did have its fair share of hard ones. One such mini-game required players to perform pull-ups and is generally considered to be one of the hardest Final Fantasy mini-games of all time by franchise fans. Unfortunately, a new variation of this mini-game appears in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and the devs somehow found a way to make it even harder for players.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: All Johnny's Inn Collectibles Locations
Get your hands on all of the Johnny’s Seaside Inn Treasure Trove items with this guide.
The Crunch-Off mini-game first becomes available in the Corel Region once players have completed the Bodybuilders in a Bind side quest. After beating Amina as part of the quest, they'll be able to try their luck against Ronnie, Jay, and Jules, with the latter once again providing the biggest challenge. There's no Trophy for beating him this time around like there was in the game's predecessor, but there are a few rewards that players will likely want to get their hands on.
How Does the Crunch-Off Mini-Game Work in FF7 Rebirth?
The rules for the Crunch-Off mini-game in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are relatively straightforward, even if beating Jules in the pro-level variant can be anything but. Players will be given one of two patterns (L1 | R1 | L2 | R2 or R1 | L1 | R2 | L2) which they'll need to repeat over and over again at increasingly fast speeds. Every fourth or fifth cycle, one of the trigger icons (the one behind the first button in the sequence) will begin to glow either green or orange. If it glows green, players will need to hold the trigger about halfway down until the ring around the icon fills up; at which point they'll need to fully squeeze the trigger. If the icon glows orange, they'll instead have to repeatedly squeeze the trigger until the ring fills up and then continue this cycle until the timer runs out.
Tips for Beating Jules in the Crunch-Off Mini-Game in FF7 Rebirth
In order to beat Jules in Crunch-Off, players will need a score of at least 50. This may seem impossible at first, but with the right strategy and a little bit of luck, it is definitely doable. The key to success is to rid oneself of any and all distractions and remain calm and composed in the face of frustration. The following Crunch-Off tips should help a lot in this regard, though players will probably still need quite a few attempts in order to beat Jules and claim the last few Crunch-Off rewards.
- Turn Music Volume and Speech Volume down to 0 in the Audio & Vibration settings menu. Muting audio entirely through the display can also work, though having just the sound effects can make it easier to stay in time.
- Those having trouble with green button prompts should try tweaking the Trigger Effect Function option in the Gameplay settings menu. Increasing the trigger pressure will decrease the chances of accidentally squeezing the trigger, though setting it too high could make orange button prompts a bit more difficult, so players should play around with it and find what works best for them.
- Right-handed players may find the pattern beginning with R1 easier, while left-handers may prefer the one that starts with L1. If they do find that one pattern comes a bit more naturally to them, players should keep restarting the mini-game until they get it.
- To help with timings, players may find it helpful to repeat "Left, Right, Left, Right" or "Right, Left, Right, Left" in their heads or out loud as they play.
- Players shouldn't be afraid to slow down a little when faced with an orange or green button prompt. They can use this time to reset their count and take a breath.
- After Tifa's score passes 20, players can pretty much go as fast as they want, at which point, getting into a good rhythm becomes very important.
- Focus only on Tifa and the button icons above her. Everything else is a potential distraction. If needed, consider covering the left half of the screen with a towel or bedsheet.
- Players should restart the mini-game as soon as they make a mistake, as they'll almost certainly need a perfect run in order to beat Jules in Crunch-Off.
If players plan on writing a guide about the Crunch-Off mini-game and want to include video, they should make sure to hit the record button before getting started, as having to beat Jules in Crunch-Off twice is not at all fun.
Rewards for Beating Jules in Crunch-Off
There's no Trophy for beating Jules this time around, but players will receive the Ab-Fab key item, which is one of 88 collectibles that can be displayed at Johnny's Seaside Inn. They'll also receive the Champion Belt, which is arguably one of the best accessories in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. For those unaware, the Champion Belt increases max HP by 10%, while also providing a 5% boost to strength, thus making it a solid choice for physical attackers. It can work particularly well when equipped on Tifa, Cloud, or Barret, though, depending on their setup, players may be able to make it work with other party members as well.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5
- Released
- February 29, 2024
