Chocobo GP

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.

Chocobo GP is built for fun but needs time and some more attention before it can really take the pole position.

Chocobo GP feels like a game that wants to be Mario Kart with Final Fantasy, but it simply doesn’t have the creativity or mechanical chops to back it up. There are certainly worse racers out there, but unless you’re the type of Final Fantasy fan who’s really into games like Theatrhythm or Dissidia that celebrate the franchise at the expense of quality gaming, you’re not going to get a whole lot out of Chocobo GP.

Chocobo GP, a budget title of sorts, was never going to challenge Mario Kart, and it never needed to. But if you’re looking for a serviceable racer to play on the side that’s full of old school unlocks it’s a fine option; provided you can get past a few hurdles. Hopefully a series of patches, the eventual possible elimination of the season pass system, and a price cut will make this package way more enticing. I’ll be singing its praises if that happens, but in the meantime, consider it a cautious recommendation.

Less K-KWEHHH!!!, more Kweh.

While the racing itself is solid enough, limitations on multiplayer and strange monetization gimmicks hold this cart racer back.

I am not well versed in the kart racing genre, but I did spend most of the recent holiday period playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with my nephew. With 4-player splitscreen, the whole family got in on it, and with dozens of characters and tracks, we never got bored. So I was thrilled when I first heard about Chocobo GP. At a glance, it looks like a not-so-subtle clone of Mario Kart with racers and worlds from across the Final Fantasy canon. What a fantastic way to indoctrinate the kid into my favou...

Kart racers aren't as popular as they were at the turn of the millennium but this feathered fellow is back in the super-cute Chocobo GP.

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.

There’s a good game in Chocobo GP somewhere, hidden between the balancing problems and microtransactions. Hopefully one day it’ll be able to emerge, free of the troubles that are bringing it down. Until then though, it’s hard to recommend. If you don’t mind forking out for the game and then a Battle Pass or two down the road you might get some enjoyment out of it, but you’ll have to be committed to the grind, and fairly patient with the gameplay. Perhaps give it a try first – a free Lite version is available so you can at least get a taste of the action without spending any money.

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.

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