30 years after its initial release, I finally understand why the RPG Chrono Trigger should have been the best Final Fantasy game, even if it’s not part of the legendary JRPG series by Square Enix. Developed and published by Square, the same company behind Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger was a side project that took inspiration from several popular JRPGs, including Final Fantasy itself and Dragon Quest. The project was led by Square’s “dream team,” which includes Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii, Dragon Ball author Akira Toriyama, and Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi.
Now, after years of postponing my interaction with it and pushing it down my backlog list, I finally took it upon myself to experience the story of Crono and his allies as they travel through time to save the world from impending doom. The game follows the character as he gets pulled into a narrative that is spread across various ages, and with the help of friends from these different periods, Crono must defeat an ancient menace. There are multiple endings to Chrono Trigger, including a secret one and another that is granted should he fail to save the world.
Chrono Trigger Is Still Considered One Of The Best JRPGs Of All Time
The Game Has A High Metascore
Even though it’s been 30 years since its release, Chrono Trigger is still highly regarded as one of the best JRPGs of all time, regardless if it’s compared to classic titles or modern games in the genre. The game is applauded for its compelling story arc, its unforgettable characters, unique design, crisp gameplay mechanics, and much more. The most important fact about it is that not only was the game outstanding upon its release, but it aged marvelously and is still, to this day, a complete and well-polished game that has everything a JRPG fan would ever wish for.
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According to Metacritic, Chrono Trigger is one of the best JRPGs of all time with a 92 Metascore, standing close to titles like Final Fantasy 9, Persona 5 Royale, and even Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Even though I believe the game does deserve a higher Metascore, that high score does reflect its quality, but it’s hard to measure just how much it has, ironically, withstood the test of time. I have no regrets about taking so long to play it, especially because it gave me enough time to play through several other important JRPGs and create a base for comparison.
Chrono Trigger Surpasses Every Final Fantasy Game
The Game Is Straightforward & Its Characters Are Unforgettable
Although the game is not one of the many Final Fantasy games, technically speaking, Chrono Trigger is seen as a title that’s adjacent to the franchise. The game was, after all, partially conceived by Sakaguchi, the father of the FF series, who worked as the designer for the title. In addition to that, the game borrows several elements from its sister franchise, including the ATB (Active Time Battle) system that was first introduced in Final Fantasy 4. For reference, ATB is the system that enables characters to take turns based on a meter that fills up according to their speed.
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Amidst so many similarities, I consider Chrono Trigger to be the best Final Fantasy game that was never a true part of the franchise. To me, the game is everything I hope to see from an entry in the series, but better. There are a lot of things about Chrono Trigger that contribute to this perception. One of the main elements, something that was particularly criticized at its launch, is its scope. Compared to other JRPGs of the time, Chrono Trigger is a lot smaller and more straightforward.
At the time, Edge Magazine cited the game to be “more lightweight” than Final Fantasy as a negative point.
I see this as something positive because one of the main issues with a lot of games in the genre is that they are overly long, often to the point that there are some filler arcs to extend their duration. According to HowLongToBeat, Chrono Trigger has an estimated playtime of 26 hours and 30 minutes when running the main story and some extra content. In comparison, Final Fantasy 6 (which was released a year earlier, in 1994) has an average playtime of 40 hours and 30 minutes when completing the campaign with side content, as seen on HowLongToBeat.
Chrono Trigger doesn’t beat around the bush, and takes players straight into the story it’s telling, even if players can step away and complete the side quests. Even so, it never really felt tedious, as most aspects of this side content connect to the larger story arc. One of the things that may also contribute to this is that you don’t have to grind your characters, something in Final Fantasy games that often extends their playtimes in dull ways.
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Another great aspect about the game is its combat system, which I consider a lot better than most classic Final Fantasy games, such as FF6 itself. The possibility of triggering combos with the different characters you have in your party is outstanding and one of the best parts of getting into fights. However, the best part about Chrono Trigger is its ensemble of characters. While it is unfortunately too common for me to dislike or pay no mind to some secondary characters in Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger has me hooked on all its characters.
In Final Fantasy 6, for instance, I don’t really have a connection to Shadow. This is somewhat true for several other games in the franchise. Meanwhile, I’m particularly fond of the entire cast of characters in Chrono Trigger, from the ever-silent Crono down to the anti-hero Magus. Even if I don’t particularly care about a character’s gameplay kit as much as I do about the others, like Lucca, I still love them and how deep their story arcs are. The only understandable downside to this is having a 3-member party limitation, which means I miss out on several interactions.
Chrono Trigger’s Development “Dream Team” Truly Paid Off
The Game Draws Inspiration From Everywhere To Craft Something Unique
The idea of the “dream team” behind Chrono Trigger really paid off. The game shows just how good its references and development members are. The ATB system from Final Fantasy, for example, with the story from Dragon Quest’s Yuji Horii, and artwork from Akira Toriyama makes it an unforgettable experience altogether. Being able to play the PlayStation version of the game on PC (via Steam), which includes the anime cutscenes by Toriyama and Toei Animation, also gives it a unique flair that is unprecedented. I had chills every time a cutscene came in.
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Surely, Chrono Trigger isn’t part of the Final Fantasy franchise, but its connections are undeniable, and, moreover, it’s the ideal example of what a perfect Final Fantasy game should be like. It took me a while to get started with Chrono Trigger, but now, having played it and being able to compare it to other magnificent JRPGs, I finally get.
Source: Metacritic, Edge Magazine, HowLongToBeat (1, 2)
Chrono Trigger
- Released
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March 11, 1995
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Developer(s)
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Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
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Square Enix
- Engine
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Cocos Creator Engine
- Multiplayer
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Local Co-Op
