Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales
| Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales | |
|---|---|
North American box art featuring the titular Chocobo (center) along with several characters including Irma (left), Shirma (right), and Croma (far right). | |
| Developer(s) | h.a.n.d. |
| Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
| Director(s) | Kouji Yamamoto |
| Producer(s) | Yuki Yokoyama |
| Artist(s) | Toshiyuki Itahana |
| Composer(s) | Yuzo Takahashi |
| Series | Chocobo series |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales is a Nintendo DS adventure game developed by h.a.n.d. and published by Square Enix. It was first launched in Japan on December 14, 2006 and was released in the North American and PAL regions in the spring of 2007. A spin-off of the Final Fantasy franchise, Chocobo Tales stars a Chocobo and features a setting with common elements and creatures from its parent series.
The player controls the eponymous character as it traverses magical tomes to defeat the main antagonist, the Darkmaster Bebuzzu. Throughout the game, the player encounters various minigames and microgames as well as participates in pop-up duels that feature card-based combat. Created exclusively for the Nintendo DS, the developers included touchscreen controls and online multiplayer options. The title's music includes arrangements of tracks from the Final Fantasy series and Chocobo subseries.
Chocobo Tales was received overall positively by critics, who appreciated the originality and light-hearted nature of the title. The pop-up book visuals and card battles were common points of praise. Criticism focused on what some reviewers felt was the unsuccessful blending of certain elements, such as excessively challenging minigames in a children's game. The development team followed Chocobo Tales with Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon on the Wii in 2007 and a Japan-only DS sequel in 2008.