30 Years Later, The Greatest Fantasy RPG of All Time Is 100% Untouchable

by

Released in 1995 for the SNES in Japan and North America, Chrono Trigger quickly became popular, selling over 5 million copies worldwide. What makes it special is that, unlike many retro games, it still feels impactful and enjoyable today.

Even after all these years, Chrono Trigger remains a masterpiece and is widely considered one of the best fantasy role-playing games ever made. It’s a true classic, and it’s difficult to envision another game surpassing it.

Chrono Trigger Is Still the Best Game of the ’90s

A big part of what makes Chrono Trigger so beloved is the incredible team that created it. Known as the “Dream Team,” this group brought together some of the biggest names in gaming, including Hironobu Sakaguchi (creator of Final Fantasy), Yuji Horii (creator of Dragon Quest), Akira Toriyama (author and artist of Dragon Ball), and Nobuo Uematsu (composer for Final Fantasy). They all collaborated to make a truly exceptional game.

The celebrated team behind some of the most iconic RPGs decided to create a game that would stand the test of time. Freed from the constraints and expectations of established franchises like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, they were able to build something truly original and enduringly popular.

Okay, so even though Chrono Trigger came out on the Super Nintendo – which wasn’t super powerful, let’s be real – it still blew me away. The character sprites look amazing, honestly, even compared to some newer games. And the sheer scale of the game, plus the music? Seriously impressive when you think about the limitations the developers were facing back then. It really holds up.

Chrono Trigger Raised the Bar for RPGs

Chrono Trigger follows Crono, a young hero who meets a princess at a festival. They accidentally travel back in time to an era of conflict between humans and monsters. What starts as a cheerful adventure quickly becomes serious when they jump to the future and discover a world on the brink of ruin.

The world’s destruction was actually caused by Lavos, a creature from outer space that had been secretly living beneath the planet for ages. Crono and his friends discover they can use their ability to travel through time to defeat Lavos and protect the future. This begins a journey where they must team up with people from different eras and uncover the truth about this alien threat.

Like many Final Fantasy games, Chrono Trigger features battles where you take turns fighting, but with a unique twist. Enemies appear on the game’s map all the time, letting you choose whether or not to fight them – so you can skip annoying random battles! During combat, characters use special abilities called “Techs,” and you can combine these with your allies’ Techs for even stronger attacks – sometimes even combining three at once!

Depending on which characters are in your group, you can add special effects to Crono’s sword. For example, a character with fire magic could coat the sword in flames, or a healer could imbue it with healing power that benefits the whole team. This ‘Tech’ system makes choosing your party members a key part of the game, and it ensures each time you play feels unique.

Because Chrono Trigger features time travel, the game lets you explore various historical eras, each with its own detailed story and optional missions. Plus, there are many different endings to unlock, depending on when you travel to the future and defeat Lavos.

Even today, Chrono Trigger is remarkably expansive and impressive. Its charming characters are truly memorable, and that’s why fans still hope for a remastered or remade version. Many players are constantly searching for similar games, but nothing quite compares to it.

Square Enix has been hesitant to remake Chrono Trigger, which is odd considering how often they revisit Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy with new releases. Maybe they’re worried about tarnishing the reputation of Chrono Trigger – some classic games are best remembered as gems from their original time.

Read More

2026-02-11 01:42