Final Fantasy VIII/Cards

Triple Triad is a card game played by most characters in the game. Challenge anyone to a game by pressing [SWITCH] next to them. Be aware that not everyone plays. The aim of the game is to win one or all of your opponents cards by capturing them with your own.

Cards
The cards are representations of most of the monsters, bosses, GFs and major characters in the game.



Each card has a picture of the monster, boss, GF or character it represents, four numbers from 1 (the lowest) to Ace(A) (the highest) in the top-left hand corner and in some cases an elemental symbol e.g. fire, in the top-right hand corner. These numbers represent the cards strength in each of the 4 directions. So in the example to the right the T-Rexaur Card has a strength of 4 in the North direction, 6 in the East, 2 in the West and 7 in the South. The higher the number, the stronger the card. There are 110 cards in total which are split into ten levels:
 * Levels 1–5: ../Monster Cards/
 * Levels 6–7: ../Boss Cards/
 * Levels 8–9: ../GF Cards/
 * Level 10: ../Character Cards/

The Play
The Triple Triad Board is a 3x3 square and each player chooses, or receives 5 of their cards at random to play with. The player to place the first card is chosen at random by the game. Players then take it in turns to place a card in any empty square until no squares remain. When a card is placed, any of the opposing cards it touches will be captured if the placed card's strength in that direction exceeds that of the card in the opposing direction. Once all cards are placed, the player who has the most cards wins.

Special Rules
Triple Triad has a number of special rules. The combination of rules in play varies depending on where the game is taking place.
 * Open - Your opponents' cards are visible.
 * Random - Your cards for this round are chosen at random from your available cards.
 * Same - When a card is placed, if the numbers of the placed card and two or more adjacent cards are the same, these cards will all be captured.
 * Plus - When a card is placed, if the numbers of the placed card and two or more adjacent cards add up to the same amount, these cards will all be captured.
 * Same/Same Plus - The 'Same' and 'Plus' rules are both active
 * Same Wall - The 'Same' rule applies with the walls of the board acting as extra cards. The Wall takes a value of 'A'
 * Combo - When a card is captured with 'Same', 'Plus' or 'Same Wall', any cards surrounding it will be captured if their strength is lower than that cards strength in that direction.
 * Elemental - When this rule is active, a random number of elemental symbols appear on the board. If a card with an elemental symbol is placed in a square with the same symbol then it receives a +1 bonus to it's strength in all directions. Any card without a matching symbol receives a -1 deduction to it's strength in all directions.
 * Sudden Death - When a tie occurs the game will restart with each player using five cards of their color. The game will continue as normal until a winner is decided.
 * Trade Rule: One - The winner of the game selects one of his opponents cards as a reward. Usually degenerates into Different.
 * Trade Rule: Different - The winner of the game selects the amount of cards that is the difference of the two players captured cards. Usually degenerates into One.
 * Trade Rule: Direct - Each player receives the cards that they captured.
 * Trade Rule: All - The winner of the game receives all of the cards his opponent has in play! Usually degenerates into Direct.

Initial Rule Combinations
Each region of the game begins with a different combination of the rules described above. The initial combination of rules are:
 * Balamb - Open
 * Dollet - Random, Elemental
 * Timber - Same
 * Deling City - Same
 * Trabia - Random, Plus
 * Centra - Same/Plus, Random
 * Esthar - Same Wall (hidden), Elemental
 * Fisherman's Horizon - Sudden Death, Elemental
 * Shumi Tribe - Random, Plus
 * Space Station - All rules in effect
 * Ragnarok -

Spreading/Discarding of Rules
As you play games in that region, some rules may be discarded or rules you have acquired from other areas may spread throughout that region. When you initiate a game in a region which does not know all of the rules that you do, the first game you play will involve all of the rules from both regions. Once the game is concluded the rules will often (but not always) change and one or more of the new rules you have brought to the region will either spread or be discarded. This process continues until all of the new rules have been either spread or discarded. You can also edit the rules for a region by finding the Queen of Cards and paying her to do so.

Same/Plus/Same Wall In Action
The 'Same', 'Plus' and 'Same Wall' rules can be confusing initially and are best explained by an example:

Let's start with the 'Same' rule: Your opponent goes first and places a Geezard in the bottom right corner. Next, you place a Funguar in the middle right position. Because your opponent's Geezard has a value of 1 on the north side and your Funguar has a value of 1 on the south side you capture that card.

'Plus' works much in the same way as 'Same.' The only difference is that it instead of two sides being the same they must add up. In order to understand that let me explain with pictures: You go first and place a Funguar in the middle left position. Next, your opponent places a Geezard in the top left corner. On round 3 you place a Red Bat in the top middle position. Because your Funguar's 5 and the opponent's Geezard's 1 add up to 6 AND your Red Bat's 2 and the opponent's Geezard's 4 adds up to 6 you capture the card.

'Same Wall' works exactly the same as 'Same' except that you may use the walls to capture cards. Each of the four walls acts as an A. In order to activate this rule you must have a card with an A on it. Example: Your opponent goes first and plays a Geezard in the bottom middle position. Next you place a Carbuncle in the bottom right corner. Thus, your A and the wall's A match as well as the Geezard's 4 and your 4 allowing you to capture that card. Be aware that the opponent can play off of your Carbuncle and take it with an 8 in the south position.