Any%

Any% is the name given to the category where the aim is to complete the game as fast as possible via any method (excluding in-game boosters).

Overview

An Any% run of Final Fantasy VIII follows the linear progression through the main story, with very little deviation for side-content or extra gameplay that is not required to progress the story. There are 3 main exceptions to this:

• Triple Triad: Every Any% route involves playing cards to obtain specific cards (namely Quistis and Zell) that can be refined into powerful items.
• Fish Fins: When returning to Balamb Garden after defeating Ifrit in the Fire Cavern, world map encounters against Fastitocalon-Fs are farmed on the beach. This is done both for the Fish Fins they drop, which can be refined into Water spells, and also for the 3AP they provide per enemy.
• Diablos: Despite not being necessary for story progression, the Magical Lamp item is used in order to defeat and obtain Diablos as a GF. Diablos is one of the most important GFs in the speedrun - his abilities Enc-Half, Enc-None, Time Mag-RF, ST Mag-RF are Darkside are all utilised.

Limit breaks are used extensively throughout an Any% run. In particular, Squall's Renzokuken sees significant usage from the start of the run, and Irvine's Shot becomes more prevalent in the second half on the run.

Routes

Q only

This route plays only one game of Triple Triad throughout the run, in order to acquire the Quistis Card from Trepe Groupie #1 in the Balamb Garden Cafeteria. Through the use of Quezacotl's Card Mod ability, this card is refined into 3 Samantha Souls, which are further refined into 180 Triple spells via Diablos' Time Mag-RF ability. These are junctioned to the Str stat for a significant boost in damage.

Q+Z

As well as the Quistis Card, this route additionally acquires the Zell Card by playing Triple Triad with Ma Dincht in Balamb after returning from the Dollet mission. This is refined into 3 Hyper Wrists, which can each teach one GF the Str+60% ability. This further increases the damage output of the party, leading to easier and safer fights throughout the run.

Early Card Mod (ECM)

This name is given to any route which depletes the HP of X-ATM to 0 in order to gain an extra 50AP before leaving Dollet. This allows Quezacotl to learn Card Mod earlier than Q+Z routes, and thus the benefits of Str+60% can also be utilised for more fights (most notably Granaldo and/or Diablos).