Chrono Trigger (Super Nintendo) Review

One of the truly greatest RPG experiences ever created.
When Chrono Trigger first appeared on the Super Nintendo console in 1995, it quickly became regarded as one of the most unique and impressive RPG releases to hit the system. Not only was the game developed by a who's who of some of the greatest RPG designers in the industry, but the finished product showed a level of polish that few RPG fans had seen up to that point. While the game came late in the life cycle of the Super Nintendo console, it's gone on to become one of the most collectible RPGs available for the system and a game that still draws raves from role-playing game fans even still today, almost fifteen years later.

In many ways, Chrono Trigger plays out much like the 16-bit Final Fantasy releases in the way your party will travel around on a world map. While you won't encounter enemies while on the world map itself, once you enter many of the areas on the map, you'll quickly find enemies standing in your way. You'll also find that time travel plays a big role in your traveling around in Chrono Trigger as well and it's one of the many things that gives the game its unique storyline flow. But for all of the traveling you'll do throughout the game, it's the battles that make up the meat of the game and offer up quite a unique spin on the turn-based battle system used in the Final Fantasy series.
Chrono Trigger takes the ATB, or "Active-Time-Battle" system from Final Fantasy VI and improves upon it even further. Now you can perform attacks called "Techs" that are basically specialized attack moves that can dish out devastating hits upon enemies. You can also team up with a party member or two and put your tech powers together to perform "Double" and "Triple" Techs for really devastating results. These special attacks will come in very handy with some of the stronger enemies and bosses you'll face throughout the game. As with Final Fantasy VI, magic also plays a key role in Chrono Trigger, as you'll soon find out.

One of the main changes with Chrono Trigger is that you can now see your enemies before they attack; so if you want to fight you can, and if you'd rather not, you can always avoid them, unless of course they sneak up on you. But keep in mind that fighting enemies is an important part of the game, as you need to take part in order to level up your characters and earn money to buy stronger weapons and armor. The addition of techs and the ability to see your enemies really adds an entirely new level of playability to an already impressive Final Fantasy-style RPG gameplay system. Couple these new features with the ability to move back and forth through time, not to mention thirteen different endings, and you have about as much gameplay variety as can be squeezed onto one single Super Nintendo game cartridge.

Graphically, Chrono Trigger is among the best games, visually, ever made for the Super Nintendo console. Not only does the game sport some of the best looking Mode-7 effects seen on the system, it also has a level of color and detail that's just not present in any other Super Nintendo RPG. Ever single area and time period in the game has its own distinct and trademark look to it, and it really gives the game a feeling of being even bigger than it already is. Impressive details abound in every single area of the game. Even the characters themselves offer some extremely impressive animations that make them much more expressive than you'd normally see in a 16-bit title. Other than the handful of Super Nintendo games that use rendered graphics, Chrono Trigger is easily one of the best looking sprite-based titles and a good example of just how impressive the Super Nintendo system is from a graphics standpoint.
Square has always had a knack for really bringing some of the best music to their RPGs, but they've truly outdone themselves with the musical score in Chrono Trigger. The game has some of the most beautiful music you'll ever hear in a video game. From the softer ballads, to the up-tempo battle tunes, there's just so much musical intensity throughout the game. Every piece of music composed for each area has a very distinctive mood to it that always seems to fit the setting of the scene perfectly. In truth, there's not a mediocre track in the entire soundtrack and you'll soon find that the music just keeps getting better and better the further into the game you progress. It's easily one of the most amazing musical performances ever created for a video game and a fitting addition to such a well-rounded video game package.

Conclusion
There's absolutely no denying that Chrono Trigger is, and will always be, one of the most unforgettable RPG experiences ever to grace a video game console. Even the first time you play the game you'll immediately know that you're playing something special and a game you're not likely to ever forget. Not only is every area of the game top tier, but the game also brings so many new ideas to the table that give the game its unique look and feel. If you're an RPG fan, this is one title that you absolutely must own in some shape or form. It's one of the absolute pinnacles of 16-bit era gaming and a testament to how truly remarkable a system the Super Nintendo console turned out to be for RPG fans.

10/10