A true classic...
Chrono Trigger, as almost every conscious person in the world is aware, was released in the golden age of 16 bits, namely for the Super Nintendo. It stood at a time where RPG’s were beginning to find a niche in the gaming public of the United States, and was helped along greatly by it’s engrossing story, memorable set of characters, pick up and play gameplay, stunning presentation and overall spirit of fun and true heart. Forget the bells and whistles of modern graphics and other mainly superficial things, if you have not played Chrono Trigger yet, get it now!
To briefly describe the story that awaits you when you play, you are charged with assuming the role of the game’s main protagonist, Chrono. Chrono is a typical boy growing up in the kingdom of Guardia in the year 1000 and the day that the game starts is the day of the millennia celebration in town at Leene Square. After bumping into several characters from the present, namely a technical wizard named Lucca and a tomboy named Marle, a mishap sends the trio hurtling through time. While your first foray back in time leads you to the Kingdom of Guardia in the year 600, events in this and other time periods leads you on the ultimate quest to save the planet from a seemingly unavoidable future. All of the time periods, all of the encounters and all of the characters you pick up along the way add a personal sensibility and grace to the adventure, making this one of the most memorable gaming experiences that anyone can ever hope to experience.
From a technical standpoint, the game is a beauty to look at and to play. While by today’s standards the game looks dated and may only feature 8 bit sound, but in 1995, it was the technical blockbuster of the year. Looking back, while it may not even be able to hold a light to the next generation and even games from a few years back, its technical marvels from an objective perspective are amazing even to this day. The character sprites are rendered perfectly, the environments are completely believable and the sound and the music blend into a soundtrack that spans the whole game, making it a truly cinematic experience the whole way through. The music, by the way, is some of the best you will ever hear in a video game. Forget licensed music and the “creative” tracks of today’s games, this 8 bit masterpiece practically established music in video games altogether. This along with Nobuo Uematsu’s work on Final Fantasy stands as a testament to the sheer power of game music to the present day.
The game, as I have repeated multiple times for the sheer power of complete redundancy, is flawless. Once again viewed from an objective standpoint dating back to 1995, the combat system and all of the gameplay is exciting and can be incredibly challenging as well. A word of advice, save those ethers and level up before the Ocean Palace in the Dark Ages or you’re finished. Any fan will agree with me there.
Tom Hall, the creative genius spawned from the early days of id software and one of the most renowned game creators of all time listed Chrono Trigger as his all time favorite game. If that’s not reason enough to go out and find a Super Nintendo and Chrono Trigger cartridge or pick up Final Fantasy Chronicles for Playstation, then I’m done wasting my time typing this review. In short I urge you to get your hands on a copy of Chrono Trigger ASAP; you’ll be guaranteed to have the time of your life.