Final Fantasy VIII - Magazines

There are several magazines in the game that provide information and skills; they are:

Combat King - Teaches Zell new fighting moves that are used for his Limit Break.
Occult Fan - Gives hints to optional side quests.
Pet Pals - Teaches new "Tricks" to Angelo that are used as Rinoa's Limit Breaks.
Timber Maniacs - An old magazine series containing articles written by Lagunawhen he was a Journalist and these add new entries into Selphie's "Sir Laguna's Page"
Weapons Monthly - A magazine that provides information on remodelling weapons.

There is also a magazine called "The Girl Next Door", its only purpose is to trade it to Zone for either 25,000 Gil or a Rename Card and Shiva Card. You cannot buy these as you are told you are "Not of age".

Combat King

Issue	Limit Break	Location
Combat King 001	Dolphin Blow	Bottom floor of D-District Prison *
Combat King 002	Meteor Strike	Balamb Hotel - Fight Fujin & Raijin
Combat King 003	Meteor Barret	Zell's Love Quest
Combat King 004	Different Beat	Talk to lone Esthar Soldier near Airstation before Lunar Gate and then again during Lunatic Pandora's attack on Esthar City **
Combat King 005	My Final Heaven	Inside Lunatic Pandora (Left path from Elevator 03 Basement) ***

(*) Must be found before rescuing Squall from Interogation Room.

(**) While Controlling Zell

(***) You must have chosen to trigger red detonator during second dream sequence

Occult Fan

Issue	Location	Hint Given
Occult Fan I	Balamb Garden - Library (On a bookcase) *	1st of 3 items needed to get Doomtrain.
Occult Fan II	Dollet pub owner - Secret room. Examine the stack of magazines on the floor repeatedly.	2nd of 3 items needed to get Doomtrain
Occult Fan III	Fisherman's Horizon - Master Fisherman **	Item used to Summon Doomtrain
Occult Fan IV	Esthar City - Presidential Aide. Leave palace, talk to another Aide, then re-enter to find it.	3rd of 3 items needed to get Doomtrain

(*) If there is a student in front of the bookcase, leave and re-enter until they move.

(**) If you do not talk to the Master Fisherman, this issue is lost and can't be acquired.

Pet Pals

Volume	Location	Learn (Steps)
Vol. 1	Obtained from Zell on train to Timber	Angelo Strikes (800 Steps)
Vol. 2	Rinoa's Bed in Forest Owl's Base	Angelo Recover (200 Steps)
Vol. 3	Purchased from Timber's Pet Shop	Invincible Moon (900 Steps)
Vol. 4	Purchased from Timber's Pet Shop	Angelo Reverse (250 Steps)
Vol. 5	Purchased from Esthar's Pet Shop.	Angelo Search (400 Steps)
Vol. 6	Purchased from Esthar's Pet Shop.	Wishing Star (1010 Steps)

You must walk a number of steps to have Angelo learn the trick, the numbers shown above are approximate.

Timber Maniacs

Issue	Location
Timber Maniacs 1	Balamb Town (Train Station)*
Timber Maniacs 2	Timber (Timber Maniacs Office)
Timber Maniacs 3	Timber (Hotel Guest Room)
Timber Maniacs 4	Fisherman's Horizon (Grease Monkey's House)
Timber Maniacs 5	Fisherman's Horizon (Hotel Guest Room)
Timber Maniacs 6	Trabia Garden (Graveyard)
Timber Maniacs 7	Dollet (Hotel Guest Room)
Timber Maniacs 8	Dollet (Pub)
Timber Maniacs 9	Shumi Village (Artisan's House)
Timber Maniacs 10	White SeeD Ship (Bridge)
Timber Maniacs 11	Edea's House
Timber Maniacs 12	Dealing City (Hotel, under bed)

(*) There is an alternative issue of Timber Maniacs 1 in the Balamb Town Hotel (2nd Floor). Collecting either will have the other despawn

Weapons Monthly

Issue	Location
March Issue	Top of Dollet Communications Tower after defeating Elvoret.
April Issue	Squall's new room after SeeD ball.
May Issue	Deling City Sewers *
June Issue	Missile Base after defeating BGH251F2
July Issue	Balamb Garden Traing Center after Battle of the Gardens
August Issue	Trabia Garden, few steps south of the Gargoyle fountain
1st Issue	Lunatic Pandora Lab during Laguna Dream **

(*) If it is missed here, it can be collected during the D-District Prison escape.

(**) Go back into the Lab to collect it. Can also be purchased at Karen's Shop in Esthar if you have Tonberry's Familiar ability.