Let’s get this out of the way: If you’re looking for the next DS RPG masterpiece, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales will certainly disappoint. Despite the franchise attached to it, it’s really a collection of stylus-based mini-games with an RPG-style overworld. Likewise, if you want WarioWare -styled breakneck insanity, you’ll also be let down. But Chocobo Tales is by no means a bad game, especially if you know what to expect. In fact, we found it to be a very pleasant surprise.

Chocobo Tales stars the titular hero, the well-loved bird of burden from Final Fantasy games past. There’s a pretty silly story going on about Chocobo needing to rescue his friends (and, of course, the world) from the clutches of an evil spirit that was sealed into a book. To do this, Chocobo must find other books and use their magic powers to alter the world around him. This is accomplished by playing a mini-game contained within each book.