Chocobo GP (Switch) – Review

Review copy provided by Nintendo UK, and thanks to NantenJex and Cart Boy for help with edits.

Back in the late 1990s, it felt like every video game property with a beloved mascot was looking to take part in the multiplayer revolution Super Mario was inspiring. Chief among the plumber’s growing list of party attractions was the esteemed kart racing founder: Mario Kart. The second entry, Mario Kart 64, was approachable, satisfying to master, and ushered in a genre that was primed for alternate takes from different series. Crash Team Racing, Mega Man: Battle and Chase, Sonic R, Diddy Kong Racing, and much more followed Mario’s example (to varying degrees of success), putting their heroes and villains in go-karts and having them toss cartoonish artillery at each other. One especially weird take on the craze, however, was Chocobo Racing, a Final Fantasy spin-off that put its iconic, multiverse-spanning chicken at the forefront. It wasn’t the Chocobos’ first time in the spotlight, nor their last, but a kart racer inspired by such a prolific JRPG definitely turned some heads. Regardless, fresh off of Final Fantasy VII having reinvigorated the franchise, Chocobo Racing cemented itself as one of the more memorable products of Mario Kart’s success. Over two decades later, and Mario still soundly rules the genre, with only a few hopeful racers having risen up to thrive alongside him. Sonic’s found some footing after his Rough debut, a remake of Crash’s first go at karting made an impressive splash, and, surprisingly, Chocobo’s donned his Jet-Blades once more. So, just how well does Chocobo GP compare to its rivals, and is it a worthwhile experience in its own right? Let’s find out!

Gameplay & Content

Released for the Nintendo Switch on March 10, 2022, Chocobo GP sees players darting through themed race tracks as they collect items, use them to overtake the competition, and aim to cross the finish line first. The races feature the familiar three-lap format, drifting and the resulting drift boosts, tricks off of ramps, the usual kart racing mechanics. That being said, the aforementioned items distinguish themselves in that they contain Magicite, spells that can be upgraded before use by grabbing even more item boxes. At all times, contestants have three item slots, with weak spells inhabiting one slot, moderate spells inhabiting two, and powerful spells inhabiting all three. By driving through their boxes of choice, with there being three types, players can seek out and upgrade abilities more readily than expected. The available spells include speed boosts, homing fireballs, whirlwinds, shields, portals, and so on.

Furthermore, each character has an exclusive ability they can activate by nabbing enough of the crystals scattered throughout the course. These techniques tend to be graceful dashes that boost speed and handling, dangerous projectiles, counterattacks, or a combination of the three. Needless to say, pairing items that can turn the tide so easily with potent abilities from every competitor, all of which favor planning over luck, yields a system that relies much more on combat and counterplay than similar games do. At times, this can lead to things getting too chaotic, but the incorporation of Final Fantasy’s abilities and three-tier magic structure is nice to see.

The core gameplay might be solid, but how much content is here to make use of it? For now, we’ll only evaluate the base product, which presents a respectable lineup that compares to Mario Kart 8’s initial roster of 30 fairly well. Excluding the two seasonal additions, GP features 24 characters. Honestly, there’s more variety here than in Mario Kart 8’s original lineup, infamously full of babies, metallic clones, and Koopalings. Favorites from across both Chocobo and Final Fantasy history are accounted for, each with their own look and flair. And with the contestant’s signature vehicles, like roller skates, snowmobiles, traditional karts, and hovercrafts, as well as the exclusive abilities bolstering variety even further, there are a lot of options. Some personal highlights include the lovable Chocobo, his Chocobo Dash being a fantastic tool for newcomers; Final Fantasy VI’s Terra, a great representative of a classic entry; Mecha Chocobo, who’s only here because the story claims “a final battle needs a robo-version of the protagonist;” and Cactuar, a hidden racer that forgoes a ride entirely and just hoofs it the whole time.

That brings us to the track list, a crucial part of any kart racer. At first glance, the lineup looks dire, with only nine tracks being available at launch. On the bright side, there being approximately two or three variations per track somewhat offsets this problem, especially as players race online through randomly selected areas and layouts. The overall amount could be much better, of course, which is why the developers plan to add more. And what little is here shows promise, with extravagant locales like Big Bridge and Gold Saucer providing memorable gimmicks and designs.

Story & Other Modes

In another break from Mario Kart’s typical format, GP headlines a fully-voiced story mode. Granted, it’s not much more than a collection of cutscenes and races, weaker than the explorable overworld Crash Team Racing’s adventure offers, but it’s a welcome inclusion. The plot, predictably, sees Chocobo and friends competing in a tournament that’ll reward the winner with exactly what you’re expecting: one wish. They meet new friends and rivals on their adventure, like the sketchy Racing Hero X and antagonistic Gilgamesh, before encountering the mastermind behind the competition and beating them at their own game. The “party” gets crowded pretty fast, but the heroes are more than aware of that and the other cliches they fall into. The characters’ interactions are littered with Final Fantasy references and meta humor, but never to an obnoxious extent. Okay, they might’ve ran a few jokes into the ground, but it’s no big deal. Simply put, GP’s story mode is a charming introduction to the game and its mechanics, providing a fun tour through the stages and means to unlock the full roster.

Other side modes include the expected fixtures, such as “Time Attack,” where staff ghosts are available to challenge; “Series Races,” a set of four races against computers; and “Custom Race,” allowing players to shift the race’s rules around. Naturally, much of GP can be played with friends, both local and online. Online’s also where the most marketed style of play, the titular “Chocobo GP,” is found. Sixty-four players enter, and after the competition is reduced to eight through three elimination rounds, one winner emerges. Some of the mode’s bugs still need addressing, but players are likely to spend most of their time here. However, it’s also where the game’s downfall lies…

Monetization

So far, Chocobo GP has presented itself as a wholesome kart racer and revival of a quirky Final Fantasy offshoot. It’s absolutely not as strong a package as fellow Switch racers Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled, but it has its own merit. However, this all changes in light of GP’s seasonal system. For one, it’s already a $50 product, a very steep price for the amount of content being offered. Moreover, it heavily encourages spending much, much more on characters and customization options. The game’s launch is being celebrated by distributing enough Mythril (the premium currency) to buy the first Prize Pass and, with enough grinding, earn Final Fantasy VII’s Cloud Strife, but what of the following seasons? Even now, the cracks are showing. Initially, the agonizingly slow grind through the pass got so much backlash that the developers had to apologize, speed up the process, and give out free Mythril as compensation.

To make matters worse, it looks like free Mythril expires five months after receiving it, making it arbitrarily harder to hoard the currency from weekly bonuses and save up. So, if a player wanted one of the three costumes currently available for Chocobo, it would cost 500 Mythril, with the Nintendo eShop’s cheapest conventional bundle being 1000 Mythril for $10. That’s a bold price tag for just a costume or two. Sure, there’s a Lite version of the game for those looking to try it out, but it’s considerably barebones and ensures samplers aren’t reaching the purchases only befitting a free-to-play edition. After all, a monetization model this loud and encouraged fits a mobile game better than one offered at nearly full price. Regardless of GP’s core gameplay and endearing cast of characters, putting such an emphasis on this predatory service instead of the game itself severely harms it and any goodwill fans would’ve otherwise had.

Verdict

In a vacuum, there’s fun to be had with Chocobo GP. Glitches aside, racing online can be addicting, the story mode and time trials supply a bit of single-player content, and Final Fantasy enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the callbacks littered throughout. That being said, the well of things to do runs dry too fast, and when it does, all that’s left is the monolithic Prize Pass and shop. The first season being free is nice and all, but it’s obviously just a means to get people interested in buying the upcoming waves. And for what? A grind that amounts to one character and a few rides? The developers’ priorities should’ve lied in the track count and refinements, not aggressively costly bonuses. If the game was free, or even significantly cheaper, this route might’ve been more justified. But as is, GP’s expensive before buying it, expensive after buying it, and not worth the plunge at either point. In its current state, I can’t recommend it to anyone, even those who are passionate about the source material. That being said, live-service games are the ones capable of the most change, something Square Enix is more than aware of after Final Fantasy XIV’s journey. It’d be naive to anticipate a “Realm Reborn” moment from Chocobo GP, but should it ever pick a lane and excel as a full-priced kart racer, or free-to-play service, it might just return from last place and earn a respectable spot on the podium.