Did you have a PocketStation? If so, what was the Chocobo game like?

[MJN SEIFER]

Because Britain sucks, I never got to have a PocketStation (but I knew about it due to Play Magazine, and the FFVIII manual) and therefore never got to play the Chocobo game. So I was wondering if anyone here had played it and could shed some light on what it was like? I know via the manual that one segment was to find Mini Mog the moogle, which I presume allows you to use the Mini Mog abbility (I gained this abbility via a cheat device, but it doesn't work as "Mini Mog is not here").

[Mercen-X]

Yeah, Japan really raped everyone on that bit. Released exclusively in Japan January 23, 1999. I honestly never wanted a PocketStation, but I would have gotten one just to get the MiniMog (compulsive collector of all things in-game... except where my skill fails me such not being able to beat Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts... if Sora was as great as everyone makes him out to be, I wouldn't need any skill to beat Sephiroth. Sora sucks.)

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I haven't ever played the PocketStation Chocobo game, but I will get around to it eventually since it is a part of the PC release of the game. I do remember being pretty excited when I first read about the PocketStation as a kid for some reason, and I was upset when it was never released here.

[Karifean]

I played the Chocobo World game on the Steam rerelease.

It was pretty monotonous.

[Shorty]

I always, always wanted one of these but never acquired one.

[Mirage]

I played chocobo world on the original PC release of the game, over 10 years ago. It's boring.

[MJN SEIFER]

Hmmm... it seems like the few people who have played it don't seem to think it was very good. What exactly is it though, is it like a platform game? An RPG? A virtual pet thing? All I know is that you can meet various characters in it...

I do remember being pretty excited when I first read about the PocketStation as a kid for some reason, and I was upset when it was never released here.

Same here. I don't know about where you read about it, but in the magazine I read it sounded really awesome the way they hyped it up; it was this device that could do "anything" and could give an extra feature to various games in someway (Crash, Ridge Racer, and Street Fighter were all supposed to have something as well), and then they suddenly turned around and said we wouldn't get one.

[Skyblade]

The way it works is that you get a map with dots scattered across it. You run from dot to dot. Each is either an item, a weapon, or a battle. Battles play out mostly automatically (though spamming alternating buttons makes you attack a little faster, IIRC). The main effect you have on combat is weapon choice. Weapons have four parameters, and the higher the number of a parameter, the better. You have to choose when to upgrade. One good parameter or four average ones?

Every so many dots you collect will eventually complete a level. A new level gets you a new set of dots to collect (maps are empty except for dots), and might get you a new cutscenes or power up the Chocobo summon back in FFVIII. You can also get cutscenes from dots on certain levels. All the cutscenes are pretty minimalistic, though, as is the game.

[MJN SEIFER]

The way it works is that you get a map with dots scattered across it. You run from dot to dot. Each is either an item, a weapon, or a battle.

Got it.

Battles play out mostly automatically (though spamming alternating buttons makes you attack a little faster, IIRC).

So kind of like Digimon then? At least like the ones that preceded the show (and Pokemon). Probably the best they could do with such a small screen? I supposed a propper FF battle could work, but it would be hard to see?

Every so many dots you collect will eventually complete a level. A new level gets you a new set of dots to collect (maps are empty except for dots), and might get you a new cutscenes or power up the Chocobo summon back in FFVIII. You can also get cutscenes from dots on certain levels. All the cutscenes are pretty minimalistic, though, as is the game.

Got it. I can see how the replay value could fade pretty quickly. Ultimately it sounds like once you've done what you need to, it's no longer neeeded.

So where the cutscenes added to FFVIII as well?

[WildRaubtier]

It has an automatic mode as well. The main advantage from it is getting items for your main game, like stat ups.

[Ayen]

I never even heard of it until this thread.

Yeah, Japan really raped everyone on that bit. Released exclusively in Japan January 23, 1999.

This is probably why.

[Parker]

I only used it in automatic mode. It gave four classes of items, A through D. D were potions and crap while A were much rarer and desirable. So you could leave it running all day in the PC version while you did other things and end up with a ton of rare items with zero effort or work. People say the junction system was broken but chocobo world took it to another level. a ton of items to mod into magic or w/e just as soon as your GFs learn the appropriate abilities.

[Skyblade]

There are a few main things you could get from the Pocketstation game. You could power up the Chocobo summon several times by completing certain levels of the game, until he could eventually cast Chocoflare, which is one of the game's few moves that break the 9999 limit.

You could get the item that lets you summon Minimog (I think it's called Friendship).

You could obtain a lot of refinement items, including items that can refine to things like Luck Junction scrolls or the scroll to learn Devour, IIRC.

You could obtain Ribbons. Yes, Ribbons are actually in this game. They're an ability that a GF can learn that takes one of the 4 passive ability slots. They make you immune to all status ailments. Just in case just using the Junction system to add a ton of status defense with Esuna and such wasn't enough.

[Baloki]

I imported one, it was pretty cool, except for the awful battery life xD

Plus the mini-mog GF!