Chrono Trigger

[Realm25]

I'm just about to start my very first play through of Chrono Trigger DS. I never played the original Snes version, and have no real idea of what to expect, aside from hearing that it's one of the best rpgs of all time..

What can I expect and how much does it differ from the Final Fantasy games?

[Bunny]

It is far better than the majority of Final Fantasy games.

[The Man]

It is far better than the majority of Final Fantasy games.FTFY

The main difference from Final Fantasy games other than quality (the only FF game I feel is on a par with CT is FFVI) is that you don't have random encounters - monsters either are plainly visible or hide in opportune locations, and you do battle on the same screen as you wander around on. The physical positioning of characters actually affects how much damage they do, and your characters can combine together to do double and triple techs that have far more effect than either character would be able to pull off on their own.

Other than that, enjoy the game - I wish I were playing it for the first time.

[Suikojowy]

I don't want to oversell it or anything but if you're a fan of Final Fantasy and other jrpgs expect an amazing experience and one of the greatest games you'll ever play.

[Agent Proto]

It's so much better than most games, including Final Fantasy games. The biggest difference you will see is that there are no random battles whatsoever. When you see enemies, you can either avoid them or run into them to start a battle.

[Zeromus_X]

There are a fair amount of sidequests. You can use Time Travel to travel to different parts of the world, and what you do in the past might even affect a part of the world in the future! Also this is one of the first games to have a "New Game +" feature, beating the game faster in a New Game + can give you a different ending.

[McLovin']

There's a LOT of exploration. The epitome of why world maps are awesome.

[VeloZer0]

I don't have much to add other than enjoy. IMO it is the best game on SNES, and probably in my top 3 overall.

[Clo]

Chrono Trigger is just a classic. The combo attacks, or whatever they were called, were also an interesting dimension to the battles I always really loved.

There's not too many characters, but they're all interesting, and the main character is a voiceless sort, probably a blank slate for yourself. I like all the characters though. And the NPCs are even better! Man! I love the NPCs in this game! I always wanted to know so much more about Schala.

The music is great too. Am I overselling it? Was there anything I didn't like? Hm. The character art is kind of disappointing, but who cares? I like their get-up still.

[Mo-Nercy]

The multiple endings give the game a lot of replayability. I find I only replay FFs out of a sense of nostalgia, but Chrono Trigger is genuinely fun to start all over again, even if you've just finished it moments before.

Other differences?? Crono doesn't speak. No cheesy protagonist monologues here!

[Vyk]

I feel like playing devil's advocate. I really didn't enjoy the game the way most people speak of it. So maybe you shouldn't buy into all the hype and just go into the game fresh and form your own opinion. I can imagine how it was a magical experience for some people. I've had games like that myself. Just unfortunate this one wasn't one of them. But I had expected it to be when I first played it due to everything everyone always says about it. So that was rather disappointing. Hope you enjoy it more than I did. It does do a lot of different things. How many RPGs have post apocalyptic worlds and cave women. Its an interesting story, with interesting locales and interesting characters

[Greatermaximus]

::Major spoilers that you know almost right away::

The game virtually begins with you seeing the outcome of humanity. A space creature called Lavos takes over Earth. The main flaw that I'm spoiling is that if you beat Lavos and the game, you wouldn't see Earth get taken over. This is a subject in it's self so that means you're not crossing time but dimensions.

Unless you've actually time-traveled how would you know the future? If you beat the game does that mean you'd 'forget' what you saw. Also, it's called tech not magic but it still uses MP.

Chrono Cross solves the mystery of why Chrono and friends were chosen to time-travel. Chrono Triggers plot begs for a sequel anyway. ;)

The biggest difference between Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger is the characters are dependant on each other for techs and normal support. The battle system is different. Collecting armor and items are pretty much identical imo.

[Skyblade]

::Major spoilers that you know almost right away::

The game virtually begins with you seeing the outcome of humanity. A space creature called Lavos takes over Earth. The main flaw that I'm spoiling is that if you beat Lavos and the game, you wouldn't see Earth get taken over. This is a subject in it's self so that means you're not crossing time but dimensions.

Unless you've actually time-traveled how would you know the future? If you beat the game does that mean you'd 'forget' what you saw. Also, it's called tech not magic but it still uses MP.

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff."

Changing the past changes the future. Time is not merely a straight line. You are not changing dimensions, you are reshaping a non-static timeline.

[Greatermaximus]

Now I will use the term Duex Ex Machina. I think that's the modern saying for a 'paradox'. Otherwise I'd like to meet someone real who has time traveled. I might be interested in aquiring a Delorean myself. ;)

[Levian]

How's the gaming going, Realm25? :D

[Skyblade]

Now I will use the term Duex Ex Machina. I think that's the modern saying for a 'paradox'. Otherwise I'd like to meet someone real who has time traveled. I might be interested in aquiring a Delorean myself. ;)

It's spelled Deus Ex Machina, and it has a completely different meaning. It is basically when a problem is solved by the sudden introduction of something entirely new and unprecedented. When the best way a writer can think of to solve a problem is to pull out a new super character with magical powers to save the day, with nothing previous hinting at it, that's a Deus Ex Machina moment.

[Fynn]

Now I will use the term Duex Ex Machina. I think that's the modern saying for a 'paradox'. Otherwise I'd like to meet someone real who has time traveled. I might be interested in aquiring a Delorean myself. ;)

It's spelled Deus Ex Machina, and it has a completely different meaning. It is basically when a problem is solved by the sudden introduction of something entirely new and unprecedented. When the best way a writer can think of to solve a problem is to pull out a new super character with magical powers to save the day, with nothing previous hinting at it, that's a Deus Ex Machina moment.

It's also a term used in French classical opera :)

[Mirage]

Chrono Trigger is just a classic. The combo attacks, or whatever they were called, were also an interesting dimension to the battles I always really loved.

There's not too many characters, but they're all interesting, and the main character is a voiceless sort, probably a blank slate for yourself. I like all the characters though. And the NPCs are even better! Man! I love the NPCs in this game! I always wanted to know so much more about Schala.

The music is great too. Am I overselling it? Was there anything I didn't like? Hm. The character art is kind of disappointing, but who cares? I like their get-up still.

You're more like underselling it.

[Clo]

Chrono Trigger is just a classic. The combo attacks, or whatever they were called, were also an interesting dimension to the battles I always really loved.

There's not too many characters, but they're all interesting, and the main character is a voiceless sort, probably a blank slate for yourself. I like all the characters though. And the NPCs are even better! Man! I love the NPCs in this game! I always wanted to know so much more about Schala.

The music is great too. Am I overselling it? Was there anything I didn't like? Hm. The character art is kind of disappointing, but who cares? I like their get-up still.

You're more like underselling it.

Oh. Well, in all honesty then, it's one of my favorite RPGs, I love every location, I love all the characters, I love all the villains, I love the replayability, the classic cliched begining, the dramatic ending, all the twists and the sidequests and I was angry at Chrono Cross for not being nearly as good. :colbert:

[The Man]

Chrono Cross was only bad in comparison to Chrono Trigger. In comparison to the average RPG it was probably quite a bit better. :doublecolbert:

[VeloZer0]

Chrono Cross was only bad in comparison to Chrono Trigger. In comparison to the average RPG it was probably quite a bit better. :doublecolbert:

That is exactly as I see it. I think Cross is an amazing game in it's own right, but to live up to Trigger is asking a bit much.

[Fynn]

Cross's story would be nothing if it weren't a follow-up of Chrono Trigger. I feel it expands the game's universe in an amazing way and is an incredible game overall.

[VeloZer0]

That's interesting, because I always liked to take the story of CCas something inspired by the story of CT as opposed as thinking of it as a direct sequel. They were both distinct enough from each other that thinking of each in direct continuity didn't seem to do either of them justice.

I don't know if that made any sense.

[The Man]

Yeah, it's definitely not a direct sequel in my opinion; for one thing, it doesn't directly involve any of the main characters of Trigger as playable characters. Some of what it does with the universe is pretty interesting, but on the whole I didn't feel it was quite as coherent as the original either. Although that was mainly the fault of the rushed second disc.

[Clo]

CT and CC had very different types of storytelling going on. CT told the story much more simply and coherently, and the plot itself I think was just more simple in its nature.

And Chrono Cross was a good game, though drastically different when you compare. Chrono Cross was just gorgeous to play, but didn't have the same feel.

[nik0tine]

I have never seen a game blend colorful art with music as well as CT has. This synthesis creates a completely unforgettable atmosphere. Just wait 'till you reach Enhasa.

[Slothy]

Chrono Cross was only bad in comparison to Chrono Trigger. In comparison to the average RPG it was probably quite a bit better. :doublecolbert:

I would disagree with that, but that's largely because I really, really, REALLY hated the combat in CC. I may have to go back and try playing it again someday to give it another shot, but I couldn't even bring myself to get halfway through when I last tried playing. It was easily one of my most hated RPG battle systems though, and that was back in the days when I had an easier time forgiving that stuff.

[Hot Shot]

I was blown away by CT and it is a gaming experience that I don't think I have experienced since playing it. I didn't like the DS version simply because it is on a small screen. And I couldn't get into CC because I too didn't like the battle system. But one day I will get back into it.

[The Man]

Chrono Cross was only bad in comparison to Chrono Trigger. In comparison to the average RPG it was probably quite a bit better. :doublecolbert:

I would disagree with that, but that's largely because I really, really, REALLY hated the combat in CC. I may have to go back and try playing it again someday to give it another shot, but I couldn't even bring myself to get halfway through when I last tried playing. It was easily one of my most hated RPG battle systems though, and that was back in the days when I had an easier time forgiving that stuff.

The combat definitely wasn't as good as CT's either, but let's face it, having a combat system as awesome as CT's would've been pretty much impossible. I do wish that they'd at least kept the triple techs, but then again with as many characters as CC had that probably would've been impossible without requiring at least three discs, given all the extra data that'd be required for animating them.

[VeloZer0]

I really liked the battle system in CC. Though I didn't doubt for a second that it would probably be a niche kind of thing. Lack of double and triple techs did really hurt though.

[Fynn]

I remember that I always had Glenn around with me, so I could perform X-Strike. That double tech was one of the biggest moments of awesome in the battle system :) Anyhow, however weird it was, I still liked the battle system. It added a whole new layer of strategy.

[aquatius]

I got to Twin Golem and couldn't win :(

[VeloZer0]

Just make sure you hit them with an element they blow at countering. Fire and Water work well I seem to recall. Whatever you do don't hit them with physical unless you have another element coming up right after.

[aquatius]

Yeah I probably would've continued but that was ages ago and I don't have the save game anymore. I'll probably replay it someday.

[Mirage]

You should do it like right now.

[VeloZer0]

You should do it like right now.
Beat me to it.

[Kenshin IV]

It was quite possibly the greatest game on the greatest system ever made.

[NeoCracker]

Chrono Cross was only bad in comparison to Chrono Trigger. In comparison to the average RPG it was probably quite a bit better. :doublecolbert:

I would disagree with that, but that's largely because I really, really, REALLY hated the combat in CC. I may have to go back and try playing it again someday to give it another shot, but I couldn't even bring myself to get halfway through when I last tried playing. It was easily one of my most hated RPG battle systems though, and that was back in the days when I had an easier time forgiving that stuff.

The combat definitely wasn't as good as CT's either, but let's face it, having a combat system as awesome as CT's would've been pretty much impossible. I do wish that they'd at least kept the triple techs, but then again with as many characters as CC had that probably would've been impossible without requiring at least three discs, given all the extra data that'd be required for animating them.

Which brings me to cross's biggest problem. An insanely large roster that had no reason what so ever to exist.

That out of the way, I didn't like Cross much the first time I'd played it, passing it off as a sub-par RPG. Second time I played it, and the shining glory eyes I viewed Trigger in were put away, I can say I find this an above average RPG, and a release worthy of my time and effort that did plenty more right then it did wrong.

[VeloZer0]

I always considered CC on of the 'great' RPGs. It probably helps that I didn't approach it as a direct sequel to CT, more as an inspired by sequel. Like one FF title to the next. Lots of stuff in it that reminded me of CT.


An insanely large roster that had no reason what so ever to exist.
For sure. But they play so small a role that I could just completely ignore them, so it never really bothered me.

---


I do wish that they'd at least kept the triple techs, but then again with as many characters as CC had that probably would've been impossible without requiring at least three discs, given all the extra data that'd be required for animating them.
I'd hate to be the guy who has to make them all up. When they got to a party of all reject characters we would probably get some fairly desperate ones. :lol:

[Flying Arrow]

I always considered CC on of the 'great' RPGs. It probably helps that I didn't approach it as a direct sequel to CT, more as an inspired by sequel. Like one FF title to the next. Lots of stuff in it that reminded me of CT.

I'm the same way. I actually love Chrono Cross and think its one of the most inspired games Squaresoft ever made. I also loved it for not being like Chrono Trigger. Unlike most fans, I didn't want to play Chrono Trigger again. I mean, I loved that little game and all, but people - let's move on and try something new.
It's kind of why I inexplicably enjoyed FFVIII after FFVII but then kind of resented Square a bit for doing FFIX the way they did.