Triple Triad is a card game similar to dominos that lets party members duel non-player characters (NPC's) with the cards they have in their possession. The winner of the game gets to select a card from playing hand of their opponent.

There are three ways to obtain game cards. Characters can obtain cards by winning a challenge against a NPC, by defeating monsters, or by using command during battle. The command is an ability that can be learned only by a GF and must be junctioned prior to battle.

To challenge a character, the player must first posses more than five cards. When this condition is met (HINT: By talking to the man on the second floor of Balamb Garden), press the SQUARE button when facing a character to initiate the challenge.

BASIC RULES
The basic rules of the game are simple. The character and the opponent will start with a hand of five cards each. Each card represents a point. The character gains or loses points as they capture or lose cards. After the computer randomly selects who goes first, each player places one card at a time on the 3X3 grid until all nine slots on the grid are filled. The winner of the game is the one who possesses the most points at the end of the game. Keep in mind that as the player progresses through FINAL FANTASY VIII, "local rules" may appear which change the way the game is played.

CARD VALUES
Each card has four numbers. Each number represents the strength of a side of the card, and can have a value between 1 and 10 (a 10 card is noted as an 'A'). If the player places are card on the grid next to a card that has a smaller number on the side adjacent to the player's card, the weaker card will be captured by the player and converted to their colour. At the same time, the player gains a point, while the opponent loses a point (points are based on the number of cards a player currently controls, counting captured cards and cards not yet in play).

For instance, the opponent places a card that has a 3 on the right side in the top left corner of the gird. To capture this card, the player can place any card htat has a number larger than 3 on is left side to the right of the opponent's card.

There are four types of cards a player can collect:

  • Monsters
  • Bosses
  • GF's
  • Characters

The most commmon cards are monster cards, followed by boss cards, GF cards, and character cards. The more powerfull the card is, the harder it is to find. Later on in the game, an ability can be learned by the GF's that lets the player convert cards in his or her possesion into rare items needed for weapon upgrades and magic refinement.

Local Rules
Some examples of the local rules that may be encountered later in the game.

HANDS:

Open: All ten cards will be facing up so the player can see them.

Random: Five cards will be selected automaticlly from the player's collection of cards.

REWARDS:

One: The winner of the game can choose one card from the opponent's hand and keep it.

Diff: The winner of the game can choose a number of cards equal to the difference between the winnning score and losing sscore.

All: The winner of the game can keep all cards used by the opponent.

Direct: Each player gets to keep the cards they captured at the end of the game.

A detailed desctiption of the Triple Triad rules can be found on the Tutorial Menu in the Menu Screen and on the study panel in Balamb Garden. Press the CIRCLE button to open the Menu Screen and select the [tutorial] command. Use the dirrectional button to select [card game rules] and press the X button to learn more about Triple Triad.

The above explanation is copied from the little book you get when you buy the game.

Copyright � 1999 LeeLloyd