Dating different people at Gold Saucer
On CD1, after getting the Keystone, Cloud and the others find themselves stuck at Gold Saucer, 'cause the Ropeway is not working. Now is the time for Cloud to have a date...
There are four possibilities. Cloud's date might be Aeris, Tifa, Yuffie or Barret (hey, it's just to talk a little!). This depends on how nice Cloud has been to the three girls so far. Here is a guide to get the date you want (be sure to read it all). But, if you've got FF7 for PC, you can download a zip file with all the dates! Yeah, even the date with Barret!
The saved games with the dates (4.5 kb zip file)
Instructions: Unzip the file into your save game directory (backup your saved games first!), then run ff7 with CD1 in the drive, and load one of the games in the Save 10. Choose the one in which the person you want to date is currently in the party, go towards the Ropeway... and enjoy! Just remember it's not all this easy in real life. If you have trouble with these saved games (not with having dates in real life :), feel free to contact me.
How to date Aeris
This is the easiest to do. Just always be nice to her and she'll ask Cloud out. It's so easy, probably there are still players who believe this is the only date you can get. Oh, being nice to her includes taking her with you when you go meet Dyne ;-) And there's something else you might want to keep an eye to: if you want to date Aeris, you're not telling her Tifa's your girlfriend, right? Well, if you want to date anyone else (not only Tifa), you should tell Aeris Tifa is your girlfriend! This is always true and I'm not repeating it later on... I think it's the same in the dialogue with Marlene (when she tells you of Aeris making questions about Cloud), you should only say "Let's hope so" to date Aeris and "I don't know" otherwise. Anyway, these are just hints, not 'laws', as these two thing are not strictly required: they just "help" you get the date you want.
During the date, Aeris will say something about what she likes in Cloud: the fact that he's so similar to her first boyfriend, Zack... but also so different. She'll tell Cloud, "I want to meet... you". The real Cloud. I bet she feels something is wrong about him (and she was right).
How to date Tifa
A little more tricky than dating Aeris, but still easy. Here are some hints, although you probably don't need following all of them.
Buy the flower from Aeris in the beginning, so that you can give it to Tifa. Don't refuse when she offers you a drink. Later, tell her you slept well. When Cloud refuses to work with Barret a second time, and she complains, answer "How can you say that!". Then, always be nice to Tifa and mean to Aeris. And don't disappoint Tifa, she believes you're a hero, remember. You'd better try to make Don Corneo choose Aeris when you get to Wall Market, too (You should have the Silk Dress, the Blonde Wig, the Sexy Cologne, and some extra which is not the best), and tell Tifa you were worried about Aeris (!), when you meet again in the mansion (weird, but true). When you first meet Red XIII, tell Barret to take care of Aeris. When Cloud tells his past, don't read the letter on her desk, and don't look inside her wardrobe. When you get to Gold Saucer the first time, don't forget to ask Tifa to come with you!
During the date, Tifa will tell Cloud something about how much it can be difficult to be old friends. Then she tries to tell him "I love you", but doesn't finish the sentence :-( (surprised?). Be strong, Tifa...
How to date Yuffie
This is definitely more difficult than the previous two. You need to be mean to both Aeris and Tifa (this includes hitting on Jessie in the first part of the game! ;-). Here are some hints, as usual, but this time, you'd better miss the least that you can.
First, you shouldn't buy the flower from Aeris. When you get out of Midgar, make your party Cloud, Red XIII and Barret. Always do your best to disappoint both Aeris and Tifa. A good idea is the following: when you get out from the Mythril Mines, go get Yuffie immediately, then, make your party with Red XIII and Yuffie, go to Fort Condor, tell the guy outside you'll help them fight the Shinra, go inside, don't talk to anyone and go straight to the Save Point. There, use the PHS to make your party with Tifa and Aeris, talk to the people inside and tell them you will not help them in any way. See? They're truly disappointed. ;-)
Yuffie should be already with you when you take the ship from Junon to Costa Del Sol. During that journey, she'll be sick. She'll be disguised as a Shinra sailor, but you'll recognize her from the fact that she prevents you from getting a blue Materia :) (don't worry, you'll be able to pick it up later). Talk to her and give her a Tranquilizer when she asks you to. Also don't tell Aeris you're going to give her a ride on the Airship, and don't agree with Tifa when she tells the world would be better without wars.
Ask Yuffie to come with you the first time you go to Gold Saucer, and take her to see Dyne. Go to Gongaga with both Aeris and Tifa, and when the story about Zack comes out, and the two girls go out of the house, get out and don't talk to them until you get out of town!
Doing the stolen Materia sub-quest before taking the Keystone is highly recommended if you want to date Yuffie. So, once you have the Tiny Bronco, go to the Westernmost Continent immediately and go to Wutai. It's not needed to fight all the way up the Pagoda, though: only the stolen Materia part really matters.
Anyway, if you plan to get the Leviathan Materia immediately, here are hints for that (again, it's not required to date Yuffie). When you land the Westermost Continent, don't go to Wutai immediately, but go South to the grassy peninsula and make sure you learn the Magic Hammer Enemy Skill first (you need to Manipulate a Razor Weed). When you have, head North as usual. Do the stolen Materia sub-quest. When Yuffie is again in your party, go back to Wutai with her and let her climb the Pagoda. The Magic Hammer Enemy Skill will be very useful against Godo, since once you leave him with about 3500 HP, he'll heal himself for about 1200 without giving you the chance to strike again. It's very unlikely that you'll have an attack which can do over 3500 HP at this time of the game, so the only way to defeat him is to drain all his MP with that Enemy Skill (you'll have to perform it 9 or 10 times). Oh, when you fight Godo, equip Yuffie preferrably with a Headband (or a White Cape) since Godo can cast Mini and Sleepel.
During the date, Yuffie will kiss Cloud's cheek and tell him she just felt like doing it. Cloud will be left speechless. Watching the fireworks with Cloud will be a happy experience for Yuffie... ("...gawd, I could just die.")
A little chit chat with a friend...
This is difficult, heh... but it's possible, and that's important (yup, in fact, you can't get a date with Vincent as many would like ^_^).
Begin with buying the flower from Aeris, and apart from that, being nice only to Jessie in the first part. Give the flower to Marlene. Refuse the drink Tifa offers, tell her "Sorry..." when she accuses you of leaving her, and on the next day... complain about Barret's snoring (!). Always act like a cool hero when Barret is in your party. Try to make Don Corneo choose Cloud, by getting all the best extra items (including an item from the Honey Bee) and when you have the chance to, tell Don Corneo "Umm..." and then "Yes, his name's Barret..." (!!!). When you first meet Red XIII, ask Barret to take care of Aeris. When there's a chance to split up, make sure Barret and Red XIII are in your party, and leave the two girls alone (always, as long as you have 5 characters and can't get Yuffie). When imprisoned, tell Tifa "Kinda hard" and think of Barret first, and Red XIII right afterwards. In Kalm, make your party again with Barret and Red XIII, talk to everyone and act as one who truly hates Shinra and as a nostalgic of the old way of life (i.e. like Barret would ^_^). Finally, go to Fort Condor with Barret and Red XIII (again, yeah) and tell everyone you're going to help.
Well, this should be enough, provided you go on acting mean to the girls (Tifa, Aeris, and Yuffie if you get her). Ask Red XIII to come with you both at Gold Saucer, and in the desert prison to see Dyne. Do all I explained before ('how to date Yuffie') in order to disappoint Aeris and Tifa, but, if you also have Yuffie, choose the 'wrong' answers (don't give her a Tranquilizer, etc.).
Unlike the girls, Barret doesn't play the Princess at Event Square... (phew! ^_^). He only asks Cloud to go somewhere with him to talk in private. Cloud takes Barret to the Gondola, and Barret asks Cloud why he didn't take Aeris or Tifa (or Yuffie) there... :-/ then, he says he wouldn't let Marlene stay with Cloud, him being such a wacko, and wishes Marlene were there to see the fireworks...