Final Fantasyis one of the biggest franchises in gaming and has branched off into many different genres. There are tons of spinoffs, so it is hard to imagineSquare Enixpassing up the opportunity to make more of these games.Chocobo GPis only the second kart racing game in the series to date and serves as a sequel of sorts toChocobo Racing, which originally hit thePS1in 1999.
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There were plans to make a sequel around 2010 for the3DS, and it was even shown off in one brief trailer under the codename ofChocobo Racing 3D. Unfortunately, it was never seen again andwas ultimately canceled. Now though, after more than two decades, a sequel is finally here, but was the wait forChocobo GPreally worth it?
8Loved: The Art Style
The graphics in the game are not going to win any awards. They are fine for a Switch game late into thishandheld’s life cycle. However, the art style more than carriesChocobo GPinto something mesmerizing.
The characters have a shine to them like they are toys or are made out of clay. Everything is bright, colorful, and exudes an extreme amount of whimsy. It’s hard not to smile while playing or even looking at this game.
7Didn’t Love: The Gacha Mechanics
Something that won’t make players smile is the gacha mechanics. There are two versions of this game in case players were not aware. There is a free mode that cuts out a majority of the content. There is no way to playa multiplayer sessiononline, for example.
Players can also hand over real-world money to unlock stuff inChocobo GP. This is fine for the free version. However, the gacha mechanics existing in the normal $50 version is beyond wild and has already drawn criticism from players.
6Loved: The Karts
Some kart racersare fine with using the basic formula. Give players a bunch of oddball characters, put them in karts, and add in some fun powerups just for good measure. That is enough for some racing fans.
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Chocobo GPgoes beyond those expectations. Each vehicle for the characters is different from the last. Chocobo uses skates, Terra drives her signature mech fromFinal Fantasy 6, and Steiner drives a metal horse for a car. Those are three examples among a plethora of rad designs.
5Didn’t Love: Lack Of Final Fantasy
The karts for the characters are great, but the character variety is a bit lacking. For aFinal Fantasyspinoff, there really aren’t a lot of games represented here. In fact, most of the drivers are monsters or Summons.
That’s fine if that’s all this game was. However, players are teased with Terra, Vivi, Steiner, Squall, and Cloud. The small taste they actually get may not be enough for fans who want to see more. What’s more bogus is the idea thatSquall and Cloudare locked away behind a gacha paywall.
4Loved: The Lighthearted Story
Chocobo GPhas a story mode which is how the majority of bonus content can be unlocked. It is not the most thought-provoking tale in theFinal Fantasyseries, but the lighthearted nature is quaint and can be quite funny for those who have followed the franchise for a long time.
It is also a treat to get to hear voices from some belovedcharacters like Viviand Steiner for practically the first time. Will the rumored remake ever happen? If not, at least these two will always have voices inChocobo GP.
3Didn’t Love: Not Enough Courses
There are nine courses players can unlock by going through the story mode. Each course has alternate tracks as well. The maximum is three variations, although players will eventually unlock a mirror mode as well.
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That’s a decent amount of tracks to start with, but there really should be more. This complaint falls alongside the lack of majorFinal Fantasycharacters.The more gamesand worlds represented, the better. This should beFinal Fantasy Kartby now. Fans have waited decades for this.
2Loved: The Music
Even though the amount of tracks andFinal Fantasycharacters is lacking,Chocobo GPis packed full of great music. Among other things, there are fun, albeit goofy original voiced songs. One of them is the menu music, which goes through the entirety of the plot in a few verses.
It is very Saturday morning cartoon-like in nature. It is a bit cheesy but fun all the same. Then there are the remixed tracks like Gilgamesh’s battle theme fromFinal Fantasy 5. That’s one ofthe best musical pieces in the series, and it has a good version represented inChocobo GP.
1Didn’t Love: Matchmaking And Limited Local Multiplayer
Playing kart racers can be engaging while alone. However, the real fun comes into play when racing against friends either on the same TV or online. When players can get into a match, it can be great. However, the matchmaking is not solid inChocobo GPand the local multiplayer offering is not much better either.
Only two people can race on the same Switch.Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, on the other hand, allows up to four people on the same console. Adding in four-player races via a patch would make the multiplayer experience much better, as too would tweaking the matchmaking options. Right now the multiplayer just isn’t good enough.
Chocobo GPwas released on July 04, 2025 and is available onSwitch.
