A Gameosaur’s childhood relived… thank you, Chrono Trigger!

I’m not going to be writing a review proper for CHRONO TRIGGER. That’s just ridiculous. If you want my personal opinion of the game, let’s put it this way: I’ve beaten over 150 RPGs and this particular game ranks within the top 5. In many ways, it is the “perfect” JRPG, and was so far ahead of its time that it almost hurts thinking about it.

Instead, I think this particular article will end up being little more than a defense of the practice of many publishers to port/remake games over, and over, and over. Companies like Square Enix are particularly guilty of this trend. But is it just about milking a title for all its worth? Isn’t it also about introducing the game to broader and/or younger markets? Considering this game was released in mid ’90s, there are plenty of gamers who had not even been born at time of release that deserve a chance to play this instant classic.

Chrono Trigger was developed by what was then coined a “dream team” — basically, a mix of key devs for two major franchises: FINAL FANTASY (Square) and DRAGON QUEST (Enix). Oh, hey, didn’t those two companies end up merging 9 years after this game was made? Yes, yes they did. But at the time of this game’s release, they had been very serious competitors, so the creation of this game in and of itself was a true miracle.

Kaaa - meee - haaa - meee - TIME TRAVEL!

From the Enix side, you had artist Akira Toriyama (alongside DQ, he also created the Dragon Ball manga/anime), as well as Yuji Horii, the DQ series creator. On the Square side, FF creator Hironobu Sakaguchi was on staff, and FF series music composer Nobuo Uematsu helped compose the soundtrack (though the lion’s share was written by Yasunori Mitsuda, a newcomer to Square’s music team who ended up making a name for himself with this game). These were the “dream team,” and other Square / S-E staffers would make a name for themselves with this title.

This dream team certainly captured my imagination for years to come. Want proof?

I played Chrono Trigger at the time of its original SNES release. I was in elementary school. Prior to that, my RPG experience was limited to other Square titles (FF series, Mana series, “FF Legend” which was really SaGa series). I was already accustomed to the ATB battle system at this point. What I wasn’t ready for was the less-than-super-deformed characters, the time travel, the (SPOILERS) death and *optional* resurrection of the protagonist, and the concept of a “planet parasite” villain (to be re-used *thoroughly* in JRPG-dom, including FFVII, FFIX, FFX, Terranigma, and many others). Those memories stuck well with me throughout the rest of my K-12 experience. And even though I didn’t pick up the FINAL FANTASY CHRONICLES package for PS1 (CT and FFIV in one box), it was easy to recall the experiences of this awesome game.

2008 came and went, and when CT was ported to DS (essentially the PlayStation version, with a couple new bonuses), I didn’t pick it up. “Let the memory live on as it was, don’t bring your tarnished adult perspective to those halcyon childhood days” I told myself. Well, that or I didn’t feel like buying it.

Last month, an anonymous benefactor gifted me CTDS, alongside some other titles on my broad Amazon Wishlist. Secretly, I knew I’d like to play it again. And play I did!

It was amazing to see exactly where my memory held true and where it faltered. For example, I knew my memory slipped in parts of the 2300 AD scenario, as I was called out on this point in a post I made earlier this year. But some things I would never forget. SPOILERS ahoy!

- I specifically remembered that little goblin thing pulling away Leene in that scene that showed the royal lineage, when Lucca explains to you that calling off the search for Leene would result in Marle’s non-existence. Very “Back to the Future,” very awesome.
- I remembered that Robo’s serial number was R66-Y (in an effort to spite Marle who complained about the “lameness” of this serial number, I used it as his name anyway). I also remembered Marle is really Nadia and Frog is really Glenn, and Magus is really Janus. What’s with all the hidden names?
- I remembered pretty much everything that happens in 12,000 BC, including those hidden bonus rooms, one of which allows you to pick up the Pink Rock for an all-female triple tech!
- Regarding the optional endgame quests, I not only remembered what they all were, but where to go for each one without talking to any NPCs. I basically ignored Gaspar and went to work. 15 years later. That’s not just me having a ridiculous memory. That’s this game leaving a powerful impression on me.
- LARA is the code to save Lucca’s mom’s legs. And it is ridiculously hard to input and you are given basically no time to do it.
- “Dream Team” ending can be accessed from the beginning of a New Game + *or* by defeating Lavos when he appears in the Ocean Palace in 12,000 BC.

Still, there were things I should’ve remembered but totally forgot:

"Not guilty!" OBJECTION! You won't get this verdict without a very good memory, or a walkthrough. (it has no bearing on the plot in the end...)

- The party believed Magus created Lavos until he explains that he did not, and then they see the Red Star in 65,000,000 BC.
- Spekkio grants you magic, and walking around that room 3 times “from the door” is a broken part of the game.
- Don’t eat the old guy’s lunch and talk to Marle before picking up her pendant @ the Millennial Fair if you want to “win” the trial. I had this trial scene perfected as a kid but missed half the cues on my first playthrough in 2010 (the only thing I got right was finding the little girl’s cat).
- Frog kinda sucks endgame. His last few skills are ridiculous and stupid compared to everyone else.

Ayla summons some Gameodactyls. I'm always here to answer the call, sweetie! *wink*

Bringing back the memories was not at all a bittersweet experience. It was a full-scale happy-happy-joy-joy party for me. And thanks to the bonus menu at the title screen which documents your “endings” progress, I went through and unlocked all 13 endings. The new ending, featuring a fight against the “Dream Devourer” (Schala + Lavos), was a poignant moment, and one I’d not seen before. It almost makes me want to play CHRONO CROSS. Almost.

In 2007, a friend of mine (technically a “student” of mine in North Carolina) was using the less-than-kosher ROM/emulation method to play CT for the first time in his life. He was clearly enjoying it and talked to me about how much he liked it. Finding the game (SNES or PSX) would’ve been a relative challenge, and the hardware was all outdated. For kids like him, and those younger than him, wasn’t the DS port an *obvious* choice?

I’m glad it happens. I’m not always glad it happens. We don’t need 6000 ports of FFI and FFII (especially not FFII, that game is terrible). But playing Chrono Trigger on my pink DS lite in the comfort of my bed was absolutely marvelous. Keep the classics alive. Don’t change ‘em too much, but feel free to make a little profit on your best work every decade or so. I have no problem with that.