Nintendo DS

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales

The game might feel a bit "kiddy" in its focus, what with those great, big, cute Chocobo eyes peeking at you from the box art. But even though the idea might skew young, the product is surprisingly enjoyable for the older crowd. Don't expect a huge, elaborate "the world's gonna end and we're gonna die!" emo storyline in Chocobo Tales, because the only danger here is a diabetic coma from the sugary sweet overload. The mini-games are clever and fun, and the card battle actually offers something simple yet challenging, and significantly different from the Yu-Gi-Oh crowd. This game surprised me on how fun it was; even if you're not a Final Fantasy junky I think you'll like it too.

Don’t let its kiddy appearance fool you. Chocobo Tales for the Nintendo DS is a fun, endearing and a wonderfully creative game that will not only appeal to Final Fantasy fans but gamers of all ages. With a wealth of mini-games and a story that is actually appealing, this is one Nintendo DS game you should not miss.

"Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales" consegue misturar diferentes gêneros de jogo e ainda apresentar um estilo gráfico ímpar. O resultado é um título de alta qualidade, que faz jus ao nome da franquia e garante diversão para jogadores solitários, grupos de amigos, crianças e, por que não, adultos.

Young fans of card battle games like Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon will enjoy the simple card game in Chocobo's Tales, and playing card battles online is pretty safe as there isn't any way to have objectionable material. It may be stretching things a bit, but the game may also be considered educational as each storybook mini-game has a beginning, middle, and end to read, with different cause and effect outcomes that could possibly teach elements of story structure and encourage kids to read more books. Maybe. Overall, Chocobo's Tales is a fun little game for Final Fantasy fans young and old.

It might look like just another kid's game, but there is a lot of quality gaming buried under the saccharine visuals. Chocobo Tales never condescends to its audience, making it an attractive choice for young and old alike. It's also a special treat for Final Fantasy fans, who will be delighted by the recognizable characters and monsters that make appearances. As long as you don't mind a few of the less likable minigames, you'll get sucked into this easygoing fable of feathered fellows.

Overall, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales is a great youngster’s alternative to Wario Ware: Touched!, Feel The Magic XX/XY, or Rub Rabbids. It is filled with mini-games that are deeper than the hyperactive Wario Ware’s and a storyline that is more familiar to kids than that in Feel The Magic and Rub Rabbits. Chocobo Tales doesn’t last forever, and is only its best in spurts, but is a decent package for younger Final Fantasy fans to try.

So, how does Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales make me feel like a Pokemon? Mostly because the hero character still runs errands around for the humans as they stand oblivious to the world around them. They run this poor bird ragged, and all he gets for his efforts is a bunch of cards for a fictional game. Whoopee.

Eine abwechslungsreiche Sammlung von Minispielen, die vor allem mit mehreren Mitspielern über Funk oder Internet ihren "guten" Unterhaltungswert ausspielen kann.

Moins anecdotique qu'on aurait pu le penser, Chocobo Tales est un jeu dispensable mais dont il serait pourtant bien dommage de se priver si vous avez une vraie sympathie pour la saga Final Fantasy. Délaissant totalement le concept du RPG, le titre combine party-game, aventure et duels de cartes pour un résultat aussi amusant qu'accrocheur, surtout si vous avez la bonne idée d'y jouer à plusieurs.

Despite our fears -- or rather, because of -- Chocobo Tales is a pleasant surprise. While its story elements are predictably clichéd and patronizing, the varied minigames and fun card battles make up for the annoying but easily ignored connective sequences. It's got some multiplayer legs as well, with multi-cart minigame play and Wi-Fi card dueling. We still refuse to engage these inconsistent fowl in activities like kart racing or dungeon crawling, but Chocobo Tales proves that they're certainly good for a few rounds of minigames and cards.

Children already love animal fables and trading cards; parents may hate this addictive little electronic combination of the two. Beyond the babytalk surface, however, Chocobo Tales fits that wonderful handheld rhythm where you can turn on your DS and play one game or ten, as the plot moves in contained, light segments in the background. Even as Chocobo Tales devours your children's attention, it successfully delivers at least 10 hours of safe and shareable gameplay for gamers of every feather.

Not all fairy tales are as light and fluffy as they may appear. In the non-Disney version of Cinderella, the evil stepsisters mutilate their own feet so they’ll fit in a glass slipper. At the end of The Little Mermaid, the mermaid dies and the prince marries another woman. Unlike these fables, Chocobo Tales is generally aimed at a young crowd, but with baffling moments that drastically overstep those bounds.

Chocobo Tales' main flaw doesn't even seem like one at first: Its parts are largely equal, which only leads to confusion. What becomes most important: building card decks, or mastering the minigames? Or, in the big picture, do you buy this game to play minigames or go on a chocobo adventure? There are simply too many things vying for your attention, and more than likely, none of them will get much of it.

Final Fantasy Fables can't quite decide what it wants to be. Is it an RPG without equipment and party members? Is it a card battle game? Is it a collection of single-player minigames? It doesn't know, and neither does the player. If ever a game exemplified the saying "jack of all trades; master of none," it's Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales.