Final Fantasy VIII The Triple Triad
The Triple Triad
Triple Triad is Final Fantasy VIII's Challenging Card Game. This is a mini-game
like none you've ever seen. Throughout the course of the game, you can collect
special cards based on the minor enemies, Bosses, GFs, and major characters from
Final Fantasy VIII. With your deck, you can challenge almost anyone to a game of
card. What are the benefits? Using the card mod ability, you can refine the
cards you've won into valuable and rare items.
How Do I Play?
First, you need a good starting deck and you can get one from a person in
Balamb Garden at the start of the game. The Cards aren't that great, but they
are better than nothing at all.
Challenge People
Challenging people to a card game is easy. Approach a person in normal fashion
and press the SQUARE button. If the person is a card player they'll most likely
to accept your challenge. If not, they'll converse with you normally.
When to Play Card Game?
If you've been given an assignment, it is best to wait to play cards on your
own free time. The Garden looks down on SeeDs that goof off while assignments.
There's no such thing as too many of one card. If nothing else, use the Card Mod
Ability to turn your extra into items and sell them for Gil.
Basic Strategy
The Biggest Challenge Triple Triad presents is the always-changing set of rules.
So, while it may seem like a good idea to always play your best hand, many times
this is not the case.
When the rules are basic (Same, Open, Sudden Death and Elemental), all you need
are strong cards to win. You can simple over-power your opponent by playing
cards that he/she simply cannot beat. However, if some of the more advanced
rules (Plus, Same Wall, and Random) are in effect, it's best to back off a bit
and try to win the game through strategy, rather than brute force.
Always play defensively. There's no reason to take each card your opponent
plays. Play a waiting game with your opponent and plan ahead. Let your opponent
trap his/her own cards, and then force certain moves by strategically placing
your cards.
Corners typically offers the best defense, while the center spot is obviously
the worst. in some cases, though, you may find it beneficial to play a card in
the center at the start of the match to limit your opponent's option. This works
well against tougher opponents.
Try not to spread the Random Rules-It's a killer. And although Open may seem
like the best rule in the game, your opponent gain as much from it as you do.
Skilled opponents may gain too much from being able to see your hand.
Card-Related Side Quest
There are three card-related Side Quests: The Queen of Cards, the CC Groups, and
the Alien Encounter.
CC Group
The CC Group is a group of seven elite card players in Balamb Garden.
If you can beat them all, you can get some good cards. This becomes
available in Disc 3. You must challenge them from the lowest ranking up
to the highest.
#1: Jack » Is in the hallway near the
directory. Has no rare cards.
#2: Club » In the hallway near entrance to
cafeteria. Appears randomly and not often. Has no rare cards.
#3: Diamond » In front of directory. Diamond
is actually a pair of female SeeD cadets. They have no rare cards.
#4: Spade »
On floor 2F next to elevator.
Spade is one of the two people that usually hang out on this floor. Has
no rare cards.
#5: Heart »
On the bridge. Heart is actually
Xu! She has the Carbuncle card.
#6: Joker » Inside the Training Center.
Appears randomly and not easy to find. Has Leviathan
card.
#7: King » To find King, speak with Nida on
the bridge, then visit the Infirmary and challenge Dr. Kadowski to a
game. Kadowski hints about King. Return to your dorm room and King will
appear in the room. King has the Gilgamesh
card.
More Info: To start challenging the CC
Group, you must first build up your reputation in Balamb Garden as a
card player. To do so you may have to win about 15 games around Garden.
Queen of Cards
The Queen of Cards is located in the town of Balamb, near the
train station. In order to win the rare cards listed above as
"Acquirable in Queen of Cards quest", you must lose (or win)
a rare card (level 8 or above) to/from her. Once then, you can speak to
her again to get a hint of her next destination, which can be at eight
places: Balamb, Shumi Village, Dollet, Deling City, Winhill, Esthar,
Fisherman's Horizon and Lunar Gate. Her first destination is Dollet.
Speak with her normally (not a card gam challenge) and choose the
fourth option; "About your artist father,". When you choose
this option she requests a card from you. The first card requested will
be MiniMog. Lose MiniMog to her in a game.
This enables her artist father to create a new card that you can win
elsewhere. When you give the queen the card she requested, she moves to
a different region. You must chase her around the world until she goes
back to Dollet and you can repeat the process. This must be done five
times to get all the cards.
The rare cards you lose to her: can be won
back from her little brother in Dollet.
Where the Card Queen Travels
If the Queen says...
Galbadia: Galbadia Hotel in Deling City.
FH: On the train tracks at Fisherman's Horizon.
Esthar: The Presidential Palace at Esthar.
Trabia: The hotel at Shumi Village.
Centra: The hotel at Winhill.
Dollet: The Pub at Dollet.
Balamb: Balamb Station in Balamb.
Far Away: Lunar Gate's Concourse Area.
Present Location/Will Move to...
If she is in Balamb » she will move to Dollet (37.5% chance) or Deling
City (62.5%).
Deling City » Balamb (12.5%), Dollet (12.5%), Winhill (12.5%), FH
(62.5%).
Dollet » Balamb (37.5%), Deling City (62.5%).
Shumi Village » Balamb (25%), Dollet (50%), Lunar Gate (25%).
Winhill » Deling City (37.5%), Dollet (37.5%), FH (25%).
FH » Dollet (12.5%), Winhill (25%), Esthar (62.5%).
Esthar » Dollet (12.5%), Shumi Village (25%), FH (12.5%), Lunar Gate
(50%).
Lunar Gate » Random area, plus she gives no hint.
Card Given/Card Created/Where to find New Card
MiniMog » Kiros is created: Found in Deling City by the man in
white across from Junk Shop.
Sacred » Irvine is created, find in FH; win from Flo (Mayor Dobe's
wife).
Doomtrain » Phoenix is created; win in Esthar from the blue Presidential
Assistant in the Presidential Palace.
Chicobo » Chubby Chocobo is created; win in Balamb Garden from student
sitting on bench outside library.
Alexander » Doomtrain is created; win in Timber from the Pub's owner. |
|
Final Fantasy Insider
