Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales

[Fumasu]

Picked this up yesterday, mainly thanks to the lovely boxart (matching the Japanese release again, we love you SE!). Aside from the sheer cuteness of it all (even the all-mighty Bahamut looks cuddly), the game plays rather well: from strolling over the zelda-like map, chit-chatting with the chocobo's, to the pop-up card game, it all feels very solid. I'm 3 hours in and even the mini- and micro games have yet to tire me; besides, rare cards make a great incentive.

SE shows (again) they master the DS like no other: both graphics and sound are top-notch. The first being backed by a lovely mario-paper esque art style while the second features remixes from almost every Final Fantasy related game (including, to my great suprise, Hamauzu's lovely Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon).

Still, if you're no Final Fantasy fan it probably all boils down to just another simple zelda-clone with a simple card-based battle system and simple mario-party like minigames...

[Briareos]

I just started playing this over the weekend and am enjoying the FF nostalgia created byt the score, great stuff! I Have to say though, for a game that seems to be aimed at a younger audience some of the gold requirements on the minigames are so difficult! Last night I spent an hour on the bomb wall trying to get under 16 seconds and for the life of me I couldn't do it. I only hope the rare card is worth the trouble! Don't get me started on the Job Juggler game, 40 points for gold? Crazy.

I did enjoy getting to gribs with th card battle mechanic, was losing in a match repeatedly until I spotted the enemy patterns and adjusted my deck accordingly, satisfying win

[Greg Moss]

Just finished this myself, would like to say I enjoyed every minute of it, but I can't. Some of the mini games are soooo annoying, the "music" ones with the unicorn spring to mind. Really liked the rest of it though, it feels kinda like Final Fantasy Lite, with a story thats like some of the older games, but with a Chocobo twist.

[Briareos]

I know what you mean. Are minigames the only way to get cards? I beat a few people at pop-up duels, (dueller-x, behemoth and the first boss) hoping to get new cards, but no avail. I also nearly hyper-ventilated on blow darts (much to my gf amusement!).

Also just tried the whack a mole game with the Marlboros. I thought I did amazingly but was still far from Gold, it's insane!

[Greg Moss]

There are a few (5 or so) promo cards that could be downloaded in the US, that you can get putting codes in the EU version and I think one or two of the other Chocobos gave me cards, but to see them you have to play the minigames. So yeah, most of them are from the minigames.

If you want the promo cards...

->Open Spoiler<-

Enter these on the download screen:

Omega: Right, L, Y, Right, Down, Up

Ragnarok: A, L, Left, Up, R, R

Shinryu: Down, X, R, Right, A, B

Chocobo: R, Y, Right, Down, L, A

Ultima Arma: L, Up, Right, B, A, B