Square Enix Reveals Chocobo GP Release Date

Earlier this year, Square Enix pulled back the curtain on Chocobo GP, a Nintendo Switch exclusive racer based on the Final Fantasy franchise. We haven’t seen much information since, but the publisher revealed today that the game will be releasing on March 10th! The racer will launch alongside Chocobo GP Lite, a free-to-download version of the game. As its name implies, the Lite version is a more limited offering, but it includes the prologue for the story mode, the ability to play in the online GP mode, local multiplayer with at least one player that owns the game, and more. 

In addition to these features, Chocobo GP Lite also gives players the ability to transfer their progress to the full version of the game, should they choose to make a physical or digital purchase. The Lite version of the game does offer fewer racers, and players won’t be able to create lobbies, but it sounds like a great way for players to get a feel for it before making a purchase. It just might convince some Switch owners that might not have otherwise tried the game!

A new trailer for Chocobo GP was shared by Nintendo, and can be found in the Tweet embedded below. 

Start your engines and get ready for Chocobo's newest racing adventure, full of magic and mayhem, when #ChocoboGP launches for #NintendoSwitch on March 10, 2022!

Wishlist today: https://t.co/qpWzldU0Wy pic.twitter.com/5uNyjd2W4e

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 14, 2021

As readers can see from the new trailer, Chocobo GP seems to be taking strong inspiration from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The original Chocobo Racing released on PlayStation back in 1999, and this game clearly builds off that title, but some of the imagery also feels reminiscent of Nintendo’s own Kart-racer. Given the fact that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been an incredible success story on Nintendo Switch, it’s hard to blame Square Enix for trying to target that audience. In fact, Mario Kart fans have been begging for a new series entry for years now. While Chocobo GP will certainly be its own thing, perhaps it will help fill the void until we really do get a new Mario Kart!

Are you a fan of the Final Fantasy series? Are you looking forward to Chocobo GP next year? Letus know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!