Editorial Review
Combining the action/adventure and racing genres, Chocobo Racing follows in the footsteps of popular "car-toon" titles Crash Team Racing and Mario Kart. While the cutesy bird character Chocobo lacks the mainstream notoriety of Mario or Crash, the kooky creature will likely appeal to fans of the popular Final Fantasy series. Chocobo makes a successful flight from sidekick to star in this quirky racer, which features seven competing cartoon characters including White Mage, Mog, and Golem. All of the racing characters possess special powers and unique tracks designed around their personas. Chocobo Racing contains five challenging racing modes, including grand prix (four-track tournament), time attack, versus (two-player racing), relay race, and story mode. We
were particularly intrigued by the story mode, which places Chocobo in an old-fashioned pop-up storybook as he aims to collect several scattered blue crystals.
We also liked the high replay value of this game. For example, a racing victory may reward players with the ability to customize a character. Chocobo Racing is far from a sophisticated racer--and, in fact, that is part of the appeal. This is an easy game to learn, so younger players can pick up a controller and play with little trouble. Still, plenty of challenges hide in the detailed tracks, which are filled with time-zapping traps and treacherous curves. --Carrie Bell
Pros:
Diverse tracks and characters
Will appeal to fans of Crash Team Racing and Mario Kart
Cons:
Weak steering and vehicle control
Cartoon theme may not appeal to die-hard racing fans
Not compatible with multiplayer adapter, so simultaneous racing is limited to 2 players |
