Final Fantasy 8 Remastered - Triple Triad card locations guide

Guide by Darryn Bonthuys Contributor

Published on Sept. 4, 2019

Final Fantasy 8 Remastered may be a game of magic, love, and battles that transcend time itself, but it’s also home to one of the most addictive mini-games of all time: Triple Triad. Here’s a Final Fantasy 8 Triple Triad card locations guide so you can track them all down.

It’s the card game that has taken the world by storm, and just about anyone can be challenged to a round with the mere press of a button.

There’s some good incentive to spend time on Triple Triad, as the majority of the cards can be recycled into useful items throughout your quest. From cannon fodder monster cards being transformed into the materials needed to create low level assault magic to rare beasts who can deliver upgrade materials for your weapons, every card has a purpose and a value.

Getting your hands on them is easy enough at first, but the rarer and more sought-after cards? You’ll have to travel the world, face the deadliest of enemies and sharpen your skills as region rule sets add layers of complexity to Triple Triad that can wipe you out in a single turn if you’re unprepared. Some quick notes here:

Quezacotl is invaluable

If you’re going heavy into the card collecting aspect of Final Fantasy 8 Remastered, you’ll want to spend some time training your starter Guardian Force Quezacotl. The thunder elemental can learn the Card ability, which allows a player to transform the majority of enemies into cards once they’ve been sufficiently weakened. Quezacotl can also learn Card Mod, which is handy for refining your winnings into handy items.

The Card Club

The best of the best when it comes to Triple Triad, the Card Club holds the rarest of cards and can be challenged throughout Balamb Garden. They’ll only reveal their identity once you defeat them, and their roster consists of:

Jack – Found in the main lobby of Balamb Garden, Jack will approach from the South side of the screen
Knight Club – Usually found walking outside the dormitories, you’ll know you’ve found Knight Club when he responds to a challenge with “Draw…”
Princess Diamond – The two female students who usually hang out around the lobby sign, they can be challenged once they appear on the screen
Prince Spade – Outside the elevator on the second floor, you’ll run into the man who gave you your first deck of Triple Triad cards, Prince Spade
Queen Heart – None other than Xu, Queen Heart of the Card Club can be found on the Balamb Garden bridge once you’re mobile
Master King – In a twist for the ages, Quistis is revealed to be Master King. She’ll challenge you randomly in your dorm room once you defeat Queen Heart, and once defeated, she’ll pop back up on the Balamb Garden bridge if she’s not in your party
Magician Joker – The shopkeeper from Balamb Garden and the Ragnarok airship, he’ll occasionally appear on the platform that looks over the water area in the Training Center

Challenge the Card Club in the order of Jack, Club, Diamond, Spade, Heart, King (Joker can be challenged at any time), and you’ll get a special treat from the gang. Alternatively, you can wait until the endgame of Final Fantasy 8 Remastered, as the Card Club will survive Ultimecia’s time compression by stowing away on the Ragnarok. Challenge them there, and you’ll be able to earn many of the rare level 8,9, and 10 cards that are missing from your collection.

Queen of Cards

The master of cards, the Queen of Triple Triad sets the rules and can be found throughout the game if you’re ready to risk everything on a lengthy sidequest. Alternatively, once Ultimecia’s time compression has kicked in, you’ll find the Queen of Cards at the pod crash site in Esthar. Her location isn’t marked on the map, but head to this spot and you’ll find her waiting for you, ready for one final challenge.

PuPu

One of the weirdest sidequests in Final Fantasy 8 Remastered, tracking down a close encounter of the third kind will net you the rare and one of a kind PuPu alien card. To get started on this adventure, you’ll need to visit four locations and prepare for an easy fight against a UFO:

Mandy Beach – East of Timber
Winhill Bluffs – Check the small cliffs around Winhill
Kashkabald Desert – South of Esthar and close to Cactuar Island, check the western area of the desert
Heath Peninsula – East of Trabia, go towards the small grey island on the peninsula

Top tip: Equip Enc-none if Diablos has mastered it, and run around in those sections until the UFO appears, as it is apparently immune to that ability. With all four sightings in the bag and once you have access to Ragnarok, fly on over to North Esthar and visit the Grandidi Forest. Land in the highlands that’s right above the Chocobo Sanctuary there and you’ll have one final UFO battle.

After all that is done, return to Balamb and the crater where Balamb Garden used to be. Speak to the alien there, give it five Elixirs and you’ll be rewarded with the card. It’s not the most powerful card around, but you can break it down into a Hungry Cookpot which will allow a Guardian Force to learn the Devour ability.

Level 1-5 cards

Useful but not exactly massively important to your overall quest, you’ll get your fair share of these cards throughout your journey. Whether you keep them for your collection or break them down into resources is up to you, but these cards can be obtained with regular Triple Triad battles, transforming monsters into cards or from the spoils of victory. Here’s a quick list of what each card can be broken down into using Quezacotl’s Card Mod ability:

Geezard: 5 x Screws
Funguar: 1 x M-Stone Piece
Bite Bug:1 x M-Stone Piece
Red Bat: 1 x Vampire Fang
Blobra: 4 Blobra cards are needed to create one Rune Armlet
Gayla: 1 x Mystery fluid
Gesper: 1 x Black Hole
Fastitocalon-F: 5 Fastitocalon cards are needed to create one Water Crystal
Blood Soul: 1 x Zombie Powder
Caterchipillar: 1 x Spider Web
Cockatrice: 1 x Cockatrice Pinion
Grat: 1 x Magic Stone
Buel: 1 x Magic Stone
Mesmerise: 1 x Mesmerise Blade
Glacial Eye: 1 x Arctic Wind
Belhelmel: 1 x Saw Blade
Thrustaevis: 1 x Shear Feather
Anacondaur: 1 x Venom Fang
Creeps: 1 x Coral Fragment
Grendel: 1 x Dragon Fin
Jelleye: 1 x Magic Stone
Grand Mantis: 1 x Sharp Spike
Forbidden: 1 x Betrayal Sword
Armadodo: 1 x Dino Bone
Tri-Face: 1 x Curse Spike
Fastitocalon: 1 x Water Crystal
Snow Lion: 1 x North Wind
Ochu: 1 x Ochu Tentacle
SAM08G: 1 x Running Fire
Death Claw: 1 x Sharp Spike
Cactuar: 1 x Cactus Thorn
Tonberry: 1 x Chef’s Knife
Abyss Worm: 1 x Windmill
Turtapod: 5 Turtapodcards are needed to create one Healing Mail
Vysage: 1 x Wizard Stone
T-Rexaur: 2 T-Rexaur cards are needed to create one Dino Bone
Bomb: 1 x Bomb Fragment
Blitz: 1 x Dynamo Stone
Wendigo: 1 x Steel Orb
Torama
Imp: 1 x Wizard Stone
Blue Dragon
Adamantoise
Hexadragon

Level 5-10 cards

From the midpoint, you’ll start unlocking some more powerful cards. Levels 5 – 8 will see various bosses and high-level monster cards added to your collection, while Level 8-9 cards will feature your signature Guardian Forces. Level 10 is the cream of the card crop here, as main characters begin to feature and once broken down, these cards will deliver the best items and materials in all of Final Fantasy 8 Remastered.

Don’t be afraid to convert them before the big fight against Ultimecia, as you’re going to need every advantage that you can get against the wickedly powerful sorceress.

Level 5 cards

Iron Giant
How to get:

Chance of dropping from an Iron Giant once defeated
Transform an Iron Giant using the Card ability
Can be won in in Triple Triad
Card conversion: 3 Iron Giants cards are needed to create 1 x Star Fragment

Behemoth
How to get:

Chance of dropping from a Behemoth once defeated
Transform a Behemoth using the Card ability
Can be won in in Triple Triad
Card conversion: 10 Behemoth cards are needed to create 1 x Barrier

Chimera
How to get:

Chance of dropping from a Chimera once defeated
Transform a Chimera using the Card ability
Can be won in Triple Triad
Card conversion: 10 Chimera cards are needed to create 1 x Regen Ring

Elastoid
How to get:

Chance of dropping from a Elastoid once defeated
Transform a Elastoid using the Card ability
Can be won in Triple Triad
Card conversion: 1 x Steel Pipe

GIM47N
How to get:

Chance of dropping from a GIM47N once defeated
Transform a GIM47N using the Card ability
Can be won in Triple Triad
Card conversion: 10 x Fast Ammo

Malboro
How to get:

Chance of dropping from a Malboroonce defeated
Transform a Malborousing the Card ability
Can be won in Triple Triad
Card conversion: 4 Malboro cards are needed to create 1 x Malboro tentacle

Ruby Dragon
How to get:

Chance of dropping from a Behemoth once defeated
Transform a Behemoth using the Card ability
Can be won in Triple Triad
Card conversion: 10 Ruby Dragon cards are needed to create 1 x Inferno Fang

Elnoyle
How to get:

Chance of dropping from a Behemoth once defeated
Transform a Behemoth using the Card ability
Can be won in Triple Triad
Card conversion: 10 Elnoyle cards are needed to create 1 x Energy Crystal

Tonberry King
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Fastitocalon if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Malboro if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 x Chef’s knife

Biggs and Wedge
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Snow Lion if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Funguar if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 x X-Potion

Level 6 cards

Fujin and Raijin
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Iron Giant if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Jelleyeif the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 x X-Potion

Elvoret
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Ochu if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Bug Biteif the card ability is used
Card conversion: 10 x Death Stones

X-ATM092
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a SAM08G if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Red Batif the card ability is used
Card conversion: 2 X-ATM092 cards are needed to create 1 x Turtle Shell

Granaldo
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Death Claw if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Blobra if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 x G-Returner

Gerogero
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Cactuar if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Gayla if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 10 Gerogero cards are needed to create 1 x Circlet

Iguion
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Gesper if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Tonberry if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 x Cockatrice Pinion

Abadon
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Abyss Worm if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Blood Worm if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 30 x Dark Ammo

Trauma
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Turtapod if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Caterchipillar if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 30 x Demolition Ammo

Oilboyle
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a GIM47N if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Cockatrice if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 30 x Fire Ammo

Shumi Tribe
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a T-Rexaur if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Grat if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 10 Shumi Tribe cards are needed to create 1 x Gambler Spirit

Krysta
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Bomb if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Buel if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 10 x Holy Stones

Level 7 cards

Propagator
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Blitz if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Mesmerise if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 x G-Mega Potion

Jumbo Cactuar
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Wendigo if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Glacial Eye if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 x Cactus Thorn

Tri-Point
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Torama if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Belhelmel if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 40 Tri-Point cards are needed to create 1 x Jet Engine

Gargantua
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Imp if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Thrustaevis if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 10 Gargantua cards are needed to create 1 x Strength Love

Mobile Type 8
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Anacondaur if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Blue Dragon if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 10 x Shell Stones

Sphinxara
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Adamantoise if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Creeps if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 x G-Mega-Potion

Tiamat
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Hexadragon if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Grendel if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 10 x Flare Stones

BGH251F2
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Behemoth if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Grand Mantis if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 10 x Protect Stones

Red Giant
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Chimera if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Forbidden if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 5 x Meteor Stones

Catoblepas
How to get:

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Armadodo if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Elnoyle if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 x Rename Card

Ultima Weapon

Can be won in Triple Triad
On rare occasions, can drop from a Elastoid if the card ability is used
On rare occasions, can drop from a Tri-Face if the card ability is used
Card conversion: 1 Ultima Stone

Level 8 cards

Chubby Chocobo
How to get:

In the Balamb Garden Library, Chubby Chocobo can be won from the male student as part of the Queen of Cards side-quest
Can be won from the Queen of Cards at the Esthar crash site near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Can be won from the left girl of Card Club Diamond inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of FF8
Card conversion: 100 x LuvLuvG

Angelo
How to get:

Can be won from Watts on the Forest Owls' Base or White SeeD Ship
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x Elixirs

Gilgamesh
How to get:

Acquired after Seifer defeats Odin on Lunatic Pandora
Can be won from the CC Group King
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 10 x Holy Wars

MiniMog
How to get:

Can be won from the running boy inside Balamb Garden.
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x Pet Houses

Chocobo
How to get:

Catch a Chocobo in every Chocobo Forest and then visit the Chocobo Sanctuary
Can be won from the left girl of Card Club Diamond inside the Ragnarok airship
Card conversion: 100 x Gyshal Greens

Quezacotl
How to get:

Can be won from the Mayor Dobe in Fisherman’s Horizon
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x Dynamo Stones

Shiva
How to get:

Trade The Girl Next Door magazine (Which can be found in the Timber Maniacs Building Reception, hidden amongst several magazine stacks) with Zone on the White SeeD Ship
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x North Winds

Ifrit
How to get:

Acquired from Ifrit after you defeat him
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Elemental Attacks

Siren
How to get:

Can be won from the the Pub Manager in Dollet
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Status Attacks

Sacred
How to get:

Acquired from Sacred after you defeat him
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x Dino Bones

Minotaur
How to get:

Acquired from Minotaur after you defeat him
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 10 x Adamantines

Level 9 cards

Carbuncle
How to get:

Can be won from Heart during the CC Group side quest.
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Glow Curtains

Diablos
How to get:

Dropped from Diablos once you defeat him
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x Black Holes

Leviathan
How to get:

Can be won from Joker of the CC Group in Balamb Garden Training Center, who appears randomly in the east section after Balamb Garden has become mobile
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Dog’s Bones

Odin
How to get:

Dropped from Odin after you defeat him in the Centra Ruins quest
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x Dead Spirits

Pandemona
How to get:

Can be won from the Balamb Hotel Owner after Balamb Garden has become mobile
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x Windmills

Cerberus
How to get:

Dropped from Cerberus after you defeat it
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x Lightweights

Alexander
How to get:

Can be won from Piet in the Lunar Base
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Phoenix
How to get:

In Esthar City, Phoenix can be won from the Presidential Aide during the Queen of Cards side quest
Can be won from the Queen of Cards at the Esthar crash site near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Can be won from the left girl of Card Club Diamond inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of FF8
Card conversion: 3 x Phoenix Spirits

Bahamut
How to get:

Dropped from Bahamut after you defeat him
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 100 x Megaelixirs

Doomtrain
How to get:

Can be won from the pub owner in Timber as part of Queen of Cards side quest
Can be won from the Queen of Cards at the Esthar crash site near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Can be won from the left girl of Card Club Diamond inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of FF8
Card conversion: 3 x Status Guard

Eden
How to get:

Dropped by Ultima Weapon once you defeat it
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Monk’s Codes

Level 10 cards

Ward
How to get:

Can be won from Dr. Odine in Esthar City.
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Kiros
How to get:

Can be won from the man dressed in black in Deling City's shopping District, as part of Queen of Cards side quest
Can be won from the Queen of Cards at the Esthar crash site
Can be won from the left girl of Card Club Diamond inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of FF8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Laguna
How to get:

Can be won from Ellone in the Lunar Base
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Selphie
How to get:

Can be won from Selphie's friend in Trabia Garden
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Quistis
How to get:

Challenge Trepe Groupie #1 (The Guy in the back), in the Balamb Garden classroom or cafeteria
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Irvine
How to get:

Can be won from Flo in Fisherman’s Horizon as part of Queen of Cards side quest.
Can be won from the Queen of Cards at Esthar crash site
Can be won from the left girl of Card Club Diamond inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of FF8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Zell
How to get:

Can be won from Ma Dincht in Balamb Town
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Rinoa
How to get:

Can be won from General Caraway in Deling City, but only after losing the Ifrit card to him
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Edea
How to get:

Can be won from Edea, when she’s at her orphanage
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Seifer
How to get:

Can be won from Cid in Balamb Garden or at Edea's Orphanage
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains

Squall
How to get:

Can be won from Laguna in Esthar City or on the Ragnarok airship
Can be won from the Card Club inside the Ragnarok airship near the end of Final Fantasy 8
Card conversion: 3 x Moon Curtains