The 10 Best Final Fantasy Minigames, Ranked

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Not all of the minigames in Final Fantasy are fan favorites. Some, like Blitzball, have split opinions, and others, such as the snowboarding in Final Fantasy VII, feel a bit underdeveloped. However, at least one minigame is so well-made that it could easily stand on its own as a complete game.

Triple Triad first appeared in Final Fantasy VIII, and many fans still consider it the highlight of the game, even decades later. It’s more than just a fun distraction – it’s so well-designed that it could stand on its own as a complete game.

FFVIII’s Triple Triad Was Inspired By Magic: The Gathering

Development of Final Fantasy VIII began in 1997, around the time Magic: The Gathering became incredibly popular. Yoshinori Kitase, the director of FFVIII, noticed how many people were playing MTG and decided to include a similar card game within the next Final Fantasy title.

Instead of just including a simple card game, what if we created one that everyone globally would recognize and enjoy?

We included a historical or cultural detail, hoping it would enrich the world we were building.

Although Triple Triad ended up being quite different from Magic: The Gathering, Magic was still a key influence when we were creating the game. We wanted to capture the feeling of trading cards with friends, like you do in Magic, so everyone could build stronger decks.

I always loved Triple Triad in Final Fantasy VIII, and it’s so cool to learn more about how it came to be! Apparently, it was created by Takayoshi Nakazato – the same guy who later directed Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII! He was already deep in work on FFVIII‘s battle system when they asked him to design a card game too. He took it on, and honestly, it became one of the most memorable mini-games ever. It’s amazing how a side project turned into something so iconic!

Triple Triad Is The Best Final Fantasy Minigame Of All Time

Triple Triad is easy to learn, but surprisingly captivating. The game uses a 3×3 grid where you try to claim five spaces. You do this by playing cards that have a higher rank than the ones already on the board – when they touch, those lower-ranked cards flip to your color.

Triple Triad is easy to pick up and play, which is a big reason why it became so popular. Many players still enjoy it today, even if they aren’t fans of Final Fantasy VIII.

Triple Triad is a really enjoyable card game, but what truly makes it captivating is how it fits into the world of FFVIII. It’s a fantastic way to win rare and valuable items, and knowing that it directly helps you progress makes the game even more addictive.

Triple Triad Still Plays A Major Role In The Final Fantasy Franchise

Many minigames have appeared in the Final Fantasy series and then disappeared, but Triple Triad has remained popular. Square Enix even released it as a separate game in 2015, and it’s also a playable minigame within Final Fantasy XIV.

Triple Triad keeps showing up in Final Fantasy games, and it’s even influenced other card games too. Final Fantasy IX included a card game called Tetra Master, but it was too complicated and didn’t become as popular as Triple Triad.

As a long-time gamer, I gotta say, Triple Triad was a huge deal for me. Now, there’s this new game called Queen’s Blood, and it’s clearly inspired by Triple Triad. It’s pretty complex, but that’s what’s cool about it – you can really build your own style and strategy. It’s definitely bringing back a lot of the magic I felt playing FFVIII all those years ago, and a lot of us old fans are really into it!

Man, even after all these years, Triple Triad still feels like the best minigame in any Final Fantasy game. It’s seriously left its mark on the series, and it’s inspired a ton of other awesome side games too. It just goes to show how much a really great minigame can actually outshine everything else in a game, you know?

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2025-12-17 21:40