Everything else is minor
The Gold Saucer is finally a part of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, and it’s glorious. That classic music returns, as do the iconic Triple Triad and Chocobo Racing activities. It’s amazing how much content Square Enix has added to its newest MMO over time, more than justifying the subscription fee. It is living proof that not every MMO has to go free-to-play.
I had a chance to take the Saucer for a spin this week, and was pretty happy with what I found. So long as you buy into the two big draws, you will be too.
Getting to the Saucer is fairly easy, as it’s just a stone’s throw from Uldah’s airship landing. Once you’re there, you can attune to the crystal and teleport back anytime you want — a perfect recipe for disaster when it comes to gambling.
Littered about the Saucer are tiny minigames that are basically quick-time events, as well as a crane game and a few multiplayer activities. Keep in mind that if you went back every day and did everything but Triple Triad or racing, it would take you roughly 30 minutes to roam around, grab your daily lottery ticket, and finish a decent round of minigames. But if you’re sold on the big two, they’ll keep you busy for weeks on end.
Triple Triad, as expected, is amazing. Not only can you challenge NPCs to your heart’s desire, but you can also challenge other players that “flag” themselves for PVP so to speak. There are also different rulesets that can be used to mix things up for veterans, and plenty of cards to collect. It’s just as glorious as you remember, and I’m glad it’s back.
Chocobo Racing is also fairly deep. There’s a handful of courses to choose from, and you can name your bird from a pre-selected list of roughly 200 terms. You’ll have partial control while racing, with the power to move left or right, boost (while watching your stamina of course), jump, or use Mario Kart-like powerups at your leisure as you pick them up on the track.
To get into a race you’ll “queue” just like a dungeon or a PVP match, and compete against other real players, which makes every race that much more fun. I have a legitimate desire to raise up in the ranks, train my Chocobo right, and become the ultimate jockey. I didn’t think the activity would be this deep right from the get-go, but I was wrong.
Take a look at the video above to get a full look at the Gold Saucer, as well as a quick Triple Triad match and a full race. I still need to work on my deck, as I’m using the basic tutorial cards above, but I’ll get there. I’m full-on addicted again. Square Enix has the perfect opportunity to continue to build on this foundation as the game evolves, and I hope it does so.
