Summary
Mini-games have grown increasingly popular in modern gaming, withFinal Fantas7: Rebirth’s Queen’s Blood card game now topping the charts as one of the best. It’s far from the first game to include a noteworthy mini-game, asThe Witcher 3: The Wild Huntintroduced players to Gwent, another satisfying card game in which players can challenge various NPCs countless times throughout the main story. However,Queen’s Bloodhas nonetheless set new expectations for mini-games, simultaneously calling modern video games to a clear standard when it comes to their optional activities. Now, with rumors of aFinal Fantasy 9remake beginning to surface, it may already have a worthy contender forFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Queen’s Blood.
The originalFinal Fantasy 9introduced the Tetra Master mini-game, which — apart from its tutorial tournament quest — wasn’t required for any main story progress and instead allowed players a brief reprieve from the game’s more demanding activities. Unlike more modern mini-games, Tetra Master has a fairly steep learning curve, so if it were reintroduced and reworked in aFinal Fantasy 9remake, it could be even better. In this way, it could potentially be the next Queen’s Blood and carry on the hype thatFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s best mini-game started.
A Final Fantasy 9 Remake’s Answer to Queen’s Blood Could Be a Modern Tetra Master
How Tetra Master Works in Final Fantasy 9
Tetra Master is a highly complex card game, much more so thanThe Witcher 3’s GwentorFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Queen’s Blood. There are plenty of rules and mechanics to stay aware of, so mastering it is quite the feat. Even so, it can be very fun once players get the hang of it, and very rewarding, both from a personal experience standpoint and an in-game reward standpoint. The goal of Tetra Master is for one player to control more cards than their opponent by the time all cards have been played, but that is easier said than done.
Tetra Masteris played on a 4x4 grid where each player can take turns placing a card in a square. Once a card is placed in a square, that player controls it. However, a player’s card can be captured by their opponent if the opponent’s card has an arrow directed at the other player’s card. If both cards have arrows pointing at one another, then a card battle ensues in which the outcome is determined by the numbers and letters on each card. When a card attacks, its attack power is randomly chosen within a specific number range, and the same thing happens when a card defends. To top it all off, certain squares are randomly blocked off throughout the match, so players have to choose their next move wisely.
A New and Improved Tetra Master in a Final Fantasy 9 Remake Could Scratch That Queen’s Blood Itch
It may not be enough to modernize Tetra Master by simply improving its visuals and animations in aFinal Fantasy 9remake. Instead, it might be better off updating its mechanics as well. For example, in the end, it doesn’t really matter how strong a card is because there is still a chance that it will roll low and lose to a much weaker card. It’s safe to say that RNG to this degree would frustrate plenty of modern gamers, so it might be worth tweaking the rules a bit to lean more toward strategy than chance.
If therumors of aFinal Fantasy 9remakeend up being true, it would make sense to include Tetra Master as a mini-game. After the massive popularity of Queen’s Blood inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, featuring another great pastime in the nextFinal Fantasyremake seems like a given. However, it should update Tetra Master’s mechanics to better suit modern audiences.
Final Fantasy 9
WHERE TO PLAY
Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe have kidnapped Princess Garnet, the heir of Alexandria. To their surprise, however, the princess herself yearned to escape the castle. Through a series of unusual circumstances, she and her personal guard, Steiner, fall in with Zidane and set out on an incredible journey.Meeting unforgettable characters like Vivi and Quina along the way, they learn about themselves, the secrets of the Crystal, and a malevolent force that threatens to destroy their world.Learn new abilities by equipping items. When fully mastered, these abilities can be used even without equipping items, allowing for nearly endless customization options.Fill your Trance gauge as you sustain hits in battle. When fully charged, your characters will enter Trance mode, granting them powerful new skills!Never let items go to waste. Combine two items or pieces of equipment together and make better, stronger items!
