Chocobo (Final Fantasy XIII)

A Chocobo in Final Fantasy XIII is split between two varieties; one bred in Cocoon and the other being wild Chocobos of Gran Pulse.

Cocoon
Cocoon Chocobos are a little taller than the average human, and they retain the general appearance of Chocobos found in other games in the series. In-game, buying young chocobo chicks to be kept as pets are a fad among the younger Cocoon populace, thanks to an entertainment program. One such Chocobo Chick was bought by Sazh Katzroy for his son Dajh. However, Chocobos grow to its adult size rather quickly. Families who could not afford to keep the grown Chocobos sent them to the Nautilus Park, which provided a spot for these Chocobos to live in.

Gran Pulse
The Gran Pulse variety is much larger than the Cocoon variety, with two long ear-like appendages dangling on either side of their heads. They are found in abundance in the Font of Namva area within the Archylte Steppe, however these ground are constantly invaded by a pack of Sahagins, and it is part of a Cie'th Mission to drive these Sahagins away, which when successful, allows the player to ride the Chocobo across the Steppe.

When riding across the Steppe, players have to avoid colliding with any enemies, or risk decreasing the Chocobos morale, which is represented by a feather on the Morale meter. One morale drops with every collision, but it is gradually restored over time. An exception is when the player collides with the gargantuan Oretoises, where the morale drops completely. When this happens, the chocobo drops the rider off its back.

There are certain locations in the Steppe that can only be accessed with a Chocobo. This is marked by a yellow circle on the field map. The Chocobo can leap over extraordinarily wide gaps or high cliffs which usually hides pathways to hidden ruins scattered across Gran Pulse. They are easily found in these locations as well, marked by a feather on the world map. When the player dismounts, the Chocobo usually waits for the player's return.

Music
There are two music tracks associated with the Chocobos in Final Fantasy XIII; "Chocobos of Cocoon - Chasing Dreams" and "Chocobos of Pulse".

"Chocobos of Pulse" is a jazzy and upbeat theme. It was originally titled "Pulse de Chocobo" which serves as a pun. It means "Chocobos of Pulse" but also follows the naming tradition of "Style" de Chocobo, as it is a very rhythmic version, hence the "pulse". It is played as the player mounts the chocobo across the Archylte Steppe. The song is written by Ryo Yamazaki.

"Chocobos of Cocoon - Chasing Dreams" is another upbeat theme, which includes female vocals. It is played during the sequence in Nautilus, as well as the fight sequence in Mission 14: Defender of the Flock. The song is written by Masashi Hamauzu and sung by Frances Maya.