It's an exciting month for fans of the kart racing genre - with Chocobo GP out next week, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Courses arriving later on. As Square Enix's release is first, naturally the focus is on it right now. Ahead of its release, we've put together a round up of some of the reviews so far.
Before we take a look at those though, be sure to check out our Nintendo Life review, which we published earlier this week. We gave Chocobo GP 8 out of 10 stars and said it was a delightful surprise from Square Enix and one of the most "polished and entertaining kart racers" on Switch.
- The Nintendo Life Review - Chocobo GP - A Surprising Mario Kart 8 Alternative For Final Fantasy Fans
Right then, now that we've covered our own review, here's a look at the rest starting with VGC - who gave it 4 out of 5 stars:
"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."
Siliconera gave the game 7 out of 10 and said it was better than most other Mario Kart competitors:
"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. Its weaknesses and frustrations, though — combined with the incoming deluge of new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tracks — will likely limit its audience."
Destructoid wasn't quite as taken with it, awarding it 6.5 out of 10:
"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."
Australian Nintendo website Vooks awarded the Square Enix kart racer 3 out of 5 stars and suggested trying out the 'Lite' version of the game before forking out for the full experience:
"Chocobo GP is a playable Kart racer. I wish I could say it was an enjoyable one. The attacks/obstacles are too punishing; there aren’t enough tracks that scream to be played over and over, awkward controls and some yet-unpriced IAP and ‘Prize Passes’. The Story Mode offers some funny moments with plenty of FF winks and nods in the goofiest ways, but completing it is a frustrating experience. Try out Chocobo GP Lite before putting any cash down on this game."
And Digitally Downloaded gave the game 4.5 stars out of 5 - mentioning how some might even prefer it over the Mario Kart series:
"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."
Chocobo GP arrives on the Nintendo Switch next week on the 10th of March. Will you be checking it out on release, or at least trying out the 'Lite' version of the game? Leave a comment down below.
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Comments 61
The Switch wouldn't be my console of choice to exclusively release a kart racer on if I was a developer. It feels like there's little reason to buy something like this when Mario Kart already exists and especially so with there being more tracks on the way very soon.
Well a decent alternative is all that could really be expected. I do prefer FF properties more than Mario so I'll give the Lite version on my switch Lite a go since I don't care for racers enough to actually buy one.
I haven't played the lite version yet, I'm probably going to do that tonight!
I would like to play the game but I already heard something wasn't right about unlocking stuffs so I have my back up plan to get other cartoonish racing games on PS4 instead.
@Snatcher you haven't played the lite version yet cause it's not playable until Thursday only review copies are playable right now
@BenAV I'd argue that with a built in install base that leans towards kart racers the switch is a good place to put additional kart racers. The key is developing a good game. Not saying that every dev will be Nintendo level, but if the game is well made it has the potential to sell best on switch rather than on platforms that don't skew towards kart racers (crash tag racing and sonic racing are even preferred by some). Even that race with ryan game has a better chance of netting sales on switch than the other systems.
Sonic all stars racing transformed and the Crash racers have been sound MK alternatives that I have sunken hours into. I'm not sure I'll enjoy this as much as those these kart franchises but I will defo give it a go. I already had this on my wishlist
I think this will be better than mario kart for me
Can't wait ! I Love ff
@BenAV I'd argue those reasons are exactly why it's a good reason for chocobo gp to exist here. Mario kart for some has gotten stale. Chocobo offers a somewhat freshtake for those looking something non Mario in the karting genre that's newish. Like myself.
I personally was bored of mario kart 8 back when it was a wii u exclusive. It never had a good single player experience like sonic transformed either. The new switch release even had all the tracks unlocked at the get go. And I believe the characters were all unlocked. Lame
This game has a new single player mode, hopefully similar to sonic transformed singleplayer. It has new characters to unlock and tracks etc. I can't wait to play it. Once I unlock that stuff, I'll consider playing more, but that's usually enough content for me to feel I've gotten my money worth.
@LEGEND_MARIOID same, but for me the newest sonic racing game didn't hit the high that was Transformed. That game had the best singleplayer for a racer. Crash was fun, but I never clicked with it. I'm hoping GPs story mode has more going on than just races, similar to how Transformed had the extra events. Either way I'm excited to unlock new racers and tracks etc as I play.
@Ryu_Niiyama I guess. It still feels kinda limited when it's a genre where games have so much replayability when done right but maybe the real problem is just that all the other kart racers released so far just seem so inferior in comparison. No other really good ones to genuinely compete with Mario Kart as of yet.
@Anti-Matter what's your back up plan? I want a back up plan lol
Edit: my own back up plan is to delete my wii u sonic transformed save and replay that. It is my #1 kart racer game.
@CodyMKW OOH, It downloaded on my switch, But I never logged in, thanks for the heads up.
@Travisemo007 As a customer yeah, it's always good to have more games as alternatives but I can see why it could be a bad idea from a business standpoint since it costs to make a port and if there's a game on the genre that vastly dominates the market they might not sell enough to justify the resources that were invested.
However, I'd argue that the Switch market is so big that I think that even with such dominant games on their genres/categories as Smash Bros, Mario Kart and Pokemon there's still room for success for the competition, specially if they try to adapt to get certain advantages like being considerably cheaper options.
Not interested. Less than two weeks until Mario Kart 8 extra content means if I buy this now, it won't be getting played much, and I'm also planning to pick up Gran Turismo 7 in the near future so between those two there won't be time for other racers.
@tylerryan79 I agree with you about Sonic Team Racing. It felt a bit average to me. Especially after playing the Wii U's ASRT. Made me really want an ASRT port or an ASRT2. There was another Crash racing game on the PS2 that wasn't ported to the Switch which clicked with me more. But I enjoyed the Switch port iteration nonetheless. We shall see what Chocobo Switch is like for me
You need memorable characters for games like those.
Mario Kart is getting DLC… if you are getting that you don’t need this. (Unless you want it.)
@abdias Are you implying that Final Fantasy characters aren't memorable?
I'm bored of Mario Kart 8 tbh. The upcoming DLC is only recycled tracks which simply doesn't interest me and honestly it's nice to see other competent Kart Racers compete with it therefore I'll be checking this out. I'm not interested in any DLC this game has though if it's going to be too pricey.
Sorry Mario Kart 8 I've played you to death it's time to move on.
@noobish_hat Destructiod complained about it.
I honestly still don't know how much the season pass cost. And yeah it's a "budget title" but it's still $50. Was really looking forward to this - the MK8 DLC isn't coming to Wii U so it doesn't do me any good - but PS+ got Sonic Team Racing on Tuesday which I've never played so I'm good. Also Kirby in 3 weeks.
So, bad timing, bad pricing, bad business model, this 1 may actually be free-to-start rather than $50-to-start in a few months. Maybe then. Half price in 6 months for sure.
I'm probably getting it. I like kart racrers in general and, I'm bored with MK8 after having it for 5 years.
I'll stick with MK8. I don't play it very often any more so the new tracks will make it feel like a new game to me.
@BenAV
I would have to go under the assumption that it was developed on mobile hardware, which is why this game is only on the Switch and Android devices. Squeenix might be a bit lazy here.
Cloud is DLC/10
@ATaco I'm hoping Carbuncle gets added as a playable character that can be unlocked by playing the game.
>the eventual possible elimination of the season pass system
Wait, for real? I only buy games physically and it's one of the things keeping me from importing the PAL release.
I really wanted Sephiroth but it doesn't look like he's in the game.
I still haven't bought MK8 because until the DLC announcement I thought MK9 was coming. I'm hoping MK8 will be on sale when the DLC comes out. If so I'll buy MK8 instead of Chocobo even though I originally planned to get Chocobo because it's adorable.
I ordered this chcobo gp and can't wait to explore some final fantasy racing related goodness
I don't get why it's exclusive to switch when Nintendo has mario kart
@Anti-Matter ctr nitro fueled is the best kart racer that isn't mario kart
@tylerryan79 I think crash tag team racing had a great single player because of the platforming levels between racing I hope that one gets a remaster like ctr did
@LEGEND_MARIOID that was crash tag team racing really great game combining platforming with racing & you could merge karts with another racer , it was also released on Xbox , GameCube & the psp
Removed - inappropriate language; user is banned
@Would_you_kindly It's just a time exclusive, there's nothing wrong with more Mario Kart competitors on the Switch just like how there's nothing wrong with more Metroidvania, Zelda inspired games, and Smash Bros. style platform fighters.
@BenAV Nintendo consoles are probably the highest concentration of Karting fans on any platform, and a lot of people probably buy multiple Karting games. Unlike something like an RPG, they don't require huge amounts of time, so you can easily jump back and forth between them. The question is, does it offer something different than Mario Kart? As much as I like MK8, Sonic All Stars Racing on Wii U played quite a bit different, rewarded skill, and honestly, if you were playing it by yourself, I think it was better than Mario Kart. But if you have friends over, the zany (and unfair) elements of Mario Kart would provide a better time. So hopefully Square Enix designed the game to justify owning both.
@Ryu_Niiyama And you would be right. If you’re going to pick any one console to exclusively release a kart racer on, Switch is by far the best choice.
Looking forward to this. I'm a big fan of FF and kart racers. Plus it's £40, and I have £10 worth of gold points on my eshop so it'll be a steal for me at only £30. I'm willing to overlook the season pass thing for that specific personal reason.
I don't understand why so many people believe that Mario Kart means that there shouldn't be any more cartoon racing games. On Nintendo 64, my favourite was Diddy Kong Racing; on Wii U, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and on Switch it's Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled. I own all Mario Kart games, my favourite being Double Dash.
I'm looking forward to this. I know it's easy for everyone to say 'Meh, I'll just stick with Mario Kart' but alternatives are always cool and I remember enjoying games like Diddy Kong Racing and Mickey's Speedway USA massively, so I wouldn't write this one off without at least giving it a go.
Kinda thinking this is a wait for a sale kinda game, especially with my backlog and recently acquired Series X plus Gamepass.
Basically, what you see is what you get: a solid cart racer that's different than Mario Kart. I'm in.
At first it seemed kind of generic and slow, but more recent footage sold me on the game.
It's free, btw. The paid version just gives a bunch of extra content. Which, that's the version I opted for. Play-Asia also has a physical release in English for those so inclined.
@Travisemo007 Agreed. I don't think that just because a Kart Racer exists, more can't exist either. Racing games are my favourite genre, and I like seeing a lot of them in whatever form.
I wish the Switch had MORE. A nice 60fps racer will always have my support on the Switch.
Pre-ordered Chocobo Racing for a nice, cheap price here in Australia, and I think I will make an exception and grab the Season Pass for it too. I don't buy many AAA games any more, so this is my one splurge on crap like Season Passes - the last one being Dirt 5 on PC.
Looking forward to the Mario Kart 8 Booster too, but I am waiting to see the verdict on that - it seems to me that Nintendo is literally just porting over Mario Kart Tour courses, and I find the clash in art-styles and polygon counts a bit jarring. It seems like a bit of a cash grab with the most minimum of effort, so we will see!
I was genuinely looking forward to this, but the IAP has really put me off it.
I'm still keen to see the full list of tracks, and if there's enough locales I'm interested in seeing - and either the full removal of the IAP or a massive price drop - then I'll play it.
I kind of want to give it a chance but I'm also in the "wait for a sale". Not to mention, I'm also more interested in Disney Speedstorm, plus with Kirby in the horizon, I'm gonna need that money.
I mean it’s no Garfield kart, so what did you expect
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 48 Tracks (more 48 DLC = 96 tracks)
Crash Team Racing: 40 tracks
Chocobo Racing: 9 tracks.....just....9 (NINE) tracks!
Not a fan of Mario Kart 8. It's too chaotic, too loud and annoying. I prefer any other previous Mario Kart.
Also annoyed that Big N has been milking the worst entry in the series for ... 8 years already.
I'm much more willing to give Chocobo GP a chance.
@BenAV Well, their release date was already firmly set long before they had any inkling Nintendo would make more tracks. Still, I don't disagree.
@tyranny_life By most accounts, it's the best entry in the series. This isn't me saying you're wrong in not liking it, but they aren't milking the worst entry in the series. They're improving and giving fans the most beloved entry in the series. Can't please all the fans, but it's hard to be too upset (in my estimation) with a developer for selling/building on a game that people want to play/buy.
@FishyS Mario Kart 8 is on sale $40 on eshop this week
@somebodyelse oh wow, it is, thank you!
Although I feel a little bad for getting it instead of Chocobo. 😆 I feel like if Chocobo GP arrived a month before MK8 DLC was announced they would have sold much more.
If it wasn't for the season pass unlocks I'd get the game. CTR was awesome, but its season pass sytem burned me out.
@tylerryan79 im getting the impression you like sonic transformed
@JaxonH
Could you give the clarification about unlocking stuffs in Chocobo GP if you get the physical release ?
They really should launch the game on Playstation, PC, and maybe even Xbox. Crossplay can bring life into games and keep the playerbase strong.
The only issue with that though is the season pass format they chose. They'd have to keep up with the current season pass AND offer the old content for the new additional players. I guess to be fair they could just have a multi season pass format for those players, where they advance multiple at once during the launch.
I do hope they find a way though. I want more people playing this game. Chocobo Racing on the Playstation was a flawed, but extremely fun kart racer with a tremendous amount of potential, and its cool to see that a sequel finally broke through for once. The original Chocobo Racing sequel for 3DS was scrapped and cancelled after announcement.
For me this game is going to exist in the same spot that Kirby Air Ride did back in the gamecube era. An excellent alternative to Mario Kart to keep my enjoyment going. It's nice to have a variety of racing games to play. Doing the same one over and over is fun, but it can get a little bland if you don't have alternatives with different mechanics.
For example; I really enjoyed Gran Turismo Sport, and Wipe Outs Omega Collection. Gran Turismo really helped me with that normal racing itch, and Wipeout gave me my combat super high speed fix. It also had better music imo.
Hell, even today I play a lot of racing games. Gran Turismo 7 when I'm in the mode for serious gameplay, Grid: Legends for that arcade experience, WipeOut for that F-Zero like fun, Need For Speed: Heat (REALLLY FUN if you like crazy lawless street style races), and F1 for Formula style racing. (really wish we had more F-Zero and Wipeout, but both look pretty doomed now.)
Nintendo though is just not in a good spot. All it has is Mario Kart, and a bunch of online only multiplayer racing games. I'm going on a trip, and I really wanted to buy Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered to play in the hotel with friends, but we can't. It's multiplayer is online only. They have Grid: Autosport, but my friends don't really like how it plays. It's too.. specific, and full of penalties. There's nothing else really out there that's good. Aside from maybe Fast RMX, but I wish the budget on that were higher. We were interested in Crash Racing, but unfortunately with Activision and Blizzard being bought out by Microsoft, we are scared to make the purchase. We like to keep up to date with future games in each series, and feel like when things get bought out and changed to another console, that it isn't very rewarding to a dedicated customer. Other people disagree, but that is just how we feel. We don't like to have our loyalty swayed, and Sonic Team Racing just isn't that fun. We tried it, its okay, but it feels really cheap and meh. Even the dialogue is just in that cheap picture format with moving text boxes. It's just not fun to play the campaign mode. Maybe back in 2012 I would have liked it. It feels so ten years ago.
Hot Wheels new game is AMAZING, but I can only handle one season pass game at a time. Missing a season pass just makes me feel left out and sad. I can't handle more than a few at a time. My boyfriend loves it, but I just can't keep up. He does seem to enjoy it regardless of completing or not completing a season pass, but I'm just not that kind of person. I'll feel slighted if I just can't find the time during a season.
I'm glad to see more racing on Nintendo that actually has local multiplayer, and just more racing on Nintendo in general. It's seriously lacking. Please Nintendo, if you are watching BRING BACK KIRBY AIR RIDE. Remaster that masterpiece of a game, and update its mechanics to be a bit more modern and smooth. You don't even have to do a sequel, though it would be welcome. We need more racing on Switch. It's like everyone is afraid because Playstation and Xbox are delivering high expectation experiences, but even then outside of regular professional racing, its a bit bleak unless you want to play old Playstation games. We need things that are different and nichey. There's not really anything beyond cheap indie games on both sides. It's making me sad. Racing needs some new life into its genre. Now is the time.
I was super hyped for this game and wanted to preorder, but I lost complete interest after finding out about the bs season pass thing being required in order to unlock new content...
Gonna try it when it comes out! Looks fun
I keep going back and forth in my head about this one. On one hand it's Final Fantasy and I do love me some FF. On the other hand it's a full price (albeit budget) title with free to play elements thrown in. I feel like they should have committed to one or the other. I will be trying the Lite edition though. I wonder whether they are going to do Map Packs as DLC and try and get people to buy tracks for their favourite games that way? It all just seems far too much like a money grab.
Disney Speedstorm is committed to the Free to Play model and is cross platform so will have a lot more players playing because of it.
Maybe I just stick with the ML8 DLC for this month and hop on the Disney train in the summer.
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