First, some brief history. I should honestly impale myself with an EnbuPike for never knowing of this game's existence. I've played and beaten Soul Blazer at least 30 times and can 100% complete it by memory without any problems. Great game, love the controls, love the music, love the story. I'm 99% sure I never heard of Terranigma, because it was never released over here in the NTSC region. How unfortunate. How did I find out? I research "Games like Soul Blazer" on a search engine as well as "other games by Quintet developer team" and stumbled across this fine gem of a game!
I played Illusion Of Gaia... I did not enjoy it very much, I guess the beginning didn't hook me like I'd hoped it would. So I ended up not finishing or getting very far.
I just learned of this game two weeks ago, and have beaten it three times already. One at level 36, one at level 25, and a low level run at level 13.

I did this without using any rewind or slow down features. I only save states right before a boss fight (thus having to do the entire boss without cheating by using a save state) or right before entering a dungeon (thus having to start it from scratch to save travel time from my last save point).
However! Anyone can easily photoshop or cheat in the game to get that exact end result I posted. They can say alllll they want how they never abused save states to get past a boss they couldn't do on their own in one go. My point? Snapshots are
not good enough for me.
The Ultimate Challenge
I'm heavily addicted to this game.. my eyes are bloodshot and I'm currently at Louran performing one of the hardest challenges I've tried in any game.. ever.
This is a no magic, 100% magirock, no using stat raising potions, no bulb or inn use unless mandatory, low level, no save state during a dungeon or boss fight, expand every town, open every chest you know of, move the Quatros, NO TRANSACTIONS hybrid challenge!
(Recording is the only proof I'll accept unless you show me live on Kaillera or something).
The rules in a better, more organized fashion:
1) No mid-boss or mid-dungeon, mid-puzzle, or mid-anything state saving. Anyone can hit a boss, save state, die the next second, then load and avoid what should've been their death. Abusing save states = no bragging rights in a challenge run.
2) No magic. This means you cannot use any rings or pins whatsoever. Not even the bone pin in the tempting spots like Storkholm and Neotokio Sewers.
3) No using S.Bulb, M.Bulb, or L.Bulb items. Ever. (There is one exception, if you have low health but need the Douma to blast you into the wall to break the wall down in Zue, you may use a S.Bulb as it deals about 20 damage)
4) No sleeping at an Inn or any bed. Ever. (Unless mandatory for game progression). Oh and no eating healing foods that aren't mandatory!
5) Only kill what is 100% necessary to achieve lowest possible level. Without abusing save states, the first screen of Leim's test is basically impossible with all of these restrictions, you may kill the birds, but only on the first screen. Parasite must be finished at level 6 or 7, no higher. (Random usage of spike claws).
6) Expand all five towns to their final state. Vote for Jean. Bring Loire to lvl 3, Litz to lvl 2, Freedom to lvl 3, Nirlake to lvl 3, and Sun Coast to lvl 2.
7) Collect every magirock in the game, all 96. (97 for japanese version players). Some will prove to be a severe pain to obtain, not much you can do about that. The only gems you will obtain are from the mandatory kills, treasure chests, or my little secret... chicken races.

KindBird's freedom requires 5,000 gems to get that magirock, so I'd primarily save up for that, seeing as rule 8 exists anyways...
8 ) No transactions. You cannot purchase anything. Ever. Only exceptions are items you may need to progress or obtain a magirock. (Such as the Crystal from the oasis, which helps expand Litz).
9) Self explanatory. Open every chest, even hard to reach ones with little value, or a stat potion that is useless to you in this challenge run.
10) No using stat raising potions. Yes, you have to collect them, but you cannot use / drink them! Yet another restriction.. really though, you will always be doing minimal damage once you hit the Shadow Keeper in Tower 5 anyways. Only potions that *would* help are life potions to tank an otherwise fatal hit, possibly. Oh well!
11) Don't forget to massage the girl in the north eastern tent of the Quatros nomads camp south of Litz. Many guides say you have to massage her twice, you only have to once, actually. As a friendly tip, this is a source of unlimited gems, without having to kill enemies.
12) Have a blast! Feel extremely satisfied after you beat a boss or clear a dungeon without using a bulb! Get frustrated! Pull your hair out! Scream! But most of all.... do it. From Tower 1 to Dark Gaia.
Performing the impossible.