Nearly three decades on, 'Chrono Trigger' remains a timeless masterpiece

The time-hopping adventure is the culmination of 16-bit RPG design and is a great starting point for retro gaming

We often use the word 'masterpiece' to mean a great or impressive work. But, historically, the word's meaning was slightly different. A masterpiece was a work made by a craftsman to demonstrate their skill. If it was successful, the masterpiece would be accepted by the guild – an association of craftsmen and merchants – and the creator would be acknowledged as a master of their craft.

In that older sense, Chrono Trigger is Squaresoft's masterpiece. Released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995, the game was the culmination of the company's efforts on the 16-bit console, showing their mastery of the medium and the genre. The journey of Crono, a teenager who crosses multiple timelines with an array of enthralling companions to try and stop an apocalyptic threat, remains one of the finest adventures in the video game medium nearly three decades after its release.

To truly appreciate the scope of the achievement, we should understand where it came from.

THE PEDIGREE AND THE LEGACY

Chrono Trigger brought together an absolute dream team of incredible talent.

It was the first collaboration of three massive heavyweights of the Japanese media scene – designer Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy, writer Yuji Horii, the father of the Japanese RPG and the creator of the Dragon Quest series, and character designer Akira Toriyama, whose credentials included Dragon Ball and the beloved designs for Dragon Quest.

These titans were joined by three directors who became industry stalwarts - Takashi Tokita (Final Fantasy IV, Live a Live), Akihiko Matsui (Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn), and Yoshinori Kitase (Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy X).

In hindsight, success seems inevitable, but no one understood how special their collaboration would be. After all, this collection of talent would rarely come together in the gaming industry.

So what makes Chrono Trigger so special?

SEAMLESS GAMEPLAY

Chrono Trigger has a lot in common with other RPGs of the time, like Sakaguchi's Final Fantasy and Horii's Dragon Quest series.

Players enter a vibrant world of teeming cities, dense forests, and devious dungeons where they can chat with fascinating locals, solve clever puzzles, and battle formidable foes.

But three things stand out. The first is animation. Even working in the limited palette of pixel art, Chrono Trigger is an absolutely gorgeous game, building on Toriyama's cute and characterful art. The animation brings that art to life. The many minor twitches and contortions throughout the game help make the characters and monsters feel distinct and filled with charm and personality.

The second is the seamless transition between battle and exploration. Most games at the time would shift from exploration mode to battle mode, where things are presented in different ways through a transition. But, the battles play out on the same screen as the exploration in Chrono Trigger. Enemies can be seen before they are encountered, giving players ample warning and a sense of the danger. When they attack, our player characters fend them off while still being on the same background map. This does a lot to engage the player and ground them in the particular space of the world, making it feel more lived-in and immersive.

But the most notable feature of Chrono Trigger is, of course, its time travel mechanics. After a substantial opening section, the game allows players to visit different eras of history to try and stop the world's destruction. Each period has its own storyline, allies, side quests and notable villains.

Travelling through time changes the world's landscapes, quest objectives, items, and characters. For example, a character burdened by the weight of their family history can be changed if you help out their ancestor.

The wide variety of tones, ideas, and secrets makes exploring the nooks and crannies of the world exciting and delightful. The game's pacing also keeps things brisk, so it always feels like there's something new on the next screen.

TERSE, TACTICAL BATTLES

Chrono Trigger has parties consisting of three active characters who roam the world and take part in combat. Each character comes with their own set of specialisations and unique class, such as Crono as the heavy damage-dealing Fighter. The party members also come with specific elemental affinities like fire, water, lightning, and shadow, which they can use to exploit enemy weaknesses.

As they fight, characters earn 'Tech' points, allowing them to learn and improve special techniques that give them valuable ways to take out their foes. Combining the techniques of different characters can also result in powerful Double or Triple Tech attacks and skills that can attack multiple targets. Devastating and visually astounding, these Techs encourage players to coordinate their teams and swap the party around to open up unique dialogue, techs, and reactions during exploration.

Battles are fast-paced, employing the Active Time system that allows enemies to take their turns if the player is too slow.

Certain enemies have the ability to counterattack with physical or magical powers when hit. They can also be immune to specific attacks, forcing players to find new ways to defeat them.

The systems are nuanced enough to add flavour and challenge but aren't so complex that they get in the way of the pacing or story.

AN EXCITING ADVENTURE

Despite the smooth flow of the gameplay, the most compelling part of Chrono Trigger is its story.

It begins with our silent protagonist Crono waking up to attend the Millennial Fair, which celebrates the 1000th anniversary of the foundation of the Kingdom of Guardia. At the fair, where he's expecting to see his friend Lucca's demonstration of a new teleportation device, he runs into Marle, the princess of Guardia, who has snuck out to enjoy the festivities. But, when Marle volunteers to test the teleporter, it whisks her away through a portal in time. To bring Marle back, Crono leaps into a time 400 years before his present.

The story twists and winds through different periods, each with their own separate story, but the significant arcs and critical junctures are woven into a broader epic. It allows the game to feel both purposeful and non-linear.

And, perhaps most impressive from a plot standpoint, the different threads all tie together into a cohesive and satisfying hole. Time travel can often get convoluted and wishy-washy, but Chrono Trigger manages to maintain a logical throughline as the party journeys onward to save the world.

A MEMORABLE CAST

The story is enhanced by the excellent core cast.

Drawing on the different periods, each team member has a unique design that suggests their personality and background. And Chrono Trigger isn't afraid to go for a more out-there idea either, with prominent party members including a robot, a cavewoman, and even a frog.

Crono makes for a solid lead, but the other characters steal the show.

Marle, headstrong and adventurous, pull the plot forward. Lucca, a tech genius, is inquisitive and faces problems head-on. Frog, an honourable knight who is cursed to be an amphibian, is seeking revenge for the death of his friend. Ayla, a warrior woman from 65,000,000 BC, protects her people from a race of dangerous reptiles. Robo is a curious automaton who studies human behaviour, and, finally, Magus, a powerful mage determined to save his sister and stop a looming menace.

Toriyama's designs imbue these characters with a ton of personality and humour, elevating their well-sketched arcs.

Meanwhile, the villains have interesting, sometimes intricate details, such as the complicated biology of Lavos, the main antagonist.

A SWEEPING SCORE

Chrono Trigger, has, undoubtedly, one of the greatest soundtracks in video games. Most of the tracks are by debuting composer Yasunori Mitsuda, who would go on to other classic video game scores such as Xenogears, the Xenoblade series, and Chrono Chross.

The soundtrack combines strong melodies and vivid, heavenly instrumentation that complements an already fascinating world. The battle music echoes the thrill and tension of combat.

They also elevate the mood and atmosphere of the set pieces. The Millennial Fair music has the bright liveliness of celebration, the castle theme girds you to march on, the futuristic tunes are laced with despair, the forest theme is full of mystery, and the overworld tune entertains soft harmonies hoping for better, more peaceful times.

The characters also get their own motifs, from Ayla's upbeat adventurousness, Frog's prideful lonely air, and Magus's epic battle tune. Lavos' theme sends shivers down your spine as it heralds the oncoming doom. And, of course, what more can be said about Crono's theme? It fills your entire being with assurance. It makes you feel that, even if all seems lost, there is still a glimmer of hope that you can succeed. It ends on a beautiful note suggesting the adventure is never truly over.

'CHRONO TRIGGER' IS THE GOLD STANDARD

Chrono Trigger is the literal gold standard of RPGs.

And that standard is so high that few games even get close enough to reaching it. Over the years, many other games have taken inspiration from this classic. Numerous indie games have incorporated aspects of its characters, environmental design, story and gameplay. But few have its depth and complexity.

Chrono Trigger sucks you into a magical world and takes you on an unforgettable ride.

Even while playing it, you feel a heavy sense of nostalgia. And once you finish the game, there's a bittersweet happiness. The journey is over, but it lingers in the mind.

Squaresoft made many great games. And since merging with Enix, it has become known for its hugely successful Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts series.

But its most outstanding project will always be Chrono Trigger.

It was ages ahead of its time, and now, it's truly timeless.

This article is part of Stripe, bdnews24.com's special publication focusing on culture and society from a youth perspective.