We present an advance play report of "Chocobo GP," the latest title in the "Chocobo" series! In addition to the simple and easy-to-play gameplay, the game also offers the thrill of a one-shot reversal using "abilities"!

The "Chocobo" series has produced various genres to date, including "Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon," an RPG based on a "roguelike" system in which the configuration of the dungeon changes each time the player takes on a challenge, and "Chocobo and the Magical Book," an adventure with many mini games.

From such "Chocobo" series, "Chocobo GP," the latest title in the series and a racing game, was announced at the "Nintendo Direct" broadcast on September 24, 2021. This is the first new racing game in 22 years, since "Chocobo Racing: Road to Gensokyo," which was released on PlayStation in 1999. This time, we were able to experience "Chocobo GP" ahead of the rest, and here is our play report.

Characters and towns related to "Chocobo" and the "Final Fantasy" series appear in the game!

This title has various modes such as "Story Mode" and "Time Attack Mode," but this time we were only able to play a custom race. From what I could see on the character selection screen, Chocobo, Atra, a Mowgli from the "Chocobo" series, Steiner from "Final Fantasy IX," and other characters familiar to fans of the series appear in the game.

Three machines are available for each character, according to their performance. There is the "Normal Type," with average performance; the "Grip Type," with slightly lower speed but better maneuverability in terms of grip and drift; and the "Speed Type," which is less maneuverable but specializes in speed. According to the staff at the venue, the grip type is recommended for beginners.

We were able to experience three different courses: "Sid's Test Course," "Zozo's Town," and "Gold Saucer. Sid's Test Course is an easy course with few curves. The "Gold Saucer" is a slightly more difficult course with sharp curves, straight curves, and no walls in some areas.

In the race, you can also make full use of "magic stones" and "abilities" to play games.

In addition to the basic racing game of outperforming rivals to take first place, "Chocobo GP" also incorporates unique elements. One of these is the character's unique abilities, which become available as time passes or crystals are acquired, and a gauge in the lower left corner of the screen accumulates.

Chocobos can accelerate themselves in a boosted state and send out a ring behind them that boosts the character when it passes by. Atra has the effect of running in a boosted state while taking crystals from other characters, and Steiner approaches nearby characters in a boosted state and attacks them with his sword.

The performance of abilities such as enhancements and attacks vary greatly from character to character, so not only player preference but also compatibility with play style will have a lot to do with it. Since they can be considered special moves, it is important to know how to use them.

My personal favorite is the ability of the character Claire. While activated, she disappears for a certain period of time and avoids attacks by other characters. Since it is almost completely unaffected by the "magic stone" described below, it was very useful when I wanted to maintain first place or prevent my opponent from attacking me.

The magic stone is like magic in "Final Fantasy" and can be obtained by touching the "magical egg" on the course. There are various types, such as "Fire," which shoots fireballs forward, and "Water," which sets up obstacles on the course.

The most troublesome of these is the "Death Sentence," which causes the player to crash after a certain amount of time if possessed by a reaper-like character. The effect can be canceled by repeatedly pressing the R button, but the R button also serves as a drifter.

If you blindly hit the R button too many times, the car will bounce around so much that you won't be able to race. In narrow passages, the car will hit walls, and on roads without walls, it may fall off. If left unattended, the car is sure to crash. When I played at the Gold Saucer, I tried to respond to the death sentence and made a mistake in operation, sometimes falling in succession.

The magic stone also has a growth element. If you get the same magic stone as the one you have from a magical egg, the magic stone you have will be enhanced. If it is a fire, it will track the opponent, making it easier to hit them. However, if you want to make it grow, you have to save the magical stone, so you cannot use it until it grows. As with abilities, it is necessary to consider how to use them.

In addition to abilities and magic stones, there is another important point in the game: acceleration through drifting. Drifting for a certain period of time produces sparks on the wheels, and when the drift is stopped, the duration of the drift increases, and the acceleration time increases by up to three levels. Although the effect is short-lived, the speed of acceleration is quite fast, making it an effective technique for reversing rankings and gaining ground on rivals without having to rely on magical stones from magical eggs or character abilities.

In particular, Zozo City and Gold Saucer have many curves, which makes it easier to accelerate by drifting. The author chose a grippy machine, so the high maneuverability may have had something to do with the success rate of drifting.

While keeping the basic elements of a racing game such as acceleration by drifting and items, the game also includes many elements unique to this title, such as variations of magic stones, growth elements, and unique abilities of each character. However, the game is easy to master as long as you know the types of magic stones and abilities and when to use them. The elements themselves are simple and do not require specialized techniques.

The game will be released in 2022. What was revealed at this hands-on experience is only a part of the story, and the full scope of the game is yet to be revealed. Let's look forward to more information in the future.

Work information
Chocobo GP (Chocobo Grand Prix)
Genre: Racing
Compatibility: Nintendo Switch
Supported console: Nintendo Switch
Online play requires a subscription to "Nintendo Switch Online" (charged)
Players: 1 to 8 players
Release date: 2022
Price: Undecided
CERO: To be reviewed

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