Welcome to Traverse Town!
You’ll awaken down a dark alley being licked by pluto. After the cutscenes finish round the corner to get access to the rest of the town.
There are a set of unique collectible postcards in Traverse town, 10 in total and we want to collect the first two immediately.
The first is in the item shop. All you need to do is target the fan that is on the ceiling of the room and jump up to attack it. It will drop the first of the postcards.
The second is on the roof of the accessory shop. The accessory shop is the large building in the very center of the town, with Cid from Final Fantasy 7 inside. To get on top you need to go around the building to where there are several movable boxes. Push one of the large boxes over so that it is against the side of the accessory shop and use it to jump up and grab the lip of the roof to get up there. Once on top you’ll find a treasure chest with the second postcard.
The Second District
To continue on with the story you’ll need to head inside the accessory shop now and speak with Cid. After your conversation, make sure to save your game and grab the Mythril shard in the chest inside the shop, before you leave.
Now we want to head into the second district. Follow the path around behind the accessory shop to come to a set of large doors that will lead there. Watch the cutscene to see what’s happening to the townspeople.
Finish off the heartless that have appeared. There are a few chests in this district that we want to grab before continuing on. The first is immediately to the right of where you entered the second district above a shop window, you can jump and grab the ledge to access the postcard in the chest.
There is one more chest on the outside of the gizmo shop that can be reached by with a few quick jumps, see the video above for the easiest route.
If you take the shortcut on the lower level of The First District to the right as you stand and look at the fountain you can access the Alleyway for some more quick items.
In the alleyway you’ll find a chest, with a potion, to your left near some boxes. Move one of the boxes so that you can jump up to the second level for a second chest, containing another potion, and finally hop across the balconies for a third chest with a pretty stone at the end.
Once you are done with the area, return to the first district to Cid to continue on with the story. If you take the large door at the end of the alleyway you’ll be introduced to The 99 Dalmations side quest, which involves collecting the lost puppies as we travel across the various worlds. Return here every now and then for gifts for returning the puppies.
A Great Farming Location – The Gizmo Shop
One of my favorite farming locations, for levels, is the Gizmo Shop. A little area at the back of the second district which you can access from the second level, just past the hotel. In the Gizmo shop, waves of heartless will spawn in a relatively small arena which means that collecting the dropped items is much easier because you don’t have to go far to collect everything. As the game progresses the enemies in here will be replaced by harder variants so that the ability to use this spot to grind is refreshed at various points in the story. Definitely spend some time here if you’re looking for a level or two. The fastest way to refresh the enemies in here is by running into the hotel just outside and then into the red room, from there head straight back to the gizmo shop, in which all of the enemies will now have respawned.
Once you return to Cid in the accessory shop, make sure to save your game after having a chat because our next boss is just outside:
*** If you have the Sliding Dash ability equipped, unequip it for this fight. It messes with your ability to easily parry the bosses fireball attacks. ***
Boss Fight: Leon (Squall)
Hp: 120
Exp gained for a win: 30
While the fight is totally optional to win if you do you will get an elixir later as well as a slightly different cutscene post-fight.
Leon is tough as an early boss and you are clearly meant to lose. You can deflect his fireballs to stun him and get in a combo on him, 4-5 of these should finish him off no problem. Don’t be afraid to run away when you need to heal as well. He will pursue you anywhere in the first district area so put some distance between the two of you to make it safer to heal.
- Watch the cutscenes and then speak to Yuffie to continue the dialog.
- The chest in the middle of the room contains an elixir and you can hit the clock, you’ll need to strike it multiple times from the side, to obtain a mythril.
- Save and speak to Leon to continue.
- You’ll also meet a new type of heartless as you exit.
Soldier Heartless
Not much more difficult than the shadow heartless, can perform some long range leap attacks and can also be parried for exp.
Drops: spirit shard 8% potion 2% and protect chain 1%
- Head to the 3rd district for the next boss fight. You can also return to the first district to save and grab a healing item from Aerith.
Boss: Guard Armour
Hp: 400
Exp: 110
Reward: Brave Warrior
- Hp +3; Str +1
This boss consists of 5 parts; 2 arms, 2 legs and a torso. Each can be destroyed individually. The main attack to watch out for is when it jumps and slams itself on the ground. At low levels this can deal huge damage. Try to destroy the arms first followed by the legs and finally the torso.
If it’s giving you trouble remember you can also reload and go gain a couple of levels in the gizmo shop.
- After the battle you’ll obtain $500 from Aerith as well as an elixir if you defeated Leon.
- Remember to check Donald and goofys items/equipment and abilities as they are now part of the team.
Fire Magic
Casts a single small fireball wherever Sora is facing. Can also start fires.
There are 3 levels of fire magic in the game and each increases the damage of the spell.
Fire does damage according to: your max mp + 20. So if your max mp is 4 you will do 24 with each fireball. Fires second form lifts the base damage to 24 + your max mp and the final form is 30+ your max mp.
- Try to leave traverse town to learn about blue trinities.
Blue Trinity: Trinity Jump
Sora and friends perform a jump which usually results in treasure being knocked loose.
There are 17 of these trinities in the game.
- The first blue trinity is by the entry, the next is by the item shop. The first nets you money while the 2nd gives another postcard.
- Head to the upper level of district 1 near the entry to district 2 for another postcard in a big blue safe.
- Head to roof of gizmo shop and across the other roofs for a mythril shard and through the doorway and to the right for another postcard.
- Jump down and find the blue trinity by the exit to district 2. Unlock the shortcut to district 1 and also the door to Merlin’s house.
- Enter Merlin’s house for a scene and another blue trinity.
- Use the save point to head to the next destination.
Postcards:
- Fan above item shop
- Roof of synth shop for another. Push over a box near where gipetto will be to access before u have high jump
- In district 2 turn right immediately and above store window.
- Blue trinity by item shop.
- Big blue safe near entry to district 2
- District 3 via the gizmo shop roof across the other buildings roofs.
Blue trinities:
- By exit of traverse town
- By the item shop girl in traverse town
- District 3 near the entry to district 2
- Merlin’s house.
