Introduction
Triple Triad is a card game originally from Square Enix's (then Squaresoft) Final Fantasy VIII. While still a game where the main goal is to collect every card, the original is slightly different from this one. For example, in FF8, you could only play against the AI, there were less optional rules, there was only one copy of certain cards in the game, and you couldn't win any credits - only eventually transform cards into items to use in FF8 proper.
Basics
You must be given or purchase your first set of cards. You need at least five to play a game. Each card has four numbers which indicate the strengths of each side of the card, 1 through 10 (A). Some cards have an elemental icon on them, which only comes into play during the elemental rule (see below). Cards are also grouped into levels based on the overall total of their values.
The game itself is played on a 9x9 grid where each person takes turns placing a card from their hand. Score is determined by the number of cards in "control" of a particular player, with each person having a score of 5 to account for their respective hands of five cards each.
The way that you gain control over cards is a simple comparison exercise. When you place a card, the sides of that card compare to the sides of any of your opponent's cards already on the board that touch. If your card is higher, you now control that card. If lower, nothing happens, and both cards remain in control of their respective owners. When all 9 spaces are filled, the match ends and the points are counted based on who is in control of what. The one with the highest is the winner (the person who had the second turn automatically gets a free point for the card still in their hand, so ties are possible).
Prizes
Normally, all cards regardless of their end-game control situations, return to their original owners at the end of the match, and the prize rule goes into effect. Unlike FF8, I've made this optional.
None: Nobody gains or loses any of the cards they played with.
One: The winner gets to keep a single card of their choosing from the loser's hand.
Difference: The winner gets to keep the number of cards of their choosing from the loser's hand based on the amount of points the won the match by (could be 2, 4, or 5 - since that's the most in a hand).
Direct: Both players keep the cards that they had control of at the end of the match. Both players could potentially gain and lose cards regardless of who won the match.
All: The winner gets to keep all of the cards from the loser's hand.
Optional Rules
In Triple Triad there are several rules which radically change the brute-force nature of the game into something more strategic, and a skilled player can still win a match with the very last move, even when the score is completely stacked against them. Rules also have the potential to turn Triple Triad into a game of chance. Some of them have been expanded and a few have been added over the original. All are designed to work together in any combination
Open: Normally you cannot see what cards are in your opponent's hand. This will make them visible.
Blind: Normally you can see all of the cards on the board. This will make cards that you don't control unknown. If you manage to turn one over, it will then become visible to you, and invisible to your opponent.
Wrap: Sides touching the walls will wrap around and try to use sides touching the opposite wall.
Same: If two or more opponent cards match the values on your card, those opponent cards flip over.
Plus: If two or more opponent cards' values match when added to the values on your card, those opponent cards flip over.
Minus: If the absolute value of two or more opponent cards' values match when subtracted from the values on your card, those opponent cards flip over.
Shell: Any side of your card that isn't touching another card will act as if it is touching an A side, and try to accomplish a Same, Plus, or Minus if applicable, thus making those moves possible with only one other opponent card.
Combo: Any cards that you flip over for whatever reason, will act as if they were newly placed and will go on and try to continue flipping over cards that they themselves are touching.
Elemental: Some spaces on the board will be marked with an element which corresponds to the element on some of the cards. If you match the elements, all of the values on the card will be increased, otherwise they will decrease (even if the card does not have an element but the space does).
Reverse: Now a lower value is needed to flip cards, instead of a higher one.
Random: Five cards for each player's hands is selected randomly from all cards in their possession, instead of allowing them to pick manually.
Quicksand: If the match ends in a tie, it will restart with the hands of each player consisting of the cards they had in control of at the end of the last round.
Triple Triad
Playing Triple Triad on the forum against other people is pretty easy. First get some cards, and decide who you want to play against. Fill out the form picking what rules you want to enable, and wait for the other person to accept or decline the match. When the match begins, good luck!
There is also an AI which is limited in the frequency you can play it. The difference is that you play for and win credits, instead of winning or losing cards. The AI is designed to make the best possible move based on the cards it has and the situation the board - so it is a decent enemy but by no means impossible.
A quick hint is to always play defensively to the corners (unless wrap is enabled). Buying all of the cards is not much fun, so try to win them from others. There is also trading and scorecard statistics. I hope you have fun! If you have any other questions, please ask or search the web - but keep in mind that any tutorial you find may not be for my particular incarnation of Triple Triad, but an upgrade to make it easy to play with other people.
also some useful links for people:
the wikipedia entry for triple triad. it actually used to be better a couple years ago. now its pretty brief and more about the impact overall, not anything useful for playing:
Minigam...y - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
slightly better wikia entry - but keep in mind the rules etc are for ff8 triple triad, and they might differ slightly in vbtripletriad (detailed above)
Triple Triad - The Final Fantasy Wiki has more Final Fantasy information than Cid could research
VERY good youtube video of actual triple triad gameplay from ff8 itself. you can see what it was like in the game.. the developers main goal is to make Triad³ pretty close to that.
Basic Triple Triad Instructions
Linear Mode
