Final Fantasy IX: Alexandria

After a brief scene, you’ll now be in control of Vivi, a black mage, in the Kingdom of Alexandria.

Exploring Alexandria

When you gain control of Vivi, go south.

This area is called Memorial Square and there are a few items to grab in this area. In the left corner of the foreground is a Zombie Card. Next, search the outer perimeter to find a Lizard Man Card and a Sahagin Card. Finally, check directly behind the statue to grab a Potion. Once you’ve grabbed these items, head back to the previous area.

This pathway heads directly north. Grab the Potion to your left just above the barrel and continue up the path. A Rat Kid will bump into you. Continue through the dialog and then grab another Potion to your left near the end of the path. Before you leave this area, enter the building on the right side.

In this building is a woman sewing. Check the foot of the bed for grandma’s savings of 9 Gil, and at the edge of the dining table for another Potion. Climb the ladder to the loft above and check the chest of drawers for a Fang Card. Exit the building and then continue north to the next area.

Watch the quick scene of nobles from Treno marching off. Search the bushes to the right side of the foreground for 33 Gil, and then the bushes on the left for a Goblin Card. Check the door across the street to the right to read a note from a previous resident, and then enter the Morning Star Bar to the left of the door.

In the bar, check the bottom-right corner of the room for a Potion and the bottom-left corner near the barrel to get a Flan Card. To the left of the table next to the barrel is 27 Gil lying on the floor. Exit the bar and continue left down the street to the next area.

In this area, enter Doug’s Item Shop to your right and grab the 38 Gil lying on the floor. Feel free to grab some supplies if you’d like, though you don’t really need them at this point. Exit the shop and then continue north to the next area.

This area is Alexandria’s Main Square, which has a Ticket Booth in the center. Don’t go to the Ticket Booth yet. Instead, enter the Synthesis Shop to the right. The Synthesist is taking his wife to the theater so he’s shut down shop, but you can grab the Ether to the right of the counter. Next, go through the hallway to enter the Weapons Shop and grab the Remedy in the hallway. This item is difficult to get because it’s easy to walk back into the Synthesis Shop accidentally. Exit the Weapons shop to the south.

Back in the Main Square, you’ll see a bridge to the north with two Alexandrian Soldiers guarding the gates. Pick up the Phoenix Pinion at the bottom-left corner of the bridge. Talk to Hippaul to the right to learn he’s hidden three precious cards in a safe place. You can then enter the Inn for an optional scene or try your hand at the notoriously difficult Jump Rope minigame.

To play the Jump Rope minigame, talk to the three girls to the left of the Ticket Booth. The goal of the game is to get as many consecutive jumps as possible. Here are the rewards:

• 20 Jumps: 10 Gil
• 50 Jumps: Cactuar Card
• 100 Jumps: Genji Card
• 200 Jumps: Alexandria Card
• 300 Jumps: Tiger Racket Card
• 1000 Jumps: King of Jump Rope (Key Item)

Proceed to the next area to the left before talking to the person in the Ticket Booth. In this area, Dante the Signmaker is busy hanging a sign. Continue past him and to the next area.

The house to the right of the Steeple is Ilia’s, the granddaughter of the woman sewing the dress. Before entering, read the note to the right of her door to see a list of the top three jump rope champions (your top three scores), and then wait for Ilia to leave her house before entering because if she’s inside you can’t go upstairs to get the Gil that’s there.

Inside Ilia’s house, grab the Eye Drops in the back-left corner of the first floor. Go upstairs and pick up the 3 Gil near the window. Exit the house.

Enter the Steeple to the left. Check the outer wall in the foreground for a Tent and a Potion. Climb up the ladder of the Bell Tower and then pull the rope. You’ll receive Hippaul’s three precious cards, the Ironite Card, Goblin Card, and Fang Card. Climb down the ladder and exit the Steeple.

Walk down the stairs to the south and then up the wooden ramp to the left. Talk to the young boy, Tom, to learn that his kitten, Mittens, ran away. Agree to tell him if you see Mittens, and then go to Memorial Square, the area with the statue, to find Mittens. Talk to Mittens and then Tom will run up and take the kitten away. Head back to the location you met Tom and he will reward you with a Bomb Card.

Fake Tickets, Card Games, and an Angry Signmaker

Go to the Main Square and peek into the ticket booth. Talk to the Ticketmaster to learn your ticket is fake. The Ticketmaster will feel sorry for you and give you a Goblin Card, Fang Card, and Skeleton Card.

Exit the Main Square to the left where the Signmaker is hanging the sign. Run down the alley and Vivi will trip, causing Dante to miss. Dante will leave and the Rat Kid that bumped into you earlier will appear. Agree to be his slave. The Rat Kid will run towards the Steeple with the ladder and a four-armed man will walk toward you. When the man gets next to you, an exclamation mark will appear over your head. If you don’t press the Confirm button quickly enough, he will still Gil from you. Quickly talk to him to learn he is Alleyway Jack. Talk to him to learn about Tetra Master, Final Fantasy IX’s card game.

Next, head to the Steeple. Attempt to climb up the ladder and a Moogle will fall on top of you. Kupo the Moogle will introduce the save system to you and the Rat Kid will climb up the ladder.

Stiltzken, a traveling merchant, will arrive and say he’s leaving to travel. Talk to Kupo after Stiltzken leaves and learn about Mognet, the mail delivery service. Agree to deliver a letter to Monty and then save your game.

Sneaking In

Climb the ladder to the top of the Bell Tower. Walk across the boards from rooftop to rooftop. The second set of boards will fall to the ground, preventing you from turning back.

Once you cross the boards that fall examine the pot to the bottom-left for 29 Gil. Follow the Rat Kid to the next set of boards and he’ll introduce himself to you. Puck, as we now know him, will continue. Follow him, but head down the first set of stairs and follow the boards over to another chimney where you’ll find 63 Gil. Continue back to the path and check the final pot on the roof to the northwest for 92 Gil.

Follow Puck north, successfully sneaking into the Castle’s Theater.