Rare Final Fantasy IX side quest unearthed and documented

A “new” Final Fantasy IX side quest has just been discovered by some tenacious fans – nearly 13 years after the game’s original release.

Discovered several days ago by user The_Kusabi_ on GameFAQs, the quest – titled The Lost Nero Family – involves the player’s travels to the Tantalus hideout in the beginning of the fourth disc. Unbeknownst to most Final Fantasy fans until now, the player must complete these complicated steps to initiate and fulfill the quest:

If you go to the Tantalus hideout at the beginning of disc 4, you will find Zenero and Benero wondering where Marcus and Cinna are. You’ve likely seen this before, but this is actually the beginning of a side quest. Now, head to Memoria and proceed until you watch a cut-scene or fight a boss. Then head back to the hideout to find Genero wondering where Benero and Zenero are. Then repear this process seven more times and every time you go back to the hideout, you will find a new member of the family.

The last five are girls and the final one seems to be a child, as she is really small. Once you talk to her, Zidane will comment on the huge family and you will now find a new chest containing a Protect Ring inside the hideout. The next time you come back, the quest will simply start over, but there’s not enough events to complete it twice. These are the events that move the quest forward:

1. The beginning of Disc 4.
2. The battle with Nova Dragon.
3. The battle with Maliris.
4. The flashback of Alexander.
5. The scene where Zidane talks to himself.
6. The flashback of Dagger on the boat.
7. The scene with the giant eye in the sky.
8. The battle with Tiamat.
9. The scene with the two planets colliding.
10. The scene where Quina thinks he/she is drowning.
11. The scene where Garland talks about memories.
12. The battle with Kraken.
13. The scene about Gaia’s birth.
14. The battle with Lich.
15. The scene where Garland talks about the beginning and the Crystal.
16. The scene where the party enters the Crystal World.
17. The battle with Deathguise.

Sounds somewhat difficult, right? Since its discovery, another fan decided to give the quest a try for themselves and recorded a YouTube video in the process. You can catch a glimpse at it yourself below.


About the Author

Erren Van Duine As a self-professed Final Fantasy fan, Erren created Nova Crystallis in 2009 as a place to collect the latest information on her favorite series. As owner and Editor-in-Chief, she also spends her time as a freelance illustrator.

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