Final Fantasy 16: Arcade Mode Explained

The Arcade Mode in Final Fantasy 16 is a boon for players who frequently get tired from the lengthy side-quests and the story-intensive experience. With no ties to the game’s story, players can enjoy the visually striking action elements whenever they want to by playing through the Arcade Mode.

Sometimes, players just want to enjoy the amazing combat system implemented in the game from the beginning. However, one cannot rely on the main story quests to dive into thrilling combat situations quickly enough. The purpose of adding an Arcade Mode to the game is to fix just that. Hence, this article aims to explain how the Arcade Mode works in Final Fantasy 16.

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How Does the Arcade Mode Work in Final Fantasy 16?

Moreover, the Arcade mode places a huge emphasis on scores on each leg or, in simpler terms, waves. Players can test their combat mettle without searching for a fight in the main story. While anyone can dominate enemies after boosting Clive’s level, the Arcade Mode strips that away completely and sets the player’s level according to the recommended level for the designated area.

There are no time restrictions at play when it comes to the Arcade Mode and you can take your time to explore every nook and cranny for enemies that may be hiding. Players are not forced to kill every enemy per leg and can advance without it. However, the whole point of the Arcade mode in Final Fantasy 16 is to get the bragging rights by attaining admirable high scores. Sparing enemies will eventually lead to lower scores per leg, which may affect one’s overall performance after completing a stage.

Final Fantasy 16 Clive Rosfield crouching down medium close-up promo screenshot

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There are no material rewards for playing through the multiple legs in Arcade Mode. In other words, players will not receive any in-game items like XP or gold for their Main Story mode, no matter how they play through the Arcade mode.

This makes Stage Replay an amazing alternative for players who are only looking to play certain areas of the map for missing or additional loot. One can access the Stage replay menu through the Arete Stone found in Clive’s Hideaway.

The Arcade mode also penalizes players for dying, since all the scores they received on their previously cleared legs will be gone permanently. This only allows for clean runs but may be frustrating due to the sheer difficulty in some areas. The only customization allowed to players in Arcade mode is their choice of Eikonic abilities. However, they must unlock their chosen Eikonic abilities in the Main Story to use them in the Arcade mode.

This may be problematic for players who have not yet mastered different Eikons or accumulated points to spend on buying and upgrading their Eikonic abilities. Generally, Eikonic abilities that cover a large area of effect can greatly boost one’s scores in the Arcade mode.

How to Dominate in The Final Fantasy 16 Arcade Mode

Final Fantasy 16 Arena Gameplay in Greatwood Stage

With no real in-game benefits except for bragging rights, the Arcade Mode in Final Fantasy 16 works very differently than the Main Story progression. One’s score and rating are completely dependent on how effective they are at defeating large groups of enemies without sustaining excessive damage.

After finishing a stage, players will be greeted with a Stage Results page that showcases their well-earned accolades, which play a huge role in determining one’s performance rating in the Arcade mode. These accolades have no in-game usage and can be viewed as secondary challenges that provide additional score boosts.

While some accolades can be collected passively, some of them require precise gameplay and flawless execution of moves, dodges, counters, and Eikonic abilities. The best way to maintain precise gameplay for Arcade Mode is by chaining long combos together, using Eikonic abilities that can affect a large group of adversaries, and dodging attacks accurately.

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Due to the lack of healing potions and armor-enhancing concoctions, finding ways to replenish one’s HP is the number one priority during Arena Stages. One should pay close attention to their HP bar and use Torgal’s healing abilities as soon as they get hit.

One can also use certain Eikonic abilities, like the Flames of Rebirth, which can partially restore Clive’s health in case he’s running low. Using it will greatly reduce the overall damage sustained while also dealing damage to enemies caught in its huge area of effect.

Another important game mechanic can drastically help with keeping one’s Health up. The Limit Breaker is one of the best abilities in the game which increases attack damage and speed, while also replenishing Clive’s HP. Players should remember to save the Limit Breaker ability for when enemies are stunned and receive more damage.

Limit Breaker cannot be used in the first four stages of the Arena Mode. However, players can freely use them in the previous stages once they complete the fourth stage.