You finally made it. After hours of trekking through the Calm Lands and scaling the frozen peaks of Mt. Gagazet, you’ve reached the ruins of the Holy City. Most players expect a boss fight or a cutscene, but instead, Square Enix hits you with a giant floor of glowing Tetris blocks. This is it. The Final Fantasy X Zanarkand Trials are basically the final exam of the Cloister of Trials, and honestly, they’re either a breeze or a complete headache depending on how much patience you have left.
It's weird. By this point in the game, Tidus and the gang are ready to face Yunalesca and change the world, yet here we are, playing a memory game on a giant light-up floor. You’ve probably done the Besaid, Kilika, and Macalania trials by now, so you know the drill with spheres and pedestals. But Zanarkand changes the rules. It’s less about moving physical objects and more about pattern recognition and not accidentally stepping on the wrong tile because you were sneezing.
Why the Zanarkand Trials Feel So Different
Most Cloister of Trials follow a linear "put Item A in Slot B" logic. Zanarkand is a room full of interactive floor panels. If you look at the monitor at the far end of the room, it shows you a pattern. Your job? Step on the corresponding white shapes on the floor to trigger the next part of the sequence.
There are two main rooms. The first is a small entryway where you learn the basics. The second is the massive Great Hall where things get complicated. You’ll notice there are six pedestals in the main room. Pushing these in reveals different patterns on the screen. It’s a bit of a back-and-forth grind. You see a shape, you hunt for it on the floor, you pray you don't hit the wrong one, and you repeat. If you mess up, the floor resets. It's frustratingly simple yet incredibly easy to botch if you're rushing to get to the story beats.
Breaking Down the First Room
The small room is just a warm-up. You’ll see a pattern on the screen that looks like a series of L-shapes and dots. Just walk over the tiles that match. Once you clear this, the door to the large room opens. Don't overthink this part. It’s basically the game's way of making sure your controller works and you understand that "glowing tile = good."
📖 Related: Why Helldivers 2 Flesh Mobs are the Creepiest Part of the Galactic War
Navigating the Great Hall
Once you step into the large room, the real Final Fantasy X Zanarkand Trials begin. You have to interact with the pedestals to trigger the floor patterns.
Here is the sequence most people get stuck on. There are four pedestals in the corners and two in the middle.
- Go to the small room and look at the screen. It shows you which pedestal to push.
- Head into the large room and push that pedestal.
- Match the shapes on the large floor.
- Go back and repeat for the next one.
One thing that trips people up is the "Kilika" and "Besaid" spheres. To finish the puzzle entirely, you eventually have to take the Kilika Sphere and the Besaid Sphere from the small room and place them into the pedestals in the large room. This isn't just for fun—it’s the only way to activate the final elevator.
The Secret Destruction Sphere Treasure
If you’re a completionist, or if you actually want to unlock the best Aeon in the game, you cannot ignore the Destruction Sphere here. You won't be able to get it on your first visit. That’s the catch. You have to complete the trials, deal with the boss fights that follow, and then come back later once you have control of the Airship.
👉 See also: Marvel Rivals Sexiest Skins: Why NetEase is Winning the Aesthetic War
When you return to the Final Fantasy X Zanarkand Trials, the puzzle is different. You’ll see a screen showing seven white squares. You have to step on all seven of these "square" shaped tiles across both rooms. Once you do that, the screen in the small room will break away, revealing the Destruction Sphere.
Take that sphere to the large room and slot it into the right-hand pedestal in the back. This opens a chest containing the Magistral Rod for Yuna. More importantly, it counts as "clearing" the Zanarkand trial for the purposes of unlocking Anima at Baaj Temple. If you miss this, you're looking at a long trek back later, and depending on which version of the game you're playing (like the International or HD Remaster), you might have to dodge Dark Aeons just to get back inside. That is a nightmare you want to avoid.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The biggest mistake? Speed. Tidus has a bit of a "slide" to his movement. If you try to run across the tiles, you might clip the edge of a "dead" tile that isn't part of the current pattern. This resets the whole sub-puzzle. Use the D-pad if you’re struggling with the analog stick’s sensitivity.
Another huge error is forgetting which pedestals you've already pushed. There are six in total.
✨ Don't miss: Why EA Sports Cricket 07 is Still the King of the Pitch Two Decades Later
- Two in the small room.
- Four in the large room.
If you find yourself wandering around and nothing is happening, check the pedestals again. Sometimes the game expects you to go back to the small room to "reset" the display monitor. It feels like busywork because, frankly, it is. But it's the gatekeeper to one of the most emotional segments of the game.
What Happens After the Tiles?
Once the floor is fully lit and the spheres are placed, the large platform in the center of the hall becomes an elevator. This takes you down to the heart of the ruins where you meet Lady Yunalesca.
The trials are meant to test your resolve, but honestly, they’re a test of your spatial awareness. There’s no combat inside the Cloister itself, which provides a weird, meditative calm before the absolute chaos of the Yunalesca fight. Take that time to check your equipment. Make sure you have gear that protects against "Zombie" and "Confuse." You're going to need it.
Quick Tips for Success
- Look at the Map: The "map" on the screen isn't just a hint; it's a direct layout. If the shape is in the top-right of the screen, the tile is in the top-right of the floor.
- Ignore the Blue Tiles: Only the white, glowing shapes matter for the puzzle. The blue ones are just there for decoration and don't trigger anything.
- The Return Trip is Mandatory: You cannot get Anima without coming back here. Don't feel bad about leaving the Destruction Sphere for later; it's literally impossible to get it during your first scripted visit to Zanarkand.
- Stay Patient: If you fail a pattern, just take a breath. The patterns don't change. They are static.
Actionable Next Steps
To wrap this up and get you through the Final Fantasy X Zanarkand Trials with your sanity intact, follow this checklist. First, clear the initial room by matching the three L-shapes. Second, move to the large hall and systematically activate the corner pedestals, returning to the floor to match the sets of shapes as they appear. Third, grab the Besaid and Kilika spheres from the entryway and slot them into the center-aisle pedestals in the back room to unlock the elevator.
If you've already beaten Yunalesca and are reading this to find out how to get Anima, go back to the Airship, select Zanarkand, and head back to the Cloister. Step on the three squares in the first room and the four squares in the second room. Grab that Destruction Sphere, get your treasure, and you’re one step closer to the game's most powerful summon. Go get it.