The Gold Saucer Area is a region of the world map in Final Fantasy VII. It is located on the western continent, and shares a border with five other areas. In the center of the Gold Saucer Area is the Corel Desert, which surrounds Corel Prison, and above Corel Prison is the Gold Saucer. Gold Saucer is accessed via a ropeway from North Corel.
The Gold Saucer is connected to the Corel Area via a river that is shallow enough for the buggy to cross, and Mt. Corel at the foot of which North Corel is located, providing a path through. A river separates it from both the Gongaga Area and Cosmo Area, although the river can be crossed into the Gongaga Area with the buggy. Mountains also separate it from the Nibel Area and North Corel Area. The mountain separating it from the Nibel Area contains a cave hidden behind a waterfall.
The Corel Desert cannot be traversed on foot, and requires a buggy or a gold Chocobo. If the player tries to enter Corel Prison with the buggy, they will find themselves in the Corel Desert field area where they can fight Land Worms and Cactuars, but by then the player can no longer return to Corel Prison and can only exit back onto the world map.
The Chocobo tracks in this area are the only place where Chocobos with a "Good" rating can be encountered with a pair of Spencers, or a pair of Flapbeats that are located behind the Chocobo.
When Ultimate Weapon starts roaming the world, above North Corel is one place where it can stop. The actual encounter appears to take place on the ground by the Corel Reactor, although Ultimate Weapon is flying during that encounter.
After defeating Ultimate Weapon (and engaging in one more battle), Ruby Weapon appears in the desert in all game versions but the original Japanese release. Colliding with it with the Highwind or a gold Chocobo will set off an encounter. At first, only its head sticks out of the sand, but after engaging with it, it emerges from the sand, and if the player escapes, it remains that way until the player moves away from the desert and loses sight of Ruby Weapon.
Enemies[]
The Beachplugs on the beaches can teach the Big Guard Enemy Skill when manipulated. The Harpy fought besides Chocobos or on the desert terrain can teach the party Aqualung; a small corner of the desert is accessible on foot, so the skill can be learned before the buggy is acquired, even without the Chocobo Lure.
- Grass
- [22/64] Spencer x3, Flapbeat[note 1]
- [21/64] Flapbeat x3
- [21/64] Joker x2
- [8/64] Joker, Flapbeat x2 (Back attack)
- Chocobo tracks
- [3/16] Chocobo (LV29) (Row 1), Flapbeat x2 (Row 2)
- [3/16] Spencer x2, Chocobo (LV29)[note 2]
- [5/16] Flapbeat x2 (Row 1), Chocobo (LV22) (Row 2)
- [5/16] Chocobo (LV22), Harpy
- Corel Desert
- [32/64] Harpy
- [32/64] Flapbeat x4[note 3]
- Ruby Weapon (Boss) (can be engaged on the world map after defeating Ultimate Weapon and then fighting one random battle)
- Beach
- [16/64] Grangalan (Grangalan Jr., (Grangalan Jr. Jr.))[note 4]
- [16/64] Beachplug x3
- [16/64] Beachplug x4[note 5]
- [16/64] Beachplug x3 (Side Attack!)
- Above North Corel
- Ultimate Weapon (boss) (if it settles above it, and engaging it with the Highwind)