Chocobo GP Version 1.1.0 Adds Balamb Garden, Adjusts Levelling, Here Are The Full Patch Notes

The next season of Chocobo GP — Square Enix's answer to Mario Kart — is imminent. Following a delay of the start of season 2, Square Enix is now preparing to wave the chequered flag for the next set of changes.

In the biggest update since the game launched, version 1.1.0 is coming to Chocobo GP on 31st May and will be ringing in season 2 of the kart racer. The upcoming patch doesn't just prepare the game and tidy up bugs, however — two major additions will be allowing players of the Lite edition to play online, and the introduction of a brand new course in Balamb Garden, the iconic school from Final Fantasy VIII.

A 'Mirror Mode' of sorts is also coming next week, as well as some changes to the various in-game currencies, which have been a point of contention.

Here's everything to expect with the upcoming update:

Chocobo GP - Version 1.1.0 (31st May)

1. Players of the Lite edition are now able to participate in online multiplayer modes.
2. The new track “Balamb Garden” has been added to the game.
*This track can be selected in Multiplayer, Time Attack and Custom Race modes.
*This track will appear in Chocobo GP mode once Season 2 has started.
3. New series “The Demon Series” has been added to the game.
*This series can be selected once you have earned a rank of 3rd place or higher in the Omega Series.
4. From Season 2 onwards, mirrored versions of tracks will appear in Chocobo GP mode.
5. Some character capabilities have been adjusted.
- The following characters will now take less damage when attacked with abilities and will only crash rather than being wiped out:
　　Steiner
　　Mecha Chocobo
　　Cactuar
- It has been made easier for the following characters to fill their ability gauge:
　　Gilgamesh
　　Maduin
6. The Magicite obtained during races has been altered
7. Magicite can now be used while taunting.
8. Gil remaining at the end of a season can now be carried over to the next season.
9. The number of crystals required to obtain an Item Ticket has now been fixed at 10.
*Please be aware that when this update is applied, the total number of crystals a player has collected will be reduced down to a single digit (the units value is retained, with tens and hundreds removed).
10. The in-race BGM select feature can now be used from the start.
11. Improvements to issues where characters were getting caught on the terrain of some tracks.
12. Other improvements and bug fixes.

Square Enix has also included a note on the game's operating policies from season 2 and beyond, where most of the big season pass and currency changes are. This update includes removing the daily log-in bonus, removing Premium Prize Passes from sale, and reducing daily challenges to one a day:

Operating Policies for Season 2 and beyond:

1. Premium Prize Passes, Level-Up Tickets and Team Stickers are being taken down from sale.
*Team Stickers will now mainly be earned as prize level rewards and will not be available from the shop in future.
*Prize Passes (e.g. the non-premium Prize Passes) will still be sold.
To commemorate the start of Season 2, all players will be gifted an 800 mythril log-in bonus.
2. As a basic policy, all costumes and other products added to the mythril shop will remain on sale for the subsequent season and beyond.
3. The size of scores obtained through playing Chocobo GP has been increased.
4. Mythril has been added to the prize level rewards
5. The composition of prize level rewards has been re-assessed so all major items can now be obtained by the time you reach level 20.
*Level 21 and beyond are now extra levels that are mainly focussed on earning gil.
6. The characters and other reward items earned as prize level rewards will also be sold in the Ticket Shop.
*As a rule, there will be no limited availability period for items on sale in the Ticket Shop and they will still be available to purchase during the next season and beyond.
*If a player has already purchased the same item from the Ticket Shop when they earn it as a prize level reward then they will receive an amount of gil instead.
7. Items added to the Gil Shop will only be Premium colours and Wallpapers from now on.
*The new characters added for Season 2 will all be available as prize level rewards and sold at the Ticket Shop.
*The items available for Season 1 that were not Premium colours or Wallpapers will remain on sale in the Gil Shop.
8. Adjustments to challenges
- The number of daily challenges issued will be limited to one.
- The victory conditions for weekly challenges will be made easier to achieve.
- The rewards for each challenge will be changed to gil only and the actual amount received will increase.
9. Weekly log-in bonuses (50 mythril) will be abandoned.

Lastly, the company has also addressed issues with Team Stickers, which are being removed from sale from the in-game shop from next week, and they will now be prize level rewards. Square Enix is then giving a brand new one-time log in bonus as a result:

During Season 1, there were several different issues that led to Team Stickers disappearing and this caused great inconvenience for players. We sincerely apologise for the trouble caused.
As mentioned above, Team Stickers will no longer be on sale at the shop from Season 2 onwards, and will be obtained as prize level rewards instead.
Going forward, we will be offering the following log-in bonus to all players, to enhance everyone's enjoyment of Chocobo GP.
Bonus:
- 3000 mythril
Availability period:
- From the start to finish of Season 2 (Can only be claimed once)

The patch drops next Tuesday, 31st May, and it's looking like a hefty one at that. Are these changes enough to bring you back to Chocobo GP? Or are you still playing the game? Let us know in the comments.