Chrono Trigger

The one, the only, the legend, Chrono Trigger. So great that it couldn't be confined to a Super NES cartridge - Chrono Trigger was also packaged as part of the Playstation game Final Fantasy Chronicles. CT was a revolutionary game, in its length, its depth, and its relatively non-linear nature. Its reputation lives on today as one of the finest productions of all time.

Many of the features Chrono Trigger first implemented are still innovative by today's standards. It was an ambitious project, and has yet to really be equalled. With its charming blend of startling features and familiar archetypes, Chrono Trigger is a game to be remembered.

Once upon a time, in the year 1000 AD, a boy named Crono went to visit the Millenial Fair. He bumped into a pretty girl named Marle, then went to watch his friend Lucca demonstrate her remarkable new invention: a teleporter. While Crono got Marle to demonstrate the device, disaster struck, and she vanished; desperate, Chrono follows her through the strange portal into which she disappeared. One thing leads to another - apparently the teleporter accidentally functions as a time machine, apparently Marle is the daughter of the King, apparently there's a great and undying evil ready to take over the planet - and Crono and his friends, as well as more he meets along the way, are off to save the world. It's a delightful story, full of twists and turns, and highly dynamic because of the time-changing concept of the game.

Chrono Trigger has you going back and forth through time to save the day over and over again. Every era of the world, from prehistoric times to a post-apocalyptic future, builds upon the same basic world map to make a wholly believable continentally-drifted overworld. Part of the greatness that is Chrono Trigger comes from taking many tried-and-true RPG elements (often refining them to set the standard for RPGs to come) and mixing in a few of its own spicy additions. CT's battle system expands upon the attack/magic/item norm with techniques (CT's magic equivalent), which have different effect methods, such as in a line or within a certain radius, and can be combined with what other party members have learned for Double or even Triple techniques. There are tons of technique combinations, enough so that it's a challenge just to witness all of them. A distinctive difference from most RPG enemy-encountering methods, like random battle initiations or running into a single enemy representing a party, is CT's system of seamlessly blending battle into the normal overhead walking view. If you get in an enemy's way, battle will start with everyone getting into combat position (including the enemy's friends which were probably hiding behind a nearby bush). An interesting facet of this method's implementation is that there are no battles in CT that are actually random; every single one is written explicitly into the game. Thus, when returning to an area, you'll know where the monsters are (unless new ones have come in since your last visit).

For their time, CT's graphics were simply amazing. They're still more than respectable today. Chrono Trigger really shows off the Super NES, giving it more graphical prowess than one might expect of it. Sound effects are fitting and perfect. The game's soundtrack is beautifully composed, with many of the tracks addictive and readily hummable.

Once through, Chrono Trigger is easily 15-20 hours of game. It doesn't skimp on replay offerings either - there are several sidequests, each with their own great rewards, be they a powerful item, a greater insight into the story, or even a party member. There are also a dozen different endings to keep you coming back for more. And if starting from scratch doesn't appeal to you, Square's got you covered: once you beat the game, the New Game + option opens up, allowing you to use character stats from your finished game to start over again from the beginning with an unstoppable superparty.

Chrono Trigger simply reeks of creativity and fun. Every era is a blast to visit, and somehow, dancing through time with the Epoch never gets old. The characters are fun, the story is intriguing, the gameplay is well-varied and enjoyable, enemies and bosses are a joy to fight. If you haven't played it yet - what are you waiting for?

Progress: Complete