Putting FromSoftware challenge sickos to shame, one fan smashes Final Fantasy 9's infamous skip rope challenge entirely blindfolded

One Final Fantasy fan has taken on arguably the series' most gruelling and annoying challenge ever, and channelled FromSoftware sickos to make it infinitely harder, for reasons that escape me.

YouTuber Played To Completion is no rookie when it comes to Final Fantasy 9's skip rope mini-game. Very early on in the adventure, you can join a children's skip rope game as Vivi, and earn achievements for skipping 100 times and 1,000 times without tripping.

Played To Completion had already made it to 1,000 uninterrupted jump rope skips - a feat that eludes most Final Fantasy fans and would be impossible for anyone looking to take care of their sanity - but he recently wanted to make the gruelling challenge even more gruelling. So, he blindfolded himself.

"Final Fantasy 9 has one of the hardest achievements in the entire franchise, and that is 'Hail to the King,' a rhythm mini-game requiring 1,000 [rope] skips consecutively without tripping, demanding eight minutes of precise timing [and] changing pace at five different increments - being the 20, 50, 100, 200, and finally, 300 mark," he explains, with the 200 step mark adding an extra tricky double jump.

"Reaching 1,000 steps all comes down to practice, muscle memory, a good sense of rhythm, and being able to count in my head, provided you don't use a script to help you," he adds. "I wanted to challenge myself further, pushing myself closer to insanity.... This really makes you appreciate the stuff we take for granted, like our eyes."

Played To Completion not only beat the challenge, but absolutely smashed it, having Vivi successfully jump 1,168 times without stopping, all while blindfolded and using sound as his only guide.

FromSoftware challenge lovers have come up with game rules that would've been unthinkable a few years ago, like playing Elden Ring on a dance pad or with the help of a pet goldfish. Perhaps that's the next natural step for jump rope lovers.

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