Final Fantasy VIII features Triple Triad, which is arguably one of the best mini-games to be programmed into a video game. It's the perfect time to learn all the basic lessons necessary for players to start owning their opponents in this addictive trading card game.
Final Fantasy VIII, along with the Triple Triad mini-game, launched in 1999, exclusive to the PlayStation console. The game has since released to other consoles, most recently as Final Fantasy VIII Remastered. The hero of the story, Squall, is a moody, socially distant teenager with 1990s pop-rock hair. Squall attends a military academy, struggles with life-long abandonment issues, and wields a gunblade. Players are introduced to Squall on final exam day, after being attacked by his rival, Seifer. As the plot progresses, Squall and his friends discover they have a much larger purpose. But, that doesn't mean they can't take a break once in a while and play some cards.
Triple Triad is an entirely optional mini-game offered during the game's regular progress. It's easy to learn, and the trading card aspect of the game makes it even more addictive. Triple Triad has a purpose in the main game as well since all cards can be converted to items and spells that can be used to boost characters' stats. Those who choose to skip it miss out on a fun and addictive mini-game that extends the life of the overall RPG. Players who have been bitten by the Triple Triad bug will want to get the basics down so that they can engage in the more complex strategies required as they encounter different Play and Trade rulesets.
How To Get Triple Triad Cards
Players start on their journey to a Triple Triad intervention by friends shortly into their first walkthrough of Balamb Garden, the military academy in which Squall is enrolled. Players must have their aloof hero talk to a fellow student that is hanging around the walkway by the elevator on the second floor of Balamb Garden. This student, which Squall undoubtedly views as a slacker, will kindly gift him with a starter set of low-level cards. From here on, Squall may acquire additional cards by challenging NPCs that he encounters along the way and battling monsters and other bad guys. Not every NPC plays the game. It can be a challenge to find rare cards in Triple Triad.
The Basics of Triple Triad in Final Fantasy VIII
Triple Triad is played on a blank 3-by-3 square game board. Squall plays against one opponent at a time in turn-based gameplay. Both players have five cards in their hand at the start of the game. The absolute simplest explanation of the game is that it plays like the card game, WAR. A number on one player's card will be played against a number on the other player's card. The high number wins the turn.
Each player is assigned a color at the start of the game, either red or blue. One player's cards will have a red background. The other player's cards will be blue. This is done to indicate both initial ownership of the card, and points as the game continues to progress. Each card of the player's color on the grid is a point. As cards are played and adjacent sides compared, they may change colors to show which player has won the turn and is currently winning the game.
When a card changes to the player's color, this is called capturing a card. If it is not their turn, the player cannot capture any cards. A card may change colors multiple times during play. Multiple cards may change color during a turn. Once the grid is filled with cards, the game is determined to be a win/loss or a draw. At this point, the player that has the most cards of their color on the grid wins the game.
Each card in this Final Fantasy VIII mini-game features four numbers that form a cross in the top left corner. The numbers range from one through nine and A, which is number 10. Each number in the cross corresponds to a side of the card. Creatures and characters are used as card art. Cards may also have an elemental icon, which is specific to the Elemental rule set, and is not in play unless there are also elemental icons on the grid.
A card may be played anywhere on the Triple Triad grid, including spaces where there is no adjacent card. However, due to the limited number of available spaces on the grid, cards must eventually be played against one another.
When one player's card is placed adjacent to the other player's card(s) on the grid, the touching sides are compared, and the high number of each touching side wins that turn. Depending on where on the grid a card is placed, a card may be played against multiple cards at the same time. For instance, if a card is placed in the center space on the grid, each side of the player's card will be compared with the adjacent side of each other card to the top, bottom, left and right, as long as those other cards belong to the opponent.
If the grid is filled with cards, and both players possess an equal number of cards of their color, a Draw will occur. Depending on the rules in play, the game may end here, with no cards exchanged. Or, it may result in a sudden death scenario where the grid is cleared, and the game is played until one player wins. Again, depending on the rules in effect, the winner will claim a prize of one of the loser's card.
What Are Play Rules for Triple Triad in Final Fantasy VIII?
Play rules are additional rulesets that are layered on top of basic gameplay to add complexity and nuance to the game. Squall begins his journey at Balamb Garden, and with the Open rule. This ruleset requires both players to play with all cards facing up.
One rule that can be confusing is the Same Wall rule. This rule brings the outer frame of the grid into play as one of the card's four sides. For instance, a card placed in the first space of the second row can affect the third card in that same row because the numbers on their outer sides are now in play against one another. The remaining rules are either self-explanatory or can be determined very quickly during gameplay.
Here's a brief rundown of Play Rules by region; Balamb (Open), Galbadia (Same), Dollet (Random, Elemental), Fisherman's Horizon (Elemental, Sudden Death), Trabia (Random, Plus), Centra (Same, Random, Plus ), Esthar (Elemental, Same Wall), Lunar (Same, Plus, Elemental, Same Wall, Random, Sudden Death).
What are Trade Rules?
Unless there is a Draw, cards will be gained or lost at the end of a game. Trade rules determine how those cards are exchanged. The player starts with the One rule, where the winner chooses one card from the loser. Diff allows the winner to take the number of cards by which they won. If the player won by two cards, they would take two cards from the loser. Direct allows the winner to take all of the cards that they captured by the end of the game. However, they lose the cards their opponent captured. The All rule allows the winner to take all cards.
How Are Play and Trade Rules Added or Removed?
Play and Trade rules start as specific to regions of the game the player visits as they travel. The player can pick up rules as they challenge NPCs. They can also lose rules, spread rules to, or abolish them in other regions. There are ways to influence what rules are gained, lost, spread, or abolished. However, spreading rules is decided by the game at random, and the player cannot actively add, remove, spread, or abolish any of the rules.
With a good grasp of the basics of Triple Triad in Final Fantasy VIII, the player can give NPCs a run for their money. Because more powerful cards can be won by challenging them, the game also calls to the collector in all players. After a few games, the player may find themselves with an understanding of why this mini-game has withstood the test of time.
Final Fantasy VIII is available as Final Fantasy VIII Remastered on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
