CHRONO TRIGGER: THROUGH THE ROSE-TINTED SPECS

I found the story fun, whimsical and endearing myself.

There's nothing wrong with the story, I just didn't find it very interesting. And since when is "yeah, but you can't do any better" a valid argument to dismiss someone's opinion?

So I'd say something about why Chrono Trigger is probably the best Japanese RPG ever made, but I don't think I'd be able to do it justice! So all I'll say is that if you're confused about why on earth it's so revered, give these articles a read: this, this and this.

I mean, sure, there've been plenty of great Japanese RPGs made since Chrono Trigger--the Persona games, Nocturne, Dragon Quest IX, a handful of Final Fantasy games (debatable?), Mother 3, The World Ends With You and even the flawed but amazing Nier, among others. That's not even including weird genre hybrids like Final Fantasy Tactics or Vagrant Story. Maybe you could even include a handful of RPG Maker games like The Way or Dhux's Scar, or even Xenogears if you were feeling especially charitable.

But I do think that Chrono Trigger might be the best ever expression of SNES era RPG design. There are more complicated games (Final Fantasy VI,) stranger games (Earthbound) and far more complex and morally ambivalent games (see Chrono Cross, Trigger's sequel) but I don't think any of them hold a candle to Trigger in terms of execution, or daring, or the feeling of a bunch of talented people improvising on the spot without even appearing to try too hard. It's obviously a game made by people who very deeply loved and cared about what they were doing, and who had a lot of fun doing it (except for Yasunori Mitsuda who overworked himself and almost died)

's okay if you don't like it, though. Just know that there are reasons why people adore it, whether or not it's been surpassed (I don't think it has, but everyone has different opinions, so...)

Interesting read. I agree that Chrono Trigger is a game that executed all of its elements perfectly, and is one of the best JRPGs ever made. In fact, all you'd have to do to make it a modern RPG would be to add 3D cell shaded graphics, tack on an elaborate and cantankerous new skill system, and add on multiplayer and about 10 additional hours of pointless fetch quests, (oh come on, you know it's true).

But in regards to the story being cliche...I don't see it. The story itself is pretty unique to the genre; most JRPGs involve saving the world, but how many games involve protagonists flying through time stop the end of the world by altering events in the past? The story is deep, and the characters are pretty complex. Sure, the elements are typical JRPG, and the plot and characters originate from cliches, but as we've discussed cliches aren't themselves a bad thing. Sure, it's cartoony and some things are pretty unrealistic, but the game creators were trying to be absurd and outlandish to keep the game interesting and compelling. This is the same strategy most good animes use, and it worked beautifully in Chrono Trigger because the people involved understood their craft.

...And yes, going back to what I said earlier about modern RPGs, the tastes of gamers have changed over the years. Today a solid single-player story-driven adventure like Chrono Trigger is far less desirable than a customizable, open-world online adventure, and that's just the way modern gamers roll. There's nothing wrong with that, but modern RPGs just don't appeal to me.

So, when I make my own RPGs, I hold up Chrono Trigger as a shining example of what to do right when crafting games from my generation.

Well it aged well enough back when CT was released, obviously.
Shall I point back to how most games back in the day are over-looked due to most kids these days are too up into these crappy games just because they look and sound better, and because it's like they are cool, because they are also following the trend of playing these games?

Back then, those were top notch graphics, and the music was top notch as well as the story.

For the time, it was one of the best you could get.

I'm showing my age here, because I'm all for classic games. If it were not for the classics, we'd not have much of anything now.

Most people are poisoned by the new age shit, that they either don't know of the old stuff, or disrespect it and others who play them.

I'm not saying anyone here does the above, but it's the case with most older games for the majority of the new age player-base. Even those who never played it, have ridiculed it, and yet if they only would try it, all the way through, they probably would change their mind.

Kinda the same thing with older shows, and movies, compared to the newer stuff.

Most people just refuse to try anything new (old in this case), or refuse to acknowledge it as a building block, solely on the fact that they think they've played better or seen better, or even heard better. This here blocks any messages to reach their mind, and it makes them lack enjoying a great game and a great time.


The world would be a much greater place if people were not so easily turned off on things that they don't know much about, and would make it more enjoyable if people tried things at-least once, more often.

author=Sailerius
Just because something's new doesn't mean it sucks.
Just because something's old doesn't mean it's awesome.

Just because something's new doesn't mean it's awesome.
Just because something's old doesn't mean it sucks.

Yes, I can twist your words here because it applies. Just saying.

Regardless, I don't like Chrono Trigger 'cause the story's slightly childish and stupid, like what Yellow Magic said. Before that, silly as it may be, I hate it 'cause the graphics resemble too much of Dragonball, which for some reason, I have a grudge with.

I admit, I didn't go too far into CT. But if I can find the opportunity to try again, I just might...

All this CT talk has made me pop Chrono Trigger into my DS again, even though I just played through it (twice) a year ago.

Such an awesome game...

Well if we're gonna post images:

All this talk of Chrono Trigger and Plucky teenagers saving reality, has me wanting to play an epic rpg.
Oh wait, I'm playing Skyrim.
It's new and awesome.

Hilarious article to read man, I loved the whole "WHERE'S YOUR FUCKING FRIENDSHIP NOW!?" I liked Chrono Trigger, hell, I never thought I'd be playing it again in a few more years, til' it was released on PSN, so I found myself playing it again for shits and giggles.