Chocobo (Final Fantasy XIII)



In the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, chocobos come in two varieties: those bred on Cocoon and those that run wild on Gran Pulse. Both lots of adult chocobos are said to be accompanied by a characteristic foul smell. Chocobos start out as tiny chicks that are also sold as pets on Cocoon, but grow into large birds that can be used as steeds, especially the Gran Pulse variation. Chocobos are commonly yellow, but Final Fantasy XIII-2 introduces numerous new colorations and even a mutated version created by a paradox, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII has a pure white chocobo known as the Angel of Valhalla.

Datalog
These large, yellow birds are always crowd favorites.

Wild chocobos are almost unheard of on Cocoon, but thanks to the antics of a certain TV program's feathery main character, owning chocobo chicks has become the latest fad among children.

Although the tiny chicks are easy to handle when young, their rapid growth as they approach adulthood has forced an increasing number of families to donate their oversized avian pets to zoos and farms.

Final Fantasy XIII
''These majestic yellow birds allow you to cover greater distances than you could on foot, in only a fraction of the time. There are also locations that only chocobos can reach, indicated by swirling yellow indicators on the ground.''

To mount a chocobo, approach it and press /.

''Chocobos are courageous creatures, but even they have their limits. Come into contact with an enemy, and the chocobo will lose one unit of morale. Should the chocobo lose all of its morale, it will throw its rider and flee. Otherwise, lost morale will gradually return, so long as no more close encounters occur.''

''Chocobos also possess an uncanny knack for detecting buried treasure. When you pass near hidden treasure while riding a chocobo, an icon will appear above the bird's head. The closer you come to this treasure, the faster this icon will bounce. Once you have discerned the treasure's location, press / to dig it up.''

Final Fantasy XIII
Keeping chocobo chicks as pets has become is 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 at Euride Gorge energy plant, knowing how much his son loves chocobos. However, chocobos grow to their adult size quickly and families who cannot afford to keep the grown chocobos send them to Nautilus Park's petting zoo.

While Sazh was buying the chick however, Dajh wandered deeper into the facility and when he approached the fal'Cie Kujata, was branded a Sanctum l'Cie and taken into custody by PSICOM. The chocobo chick thus stayed with Sazh, making a nest in his hair. The chick remains as Sazh's companion during his quest to save his son Dajh that spirals into a quest of saving Cocoon when he ends up joining Lightning group. The chick cheers and encourages Sazh during his bouts of depression and pushes him to action when he hesitates.

When Sazh's journey takes him to Nautilus, he and his current traveling companion Vanille visit the petting zoo where the chocobo chick plays with others of its kind. When the party leaves for Gran Pulse Sazh's chocobo chick accompanies the others, and on Pulse they meet a new breed of chocobo, larger and stronger than the Cocoon variants. After taming them the party can ride the chocobos on the Archylte Steppe, and the chick gets angry when Sazh attempts to leave it with a flock of wild chocobos. At the end of their journey Sazh and Dajh are reunited, and the chocobo chick flies into Dajh's hair.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
The chocobo chick stays with Dajh and Sazh, but one day when Sazh was flying an airship with Dajh and the chick, they were pulled into a paradox and became time travelers. Serah Farron and Noel Kreiss start their own quest to find a way to Valhalla and during their travels run into many different types of chocobos, some of them even mutated due to the paradox effect. The most unusual of them all is Chocolina, a woman who was originally a chocobo, but who was transformed into a human by Etro due to her wish to help others.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Jagd Village in the Wildlands, is known for its chocobos and the villagers breed them and use them for hunting. Dr. Gysahl in Canopus Farms is a famous chocobo doctor with many birds under his care. Chocolina in her chick form appears alongside Sazh and Dajh. When Lightning finds out about Dajh's condition on the Wildlands, she is led by a black chocobo chick to a treasure that starts her quest in helping Sazh.

When Lightning arrives in the Wildlands she learns of the legend of a white chocobo said to herald the oncoming end of the world. A chocobo of such description has recently been spotted in the area, and Lightning finds it and saves it from a Chocobo Eater. After nursing the chocobo back to full health, she rides it to the Temple of the Goddess to discover the origin of the Great Chaos in the area. At the temple she learns from Yeul that the white chocobo is in fact Odin, her former Eidolon.

After discovering Angel of Valhalla's true identity, Canopus Farms comes under attack by a Chocobo Eater, but by the time Lightning vanquishes the beast it has already devoured the farm's chocobos.

In the Final Fantasy XIII: Reminiscence -tracer of memories- it is revealed that Chocolina went to the new world with Sazh and Dajh.

Nature
Cocoon chocobos are a little taller than the average human, and retain the general appearance of chocobos found in other games in the series with generally yellow plumage. The domesticated Cocoon variety birds are popular as pets and as petting zoo attractions.

The Gran Pulse variety is larger 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 grounds are constantly invaded by a pack of Sahagins, and it is part of a Cie'th Mission to drive the Sahagins away, which, when successful, allows the party to ride chocobos across the Steppe.

Chocobos of all varieties are said to possess a distinctive smell. The chicks can fly, but they lose the ability when they mature. Chocobos' favorite food are various greens, and even wild chocobos may let people ride them with the offerings of greens.

Only Pulsian type chocobos appear in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, but these games introduce various new colorations of chocobo. In Final Fantasy XIII-2 a mutant breed known as the rambunctious chocobo appears in certain areas that have been under the influence of the paradox. They have different plumage and demeanor with bright red feathers with dark purple tail.

Chocobo Chick


The best known chocobo from the trilogy is Sazh's chocobo chick that makes its abode in his afro. The chick is spunky with a temper of its own, who bonds deeply with its human companions, especially Sazh and his son Dajh. The chick accompanies Sazh and Dajh throughout the whole trilogy.

Chocolina


Chocolina is a chocobo transformed into a woman introduced in Final Fantasy XIII-2. She is a traveling merchant appearing across different timelines, but after the timelines converge when Nova Chrysalia comes into being in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Chocolina starts operating a bulletin board known as Canvas of Prayers where people's wishes can be read by the savior.

Angel of Valhalla


Angel of Valhalla is a legendary white chocobo said to herald the coming of the end of the world, whom the savior will ride to the Temple of the Goddess. When Lightning becomes the savior she visits the Wildlands and hears of the rumors of a white chocobo, setting out on a quest to find it and nurse it back to health.

Riding
When riding across the Steppe, players have to avoid colliding with enemies, or they risk decreasing the chocobo's morale, which is represented by a feather on the morale meter. One morale drops with every collision, but it is gradually restored. An exception is when the player collides with the gargantuan Oretoises, which depletes the morale completely. When this happens, the chocobo throws the rider off.

There are certain locations in the Archylte Steppe that can only be accessed with a chocobo. These are marked by a yellow circle on the field map. Chocobos can leap over wide gaps or high cliffs, which usually hide pathways to hidden ruins. Chocobos are easily found in these locations marked by a feather on the map. When the player dismounts, the chocobo usually waits for their return.

Each character does specific things when the chocobo is idling, and so does the chocobo on some occasions. When Lightning overlooks the horizon, the chocobo will look at every corner ahead of it. Snow will pose with his head up high. Fang sits sideways, and when stopping, she will stretch out her arms and yawn. The chocobo Vanille rides will doze off, and she will try to rouse it. Hope and Sazh will caress the chocobo and the chocobo will return the gesture.

Treasure Hunt
Occasionally, an exclamation mark pops up as the player rides a chocobo indicating a treasure is nearby. Players only need to follow the direction the chocobo is facing to find the treasure, which is easier to see if the chocobo is standing still. The twentieth treasure the player digs up is a Ribbon, which can only be obtained once. Finding the Ribbon earns the player the Gysahl Wreath achievement.

The treasures are in fixed locations in the dirt, not in the grass:
 * Treasures


 * Special Treasures

Riding
Chocobos may be ridden in various locations after completing certain events if given a Gysahl Green item, found as treasure or purchased at Chocolina's shop in various eras. The chocobo may be ridden freely until the player dismounts and some areas may be accessible only by using a chocobo. All chocobos seen in the game are Gran Pulse Chocobos, regardless of whether they are found on Gran Pulse or Cocoon. This may be an effect of the paradox, or it may be that Gran Pulse chocobos have been introduced in Cocoon.

When riding a chocobo on the Archylte Steppe, the chocobo will boot the rider if they approach the Long Gui, or any of the Fragment Quest monsters, i.e. Ochu, Immortal, or Yomi. Otherwise, enemies do not appear when riding a chocobo, and the morale gauge system of Final Fantasy XIII has been eliminated.

Like in Final Fantasy XIII where each character does specific things when the chocobo is standing still, Serah will lean back on her hands while the chocobo looks around, whereas Noel will cross his arms over his chest.

A mutant breed of Gran Pulse chocobo, known as the rambunctious chocobo, appears in certain areas that have been under the influence of the paradox for an extended period of time. They have different plumage and demeanor with red feathers with purple tail, and unlike normal chocobos, will continually eat from the player's supply of Gysahl Greens. Some rambunctious chocobos that aren't in fixed locations will actively avoid the player, and most will do so when dismounted regardless of whether or not the player has greens to feed them.

If the player runs out of Gysahl Greens, the rambunctious chocobo will boot its rider and run away. It is stated by the game that a certain Fragment Skill increases the time the player has to ride this type of chocobo before it consumes another Gysahl Green. None of the skills, however, are specifically described to have this effect, so it may be a side effect of another skill. When riding one, the normal chocobo riding theme is replaced by a heavy metal song "Crazy Chocobo".

Battle
Chocobos of various types and colors may be fought in battle as monsters and tamed as monster crystals. Their abilities may be developed via the Crystarium and they may be used in battle via the Paradigm Pack system. Different colored chocobos have different battle proficiencies.

The variations of chocobo that can be fought in random battles are black chocobo, Blue Chocobo, Chocobo (regular yellow variety), Green Chocobo, Purple Chocobo, Red Chocobo, and white chocobo. By defeating them and obtaining their crystal they can be recruited in the party's Paradigm Pack and summoned in battle or ridden in the Serendipity chocobo races.

Additionally, Golden Chocobo cannot be fought but can be obtained as a Paradigm Pack monster.

Chocobo Racing


Captured chocobos can be entered in the chocobo races at Serendipity. The player can race with chocobos they have captured from the wild and then raised. The chocobos run on a track with a choice of short or long course. The player can bet on the race's outcome, and race with their own chocobo. Chocobos have a boost gauge that slowly refills and is drained when the chocobo dashes. The chocobos' basic stats (speed and stamina) are shown before the race so the player can predict the outcome, but as in real world sports betting, chocobos with lower odds net more prize money if they happen to win.

There are five race tiers of varying difficulty and each yield different items upon succeeding, and the player must move up ranks by winning races. Secret races also exist, which can be entered after clearing specific conditions. The player can give their chocobo different skills that can be activated during race, and with the "Race Point" system a single chocobo can only enter a limited amount of races before forced to retire.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
After nursing an injured white chocobo, known as the Angel of Valhalla, back to health, the chocobo will aid Lightning in battle as a guest party member, and can be ridden on the Wildlands to reach areas Lightning can't reach on her own. If Lightning exits the Wildlands, the Angel will be left behind. If she returns to a different area of the Wildlands, the Angel will swiftly arrive there, allowing Lightning to mount him again.

In Yusnaan, Lightning can take part in the "Friends Forever" quest where she must find colored chocobo chicks scattered around the town. There are also woman dressed as chocobos around Yusnaan.

Final Fantasy XIII
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 rhythmic version, hence the "pulse". It is played as the player mounts a chocobo and rides it 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 plays 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. It is also heard in the lobby for the chocobo races in Serendipity in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
The chocobo theme is named "Groovy Chocobo" and consists of a fast, drum-orientated theme which contains one lyric: "Chocobo". There is also another theme, called "Chocobo Rodeo", which is an upbeat and pacy song, resembling Wild West music, and is played when racing chocobos in Serendipity.

A heavy metal arrangement of the chocobo's theme with Shootie HG's vocals under the name "Crazy Chocobo" plays when the party rides the rambunctious chocobos. The player may freely select these themes, as well as "Chocobos of Cocoon - Chasing Dreams" and "Chocobos of Pulse" from Final Fantasy XIII, to be the theme played when riding a chocobo by obtaining the Fragment Skill "Chocobo Music."

On the Final Fantasy XIII-2: Original Soundtrack PLUS, two chocobo themes exist. The first of the themes, called "Hopping Chocobo", is a piano version of the Chocobo Rodeo. The second track, "Crazy Chocobo_UstreamEdit," is the track "Crazy Chocobo" with a fade in and coda as well as vocal distortions throughout the song.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Three different versions of the chocobo theme will play while riding the Angel of Valhalla on the Wildlands, depending on what level of recovery he's at. "Blusey Chocobo" will play when his recovery is at level one, "Chocobo Returns" plays at recovery level two, and "Marimba de Chocobo" will play when he's fully recovered.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Pulsian chocobos appear in Final Fantasy Trading Card Game with wind-elemental cards.

Trivia

 * In Final Fantasy XIII, most menu options are grayed out while riding a chocobo. In Final Fantasy XIII-2 full access to the menu remains available while riding a chocobo and the player can even return to the Historia Crux while riding a chocobo and continue riding the chocobo upon the next return to the area. In Final Fantasy XIII, if the player uses a Cie'th Stone to travel from one part of the Archylte Steppe to another, they will be dismounted from their chocobo automatically. In Final Fantasy XIII-2, the chocobo is teleported along with the player character when using one of the Cactuar Stones on the Archylte Steppe. In Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Lightning can freely use the menu while riding a chocobo and use Teleport while riding, but when she returns to her previous spot she must mount the Angel of Valhalla again.
 * If Fang is in the party in Final Fantasy XIII when the player first approaches a chocobo, she may ask it if it wants some Gysahl Greens.
 * In Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero -Promise-, it is said chocobos have strong homing instincts and can understand human speech.
 * In Final Fantasy XIII-2 traveling over 10,000 steps on a chocobo earns the player the "Saddle Sore" achievement/trophy.
 * In Final Fantasy XIII-2 different colored chocobo and chocobo chick figurines are available as monster adornments, while in Lightning Returns, such adornments are available for Lightning.