This is a guide for beating the Whack-a-Box Minigame in the game Final Fantasy 7 Remake (FF7R). Learn how to get 30,000 points on both Normal and Hard Difficulty, and how to unlock the Crate Annihilator and Whack-a-Box Wunderkind Trophies.

Whack-a-Box Basic Information

Complete the Kids on Patrol Side Quest

How to Unlock	Normal: Chapter 8: Complete the Kids on Patrol Side Quest and go to the Kids' Secret Hideout Hard: Chapter 14: Go back to the Kids' Secret Hideout
Trophy	Normal: Crate Annihilator Hard: Whack-a-Box Wunderkind

The first time you play the Whack-a-Box minigame will consistute the A Verified Hero Side Quest. Complete the Kids on Patrol Side Quest and defeat the Hedgehog Pie King. Follow the A Verified Hero quest marker to the Kids' Secret Hideout and talk to the girl on the far side on the left. She'll invite you to play Whack-a-Box.

In Chapter 8, you'll play Whack-a-Box on the Normal difficulty map. In Chapter 14, you can visit the Kids' Secret Hideout again and access either the Normal or Hard difficulty maps.

These two settings have no relation to the Normal and Hard Modes in the main game, or which difficulty setting you have chosen.

Normal Difficulty

Hard Difficulty

You can receive each of these prizes for achieving a score above the given number, but you can only win one prize at a time, so you'll need to play multiple times to collect all the prizes. You can win unlimited Moogle Medals by continuing to play Whack-a-Box, and being conveniently located right next to the Moogle Shop, this is one of the best ways to farm Moogle Medals in the game.

Moogle Medal Locations | Moogle Shop

How to Get 30,000 Points in Whack-a-Box

★How to Get 30,000 Points in Whack-a-Box★
Break the Time Bonus Boxes First Hit multiple boxes with a single swing Use Iron Blade's Triple Slash Ability Use Strong Attack on the 1500-Point Boxes Dodge or use Triple Slash to avoid lag

Break the Time Bonus Boxes First

When you break each of the Time Bonus Boxes, you'll get a 10 second bonus to your timer. 10 seconds is enough time to score thousands of points, so missing even one of these is equivalent to missing out on thousands of potential points. Be sure to scour the map and break every single Time Bonus Box.

Hit multiple boxes with a single swing

The more boxes you hit with each swing, the more efficiently you can score points. Try to maximize the number of boxes you hit with each swing by toppling pillars around the map until Cloud is completely surrounded in boxes, then hold the Square button to hit dozens of boxes with each swing.

Use Iron Blade's Triple Slash Ability

According to the rules of Whack-a-Box, you can only use the Ability associated with the weapon which Cloud currently has equipped. The Iron Blade's Triple Slash is the best Ability to equip for Whack-a-Box. The Triple Slash Ability it provides will allow you to hit multiple boxes while continuing to move toward the next set of boxes. While attacking the 1500-point boxes as well, you can use Triple Slash to move to the next box without wasting time as soon as they break.

Aside from Iron Blade, Hardedge's Infinity's End is also useful for its potential to break 1500-point boxes in one hit. Despite costing 2 ATB Gauges, it's superior to Braver, which can't break the boxes even after two strikes.

Abilities and Best Weapon Upgrades for Iron Blade

Use Strong Attack on the 1500-Point Boxes

When attacking the blue 1500-point boxes, you'll need to bring a lot more heavy artillery than with the 50 and 100-point boxes. Switch to Punisher Mode and repeatedly slash with Strong Attack to destroy them. If you're using Hardedge, you can alternately use Infinity's End to destroy these boxes in one hit.

Dodge or use Triple Slash to avoid lag

After swinging multiple times in a row, Cloud will spend a few seconds recovering before he can attack again. By hitting the X button to dodge or using Triple Slash instead of a regular attack, you can avoid spending time waiting for Cloud to start moving again.

The Deadly Dodge Materia is also useful for allowing you to continue attacking while dodging.

How to Get the Deadly Dodge Materia

How to Win at Whack-a-Box on Hard

★How to Get 30,000 Points in Whack-a-Box (Hard)★
Equip the Parry Materia Destroy the Boxes to the Right first Don't try to break every box in the first area Use Triple Slash and Strong Attack on the 1500-Point Boxes Don't use Braver

Equip the Deadly Dodge Materia

Be sure to equip the Deadly Dodge Materia before getting ready to play Whack-a-Box. Normal Mode is fine enough without it, but when challenging Hard Mode, the difficulty will significantly increase without the Deadly Dodge Materia equipped.

Destroy the Boxes to the Right first

As soon as the game starts, turn right and you'll be faced with a Time Bonus Box and a mountain of 50-Point Boxes. When slashing multiple times, the last slash will be powerful enough to break 50-Point boxes in one hit, so make sure to hit as many of these boxes as possible with the last swing.

Don't try to break every box in the first area

In the first area of the Hard difficulty map, you'll be faced with three tempting 1500-Point boxes at the start, but don't spend too much time on these – unless your attacks are extremely efficient, you'll run out of time before you can head to the next area, so focus on destroying the 50-Point boxes and move quickly to the next area.

Use Triple Slash and Strong Attack on the 1500-Point Boxes

The 1500-Point Boxes will break with one round of Strong Attack slashes, together with a Triple Slash. This will allow you to break through without wasting too much time attacking them. When faced with two 1500-Point Boxes side-by-side, try standing directly between them and attacking. Using a round of Strong Attacks, then quickly switching to Triple Slash, will allow you to break these boxes quickly without wasting time, while also allowing Cloud to avoid lag.

Don't use Braver

Cloud is able to use Braver regardless of his equipped Weapon, but don't be fooled – there are much better Abilities to spend your ATB charges on. It suffers from both a long animation and a low damage output, making it significantly inferior to Triple Slash.

How to Win at Whack-a-Box on Normal

★How to Get 30,000 Points in Whack-a-Box (Normal)★
Go up the Stairs to the Right at the start At the end, attack the far 1500-Point Box

Go up the Stairs to the Right at the start

On the Normal difficulty map, there will be a staircase directly ahead and to your right at the start. Be sure to go up this hill first, as you'll find valuable Time Bonus Boxes at the top.

At the end, attack the far 1500-Point Box

In the final area, you'll be faced with two 1500-Point Boxes blocking a mountain of 50-Point Boxes with a Time Bonus Box on top. Be sure to go back into the crevice on the left to attack the far box. If you attack the box in front, your hits won't come into contact with the far box, and you'll break the front box first, which won't allow you to pass through and will waste valuable seconds.

How to Get the Crate Annihilator and Whack-a-Box Wunderkind Trophies

Trophy	How to Obtain
Crate Annihilator	Complete all Normal difficulty Whack-a-Box challenges.
Whack-a-Box Wunderkind	Complete all Hard difficulty Whack-a-Box challenges.

Unlike other Minigames, Whack-a-Box has two separate trophies, one for both the Normal and Hard difficulties.

Minigame Related Links

All Minigame Trophies and Tips