Now that Final Fantasy 15 is finally out, you’ll want to conquer every nook and cranny of its densely-packed world. While mastering elemancy (the art of magic and spell crafting ), obtaining all 13 Royal Arms and power-leveling will help you vastly as you progress through the game, you won’t want to neglect your chocobo pals as you journey through the vast world of Eos. Read our guide below for tips and tricks to make the most of your chocobo companions, including how to win all races, change your chocobo’s color and level up your fluffy friend.

How To Unlock Chocobos

You’re able to ride your iconic feathered pal, the chocobo, at the start of Chapter 3. Noctis receives a call from Gladio’s sister, Iris, after which Prompto begs that they visit the Chocobo Post. This sets “Friends of a Feather” as your active sidequest.

Speak to Wiz at the Chocobo Post, then speak to him again and select “A Behemoth Undertaking” from his list of hunts. You’ll be fighting the infamous Deadeye, who has made an appearance in approximately a billion Final Fantasy 15 demos, cutscenes and teaser trailers. Then return to Wiz to turn in your quest.

Your reward is some EXP and a Chocobo Whistle, but most importantly, this unlocks the Rent-a-Bird service that lets you use any of the yellow rental terminals to rent chocobos for your party. This is a very big deal, since it lets you run around much faster than you’d be doing on foot. If you can’t go on the Regalia, then go on chocobo! This also has the benefit of allowing you to adroitly avoid combat encounters, since the chocobos really know how to scamper.

How to Rent a Chocobo

Rent a chocobo by interacting with a Rent-a-Bird station and purchasing a rental ticket for any number of days. The fees are minor, so book the chocobo for as long as you like so that you can keep access to it. An icon at the top right of your screen indicates how many days you have left on your chocobo lease. Rented chocobos will return to the post when their time is up. If the time ends mid-ride, the chocobo leaves after you dismount.

As long as you’ve rented a chocobo, you can whistle for it at any time, even in combat. Open the items window with R2/RT, press D-right and select “Call Chocobo.” Your mount appears right away and you and your party can trot stylishly away.

Also, did you know Chocobos can swim?! We didn't either, until we stumbled upon this reddit thread. It won't work in rivers, but it will work in lakes!

Chocobo Leveling Rewards

The more time you spend on the move while on a chocobo, the more they level up, granting them a new ability and/or improving their attributes.

• Level 2, 2 minutes: Unlocks “Dash de Chocobo” ability (summon your chocobo to flee once per battle)

• Level 3, 6 minutes: Max stamina +10, running speed increased to 20 mph

• Level 4, 8 minutes: Unlocks “Kick de Chocobo” ability, which lets your chocobo join you in battle and kick your enemies real hard

• Level 5, 12 minutes: Max stamina +10, sprinting speed increased to 28 mph

• Level 6, 16 minutes: Unlocks “Dance de Chocobo” ability that lets you chocobo buff you

• Level 7, 20 minutes: Max stamina +10, jumping height increased to 8’8”

• Level 8, 20 minutes: Unlocks “Rush de Chocobo” ability that lets your chocobo unleash a flurry of blows

• Level 9, 24 minutes: Max stamina+10, stamina recovers twice as fast

• Level 10, 30 minutes: Unlocks “Link de Chocobo,” letting your chocobo perform Blindside-link attacks with Noctis

Chocobo Races and Controls

There are seven races total. Controls are as follows (PS4/Xbox One):

• L/L: Walk and steer

• R/R: Control camera

• Circle/B: Jump

• X/A: dismount

• Square/X: Sprint while trotting

• R2/RT: Trot

• L2/LT: Tap to slide, hold to halt

Generally, you should trot with R2/RT as much as possible and only use L when you need to turn.

Boost your speed by tapping square/X regularly, but use it carefully as this will deplete stamina.

A brief tap of L2/LT as you trot performs a forward slide. A second tap right after the chocobo jumps gives you a small bit of speed and both taps refill part of your stamina bar. The second button press gives you more stamina. You can also practice this while riding chocobos around the open world.

Here are the races:

• Against Prompto: Complete “A Behemoth Undertaking.” Short Course. Win: Rounsey Medal

• Against Gladio: Win against Prompto. Medium Course. Win; Destrier Medal

• Chocobo Hoops: Grange Gallop. Win against Gladio. Short Course. Win: Short Course Medal

• Against Ignis: Win Chobo Hoops: Grange Gallop and reach Chapter 5. Long Course. Win: Corser Medal

• Full Field: Win against Ignis. Short Course. Win: Fat Chocobo Medal

• Chocobo Hoops: Rocky Race: Win Full Field race. Long Course Win: Long Course medal.

• Against Iris: Win Chocobo Hoops; Rocky Road, and reach Chapter 6. Medium Course. Win: Jennet Medal.

Once you win all other medals you also obtain the Jockey Master Medal from the fellow at reception.

Customize Chocobo Color, Decoration and Stats

There are various leisure goods for chocobos that allow you to change the appearance of Noctis and his friends’ mounts via the Chocobo Salon by Wiz. You can also win medals to decorate your mounts or purchase Greens to feed them when you make camp at a haven, providing them with temporary stat boosts.

Color

• Chocobo Whistle: “Friends of a Feather” sidequest

• Xelphatol Apple Seeds: “Where the Wild Chocobos” Are sidequest

• Xelphatol Pear: Secret collectible from Chocobo races

• Doman Plum Pits: “Where the Wild Chocobos Are” sidequest

• Doman Pear: Secret collectible from Chocobo races

• Mamook Pear Seeds: “Where the Wild Chocobos Are” sidequest

• Mamook Pear: Secret collectible from Chocobo races

• Valfruit Seeds: “Chase That Chocobo!” Sidequest

• Val Pear: Secret collectible from Chocobo races

• O’Ghomoro Berry Seeds: Secret collectible from Chocobo races

• O’Ghomoro Pear: Secret collectible from Chocobo races

• Cieldalaes Pineapple Seeds: “Chase That Chocobo!” Sidequest

• Cieldalaes Pear: Secret collectible from Chocobo races

• Han Lemon Seeds: “Chase That Chocobo!” Sidequest

• Han Pear: Secret collectible from Chocobo races

Medals

• Replica Medal: Sidequest, Complete the A Behemoth Undertaking hunt, making it possible to ride chocobos

• Short Course Medal: Win Chocobo Hoops: Grange Gallop Chapter 5+

• Long Course Medal: Win Chocobo Hoops: Rocky Road Chapter 6+

• Rounsey Medal: Win against Prompto

• Destria Medal: Win against Gladio

• Corsa Medal: Win against Ignis

• Jennet Medal: Win the Full Field race

• Fat Chocobo Medal: Win against Iris

• Jockey Master Medal: Earn all other medals

Greens

• Gysahl Greens: default, always available

• Mimett Greens: boost chocobo stamina, 480 gil

• Curiel Greens: boost galloping speed, 480 gil (after “Bird on the Brink” sidequest)

• Reagan Greens: boost gliding ability, 780 gil

• Sylkis Greens: boost all abilities (“Savior of the Species”) 1500 gil

Chocobo Race Strategy

Versus

When you’re racing against your friends, you need to pass each checkpoint and reach the finish line.

Watch your stamina bar and initiate a sprint whenever your previous dash comes to an end. That enables you to remain at maximum speed for as long as possible. The bar only replenishes when you are not sprinting.

When the stamina bar is almost empty, perform consecutive slides by tapping L2/LT briefly (once for a slide, once more just after the chocobo jumps). This puts you at a higher speed than the basic trot and refills your gauge incrementally as well. Once it’s regenerated, go back to sprinting.

For harder races, rest at Killiam Haven nearby and feed your chocobo some greens. Leveling your buddy up by running around will improve your chocobo's attribute as well.

Make sure to keep an eye on the Mini-Map, which will let you view where your opponent is located. Pace yourself and manage your chocobo’s stamina by judging how far behind your opponent is.

Hoops

In these races, Noctis is alone, basically racing against time by passing through all checkpoint sand jumping through all circular hoops.

Whenever you grab a vegetable, Noctis gets a temporary, significant speed boost. Collect as many as possible to make it easier to reach the finish line in time. Sprint whenever you don’t have a veggie to keep your speed up.

You’ll have to jump not only through hoops, but over obstacles. Jump a few steps before each object. If you hold the jump button, you can glide for a little while, which can come in handy.

When the obstacles are more complicated, make sure the obstacle and the hoop beyond are in a straight line. Then you can focus more on timing and not worry so much about steering.

But wait, there’s more! Check out the following Final Fantasy 15 guides to make sure you don’t miss a thing:

• 'Final Fantasy 15' Review: Combat, Plot, Characters Create Something Flawed, Beautiful, Fantastic

• Justice Monsters Five Rewards List: Every Item To Snag From The Pinball Mini-Game

• Combat Guide: Tips & Tricks For Weapons, Blitz Combos, Breaks And Royal Arms To Inflict Maximum Damage In Battle

• Ascension Tree Tips: 9 Must-Have Skills To Prioritize Early On

• Max AP Guide: How To Farm AP, Grind For Best Ascension Skills And Unlock Powerful Magic Early

• Favorite Foods List: Complete Recipes, Stat Boosts & Effects For Noctis, Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto

• Magic Guide: Tips And Tricks For How To Use Elemancy And Craft Powerful Spells

• How To Summon Astrals In ‘Final Fantasy 15’: Summoning Ramuh, Titan, Leviathan, Shiva & Bahamut

• Outfits Guide: Attire Stat Bonuses And Buffs For Noctis And Allies’ Gear

• How Many Chapters Are in 'Final Fantasy 15'? Tips For Pacing Yourself

• Flying Car Guide: Here's How To Get The Regalia Type-F [VIDEO]

• How To Fish In 'Final Fantasy 15' Skill Guide: Best Locations, Equipment And Bonuses To Level Fishing Fast

• Full List Of Trophies And Achievements [NO SPOILERS]

• Wait Mode Explained: How It Works And When To Activate It

• Report Card: Finesse, Time, Offense And EXP Bonus Explained

• Royal Arms Locations: Where To Find Tombs, Legendary Weapons In Eos' Optional Dungeons

• Royal Arms Guide: Tips And Tricks To Master Combat

• EXP Guide: How To Power Level Up Fast With Lodgings, Meals And Sidequests