Final Fantasy Trading Card Game Crowns First North American Champion, Opus III Cards Now Available

As the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game gains wild momentum in the states, US fans were elated to see the crowning of the first North American champion. Joseph Leszczyski of Milwaukee, WI emerged victorious in the inaugural Final Fantasy Trading Card Game Opus Series North American Championship. He and the other four finalists have been invited to participate in the World Championship Finals in Japan this November, where they'll compete with the world's top players. In a recent press release, Square Enix shared a picture of Leszczyski receiving his crystal trophy from FFTCG producer Taro Kageyama:

At the top of this article you can watch a video showcasing some of the featured matches from the Championship semi-finals. You'll notice most of the stream stars finalist Nathan Perez dominating the play mat until Leszczyski shows up at the end to begin his run. Watching the pros play can be a great way for beginner and intermediate players to get an insider's look at how to properly build a competitive deck.

With the recent launch of the Opus III series of cards, there's never been a better time to jump in. Opus III features cards and characters from Final Fantasy IX, which just released for the PS4, and Final Fantasy Type-0. While those cards are featured, the Opus III starter pack and booster packs will contain cards with characters and summons spanning the entire Final Fantasy series. Opus I and II packs are also readily available, and can be found at your local game stores or through Amazon (link here).

We recently got our hands on the Opus III starter deck and a few booster packs, and I found many fantastic new forwards to compliment and synergize an aggressive Wind elemental deck I've been working on. If we're speaking another language, and you're looking for a more basic introduction, Square Enix has put together a fantastic set of beginner's tutorials here. You can also read our Final Fantasy Trading Card Game review right here to find out why we love it so much!