Chrono Trigger

"I know you may be tired of hearing this, but this is the best game ever."

-Intro-

Before I start off, I just want to say that Chrono Trigger is the most outstanding game I have ever played and is as close to perfect as you will probably ever find. It is a turn-based role-playing game that was originally released by Squaresoft for the Super Nintendo. It is considered by many to be the best SNES game ever made, and I would have to agree with them. It mixes a perfect blend of a fun battle system, an immersing story, and incredible graphics and sound to make the ultimate rpg. Chrono Trigger is to the Super Nintendo is as mustard is to everything. This game has affected me like no other game has. It has been known as Final Fantasy VI's great rival throughout the years, but I have always seen it as being slightly better than FFVI. It has a certain something that other games lack, that is hard to describe with words. Probably Nu's.

The game was released in fall of 1995 here in the US, and received quite a bit of hype before its release. Being a young lad who still had not yet discovered video games outside of Super Mario World, I was unable to appreciate its launch. One of the more interesting aspects of its development was that it consisted of the “Dream Team”, which consisted of many well-known developers (one being the creator of the Final Fantasy series). Basically Squaresoft was trying to create a “super rpg” and that's what they did. The game was an immediate success both critically and financially. The only other game on the SNES that hindered it from going straight to the top was of course, FFVI.

Well, I suppose you want me to review each category individually, eh? All right, all right, take it easy. I suppose you want me to put my pants back on too, eh? Sheesh.

-Gameplay-

Yay, gameplay. The most important part of any game of any genre. It is what separates rpgs from being games to being movies. It is what makes Chrono Trigger the blast that it is to play.

Well, to start, the battle system in this game is a traditional turn-based rpg, but hold on! Don't click out of this review just because you are not a fan of turn-based rpgs. This game stands out from normal turn-based rpgs because it does NOT have random battles (yay) and the battles are usually very quick and don't make exploring areas tedious. Chrono Trigger features an innovative combo battle system that consists of single, double, and triple techniques that your characters will learn. The characters learn their single techs by leveling up naturally, and double techs are learned when two characters know specific techs that they can combine for one powerful attack. Each character has three double techs with every other character. Most of the double and triple techs are impressive visually and are a lot of fun to use. X-Strike and Ice Sword are my personal favorites. There are also a total of 15 learnable triple techs and each character has ten of their own individual techs to use. Trust me it's pretty simple and a lot of fun.

Also the range of certain techs is also quite unusual. Some techs will hit all foes that are around the character, some will hit all in a direct line, etc. Another innovative idea by Square.

But enough about the battle system, let's get into the time travel. Yes, I think that the time traveling aspect of this game was done very well. Towards the beginning of the game you will not have control over which time period you are in but later on you can go to the time periods that you've been to later on at your own will. It's interesting to play around with certain things because your actions in the past can change the future. There are many time periods to travel to, each with its own personality and importance to the plot.

I'm going to try to be brief about the control of the game. I'm happy to say that the control in this game is excellent. I like the fact that you can walk diagonally and can dash by holding the B button. Navigating through the menus is easy like it should be. Overall, no problems.

-Story-

Ah, the second most important part of an rpg: the plot. The story in Chrono Trigger revolves around the main character Crono, a young swordsman, and his group of friends that travel through time to try and stop the world from being destroyed in the future. At first, Crono's friend Marle is sent to the Middle Ages accidentally and Crono goes as well to save her. And from there the plot expands to saving the entire world. The storyline makes the game very immersing was very well thought-out.

The playable characters in this game have a lot of variety, from a frog to a cavewoman to a robot. There is a short cast, only six required party members, but I think that this is a strong point. Being such a small cast, each characters is given much more time for development. Also, each character has their own side quest towards the end of the game that are based on developing the characters'. You also get powerful new items from these side quests. Each character also has a clearly defined back-story and distinct personalities, and just about all of them is likable. Overall, the characters are simply awesome in this game.

Another innovative feature in Chrono Trigger is the idea of having multiple endings. There are a total of 15 different endings in the game, and the one you will watch depends on when you beat the game. You have the choice to go fight the final boss rather early in the game, but it will be pretty hard if you're not on a New Game +. The New Game + is an option you will have after you have completed the game once already and starts you off at the level you beat the game with and all of your equipment. Its purpose is to allow you to see all of the endings. It's not as if just tiny differences in the endings, each ending is completely different. There is one ending that is considered the “normal” ending and will probably be the one you get the first time through. Some of the endings are pretty cool, some are pretty funny, and some seem kind of pointless. Oh well, it still added some replay value to the game.

-Music and Sound Effects-

In one word…incredible. This game has one of my favorite soundtracks of any game ever. The only SNES game that I honestly think has a better soundtrack is FFVI. Each song fits the mood perfectly well, whether it be the sad theme or the eerie theme of Zeal Palace. The music in Magus's castle also adds to the atmosphere very well. Each playable character has their own theme, and I'd say that they fit the characters very well. Crono's sounds very adventurous and uplifting, Marle's sounds like a lullaby, and Magus's sounds dark and mysterious. It also may be worth noting that this game's credits music is better than every other video game I have played. And trust me that is saying something. The battle theme is pretty good, but nothing to get that excited about. The two boss battle songs are pretty sweet though the soundtrack really shines in the character themes. All in all, this game has some amazing music that you will almost certainly not be disappointed with.

The sound effects were also (unsurprisingly) done very well. Now, it's not as if sound effects can make or break a game, but they can be an important addition to the experience. The sound effects are almost primarily in battle, and they do a good job of sounding like they should sound, whether it be a sword slash or a shot fired from Lucca's handgun. I like how Square also used the same sound for wind that they did in FFVI. Also, the loud noise that Lavos makes is pretty impressive for an SNES game. So, coupled with the incredible music and impressive sound effects, this game makes is definitely an audial treat.

-Graphics-

The graphics in this game are top notch for a SNES game. I can only think of a couple games on the system that look better than Chrono Trigger. It truly pushes the power of the Super Nintendo to its limits. The game features some very detailed character sprites and very detailed backgrounds. My favorite area being Denadoro Mountains, and you will see why when you get there. I also like the fact that they made each time period's world map have its own distinct look and feel. Some of the bosses are very impressive visually, most notably Giga Gaia and the forms of the final boss. Also, the enemy designs are pretty creative (see “Nu”).

The animation of the characters is also impressive. Each character has a different animation for their battle pose and while they run (for example, Frog hops as he runs). I know it isn't a big deal, but hey it's the little things that count. Also, some of the techs during battle are also very impressive visually, especially some of the triple techs.

-Challenge, Length, and Replay-

Well, I'm going to be honest here and admit that Chrono Trigger is not that challenging of a game. Yet it still has enough challenge to give you a satisfying feeling after you have beaten certain bosses. If all you care about is challenge in an rpg, then this game is not for you. There are some tough bosses, however, and some of the late-game enemies are pretty tough. Overall, I'd say that this game is sort of easy, but not TOO easy. In my opinion, it is definitely an acceptable challenge level. However, not everyone will agree with me and some people feel that this Chrono Trigger's biggest flaw. To each their own, I suppose.

The game takes about 20-25 hours on a first play-through, all sidequests included. Now, this may seem pretty short by today's standards, but it was in fact average length for a SNES rpg. Therefore I do not consider it to be a major flaw. Again, however, some people disagree with me and think this is another one of Chrono Trigger's flaws. Well, if they would compare it to other rpgs of its time they would see that it is average length. And it is my opinion that it is a satisfying length. I'd take quality over quantity any day.

The replay value for this game is actually quite high because of the 15 different endings you can obtain. It also helps that you can use your different characters in other playthroughs which opens up a huge amount of possibilities, tech-wise.

-Summary-

Gameplay – 10/10.. perfect
Story – 10/10… perfect
Music/Sound – 10/10… perfect
Graphics – 10/10… perfect
Overall – 10/10... perfect

-Final Words-

So, in essence, this is what you get when you mix an addictive battle system with an absorbing storyline and amazing audial and visual experience. A game that is in my opinion flawless (as you can see from the summary). If you are a fan of rpgs, then there is no reason that you should not play this game. If you are a fan of video games, then there is no reason that you should not play this game. Yes, I can recommend this game even to people to typically ignore rpgs. This game may be tough (impossible) to find in stores these days, so you're best bet is to shell out $30 on-line for the cart. Whatever you do, do not get the PSX version for there are hideous load times.

And for those that believe that nostalgia is the reason that many consider this to be the best game ever, I am living proof that this is false. In fact, I've only been playing this game for a little over a year. The first time I popped this game into my SNES I was had the best video game experience I would ever have. It may not be the game that got me into rpgs, but it was certainly the best one and the game that made rpgs my favorite genre. And thus, in my opinion, is the greatest game ever made.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/08/07