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The following contains spoilers forFinal Fantasy 5,Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13,Final Fantasy Type-0, andFinal Fantasy Adventure.
There aren’t many RPGs that lean on callbacks as much as theFinal Fantasyseries does. Every game has its fair share of shared motifs, like Cids, Chocobos, Moogles, and more. Likewise, theFinal Fantasygames are no strangers to re-inventing themselves between installments, which means these callbacks evolve with every new entry as well.
Chocobos have shared the spotlight with Moogles asFinal Fantasy’s mascots for years, with the flying yellow bird going on to become an iconic video game steed, and they also predate the Moogle’s first appearance. Ever sinceFinal Fantasy 2made them an incredibly fast mode of transport, anything falling under theFinal FantasyIP bannerwould be remiss to leave them out. Out of all the times players saw the Chocobo in theirFinal Fantasyadventures, some were more useful and memorable than others, meaning it’s worth taking the time to rank all the different appearances of Chocobos.
S-Tier: The Best Chocobo Buddies
Some of its titles may be more fondly remembered than others, but theChocoboseries is the originatorof the iconic 2D design that many players recognize in plushies and other merch. This design is even purposefully represented inFinal Fantasy 14through Alpha, a Chocobo encountered inStormbloodraids. The cuter and smaller version is one of the most common designs that’s adorable and memorable, helping the side games earn their place at the top with ease.
Final Fantasy 14may feature tons of different mountsacross its main story, expansions, and side content, but players get to keep a Chocobo for themselves that can join them in battle. Having a personally named Chocobo to train that’s all their own is a dream for die-hard fans of these iconic birds. This is alongside Gold Saucer Chocobo racing, breeding, and the wide variety of Chocobo minions and mounts players can get. Fans can even dress their character up in a Chocobo suit if they so desire.
The Chocobo has been a mode of transport for players since its inception into the franchise, butFinal Fantasy 7andFF7 Rebirthboth broke expectations for what players could expect out of the creatures.
FF7introduced different colors of Chocobo, differing abilities, racing in general, and breeding. Every following mainline game made sure to include plenty of things to make the steeds much more than a mode of transport. Players would typically not have a use for Chocobos after airships were unlocked inFinal Fantasy 2through6, butFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthsits as a pinnacle game for Chocobo fans, as the split open-world-like approach makes the birds a fast, reliable mode of transport throughout the game. This isn’t even mentioning the abundance of cute Chocobo chicks.
AfterFinal Fantasy 7changed expectationsfor the rideable birds,Final Fantasy 9introduced what’s arguably the most iconic party member Chocobo: Choco. Choco changed color, could traverse any terrain, didn’t leave after being ridden, and was tied to so many side missions, where spending time with him was incredibly worth it. Boko fromFinal Fantasy 5is just as iconic for being the first ever party member Chocobo. He may leave the party after a certain point, but reuniting with him is incredibly memorable as players find that he’s found love and is starting a family.
The Chocobo Knight found inFinal Fantasy Tactics: Grimoire of the Riftis a unique job for Moogles only that allows them to ride weakened wild Chocobos into battle. While riding a Chocobo isn’t entirely new, what makesGrimoire’s representation interesting is the sheer variety of Chocobos that it offers. Players can encounter yellow, green, brown, red, white, and black Chocobos, each with a different ability. Planning to use these special abilities to their advantage is a great way to enhanceTactics' gameplay with some Chocobo flair that fans are sure to love.
A-Tier: Chocobo to Share Fond Memories With
Final Fantasy 14borrows tons of systems fromFinal Fantasy 11, and the general idea of mountable Chocobos in aFinal FantasyMMO is one of them. While it may not allow players to fight with their Chocobo, they can still own one that can breed, unlikeFF14’s Grand Company Chocobos. The breeding system inFinal Fantasy 11is very intricate, influencing the mounts' speed. Players have made it theirgoal to raise Chocobo chicksto be just as fast as the ones they can rent, saving in-game money when they succeed.
Lightning saves a special Chocobo called the Angel of Valhalla inLightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13that fights alongside her after. However, there’s more to this white-and-green bird than meets the eye. Later in the game, Lightning learns that theAngel of Valhalla isFinal Fantasy’s Odinin a different form, marking the first time one of the iconic summons fromFinal Fantasyhas ever been a Chocobo.
Just as the Chocobo theme is iconic to many players, so is Prompto’s rendition of it.Final Fantasy 15gives Noctis and the party rental Chocobosto ride on, customize, race, and more. With Chocobo Carnival,Final Fantasy 15is almost a perfect title for fans of the birds, except they only offer off-road exploration to the Regalia’s speed. As a result, players might spend more time in the car than with their feathered friends.
Final Fantasy 8doesn’t feature a breeding system or racing, but players can solve puzzles to find Chocobo to ride in designated forests. The original PC version ofFinal Fantasy 8even included Chocobo World, a PocketStation mini-game that was previously Japan-exclusive.
On a similar level,Final Fantasy 10and10-2might not raise the bar too much with players' favorite birds, but there are plenty of side quests and minigames for players to enjoy (or loathe) that involve riding a Chocobo.
Type-0offers a wide variety of breeds, from the tank War Chocobos to the incredibly fast Supersonic Chocobos. Unfortunately for fans of the steeds, they can die in battle, and one even dies with its master as part ofFinal Fantasy Type-0’s story.
Players can properly ride a Chocobo across the map, rather than be represented by the bird’s sprite, inFinal Fantasy 6. These steeds aren’t commonly used once players get the airship, though.
B-Tier: Noteworthy Bird Steeds
The adventure inFinal Fantasy’s Ivalicefeatures one of the more unsettling Chocobo designs than the rest.Final Fantasy 12may offer an interesting sprint mechanic, but the design and time limit when riding make their inclusion a bit less impressive than the rest.
Alongside Torgal, Clive reunites with hischildhood Chocobo, Ambrosia, in one ofFinal Fantasy 16’s side quests. She has a noble heart, spending time without her master protecting wild Chocobos from poachers. She and the other mounts can be customized, but outside the side quest where she’s found again, Ambrosia and her flock only serve as a means of transport otherwise.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicleswent two gameswithout featuring Chocobo at all. Then, whenThe Crystal Bearerswas released, players could finally ride a Chocobo of their own. While this was exciting for loyal fans of the spin-off, the title doesn’t do anything too different or memorable. Still, it might be better to have some Chocobos to ride than none at all.
Final Fantasy Explorersfor the 3DSallows players to recruit monsters to their party, including a Chocobo. This allows players to team up with a yellow bird in their de facto party to take down any monsters in their way.
Following the standards,Final Fantasy 13and13-2have Chocobos, but for the most part, they’re simplistic mounts that flee when enemies get too close.13-2adds racing, but the dynamics fall short compared to other titles' offerings.FF13games likeLightning Returnsalmost exclusively highlight the Cocoon Chocobos, who have side feather tendrils on the sides of their faces. While it isn’t as strange asFF12’s design, the lack of reappearances for the Cocoon Chocobo (or any other major variants since) in other titles says volumes about how they were received.
Final Fantasy Adventurefeatures another mount Chocobo, but when it gets injured during the story, it returns as “Chocobot” with a metal leg and other memorable features.
The standards for Chocobo riding were set by the bird’s first appearance inFinal Fantasy 2.Final Fantasy 3and4used Chocobos just as the previous titles did, making them best placed together as they may have defined what came after, but certainly don’t do as much as newer titles do with the yellow steeds now.
It may be one of the most fondly remembered spin-offs, but theFinal Fantasy Tacticsseries doesn’t do too much with Chocobo untilGrimoire of the Rift. Players can recruit Chocobo in the first game if they find them on the map while getting help with Boco in their party, andTactics Advancehas the judges and Chocobo Rush, but nothing substantial other than that.
C-Tier: Helpful but Unrideable Chocobo Companions
There may be an unspoken rule that aFinal Fantasygame has to have Chocobos in it somehow, but not every title allows players to ride the birds themselves. There are some titles where players can still own a Chocobo, but as a summon. Others, like the recently shut downWar of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius,included the critter as cameos anda central part of the EXP system. Players can find a list of these games below.
D-Tier: No Friendly Birds
Sometimes the Chocobo representation doesn’t leave players with much to appreciate. This tier is dedicated to games that either turn the iconic bird into just an item or, inDirge of Cerberus' case, just a passing mention. These titles are perfectly enjoyable, but fans shouldn’t expect to ride or befriend any Chocobos during their adventure.
Honorable Mentions: Friends Lost Along the Way
All Chocobos, cameos, items, or companions on the journey are important toFinal Fantasy. That’s why only inaccessible games are at the bottom of the list as a reminder that they were still enjoyable when they were around. These titles are mobile games that have had their service discontinued, but still made a point to include the lovable birds all the same.
