Crisis Core: How to unlock Mission 10-1 & Cactuar Summon

by Alex Donaldson on 24 December, 2022

There's a huge number of missions in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, and many of them unlock in an easy to understand, linear fashion. Some missions, however, have more hidden unlock methods - and such is the case for Mission 10-1, Cactoid Secrets.

These missions aren't unlocked in any default method, and that means you can confusingly have access to Mission 10-2, 10-3, and 10-4 and still not have this unlocked. We're here to help and explain how to Unlock Mission 10-1, though - and with it, the Cactuar summon.

Essentially, Mission 10-1 and beyond are unlocked through some specific actions in some other missions. Here, we'll explain exactly how that works.

How to Unlock Mission 10-1 in Crisis Core

In order to unlock Mission 10-1 in Crisis Core, you'll need to beat this Kactuar in another mission.

In order to Unlock Mission 10-1-1, you'll first need to be in Chapter 4 of Crisis Core Reunion (Chapter 5 in the PSP original) or later. In Chapter 4, the first time you visit a save point you'll have access to the Mission 3 series, 'Genesis Forces'. This is where you need to be.

Complete 3-1-1 and 3-1-2 in order to unlock Mission 3-1-3, 'Eliminate the Copies' - this mission is key to the Mission 10-1 unlock.

Mission 3-1-3 is a relatively simple mission on quite a small map - but instead of heading straight to the Genesis Copy boss, you'll want to head to the eastern dead end on the map. Here you'll find another rare enemy that's out on the field of battle just like a boss - a Cactuar style enemy called 'Kactuar'. You need to fight and defeat Kactuar, and then go ahead and complete the mission by going and taking on the regular boss.

Once Mission 3-1-3 has been completed while also optionally taking down Kactuar, Mission 10-1 'Cactoid Secrets' unlocks.

How to unlock the Cactuar Summon

Once the Mission 10-1 strand is unlocked, you'll see it's all about the Cactuar.

Once you unlock Mission 10-1, that means you've started the Mission Strand that leads to a new DMW Chocobo Mode Summon - Cactuar! This is one of the easiest to miss DMW summons, along with the Magic Pot. In order to unlock Cactuar, you must complete three missions.

First there's Mission 10-1-1 'Where's the Cactuar', with a Muscle Belt accessory for a reward. Then it's Mission 10-1-2 'Kactuar?' with a Champion Belt for a reward, plus a chance to grab a super-rare Cursed Ring from a chest.

Finally, complete Mission 10-1-3 'Cactuar Found?' to get the Cactus Thorn key item, which is actually what unlocks Cactuar for the DMW.

Beating all the Cactuar unlocks you a new Crisis Core summon on your DMW.

These missions are all easy enough, only two or three stars in difficulty rank, but be aware that the Cactuar in the final mission will fire off a 1000 Needles attack as it dies - so if you're lower level, be healed up to take that full-on.

Sadly, this item does not carry over to New Game Plus - so you'll need to do this again to unlock Cactuar in a second save file, if you proceed to do that after finishing the game.