Retro Review: Chrono Trigger (SNES, PS1, NDS)

Born in 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Chrono Trigger possesses all the elements of a great RPG: a tale that keeps your eyes glued to the screen, memorable characters, and simple, yet highly fun gameplay. Chrono Trigger's vast popularity justified Square Enix to include it in Final Fantasy Chronicles on the Playstation 1 in 2001, and then shrink it down to Nintendo DS size in late 2008, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest RPGs of all time.

For a game more than 15 years old, Chrono Trigger's graphics definitely won't blast your retinas away. Still, the game's visuals hold up very well despite its age. Sharp character sprites and environments are varied, vivid, and decently detailed. Coupled with the Playstation 1 version's cut scenes – also included on the DS – courtesy of Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z), Chrono Trigger may still turn a few heads, as well as open a few ears.

Composed by Yasunori Mitsuda and acclaimed Final Fantasy composer, Nobuo Uematsu, music is one of Chrono Trigger's strongest aspects. The hundreds of Youtube videos of people playing these musical scores on various instruments is testament to this. Also, as players progress through the DS version, they unlock the game’s various soundtracks to enjoy to their hearts content. The enjoyment of listening to Mitsuda and Uematsu’s work is definitely a joy to behold, which is also nicely complimented by its gameplay.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – Square Enix hasn't changed Chrono Trigger's turn-based Active-Time Battle system in any of the versions. You can choose up to three characters to make up your party at any given time, as well as switch members at save points. Each character possesses his or her own unique skills and powerful spells. Further, upon learning new abilities, they can combine them for devastating double techniques, such as Crono and Robo’s “Max Cyclone;” or earth-shattering triple techniques, such as Crono, Marle and Frog’s “Frost Arc.” The skill diversity provides incentive to keep leveling up each character to discover new combinations, while adding another layer of strategy.

When you simply want to get from Point A to Point B but don’t want to deal with the frustration of random enemy encounters, Chrono Trigger has got you covered. For the most part, foes can be seen on screen, allowing players to maneuver around unwanted confrontation. Aside from boss battles, there are a few unavoidable fights, but the combat never feels forced. Controls both in and out of combat work well, and the in-game menus, spells and items are a breeze to navigate, which is critical during tough battles. Square Enix also upgraded Chrono Trigger for the DS by allowing players to use the stylus to guide the party around the map, access menu screens and direct characters during combat on the DS’s lower screen, while the game plays out on the upper screen. This addition provides an interesting concept but it's somewhat cumbersome and will cause many players to sheathe their stylus in exchange for D-pad and button controls.

One thing Chrono Trigger newcomers will discover is that it possesses a treasure chest of replay value: completing the game unlocks “New Game +”, which allows players to start a new quest, but with their levels, equipment, items and abilities carried over from the last game. In turn, gamers can then uncover one of the game’s other 13 endings. If that’s still not enough, Square Enix also tossed in a healthy amount of in-game extras on the DS version. Everything from a theater to view cut scenes, treasure atlas, and a character art gallery are at players’ fingertips. This version also includes a Pokémon-style battle arena and two dungeons: the Lost Sanctum and the Dimensional Vortex, but these extras don't really add much to the overall experience considering Chrono Trigger's rich with content and has an engaging tale to tell.

Time travel worked in “Back to the Future”, and it also serves well as Chrono Trigger’s main backdrop. The story doesn’t follow the usual RPG formula of the main character suffering from amnesia and ends up siding with a rag-tag resistance group fighting an oppressive evil empire bent on global domination. The game’s silent protagonist, Crono, is just an ordinary boy who finds himself getting thrown into a race across time and space to save the world from an apocalyptic future. Throughout his journey, Crono meets up with many different characters, from a chivalrous , sword-wielding frog from the middle ages, to a bulky, laser blasting robot from the future. The main quest is very good but some of the characters won't get fully developed if all the sidequests aren't explored. Thankfully, there’s plenty of incentive to do so as Chrono Trigger introduces some of the most memorable characters in RPG history.

Chrono Trigger definitely withstands the test of time and lives up to its reputation. Square Enix’s classic is a textbook example of what makes an RPG great by seamlessly combining engaging gameplay, extras, timeless story and memorable characters into one package. If you love RPGs there's simply no reason to pass this jewel up.