Basics
Controls:
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Left Analog Stick
Move your character around the world.
Right Analog Stick:
Part in Lulu's Overdrives, Fury.
D-Pad Buttons:
Move your character around the world.
Triangle:
Allows you to access main command menu (info in 4 sections away). In battle it lets you skip/guard characters' turn.
X Button:
This is the action button. It's what you use to confirm and make choices, along with more.
Square:
Part in Auron's Overdrives, Bushido. As are more buttons.
Circle:
Lets you return to previous screen. Ex. You are in Item Menu, you press it, and you're back in Main Menu select screen.
Saving Your Game:
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Throughout the game of Final Fantasy X, you are inevitably going to encounter some of those little blue shiny spheres laying in some places where they seem to serve no concievable purpose. These, in fact, are save points, or save spheres, if you wish to call them that as an alternative; it doesn't matter. At each and every single one of these, when you first touch them, it will automatically and instantly revalesce your MP as well as your HP back up to maximum. You of course, can save your game progress up to that point at these spheres as well. Throughout the course of the game (after passing particular "checkpoints" if you will), you will eventually acquire new options at these as well. They include: after the blitzball game in Luca with the Goers, you can then opt to play blitzball games at these spheres; there is also the event in Home where you ride off in the airship, and then you can choose to hop aboard the airship thereafter. Note that depending on a certain event(s) in the game trigger you to not be able to play blitzball, however (these are like right after you kill Seymour in Macalania Temple of Ice).
Where To Turn For Help?:
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There is a very simple and extremely easy-to-use option which you can access by simply paying a little visit to the Menu Screen (pressing Triangle button when not in battle or cutscenes), and then by choosing on the option down at the very bottom, which is "Help". This of obviously opens up the Help Menu which is divided into three divisions which allows for you to get acclimated to the game and its basics in general. These include the following: Reference, Basic Controls, as well as Basic Terms, these all will help a newcomer to the game. What you can learn and acquire knowledge from in the Reference section on this Help Menu is the 411 on the different Command Abilities of the game, there is also info on Auto-Abilities, Overdrive Modes, and there is even the basic data on Overdrives also. So really, that specifies on the many different special battle commands. The Basic Controls part of the screen is what really explains to you the Menu (which is covered later on in this guide), in-battle procedures and precautions, as well as a few tips, and then information when not in battle and basically out on the field. Finally, is the Basic Terms area which will virutally summarize and categorize all of the basic terms and phrases in this game. That's it for that...
Equipment Info (Armors and Weapons):
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This screen is simply accessible from paying a minor visit over to the Items division of the Menu Screen which you access by pressing Triangle when not in a battle or a cutscene throughout the storyline or plot. Basically, in a nut- shell, what this is is a listing of every weapon and armor that a certain character has (since every character has different weapons and armors as anyone who has played Final Fantasies in the past would know). This screen allows for easy equipping and unequipping of those equipments. You also have the option of using the command called "Sort" to easily order and organize your party's armors and weapons.
There is also the buying as well as selling of many different equipments through and throughout this game (how else do you expect to acquire any of the really good stuff, other than killing really powerful enemies and fiends?). For every bit of equipment that you have or want to buy, there is always a price, and these many vary from very cheap to very rip-off expensive at times. To get to this option of selling off your armors and weapons, go to any shop or item seller and then make the choice to Sell. Even easier is to buy, which you automatically do once at a shop or seller like O'aka XXIII.
Radar Function Map:
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Yeah, I know, it's a pretty long and wierd name that I gave it, but, it seemed to be the only name that truly fit from my perspective. Well anyway, where you are most currently located in the game will be shown and displayed in an easy- to-comprehend way on that little map on the screen by way of little white-ish, yellow arrow. A few more things about this to know which may help are: Red Arrow: This shows where you need to go, or your desired destination. White Square: This will indicate that there is a Save Sphere in that location. Green Square: This means that there is a door or cave in that very spot. Note that if you don't like this Radar Function Map on, you can always take it away by using Config option in the Menu Screen if you want.
Exploring The Vast World Of Spira:
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Exploring the huge and expansive world of Final Fantasy X, which of course is Spira, can be quite a huge feat to take on, so that is why I think you need some help here with accomplishing this successfully with ease. You will definitely be encountering many, many unique characters, with many different outlooks on life throughout this game, so I recommend talking to each one that you find here and there at least four times over to ensure that you get any and all possilee items from them as well as just hearing new things from them. When you later on in the game gain complete access to the Al Bhed airhsip, you have much easier time with navigating the world, getting missed items, and finishing every sidequest and minigame offered in this enormous game.
Utilizing Different Items:
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This isn't too much of a big thing, and really a no-brainer, so I will probably try and make this quite brief. Throughout your gigantic adventure, you will have collected many, many items as well as equipment which I already have gone over earlier. There are some that just play an important role in battles for such purposes as restorating and even damaging the oppostion that you are facing. There are also some others that are absolutely essential to progressing in the plot or unlocking some secret aeons or secret items throughout the game. That is really all there is to explain about items.
