Chocobo GP

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Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 33

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Chocobo GP wants to be the Final Fantasy version of Mario Kart, but its gameplay is mediocre and it fails to be anything other than inoffensive.

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 33

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 33

Chocobo GP wants to be the Final Fantasy version of Mario Kart, but its gameplay is mediocre and it fails to be anything other than inoffensive.

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Critic Reviews for Chocobo GP

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

33

Reviews

Average Score - 67/100

67%

Ranges

6.5/10

Chris Carter (Destructoid)

Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.

March 3, 2022 |

Full Review

‎Chocobo GP is a game that tries to reclaim its place. It seeks to introduce some new concepts in the genre despite not reinventing anything at the playable level. As often happens in this genre so marked, it is a game that stands out for its fun and also has the incentive of having emblematic characters that can make the balance between whether or not to throw yourself into the game in case of curiosity.‎

March 3, 2022 |

Full Review

7.8/10

Juan Linares (Areajugones)

4/10

Adam Starkey (Metro GameCentral)

A perfunctory kart racing spin-off that has a few unique charms but falls well short of its far superior competition.

March 3, 2022 |

Full Review

Chris Carter (Destructoid)

6.5/10 - (Read Review)

Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.

Juan Linares (Areajugones)

7.8/10 - (Read Review)

Adam Starkey (Metro GameCentral)

4/10 - (Read Review)

A perfunctory kart racing spin-off that has a few unique charms but falls well short of its far superior competition.

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Read the Reviews (33 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
Areajugones	Juan Linares	7.8 / 10	03-03-2022	‎Chocobo GP is a game that tries to reclaim its place. It seeks to introduce some new concepts in the genre despite not reinventing anything at the playable level. As often happens in this genre so marked, it is a game that stands out for its fun and also has the incentive of having emblematic characters that can make the balance between whether or not to throw yourself into the game in case of curiosity.‎	Read review
Atomix	Sebastian Quiroz	60 / 100	03-16-2022	Once again, Square Enix has failed. Although Chocobo GP comes up with a couple of interesting ideas, the execution of this racing game just doesn’t quite hit the mark.	Read review
Cerealkillerz	Manuel Barthes	7 / 10	03-03-2022	In principle, Chocobo GP is good. Thanks to the charming story mode but sadly the low amount of different tracks and mediocre balancing and driving experience doesn’t deliver an alternative to games like Mario Kart.	Read review
CGMagazine	Chris De Hoog	7 / 10	03-15-2022	Chocobo GP does some things that Nintendon’t, offering a Story mode and a more stimulating item system than the untouchable Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. However only Final Fantasy veterans (and their kids) need apply, as it relies heavily on nostalgia—and season pass grinding.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Pedro Cooray	6 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP could’ve been a simple kart racer that draws players in with beloved characters and tracks from the history of Final Fantasy, but instead, Square Enix boldly chose to make a sequel to an unpopular PS1 game. Bolder still was the choice to gate the promise of a more interesting game behind season passes and premium currencies. Mechanically, Chocobo GP is sound, and has enough ideas and potential to stack up to other franchise racers. However, I’m anxious to see how long this game lasts after release. There’s every chance it’ll develop a loyal playerbase large enough that Square will continue to support it, and maybe even rebalance the game to make that price of entry less steep. But as it stands, I don’t think Chocobo GP offers enough at launch to justify the effort and money required to keep playing it.	Read review
COGconnected	Jaz Sagoo	77 / 100	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is a solid kart racer that deserves your attention. Fun and frantic, the game is accessible but contains enough of a challenge for veterans. Although there is a notable absence of a battle mode, there is still plenty of content for on and offline play. Clearly leaning into its influences with the mechanics and aesthetics, the game doesn’t push the boundaries but is successful in its goal of being a charming and joyous racer.	Read review
Daily Mirror	Eugene Sowah	4 / 5 stars	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is a frantic but fun experience that Final Fantasy Fans will simply adore. It’s a nice surprise for the Nintendo Switch that may have borrowed from other games but still has enough originality to offer a unique experience.	Read review
Daily Star	Tom Hutchison	4 / 5 stars	03-03-2022	Chocobo has a couple of key differences but nothing that really reinvents the wheel. It’s a very solid race game but I suspect once Mario’s new Booster Pack DLC drops with more than 40 old kart tracks this may well fall into the back of the memory.	Read review
Destructoid	Chris Carter	6.5 / 10	03-03-2022	Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.	Read review
Digitally Downloaded	Matt Sainsbury	4.5 / 5 stars	03-04-2022	It’s hard to stay mad at Chocobo GP, though, even when you’re hit with what feels like an endless barrage of magic. The game’s just too bright and cheerful. Obviously, your mileage is going to depend on whether you’re a fan of Chocobo. Not just Final Fantasy, but also this specific series of cute mascot characters. If you are, though, you couldn’t ask for a more loving treatment. The expansive roster, the adorable presentation, and the quality kart racing mechanics will combine to give you something that you just might prefer over Mario Kart. The latter might be a bigger and tighter racing experience, but Chocobo GP has a killer weapon up its sleeve that makes all the difference: Chocobo.	Read review
Everyeye.it	Andrea Sorichetti	6.5 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP takes up the speech abandoned by SquareSoft at the end of the 90s and brings to light the official kart racer dedicated to the Final Fantasy franchise. It resurrects the concept of Story Mode, expands the roster of characters and makes some changes to the basic idea	Read review
Expansive	Tom Hynes	Recommended	03-15-2022	Chocobo GP is a fun racer and one of the best outside of Mario Kart since the Sonic Racers. But unlike those games, it doesn’t quite get its handling and balance right and also serves up an offputting progression system that is more interested in taking than giving.	Read review
Gaming Nexus	Eric Hauter	7.4 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is a very well-made kart racer that looks and controls very much like Mario Kart. With a funny, weird storyline and a ton of different characters, tracks, and modes, this will keep fans of the genre busy for quite a while. I would recommend checking out the free “Lite” version of the game, and if you like it, take the plunge.	Read review
GamingTrend	David Flynn	75 / 100	03-06-2022	While it can be complete chaos most of the time, Chocobo GP is still a fun and charming kart racer at its heart. There’s enough charm here to combat the frustration and bland tracks, and the multiple modes will keep you interested.	Read review
God is a Geek	Adam Cook	7.5 / 10	03-03-2022	Sometimes you just want a bit of fun and a laugh, without needing a revolutionary experience, and Chocobo GP fits that bill nicely.	Read review
Hardcore Gamer	Kirstin Swalley	3 / 5 stars	03-14-2022	If Chocobo GP had been a free-to-play title, most of the criticism would still be here, but it would at least feel more appropriate for what it was going for.	Read review
Hobby Consolas	Álvaro Alonso	55 / 100	03-03-2022	‎Chocobo GP wants to be Mario Kart with Final Fantasy characters, but neither Cloud nor Squall prevent square Enix’s game from falling far short in virtually every aspect, proving that making an entertaining and balanced go-kart game is no easy task.‎	Read review
IGN Italy	Luca Rago	8.2 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is a solid, immediate and accessible karting game. For lovers of the genre it will not be easy to resist the temptation to get on the track!	Read review
IGN Spain	Álex Pareja	7 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is a lot of fun and manages to stand on its own especially if you focus your attention on the online mode. However, the fact that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe exists on the same console and that it replicates so much of its formula ends up taking its toll in the long run.	Read review
LevelUp	Drishnar Abigaíl Labastida	7.5 / 10	03-08-2022	Chocobo GP is a title that will be very dependent on an online ecosystem and, therefore, is incomplete at the time of writing. We will have to see how it evolves and how it transforms, however, as far as the base game that was possible to try is concerned, Chocobo GP is only an entertaining title and to pass the time.	Read review
Metro GameCentral	Adam Starkey	4 / 10	03-03-2022	A perfunctory kart racing spin-off that has a few unique charms but falls well short of its far superior competition.	Read review
Nintendo Life	PJ O’Reilly	8 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is a delightful surprise from Square Enix, a slick and addictive effort that serves up chaotic kart racing action featuring a generous roster of Final Fantasy characters battling it out on well-designed tracks inspired by locations from across the franchise’s history. Yes, the story mode may be a bit of a misfire, but with plenty of other single player content to dig into and the promise of 64-player carnage via the online Chocobo GP mode, this is one of the most polished and entertaining kart racers currently available on Switch and, with a free Lite version dropping at launch, you’ve got nothing to lose by checking it out for yourself before committing to a purchase.	Read review
NintendoWorldReport	Neal Ronaghan	Recommended	03-03-2022	This isn’t the new gold standard for the genre, but it’s still a fun ride, especially with the syrupy sweet story and good deal of Final Fantasy references. The true potential is in the potential of the titular Chocobo GP mode, which is also the stand-out feature for the entire game. The fact it’s accessible with the Lite mode might give it a longer tail. Some of the season pass content rubs me the wrong way, but the base game is satisfying enough that it’s a good time even if you don’t shell out real-world money to race as Cloud.	Read review
Press Start	James Mitchell	5.5 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP offers up some fantastic core racing mechanics that are otherwise held back by a lacklustre offering of content. Hampered by tedious progression systems and typical microtransaction practices, Chocobo GP barely makes it past the finish line to be the best kart racer it could be.	Read review
Screen Rant	Scott Baird	1.5 / 5 stars	03-03-2022	It’s possible that Chocobo GP could become a respectable kart racer in the future, and the free-to-play version means everyone can try it out without needing to spend any cash. As it stands, the game needs work, as the current product just isn’t fun. The spells and abilities need to be toned down and the tracks need redoing or replacing. There is no shortage of kart racers on the market, especially on Nintendo Switch, and there are much better alternatives available right now than Chocobo GP in its current state.	Read review
SECTOR.sk	Matúš Štrba	5 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is a kart racing game that lacks its own identity. It copies a lot of things from Mario Kart, but it lacks its own fun ideas. In addition, you may encounter crashes and other technical bugs.	Read review
Shacknews	TJ Denzer	8 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is a really great flavor for the kart-racing genre. Not only is it a fine collection of Final Fantasy franchise memories in one place, but it uses them nicely as well.	Read review
SpazioGames	Stefania Sperandio	Recommended	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is an easy to approach experience, but it can’t really live up to the Final Fantasy name.	Read review
The Games Machine	Danilo Dellafrana	7.5 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is a decent alternative to Mario Kart, hampered by the presence of such an important opponent on the same console. It lacks that flash of brilliance, that uniqueness that allows it to outdo its elusive rival, and a future that already leans towards microtransactions doesn’t help. Try the Lite version, it might just win you over.	Read review
TheSixthAxis	Steve C	5 / 10	03-03-2022	I really wanted to like Chocobo GP, having never had the chance to play the PS1 original. Unfortunately, the tone is all over the place, the references are archaic, and the gameplay is mediocre to the point of boredom. It is possible that the online multiplayer will be where this comes to life, but even then the prospect of exploitative microtransactions threatens to cast a Cloud over affairs. if you’ve got any affection for Final Fantasy or Kart games, it’s probably best to download the Lite version before deciding on the full game.	Read review
VGC	Chris Scullion	4 / 5 stars	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP is second only to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe when it comes to modern karting games. On the track it delivers brilliantly satisfying karting gameplay, and all at a beautifully smooth frame rate.	Read review
Video Chums	A.J. Maciejewski	5.9 / 10	03-14-2022	Chocobo GP made me realise how great of a game Chocobo Racing is. The new graphics and online component are indeed cool but 1999’s racer is simply more fun with its challenging gameplay, unique tracks, and tighter controls. In fact, I think I’ll boot it up now.	Read review
WellPlayed	Kieron Verbrugge	5.5 / 10	03-03-2022	Chocobo GP copies the work of better kart racers while fundamentally missing the mark on what makes them great. It delivers entertaining Final Fantasy fanservice that’s at least two decades too late for the one audience that might still find the fun it and tacks on microtransactions to boot. It’s functional and sometimes fun but otherwise not worth your time.	Read review

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Game Info

Game Description / Storyline:

Get set for a new racing experience in Chocobo GP, featuring a roster of dozens of Chocobo characters, complete with their own unique abilities and variants. Choose your favorite Chocobo series character, and race through familiar tracks set in the Final Fantasy universe. It won’t be easy crossing the finish line first. Find magic stones called Magicites (including Fire, Water, and more) throughout the track and equip them to take out the competition. Engine customization options will be available, as well as local and online multiplayer. Up to 64 players can compete in a bracket-style tournament to determine the racing champion.

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