FF7 Rebirth Chocobo Races: Best bird and equipment

Upon returning to the Gold Saucer from Nibelheim in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, you’ll find that the Chocobo Races are open for business, and it’s up to Cloud to jockey a Chocobo to victory.

You can choose any of the Chocobos that you’ve unlocked in the various regions, and equip them with the gear you’ve collected over the course of the game. This means there are a lot of options — in this guide, we’re breaking down the most important choices, and giving you the necessary tips you need to accelerate ahead of the competition and come first in every Chocobo Race.

Just read through our tips below for the best Chocobo and equipment to use in FF7 Rebirth’s Chocobo Racing minigame.

Best Chocobo for Chocobo Racing – FF7 Rebirth

We won every Chocobo Race – with zero losses – while riding aboard Piko, the very first Chocobo you ride in the Grasslands (and the one you’ll meet yet again in FF7 Revelation). Piko’s special ability is Speed Burst, which is a speed increase. It’s simple, yes, but you want to stay ahead, not compete with the pack. There’s no need for buffs that help you fend off enemy racers if you’re too far ahead for them to hurt you. The Speed Burst will keep you solidly in the lead, even if you fumble a few drifts.

Best gear for Chocobo Racing – FF7 Rebirth

This is our recommendation for Chocobo Racing gear:

• Shinra Avian Helmet – High Speed
• Hyperion’s Armor – Final Push
• Mystical Anklets – Sprinter

These gear parts all focus on speed so you can stay ahead of the competition. Hyperion’s Armor, which offers the Final Push ability, which increases speed in the final lap, could be swapped out for the Gi Cloak (which has the Damage Control ability to keep your speed up when damaged) if you find yourself in the middle of the pack in the tougher races.

How to win Chocobo Races – FF7 Rebirth

First, a balloon breakdown:

• Blue balloons increase overall speed slightly, to a maximum of 10.
• Yellow balloons give you a Dash; you can hold two at a time.
• Red balloons increase your Special Ability meter.

You should aim to grab red balloons primarily so you can speed ahead of foes, but grabbing blue and yellow balloons is a good idea too. Just keep in mind you don’t need to keep grabbing blue balloons after the tenth.

Now you just need to find the best line in each course and master that drift, as you’ll get a boost after drifting around corners. It has a bit of start-up time, so you might need to get used to pressing the drift button earlier than you might expect to. Once you master that, you’ll be able to win every Chocobo Race in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Golden Saucer.