Chocobo Racing

[Cocaine_Rikky]

plz need some help with this side-minigame/quest
I've reached Rank B with my chocobo but it seems impossible to win any race from this point on, the other racers are just too skilled.
Any help?
Thx in advance

[chronic_Maniac]

Its best to go manual and use most of your stanima right off the start by pressing "O". Stop before you lose it all though and recharge by holding in the R1 and R2 buttons. when you do this hold in square to run faster.

[raskerino]

Also to get better chocobos breeding helps, as does feeding them different nuts. But for racing I suggest holding the stamina regain buttons the whole time (I think L1 and R1) and mashing square to get some speed. You can also figure out at what point to start sprinting at the end to have just a tiny bit of stamina left when you finish.

Later, when you have a good chocobo you'll be bored finishing 30 seconds ahead of other racers.

[Mo-Nercy]

If you want to use the cheat of holding down all shoulder buttons to recharge your stamina, you needn't read any further because that's all you need to know to win everything.

But if you're not going to do that, you'll probably have to start breeding towards a Gold Chocobo.

[Neco Arc]

you'll probably have to start breeding towards a Gold Chocobo.

[Suikojowy]

As other people have suggested, just breed better chocobos if the R1/2 thing isn't working.

However, I noticed that the R1/2 thing never worked for me. Was the trick removed from the PAL version or something?

[KoShiatar]

Very important: did you feed your chocobo Sylkis Greens? They're very expensive, but they raise your bird's stats. The Chocobo Sage sells them (he's in the small house in the middle of Icicle Inn mountains).
However, which kind of Chocobo are you racing?
A Good or a Great chocobo do not need to be raced past Rank B to breed a blue or a green chocobo.
Blue and green can be easily be raced to rank A, and with a gold or a black one you can reach Rank S.

[Neco Arc]

Very important: did you feed your chocobo Sylkis Greens? They're very expensive, but they raise your bird's stats. The Chocobo Sage sells them (he's in the small house in the middle of Icicle Inn mountains).
However, which kind of Chocobo are you racing?
A Good or a Great chocobo do not need to be raced past Rank B to breed a blue or a green chocobo.
Blue and green can be easily be raced to rank A, and with a gold or a black one you can reach Rank S.

a wonderful chocobo can reach s class but it will always lose whenever you try to race it in that class... a blue and green can also reach s class but will most likely lose a race in s class, a black chocobo can reach s class and can possibly win a race, a gold chocobo will most likely win in s class...

[KoShiatar]

True. But you don't need to do it, really.

[Psychotic]

I recommend you always use the short course using manual and during the race, hold down the shoulder buttons for stamina regain, hammer the accelerate button (for me, I think it's X) and then hold down the O button as soon as you get into that glowing crystal tunnel thing, or if you have low stamina, as soon as you come to a wooden bridge next to a waterfall.

And as KoShiatar said, it's always best to load up on Sylkis greens.

However, I noticed that the R1/2 thing never worked for me. Was the trick removed from the PAL version or something?

Nah, it's there alright.

[Foetus In Fetu]

I noticed that the R1/2 thing never worked for me. Was the trick removed from the PAL version or something?

No, I live in a PAL region and it worked for me: I held down all four shoulder buttons. I find it overrated, though, because your stamina recharges very slowly. It does give you an edge, but it's not going to take a chocobo that would ordinarily be in C-class to S-class championship.