Chocobo GP Reviews
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.
While the racing itself is solid enough, limitations on multiplayer and strange monetization gimmicks hold this cart racer back.
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.
Chocobo GP has the makings of a great kart racer with its diverse cast of specialized racers, excellent power-up combos, and terrific visuals. However, uninspired track design and excessive microtransactions mar the experience.
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.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It’s crazy to believe that I can be down on a game that is really fun to play both offline and online. Somehow, Square-Enix has thrown so many things into the game that either you must pay for, or grind for weeks to unlock. It wouldn’t be that big of an issue if it was just cosmetic items, but characters who have different stats and special moves that could possibly throw the advantage to the player that paid money. I just can’t get on board with that.
It’s safe to say that Chocobo GP doesn’t out-do Mario Kart, but then I don’t think anyone would ever really expect it to. Most players, myself included, will simply choose this title because they love Final Fantasy, not because they think it’s going to be GOTY material. It’s a fun kart racer that you can easily while away your time with, but ultimately brings nothing groundbreaking to the genre. If you’re looking for a Final Fantasy fix, it might not quite hit that sweet spot for you, at least, not until you hand over your hard-earned gil for the season pass.
Chocobo GP is far from perfect, but it is addictive and has good ideas when you have your hands on the wheel. The game does manage to bring fun and originality in some ways and is definitely better than the vast majority of kart racers available, but it can't match Nintendo's traditional kart franchise.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Chocobo GP is an easy to approach experience, but it can't really live up to the Final Fantasy name.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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 - introducing an interesting declination of online multiplayer.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.
Chocobo GP marks the return of racing games based on these beloved Final Fantasy characters and this is nothing short of a very welcome new effort in this line, with a large and varied cast, as well as an immense amount of content to unlock. The gameplay is fairly simple and accessible, the main campaign acts as a great motivator to keep us going and the online multiplayer is a charm. Chocobo GP is a game that will keep its players around the screen for many fun hours.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Chocobo GP is finally here after its sneak peak was published by Square Enix just before Christmas 2021. It brings a brand new karting experience to the Chocobo franchise and sets itself up across multiple worlds and realities throughout the beloved Final Fantasy series.
Chocobo GP is a fun kart racing game in which we can easily spend some time, but at the end of the day it doesn't manage to bring anything innovative to the genre. The truth is that most players (including us) will invest some time in this title, simply because they love Final Fantasy. In the end, it's safe to say that Chocobo GP is an experience that doesn't surpass other titles of the genre, but if players enter mindful of its limitations and what it currently is, they can enjoy a good dose of fun.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It’s worth noting that this review is written for the game as it stands at launch. There’s every possibility it will get much better, or much worse, as elements like the Season Pass are implemented. I can only hope the former’s the case, as right now, Chocobo GP stands as an enjoyable-but-basic racer that I’d only recommend to Final Fantasy fans.
If you're a fan of the Final Fantasy universe it's a great alternative to Mario Kart and other similar titles, offering a casual and entertaining experience. If not, you may be better off looking elsewhere.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Chocobo GP will likely be an entertaining diversion from a game like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe rather than a full-on rival.
Is Chocobo GP going to knock Mario Kart 8 Deluxe off its pedestal as the best Nintendo Switch kart racer? Certainly not. But it’s certainly a well-made title and plenty of fun, despite some questionable decisions and a lack of anything truly innovative. It’s a pity that many people will overlook it.
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 fares better than most Mario Kart competitors, delivering a rough-around-the-edges experience that’s still fundamentally fun most of the time.