MobyGames Classic: Chrono Trigger

MobyGames.com Classic returns with the Chrono Trigger, the beloved 1995 role-playing game for the SNES that has since seen numerous re-releases on multiple platforms.

Shack Staff

December 14, 2011 4:30 PM

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Chrono Trigger is widely regarded as one of the best classic Japanese role-playing games ever made, due in no small part to its time-travelling storyline with multiple endings, memorable characters, and epic scope. Since its release on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995, the game has been ported to several other platforms, including the DS, PlayStation, and iPhone OS.

Today we add 1995's classic role-playing title Chrono Trigger to our growing list of video game classics, presented by MobyGames.com.

"Chrono Trigger masterfully uses the time traveling concept, which constantly keeps the game fresh, exciting, and fun," writes MobyGames reviewer Unicorn Lynx, who also notes that the game's story "has quite some twists up its sleeve, and a good deal of non-linearity."

The game also earns it's classic status for its ability to win over those who aren't typically enamored with the genre, as evidenced by Mattias Kreku's MobyGames review. "I usually stay away from anything resembling manga or anime in an RPG," he writes. "Because every such game I've played has been a dumbed down, linear affair with lots of badly translated, boring dialogue and a really screwed up and unintelligible story." For him, Chrono Trigger stands above the rest. "The story and game world are among the best I've ever seen and the characters are believable enough for you to start liking them," he concludes.

Yet another review on MobyGames by Little Yoda, also highlights the charm of Chrono Trigger's 16-bit art style. "As is indicated by famed Akira Toriyama's art direction," he says, "the game's overall style is humorous and cartoony and, while never taking itself too serious, leaves some room for drama."

Tell Us Your Stories! We want to hear about your experiences with Chrono Trigger. Tell us your stories. Why did you love it? What drove you crazy? Remember it fondly with us in the comments below. We'll select some of your thoughts and memories and add it to a Weekend Update to this feature.

Chrono Trigger on MobyGames.com

Chrono Trigger is a Japanese-style role-playing game in which a young man named Crono goes to the Millennial Fair, where his friend Lucca intends to demonstrate her newest scientific invention: a teleporter. Upon his arrival, Crono meets a young girl named Marle, who volunteers to be the first to test Lucca's new device. However, Marle's pendant influence the teleporter's mechanism in a mysterious way, and she is teleported four hundred years into the past. Crono and Lucca quickly recreate the time portal and follow Marle. They find out that her unexpected appearance in the past has created some confusion, and proceed to fix the error. This leads to unforeseen consequences, eventually compelling the heroes to travel to different time periods and change the history of the world.

MobyGames Classic is our chance to look back at the games that helped shape the video game industry with the help of our sister site MobyGames.com. It combines a short history lesson on the title and anecdotes from the Shacknews community.

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.