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One of the most evil minigames from Final Fantasy 7 Remake is back to make our fingers bleed. The gym returns to the Costa Del Sol region, where bodybuilders are bulking up while catching some sun on the beach. You’ll find this minigame in Chapter 7 after you’re allowed to leave Costa Del Sol and explore the northern area of the Corel Region. The bodybuilders won’t talk to you until you’ve completed a few specific side-quests, which we’ll cover in the full guide ahead. But the real meat is actually winning. We’ve got a few tips to complete every rank of the Crunch-Off challenge and earn a valuable accessory. Let’s feel the burn.
Unlocking The Crunch-Off Minigame
To unlock the Crunch-Off minigame, complete the ‘Rendezvous in Costa Del Sol’ quest that unlocks in Chapter 7. Finishing the quest unlocks another quest – ‘Bodybuilders in a Bind’. The Bodybuilders will ask you to wipe out the monsters around their gym.
Finish this to unlock the Crunch-Off minigame. The Crunch-Off minigame is identical to the pull-up minigame in FF7 Remake. You’ll need to press a series of buttons in sequence. Eventually the button map disappears, so you’ll need to memorize the order.
Crunch-Off Rewards
- Basic: Celeris x3
- Rank 1: Supernatural Wristguards
- Rank 2: Chakra Materia
- Rank 3: Champion Belt (Increases max HP by 10% and Strength by 5%)
Completing All Crunch-Off Trials
The best strategy is to take it slow. Focus on not wiping out and pressing the wrong button. Ignore the count and focus on pressing the buttons in order, watching for special steps — like pressing fast or half-button presses.
You don’t need to rush. While your opponent is fast, they will screw up even at the highest levels, allowing you to overtake them. Every stage has a set pattern. Focus on memorizing it and doing it in the correct order. No need to go as fast as possible. You don’t need to be perfect with the timing, only be perfect in pressing the correct buttons in the right order.
The final stage is the hardest. Again Jules, you’ll need to avoid crashing out even once. He will fail once near the start, then once near the end giving you time to catch up. Speed is important, but avoid pressing the wrong button most of all. He only stops at 50. You need to reach 51. Retry until you get the pattern you’re most used to. You can screw up at 51 or high! Don’t even watch his numbers. Focus on following the pattern and you’ll have just enough time.