Chocobos are a constant presence in most Final Fantasy games, whether they are mainline titles or not, and riding one is expected in any medieval game from the franchise.
Depending solely on Clive’s sprint speed can lead to annoying and somewhat frustrating moments when traversing the game’s vast areas.
Therefore, learning how to ride a chocobo in Final Fantasy 16 will greatly enhance your overall experience, particularly when you simply want to progress to the next part of the story.
Finding the White Chocobo
You can ride chocobos in open areas outside once you have completed a side quest called “The White-Winged Wonder.”
Unfortunately, it may take some time before you gain access to this quest. You will know you’re able to do this task once you have access to the second hideaway.
This happens way after you’ve fought Benedikta or the Eikon Garuda.
You will find this quest near Martha’s Rest, given by the same merchant who had a group of Chocobos surrounding his merchandise on the road.
The quest itself is quite straightforward. Head to the location indicated on the map to the south of Martha’s Rest and deal with the enemies marked by the green icon.
Once you have completed this task, a scene will play out explaining the entire situation, and Clive and his party will gain the ability to ride chocobos in the open fields of large areas.
How to Ride a Chocobo
Assuming you have finished “The White-Winged Wonder” and are standing in an open area, hold down R3.
By holding this button, Clive will whistle, and the white chocobo will appear. Then, simply approach the bird and press the X button.
If you want the chocobo to run, hold down R2.
Chocobos can also jump and attack. If you press X while riding a chocobo, it’ll jump. If you hold the button, the large bird will flap its wings and slow its falling speed.
It doesn’t seem there’s much use to this ability if not for avoiding enemies when dropping from higher ground.
If you press square, the chocobo will leap and stop whatever is in front of it. While it doesn’t deal any noticeable damage and can’t be used for combat, this attack is still useful. It can stun small enemies for a short while.
This is more than enough for you to ignore the creature hit and run pass through it.
Most often than not, if you are riding a chocobo when a battle starts, you can just hold R2 and run away. If you don’t intend to engage against the recently found foes, having a chocobo makes it easy to avoid random combat encounters.
At this point, you can see why having a mount is such a good thing in Final Fantasy 16.
Chocobos are extremely useful for quickly completing tasks, especially fetch quests and hunts that require you to travel to distant areas on large maps.
What to Do Next
“The White-Winged Wonder” is a side quest that offers valuable rewards, including experience points, skill points, a memory for Clive’s collection, and a trusty mount that will significantly ease your journey.
Perhaps with this mount, you can engage in battles against formidable enemies more effectively, which will help you level up at a faster pace.
Additionally, it proves advantageous for traversing expansive maps, unveiling hidden items that may have eluded your grasp until now.
Upon acquiring your very own chocobo in Final Fantasy 16, you will notice that the game world feels more accessible, with distances seeming somewhat diminished.
If you have already extensively explored the surroundings and are weary from constant running, having a white bird as your companion will prove immensely beneficial.
