10 Time-Consuming Video Game Side-Quests That ARE Worth Finishing

Final Fantasy wrote the book on unnecessarily long side-missions. As a result, this list wouldn't feel complete without mentioning at least one instalment. And boy, Final Fantasy IX's Friendly Monsters quest is a doozy.

While Zidane and his allies travel across Gaia, they'll take part in countless random battles. But if the fight begins with an overly cheery melody rather than the typical battle music, that signals that Zidane has encountered a Friendly Monster. When this occurs, our tailed hero must offer the creature a jewel. The battle ends, with Zidane's team receiving another jewel, which must be offered to a different Friendly Monster.

Even if the player knows which areas each of these ten critters reside in, bumping into them is random. You know what that means? Grinding. Lots and lots of grinding.

However, there are two reasons why Friendly Monsters should be completed. Firstly, each encounter rewards the player with tons of Ability Points, boosting the group's skills in no time.

More importantly, finding all ten Monsters gives Zidane's squad a significant advantage over the rock-hard optional boss, Ozma. He may look like an oversized marble, but this guy is no joke. His attacks are so unfairly relentless, Ozzy will wipe the floor with Zidane's team in seconds.

But if the player completed Friendly Monsters, Ozma will be vulnerable to Shadow (which normally heals him) and physical attacks, making FFIX's hardest battle far easier.