When I got far enough in FFVII that all I had to do was beat Sephiroth (literally! I done *everything* else I could on my first game bar any Aeris stuff) I spent hours in the gold saucer playing mini games.

When FFVIII came out I followed a guide that told me how to play Triple Triad, the basics, but I never got into the game untill close to the end, so I didnt have any weird rules to get rid of apart from random (ugh!) and I really got into it. I think I had most cards and every special card (gfs, characters) eventually other than I think, Shiva, because I didnt give the magazine to the guy on the boat.

Yes, Triple Triad kicked arse, I could never get into FFIX's Tetra master, I just wasnt good at it, I despise Blitzball and the only way I could get 100% in FFX-2 was by using an online guide to beat Shinra at Sphere break.

Triple Triad beat them all hands down as I havent done any mini games in FFXII yet.