Minigames of Final Fantasy

The popular video game franchise nihongo|"Final Fantasy"|ファイナルファンタジー|Fainaru Fantajī has become known for its inclusion of one or more minigames as part of its core gameplay, beginning mainly with "Final Fantasy VII". Participation and progression in these minigames generally will not affect the main game, but can often offer many items or "power ups" that are either very rare, or simply otherwise unavailable. They can also offer a diversion to the main story, and add a few more hours of gameplay. However, in some "Final Fantasy" installments, such as "Final Fantasy VII" and "Final Fantasy X", certain minigames are sometimes necessary in order to progress the storyline.

Minigames

Easter Egg minigames

Several simple minigames of the series are hidden as Easter eggs which must be unlocked by pressing special button combinations in a particular location. In "Final Fantasy", a sliding puzzle can be unlocked while boarding the ship. In "Final Fantasy II", a matching game can be unlocked while boarding the ice sled and meeting a certain requirement. In "Final Fantasy IX", a Blackjack game can be unlocked on the ending screen.

Final Fantasy VII minigames

"Final Fantasy VII" was the first game to feature a large number of minigames and still remains the role-playing game with the most minigames. A number of minigames appear occasionally throughout the main storyline and at various locations, many of which can later be played at the Gold Saucer theme park within the game, along with various other minigames exclusive to the Gold Saucer.

The Gold Saucer in "Final Fantasy VII" has a number of different theme park attractions, which include: Battle Square, a tournament; Chocobo Square, a chocobo racing game; Event Square, a short stageplay played like a visual novel or graphic adventure; Ghost Square, a halloween-themed hotel; Round Square, a Gondola ride; Speed Square, a light gun shooter; Station Square, a train station to travel to and from the Gold Saucer; and Wonder Square, a videogame arcade from where most of the minigames in "Final Fantasy VII" can be played.cite web|title=Final Fantasy VII: Gold Saucer|url=http://www.eyesonff.com/ff7/goldsaucer.php|publisher="Eyes on Final Fantasy"|accessdate=2008-05-19]

Some of the minigames playable at Wonder Square include: 3D Battler, a simple boxing sports game; Arm Wrestling Mega Sumo, an arm wrestling simulator; Fortune Telling, a fortune-telling simulator; G Bike, a motorbike racing game; Mog House, a moogle-feeding game; Snow Game, a snowboarding game; Super Dunk, a basketball free throw simulator; Wonder Catcher, a simple casino game; and Torpedo Attack, a submarine simulation game.

Storyline-driven minigames first played outside of (or not included in) the Gold Saucer include: gym squats at the Wall Market, a mystery puzzle minigame to find Mayor Domino's password, the G Bike motorbike racing game mentioned above, a piano simulation, a CPR minigame, a jumping minigame with Mr. Dolphin, a military parade marching band simulation, a posing minigame for Rufus, a version of the Snow Game snowboarding minigame mentioned above, and a submarine battle like the Torpedo Attack minigame mentioned above.

Some of the other minigames in "Final Fantasy VII" only found outside of the Gold Saucer and outside of the main storyline include: a chocobo-breeding game, a turn-based strategy at Fort Condor, and a treasure-hunting game at Bone Village.

"Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding"

One of the many minigames to be featured in "Final Fantasy VII" included a snowboarding game. It can be played for the first time at the Icicle Lodge, and another version of the minigame, entitled Snow Game, can later be played at the Wonder Square arcade of the Gold Saucer theme park within "Final Fantasy VII".

The Snow Game minigame was later released as a separate snowboarding game for mobile phones entitled "Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding", which released in Japan and North America in vgy|2005. It is a mobile port of the snowboarding minigame featured in the original game.cite web | author=Buchanan, Levi | year=2005 | title=Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding | url=http://wireless.ign.com/articles/594/594902p1.html | publisher=IGN | accessdate=2006-08-11] The game is playable on the LG VX8000, LG VX8100, Audiovox 8940 and Samsung A890 mobile phone and contains different tracks than the original minigame.

Triple Triad

Triple Triad is a card game in "Final Fantasy VIII", designed by battle designer Hiroyuki Ito. It was not considered an essential part of the game, but more to provide a light relief to the storyline and allow the player to interact with minor characters in a different way. Through the use of certain Guardian Force abilities, the player was able to create rare items by converting cards earned by besting various competitors.cite web | author=Vestal, Andrew | date=February 24, 1999 | title=Final Fantasy VIII for PlayStation Review | url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps/rpg/finalfantasy8/review.html | publisher=GameSpot | accessdate=2007-11-15] "Final Fantasy VIII" was the first of the series to introduce a side-game with such interaction.

Triple Triad is played on a three-by-three (3x3) square grid of blank spaces, where cards will be placed as the game progresses. The cards depict various characters, monsters, and bosses from the game, and four numbers placed in arrangement so each corresponds to one of the four sides of the card. These numbers range from one to nine, the letter A representing ten.

In a basic game of Triple Triad, each player has five cards. A coin-flip decision is made to decide which of the two players will begin. The player who wins the coin toss may then choose a card to play anywhere on the grid. After the first card is played, the opposing player may then play a card on any unoccupied space on the board. The game continues with player's turns alternating in this fashion.

When a card is played, its values are assessed and compared to any cards which are adjacent on the grid. If no cards are adjacent, no assessment is made and game continues. If any cards controlled by the other player are adjacent to the played card, then the values of the sides of the played card are compared to the adjacent sides of the opposing cards. If the played card's sides are of a higher value, then the opposing card or cards become controlled by the player, and change in color.

Gameplay continues until the entire grid is filled. As there are only nine spaces on the board, the player who did not go first has one card remaining. Once the game is complete, the player who has the most cards in his color is named the winner. As there are a total of ten cards, this allows the possibility of the game ending in a draw, which may be resolved by a sudden death scenario, or by playing until a winner is defined. The winner claims a prize by taking one or more of the loser's cards.

In "Final Fantasy VIII", each region of the game world has its own unique rules that can be applied to Triple Triad. Some include whether the players can see each others' unplayed cards, how many cards can be taken by the winner of the game, and how draws are determined. These rules can be added to or removed from the various regions in the game world, depending on choices that the player makes.

In 1999, following the release of "Final Fantasy VIII", Japanese games company Bandai produced a full set of collectible Triple Triad cards. The set was made up of the 110 cards as seen in the game along with 72 artwork cards and a collectors edition playing mat. citeweb|url=http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/15957| work= [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/ Board Game geek] |title=Final Fantasy VIII: Triple Triad|accessdate=2006-12-07] Because the set was only released commercially in Japan and was not generally available in America or Europe, the cards have become a rare collectors item.

Chocobo World

nihongo title | "Chocobo World" | おでかけチョコボRPG | "Odekake Chokobo RPG" is a handheld electronic game designed by Hiroyuki Itou of Square Co. (now Square Enix) for the PocketStation handheld game console. The game can be played exclusively, but is intended as a minigame to "Final Fantasy VIII".cite book | year=1999 | editor=Square Electronic Arts | title=Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual | pages=38-40 | publisher=Square Electronic Arts | language=English | id=SLUS-00892GH] The game was present in all localizations of "Final Fantasy VIII", but the PocketStation itself was only released in Japan. [cite web | author=IGN staff | title=FFVIII PocketStation Opens Up Chocobo World | publisher=www.ign.com | date=July 15, 1999 | url=http://psx.ign.com/articles/068/068855p1.html | accessdate=2006-07-18] It was later ported to the Windows version of "Final Fantasy VIII" in 2000. [cite web | author=Dan Calderman | title=Chocobo World Playable on PC | publisher=www.rpgamer.com | year=2000 | url=http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q1-2000/010600c.html | accessdate=2006-07-18] The game allows players to control Boko, a baby chocobo, on his quest to save his friend Mog from the clutches of an evil demon.

The game's screen is comprised of black and white pixel graphics and is presented in a manner similar to the "virtual pet" concept conceived by Bandai's Tamagotchi. To play in conjunction with "Final Fantasy VIII", the player must find Boko in the world of "Final Fantasy VIII". Once accomplished, the player receives a user interface for communicating with the minigame. At any time, the player may send Boko into "Chocobo World" to gain experience and collect special items, which are transferred back for use in "Final Fantasy VIII". In addition, Boko may be used as a summon in "Final Fantasy VIII". cite web | url = http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/161/161737p1.html | title = IGN: Final Fantasy VIII Review | author = IGN Staff | publisher = IGN | date = 2000-01-28 | accessdate = 2008-03-31 ]

In "Chocobo World", Boko perpetually wanders around a nondescript landscape in search of "events" to interact with, such as enemy battles. Depending on how the player sets the "Move" option, Boko may break from his path to navigate to the nearest event perpendicular to his direction of travel. Players can also turn off the "Event Wait" option, eliminating the need for player input, although choosing this option prevents encounters with special events. At any time, players can intervene and halt Boko's computer-controlled movement in favor of manually controlling him.Events are shown on the map as black dots, while Boko's location is represented by a flickering black dot. When an event is cleared, it vanishes on the map, only to be replaced by another in a random location. When Boko gains a level of experience through battling enemies, the map resets and randomly redistributes events across the world.

Battles are the most common event the player encounters in "Chocobo World". Upon confronting an enemy, the player is thrust into the battle screen and must fight until either the enemy or Boko is defeated. Combatant health is represented by numerical "hit points" displayed on the far sides of the playing screen; the first creature who's hit points reach zero loses the battle. Combat relies on a variant of the Active Time Battle (ATB) system featured in "Final Fantasy VIII". In battle, Boko and his opponent each have a time counter; the first combatant's counter to reach zero is allowed to attack, upon which both time counters reset and the process repeats itself. By alternately pressing the left and right buttons, players can speed up Boko's time counter, reducing the time required for him to attack. Upon winning a battle, Boko receives a magic stone which is randomly placed on a tic-tac-toe-style board. If three stones line up in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row, Boko gains a "level" of experience, which increases his hit point count in "Chocobo World" and his strength in "Final Fantasy VIII". If the player finds Mog within "Chocobo World", he will assist Boko in battle as a last resort. If Mog's attack fails to defeat the enemy, he leaves his partner and Boko loses the battle. After losing, Boko must rest to restore his hit points, while the player is allowed to continue the game without penalty.

Tetra Master

Similar to Triple Triad, Tetra Master is a card game found in "Final Fantasy IX". Unlike most of the minigames in the series, a few "Tetra Master" games are required to be played, one at the beginning of the game, and several closer to the end. The game is played between two players on a four-by-four square grid of blank spaces, where cards are placed as the game progresses.Alleyway Jack: Let's talk about how to actually play the game. You take turns placing your cards on a 4x4 grid with your opponent. Sometimes your opponent's card flips. That's because of the yellow arrows on the corners and the sides of the cards. If your arrow is facing in the direction of your opponent's card, that card becomes yours. But if your opponent's card has an arrow facing yours, a card battle begins. cite video game|title=Final Fantasy IX |developer=Square Co |publisher=Square Electronic Arts |date=2000-11-14 |platform=PlayStation |language=English] Cards depict various characters, monsters or other items from "Final Fantasy IX". Each card features four values written across the card, and has anywhere from zero to eight arrows corresponding to the sides and corners of the card. The basis of the game is for cards on the grid to 'challenge' adjacent cards, whereby the values written on the card are assessed to decide the winner.

In a basic game of Tetra Master, each player has five cards, neither knowing the other's hand. Just before the game commences, up to six "grid-blocks" can be placed on the game grid randomly. These prevent cards from being placed in that grid square.cite book|author=Birlew, Dan|year=2000|title=FINAL FANTASY IX Official Strategy Guide|pages=53 |publisher=Brady Publishing|language=English | id=ISBN 0744000416] A coin-flip decision is made as to which of the two players shall begin. The players alternate placing cards onto the game grid. If a player places a card onto the grid with an arrow on it pointing to one of the other player's cards, then a card battle begins. If the other player's card does not have an arrow opposing the attacking player's card's arrow, then it becomes in the control of the attacking player. Otherwise, the winner of the card battle is chosen based on the cards' stats.Mogster: If your card wins the card battle, you win the opponent's card. If your card loses the card battle, the opponent wins your card. cite video game|title=Final Fantasy IX |developer=Square Co |publisher=Square Electronic Arts |date=2000-11-14 |platform=PlayStation |language=English] If a card is taken, then it in turn takes any cards it can have an unopposed card battle with.Alleyway Jack: If your card wins against the opponent's card, all the cards facing that card's arrows are yours. That's called a combo. cite video game|title=Final Fantasy IX |developer=Square Co |publisher=Square Electronic Arts |date=2000-11-14 |platform=PlayStation |language=English]

Every card has four values, or "stats". Each of these stats relate to the strength of the card. The second value from the left is always an alphabetical value, while the other three stats increase on a hexadecimal range, meaning they can range from zero to fifteen, with the letters A through F representing the numbers ten through fifteen. These stats are, in order, the "power", the "battle class", the "physical defense", and the "magical defense" of the card.

Each stat represents a range of possible values, with the actual value of the stat being randomly chosen in that range whenever a battle begins. The power stat is the offensive value of the card. The physical defense and magical defense stats are the physical and magic defenses of the card. The battle class stat is either a "P", "M", "X", or "A", and refers to whether the card's class is physical, magical, flexible, or assault. This affects which stat the attacking card attacks. Physical will attack the Physical Defense stat while Magical will attack the Magical Defense stat. Flexible will attack the lowest of the two defenses and Assault will attack the lowest number on the card.

The player who controls the most cards when all cards have been placed is declared the winner. If both players have the same number of cards, then no winner is declared. The winning player may take one of the cards from the opposition's set, but only one which was captured during the game. A game win is declared "perfect" if either player succeeds in controlling all of the cards at the end of a game. In this situation, the winning player claims all of the opposition's cards.Alleyway Jack: What is a perfect game, you ask? You get one of your opponent's cards when you win. If you flip over all of your opponent's cards and play a perfect game, you can take all of them! cite video game|title=Final Fantasy IX |developer=Square Co |publisher=Square Electronic Arts |date=2000-11-14 |platform=PlayStation |language=English] There is also a chance that one of the stats of one of the winning player's cards will upgrade after a battle, though each card has its own limits on how much it can be upgraded.

Within "Final Fantasy IX", one's "collector's level" increases and decreases as they play more Tetra Master, depending upon how many unique cards that player owns. Alleyway Jack: Let me tell you about collector's levels! Check your menu and go to the section entitled Card. You can check your collector's level there. You can level up as you collect more cards. cite video game|title=Final Fantasy IX |developer=Square Co |publisher=Square Electronic Arts |date=2000-11-14 |platform=PlayStation |language=English] To achieve the highest collector's level, the player must collect one of every card in the game, each one with a different arrow pattern, and each one either A or X class. [cite book| author = Piggyback| date = 2001-01-29| title = Final Fantasy IX: Official Strategy Guide (Strategies & Secrets)| publisher = Piggyback Interactive| id = ISBN 1-903511-10-0]

A board game version of Tetra Master was released for a short time in Europe. It consisted of 120 cards, two ten-sided dice, a manual, a double-sided playing board featuring two scenes from "Final Fantasy IX", ten yellow counters and ten red counters. It featured a simplified version of the rules used in the game.cite web | title=Final Fantasy IX Tetra Master Card Game | author= | url=http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/7604 | year= | work= [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/ BoardGameGeek] | accessmonthday=May 18 | accessyear=2007]

Tetra Master is available to play online on the PlayStation 2 or a Windows PC using Square's PlayOnline service for a monthly fee.cite web | title=TetraMaster | author= | url=http://www.playonline.com/tetraus/about.html | year= | work= [http://www.playonline.com/ PlayOnline] | accessmonthday=May 19 | accessyear=2007] Players may choose to compete against computers or other players. Cards may also be traded, auctioned, and bought from or sold to a card shop using in-game currency. Users outside of Japan must purchase Final Fantasy XI to access the PlayOnline service on the PlayStation 2; however, subscription to Tetra Master does not require a subscription to Final Fantasy XI.

Chocobo Hot and Cold

"Final Fantasy IX" also had an additional minigame named Chocobo Hot and Cold. Upon the acquisition of a Chocobo, the player becomes able to access the game inside of "Chocobo Forests". No games of Chocobo Hot and Cold are required to be played during the game, though items received through the game could be used in the rest of "Final Fantasy IX", including both regular game items and clues towards discovering more items in the main game.

Chocobo Hot and Cold is played inside of Chocobo Forests while riding a chocobo. The player uses the chocobo to peck at the ground, with the chocobo emitting different sounds corresponding to how far away from the closest buried item the player is.Mene: Here's the thing, kupo. Choco has the ability to seek out treasures and items hidden underground. But I can't ride chocobos. Will you help me, kupo? 60 gil per game, and you keep all the items Choco digs up! cite video game|title=Final Fantasy IX |developer=Square Co |publisher=Square Electronic Arts |date=2000-11-14 |platform=PlayStation |language=English] Upon the discovery of the location of a buried item, the player must peck repeatedly at the ground to unearth the item, with more valuable items being buried deeper and thus requiring more pecks. The player typically begins the game with a minute to find as many items as possible, though this varies between forests. The player can also extend their time by collecting many items before time expires. Besides items and gil, the player can unearth "chocographs", which are pictures hinting at the location of items buried outside of the chocobo forest in the main game world. These items can be retrieved in much the same way as the items in the minigame.Mene: There's a picture of some location on the stone, kupo. This place must have tons of treasures... Why don't you go out of the forest and look for this place? cite video game|title=Final Fantasy IX |developer=Square Co |publisher=Square Electronic Arts |date=2000-11-14 |platform=PlayStation |language=English]

Chocobo Hot and Cold was added to FFXI in late 2006. It is played almost exactly the same, the only difference being that you must receive a certain kind of wildgrass from the stables each time you want to play. This can be bought from any stable in one of the three major cities.cite web|url=http://www.playonline.com/pcd/update/ff11us/20060822VOL2B1/detail.html| work= [http://www.playonline.com/ PlayOnline] |title=Chocobo Raising|accessdate=2007-05-11]

Blitzball

In "Final Fantasy X" and "Final Fantasy X-2", Blitzball is a sport that combines the six-man teams, positions, and physicality of football with soccer kicks for scoring and the hand passes of water polo. The game is played underwater in a large sphere pool suspended in the air. Blitzball is one of the very few fictional underwater sports ever conceived. Although blitzball is a crucial element to "Final Fantasy X"'s plot, only one game is required to be played.

The blitzball minigame is played from a top-down perspective, with the player controlling his team members in turn. Teams are made up of six players a side, of whom one is the goalkeeper. The aim is to kick a dimpled ball (called the blitzball) into the opponent's goal area. The team with the most goals after two five-minute halves is declared the winner. As characters advance through the ranks they learn many new tricks to improve both their offensive and defensive skills, called techniques. Defensive techniques in blitzball often include violent tackles. Some tackles are intended to poison, cripple, or knock opponents unconscious altogether. As substitutions are not allowed outside of halftime intermissions, the use of these techniques can offer teams a temporary numerical advantage. Special goal-shooting and goal-tending techniques can also be learned. The ball always ends up in the hands of a player or in the goal, whether fumbled or blocked.

When the blitzball mini-game first becomes available in "Final Fantasy X", the player takes control of the Besaid Aurochs, and is given a standard player roster, which the player may alter by signing up other players from around the world, including players who began as members of the five other teams. Likewise, other teams may change their rosters as well.

The blitzball minigame in "Final Fantasy X-2" differs from the one seen in "Final Fantasy X", as players no longer directly manipulate the actions of their blitzball team members. Rather, they act as the coach, training and selecting players for their team. cite web|url=http://squareonline.ffshrine.org/FF/ff10-2/blitzball.php| work= [http://www.square-online.info/ Square Online] |title=Final Fantasy X-2 Side Quests- Blitzball|accessdate=2006-12-08]

Sphere Break

Sphere Break is a minigame within the game "Final Fantasy X-2". The game has a numerical grid that has to be dealt with using a set of rules. The mechanics of the minigame are purely mathematical, relying on sums and multiplications; the aim is to create the most multiples of a "core number" by combining numbers of the sixteen coins on the board. The game is played on a four-by-four grid of blank spaces, which are randomly populated with coins at the beginning of each turn except for the four golden entry Coins in the center. All coins are numbered from one to nine and possess several different attributes that can help the player in the Sphere Break minigame itself, such as Echo bonuses or Quota multipliers, or gain items that can help in the various battles in "Final Fantasy X-2".cite web|url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/458/458474p3.html|work= [http://www.ign.com/ IGN] |title=Final Fantasy X-2 Review|accessdate=2006-12-08]

Before the game starts, a set number of "border coins" that needs to be collected by the end of the game, or quota, is determined, as well the four "entry coins" to be used, the number of turns allowed, and the time limit per turn. The empty spaces on the board are then randomly populated with coins with the chosen entry coins in the center, and the "Core Sphere" produces a random number from one to nine. The player first selects one entry coin, then chooses any number of border coins and entry coins until the total value of the selected coins is a multiple of the core sphere, called a "core break". This ends the turn, and the sum of the selected coin values are added towards the quota. Any border coins used are removed from play and replaced with a random coin at a later turn, and all other border coins have their values increased by one. Any coin whose value goes over nine is also replaced. The next turn then begins, and the player continues until there are no turns remaining, the quota is filled, or all border coins are used up.

Entry coins may also contain bonus attributes, such as multipliers to the next turn's score, or items to be used within "Final Fantasy X-2". These bonuses or items can only be obtained if the applicable entry coin is used during play.

Reception and criticism

"The Electric Playground" and Malaysian website "The Star Online" both noted the similarity of "Chocobo World" to another digital pet game, Tamagotchi, [http://star-techcentral.com/reviews/story.asp?file=/2000/5/2/conquering_the_latest_fantasy&sec=reviews&ref=game&new=0&cat=4&rid=33 The Star Online : TechCentral - Malaysia Technology ] ] with "The Electric Playground" describing the minigame as "very nice" and pleasing. [http://www.elecplay.com/reviews_article.php?article=2270 Electric Playground ] ] Ars Technica reckoned that players who enjoy "walking as a Chocobo on the horizontal plane of infinity" might find the minigame fun. [ [http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/03/26/yellow-fever-and-bird-flu-the-chocobo-allure Yellow fever and bird flu: the Chocobo allure ] ] IGN considered the PC version of the minigame a "nice touch" to "Final Fantasy VIII", noting that users can play the former while doing other activities on their computer since it runs on a tiny window on the screen. [ [http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/161/161737p1.html IGN: Final Fantasy VIII Review ] ] Conversely, "The Star Online" felt that playing the minigame on a PC was "a little boring" and deplored the lack of compatibility with Palm devices.

Triple Triad was praised by GameSpot as a "more-than-worthy RPG minigame", finding it engaging and unique. Tetra Master, however, was seen by GameSpot as inferior and confusing compared to Triple Triad, as the rules for it were only vaguely explained in "Final Fantasy IX" and there were very few rewards earned from playing it despite its extensiveness.cite web | author=Vestal, Andrew | date=July 19, 2000 | title=Final Fantasy IX Review | url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps/rpg/finalfantasy9/review.html | publisher=GameSpot | accessdate=2007-06-13] GameSpot has also commented that "trivial minigames have been creeping into the "Final Fantasy" games at an alarming rate over the last few years, and in this regard, ["Final Fantasy"] " X-2" is definitely the most egregious offender in the series".cite web | author=Shoemaker, Brad | year=2003 | title=Final Fantasy X-2 for PlayStation 2 Review | url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/finalfantasyx2/review.html | work= [http://www.gamespot.com/ GameSpot] | accessmonthday=July 30 | accessyear=2006]

ee also

* List of fictional games
* Minigame

References

External links

* [http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Blitzball/Agents List of Free Blitzball agents] at Final Fantasy Wiki