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The Greatest Console RPG ever made

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 35 / 35
Date: May 20, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Chrono Trigger remains the greatest console RPG ever made. The version on this new CD compilation is identical in play to the original, but includes several animated cutscenes (done by Bird Studios, producers of Dragonball/DBZ and owned/operated by Akira Toriyama, who did the character designs for Chrono Trigger as well) which are themselves worth the price. (In point of fact, the price itself is interesting; the compilation of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 4 costs less than either of them did separately when first released.)

Chrono Trigger centers around the adventures of Crono (yes, that's the correct spelling), a young man whose only apparent unusual feature is skill with a sword; otherwise, he lives a rather ordinary life, getting his allowance from his mom, taking care of his pet cat, and, as the story begins, looking forward to the Millennial Fair. At the Fair, he meets with a pretty blonde girl, Marle, who wears an interesting pendant, and who as a stranger to his town asks him if he'd be nice enough to show her around a bit.

Things get strange when they visit the exhibit area of one of Crono's friends, Lucca, who's an eccentric inventor. Her invention mysteriously reacts to the presence of Marle's pendant, and Marle vanishes, leaving the glowing pendant behind. When Crono decides to follow her wherever she's gone and bring her back, he's catapulted into a time-spanning adventure which will take him from the present to 65 million years in the past, and thousands of years in the future, and eventually to confront a world-destroying monster which may, at the same time, have been responsible for the creation of Crono's own civilization. Along the way he will learn secrets of his world's history, gain new powers, and gather allies, ranging from the super-strong cavegirl Ayla to the technologically advanced machine-man Robo.

Chrono Trigger's greatest claim to fame was, and is, that it boasts many possible endings, all quite different, based on what decisions you make during the game. They're not all easily predictable, either, and at least one or two are rather creepy. It's also interesting in that, after a certain point, you no longer have to keep Crono in your party (most games have a set viewpoint character that you have to keep around). It's quite possible to finish the game with *ANY* combination of available characters.

Gameplay is, in my opinion, superior to that of any of the Final Fantasy games. For one thing, it avoids the "eternally wandering monster" phenomenon which makes overland travel in the FF series so damnably frustrating, while still allowing you to wander freely across the land and visit places, looking for clues, new things to buy, and new friends and allies. For another, the combat sequences are much more active than those of other RPGs of its same era, and include special techniques -- both for individuals AND ones combining the techniques of two or three characters at once. Once you beat the game, you have the option of using "new game+", which allows you to start with the same power, and most of the items, that you'd gained along the way the first time. This is useful for those trying to play through again, since it allows you to zip through combats which, the first time, took many minutes to complete. (it does, however, introduce a bit of cognitive dissonance, especially in the early parts of the game: "How the heck are they throwing ME in jail?! I have enough power to level this entire CASTLE by myself!")

The soundtrack of Chrono Trigger is unbelieveably good. Somehow, through the miracle of MIDI, the original game had 3 full CDs worth of music crammed on it, and the skill with which the MIDI was composed and produced made it sound, at the time, very nearly orchestral. Even today the sound isn't bad, and the re-done, fully orchestral version is amazing. Each major character has its own theme, and they're all excellent. Chrono Trigger's soundtrack still rates as one of my absolute favorites.

If you like console RPGs at all, this is one that you absolutely MUST buy, and keep enshrined somewhere. Now available as part of "Final Fantasy Chronicles", there's even more reason to own it, since it's cheaper now than it was when first released!

Simply one of the Best

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 18 / 18
Date: July 24, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Chrono Trigger, another square game, is one of the very few RPG's - if only RPG - that attempts to cover every theme possible without bungling it up. From prehistoric times to a futuristic robotic world this game has it all. Interesting characters, Time Travel, Consequences (that derive more from actual actions than the whole GOOD/BAD theme) The games storyline gets to be so complex that it takes 10 different endings for the game just to patch up any possibilities in the order of which you do things.

I think one of the reasons why this game is so great is because it really captures the epic feel. Unlike most games - this game really makes you feel you are starting out small and finishing large. You start as a boy waking up in a house (something to be mimicked a million times) with his cats meowing and a mother to answer to. By the end of the adventure you are saving not only the world, but all of time itself and there is just something to it that makes you happy about that.

The music in this game is very well done and orchestrated (especially for a SNES game). The artwork is also very well done as it was done by the same man who did DragonBallZ so you will see resemblance between the characters.

Another innovation this game brings to RPGS is the turn based battle without leaving to another screen. This was the first turn based game where you would run into an enemy and fight... but would do so on the same screen that you were running around in the first place. No fuzzy fade out to a new local where the fight takes place! I thought this was one of the best features as it made battles much more interesting and I never really felt like running away constantly nor did I feel like it was that annoyingly random run two steps and fight set-up.

Other positives were the way you characters and combinations of them allowed for different skills and strategy. Doing different skills with different characters would result in a bigger simulatnous attack involving two or three of the characters. This allowed for some thinking of who to use during the bigger boss battles. Some characters were more offensive and some were defensive and it felt as if any combination would be worthwhile.

Unique also was the idea that you confront the final boss early on in the game. Unlike most games where this battle forces you to lose major battles earlier on or the whole "Until next time" cut scene that happens when you get them down to 0 health.... if you can beat the final boss this early, you win! Doing so in the first run is fairly hard but with the new game + option (you unlock after finishing the game the first time through) you start the game all beefed up from when you beat it last (minus some items) and wa-la! That battle that you couldn't complete earlier on is now do-able. This is part of the secret to unlocking the other "What-if" endings. What if we saved the world before event B happens? before C happens? Lets find out!!

All and all this game is truly a masterpiece and a must play for anyone who wants to call themselves a RPG-gamer. I know a lot of non-RPG gamers who enjoy this game as well.

Finest RPG of the sixteen-bit era

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 17 / 18
Date: September 23, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Chrono Trigger (1995.)

INTRODUCTION:
Over the years, a single video game company has been known as the master of role playing games. That company is Squaresoft. Although best known for their classic Final Fantasy series, the game maker has gone beyond that spectrum, and made several other excellent titles. In addition to some cool non-RPG titles (mostly made before Final Fantasy's heyday), the company also made some other, lesser-known RPGs. Chrono Trigger, a collaboration of Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball fame, is among these other RPGs created by Squaresoft. Keep reading to see how the game measures up!

OVERVIEW:
Chrono Trigger was released in 1995. The game was initally released only on the Super Nintendo, but has since been reissued for the Playstation One. It is a single-player role playing game.

REVIEW:
This game gets praised a lot - and rightfully so. The Super Nintendo is probably the best overall system Nintendo ever created, so it's not surprising that many gamers' favorite games come from that console. Chrono Trigger is among those classic games from the heyday of sixteen-bit Nintendo gaming. This RPG follows the exploits of a boy named Crono, who must travel through time in order to restore peace to the world, which is being threatened by an evil tyrant and his henchmen. The graphics are good for a game of this era. The characters look particularly excellent, due in no small part to Akira Toriyama's contributions in that department. The game's combat engine is one of its most interesting features. Rather than using a standard RPG battle engine or a tactical-style one, the game uses a hybrid between the two. Although a little confusing at first, it's ultimately a pretty cool innovation. Being able to use team attacks against your foes flat-out rules! The game has plenty of plot twists and cool characters, and all kinds of other surprises and innovations, so it's gonna keep you involved all the way through if you're an RPG fan. My complaints for the game are few, and limited in nature. What little this game does wrong is ultimately remedied by everything else it does right. To be honest, an edited, toned-down translation in some places is the only major flaw, and that doesn't mess up the gameplay experience at all. As far as sixteen-bit role playing games go, it doesn't get any better than this.

EDITION NOTES:
The Super Nintendo version of this game is LONG out of print, as are all games for that system. However, a solution has arrived in the form of Final Fantasy Chronicles for the Playstation One. That package features the game along with Final Fantasy IV (Final Fantasy II for the Super Nintendo.) The reissue features lots of bonus features and cut scenes, but sadly, adds in a TON of annoying load times. For that reason I recommend the old SNES version, but you're not likely to find it for a decent price, so you might as well get the Playstation reissue.

OVERALL:
This was the finest role playing game of its era. All these years later, this little masterpiece stands the test of time. Pretty much anything with the Toriyama name means quality. The same can also be said of the Squaresoft name, and this game has both of those quality names attached, so you know you're getting a damn fine game. Get it - you won't regret it.

The greatest RPG ever made in existence

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 18
Date: July 15, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Okay, before FFC (Final Fantasy Chronicles) I played this game as the original SNES version. But I never really bought it. This is the third RPG I've ever played. (Super Mario RPG and Secret of Mana were the first two) The story was how should I say this? THE BEST RPG STORY I'VE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF PLAYING THROUGH! Okay, most of you are used to FFVII now that the playstation has come around. But before Final Fantasy VII, there was Chrono Trigger, the greatest RPG ever made to grace the gaming world today. Even its sequal Chrono Cross doesn't have as good a story. Even Lunar Silver Star Story Comeplete (which is said to have the greatest story ever!) doesn't have as good a story.

The characters are much more unique than in Final Fantasy. (They actually care for the planets future, even if it won't effect them.) Sorry to say that I'm getting tired of the Final Fantasy leaders not giving a care in the world for anything until the end of the game. From Crono to Magus, the characters shine with an Aura so powerful, they leave you even crying at times! The good news is that no character dies like in FFVII just to make you feel emotional, and there is no love story like in FFVIII to make you feel emotional.

The music is just as good (if not better) as FFVI(III in the US.) The best the SNES has ever had. Any RPGer will be delighted by this game.

The characters even have to work together in battle. With Dual Techs and Triple Techs, this is way better than Chrono Cross. When I first played this, I begged for a sequal, or at least make this another Final Fantasy Series. The game was awesome!

Any RPGer who thinks this has a bad story or plot, doesn't know the meaning of adventure and story! In fact if someone hated this story, I'd be insulted!

You go thorugh time travel, and witness the Day of Lavos. Even though that day is in 1999, and they live in 1000 AD, in 2300 they stumble upon this. Even if it doesn't effect their time, they realized that they couldn't turn thier backs on the planet.

A MUST HAVE RPG!

Chrono Trigger, Prince of all games

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: October 10, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Chrono Trigger is a game I missed out on when it was first on the SNES, but I later purchased it as part of Final Fantasy Chronicles for the Playstation, and I can say with certainty that this game is better than the best in every way. Going through the games one by one, the original final fantasy wasn't all that special, the second and third ones basically rode the same path. Chrono Trigger has more and better plot twists and turns than Final Fantasy 4, more travel than Final Fantasy 5, and better technology than Final Fantasy 6. Magus' back story is more believable even than that of Sephiroth, from Final Fantasy 7, Lavos is much scarier than any of the villains from Final Fantasy 8, and the game has more humor than Final Fantasy 9, but carries it off even better than Final Fantasy X, without annoying and unneccesary mini-games. It has about 11 endings, and they're all better than the ending from Secret of Mana, a game that Chrono Trigger beats even in regards to the fight sequences. Chrono Trigger has better music than even Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, more creative enemies than Earthbound, and more interesting characters than ANY RPG. Characters, who by the way, can do things that even the gang from Dragon Ball Z would not be able to match (like visiting the future, then going back in time and actually changing it.)
Lastly, the Legend of Zelda's Link has not been as likable a person as Chrono ever since he moved off the super nintendo and became a stiff. Before that, he was a pretty fun-loving guy. Anyways, even Zelda: a Link to the past couldn't match this game, because although Link was as likable as Chrono, the other characters of Chrono-trigger are all equally likable, especially Lucca and Magus.
So that about covers it. Those were all the best RPGs of all time, and I have gone through them, one by one, picked out the most outstanding trait of each one, and combined them against Chrono Trigger. Doesn't matter. This game still whips them all. I hope this little chart of mine has been of some help in convincing some people of just what a wonderful game this was...

WHY DO YOU NOT HAVE THIS GAME!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: December 27, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Chrono Trigger. One word: AWESOME! This has to one of the best games ever. Sure you hear everybody say its a great game but unless you've played it you just wouldn't understand.

I myself am not a huge RPG fan (and quite frankly am still not) but Chrono Trigger has something that keeps me coming back for more even after beating it several times. And believe me beating it was no easy task. It took me a good 2 or 3 months but I enjoyed every minute of it. The story line gets a 10 for its originality. I never in my life would have dreamed up such a complex and crazy yet addictive storyline. Ya gotta give props on that.

The gameplay is probably the best part of the game. I just love the battle system. Its not to hard yet still challenging enough for even the craftiest of veterans. The worlds to explore seem to be never ending. And the different branches of the story are great. Even after beating the game the first time I still had about 10 other endings I could try and accomplish.

I just can't say enough about this game. What I hope I've described to you is very little of the games appeal. Own this game, RPG fan or not, and you'll love it I promise. If not you can find me at my house at..... or my phone..... ooops can't give out that information. Oh well just guess you'll just have to trust me! HE HE

TRUE GREATNESS

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: December 30, 2001
Author: Amazon User

While it wasn't THE best SNES game ever (That one going to Final Fantasy 3) it came in a close second. The addition of group attacks (2 or 3 characters launching an attack at the same time) was my single favorite feature in this game. This feature was one of the best additions to Squaresofts RPG's but Chrono Trigger is the only game where it's really showcased. Well, besides that there's an excellent "Time Travel" aspect to the game which I absolutely adore, a GREAT storyline that you don't always need to follow (you can go off and do some things using the element of time travel). It's a lot of fun seeing how what you did in the past can affect the future. There are also several endings to the game depending on when you decide to beat the final boss (YOU CAN DECIDE!) But I recommend playing the whole way through the first time to take full advantage of the great storyline and detailed world. Although there aren't many characters you'll only need a few to create your dreamteam. This game will hook you and not let you go. A great buy for new or veteran RPG players. It's also becoming a collector's item so buy one and hold on to it. HAVE FUN!!!!!

I agree.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is already one of my favorites of all time and I only played it for the first time about two months ago. I did, however, rent it toward the end of my third grade year but when my dad and I went to buy it, they'd stopped selling most SNES games and replaced them with Playstation and N64 all over. But I downloaded this game on an Emulator and finally got to play it again as well as Final Fantasy III (VI), a game I unfortunately never got to play. But all the Final Fantasies are gonna be on the Gameboy Advance pretty soon and I expect this game to be as well, someday. Here's my review.

The graphics of this game are awesome. Even SNES games can have incredible graphics. In fact, the graphics here almost surpass many games even today. The storyline is awesome. I won't spoil it, even though some other reviewers already did. But the gameplay is the best of any RPG. Three of the Final Fantasy games should have had this style of gameplay instead of what they did have, which made them very frustrating. All the others are fine, though. I found this game somewhat easy, but I don't mean so much so that it's a breeze, but you'll still find yourself getting stuck on a couple of battles for a while, stop playing for a week, come back and and say 'ahh, I did it...'

Overall, I'd play this game over anything today. Ever since video games started looking more like movies, companies just seem to focus on making a game look great instead of having incredible storylines like the games of the SNES era almost all did. I've played Doom 3, Quake 4, Halo, and a ton of other movie games that I only enjoyed for a short amount of time before I just sort of decided to move on to something else. I've had Final Fantasy IV, VII, VIII, IX, and X for years and years and years and I play those more than anything else. Among my favorite video games ever, include The Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past, Super Mario RPG, all the Mario Bro's games, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Super Mario 64. These are all games I grew up with, and I only wish Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy III (VI) could have been a part of my life back then as well.

This is the BEST RPG EVER

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: November 16, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I first got this game in 1997 and I am fortunate enough to still have the game and I am still playing it today. I have played many games, especially RPG's including Final Fantasy VII, Secret Of Evermore, etc. and Chrono Trigger is absolutely the best RPG I have played. The music is EXCELLENT, the characters are great, and the storyline is awesome. The game starts out with you as a kid, probably in your teens, you go to the festival of time and see your friends. An accident occurs with a machine and the long story begins. You travel through time trying to get back to your home, and trying to repair the future. I love this game so much, I cannot just tell you how much I love it, you just have to try it yourself. This is the BEST RPG I have ever played, even better than Final Fantasy in my opinon (I like those games a lot too).

Timeless... Literally

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: April 13, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is the king of all RPGs, baby. It was here before FFVII, VIII, IX, or X. It came before Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. This game is AMAZING!!! As Crono, a young teen who lives in the year AD 1000, you venture with your friends across time to save the future that is meant to be. After accidentally sending Marle, your newest friend, back in time to AD 600, you and your best friend Lucca go after her. When you return, you are put on trial for treason, but after you escape, you find a new portal and go to the future, circa AD 2300, which has become a desolate wasteland thanks to a creature called Lavos. You vow to save the planet's future, even if you will never live to see it. Along the way, you team up with Robo from the future, Ayla, from 65 million BC, and Frog, from AD 600. There is also a wizard named Magus who you fight in 600, but then you meet him again in 12,000 BC and are given the option to have him join you, which I highly suggest.
This game has tons of spells, especially since you can combine turns to perform double, and even triple, spells. The side quests are great too, and you should do them all if you want to get each character's ultimate weapon.
If you've never played this game before, do yourself a favor and play it, because this is one of the greatest RPGs ever!

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