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Chrono Trigger: An Amazing RPG with One Semi-Major Problem (SPOILERS)

Wait until you play chrono cross. It's even better.

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My man!
 

Davey Cakes

Member
I didn't treat any of the side quests as "optional" when I first beat the game. And I'm kind of glad I didn't. They all added a lot to the story and characters.

That said, one of the cool things about CT is its multiple endings. I didn't actually pursue all the endings until I played the DS version but I at least got the Black Omen ending on SNES. It was tough but fulfilling.

The DS additional content makes a perfect game imperfect, and that's its greatest crime. Chrono Trigger is one of the least bloated JRPGs ever and Square decided to throw a bunch of extra stuff in there in order to justify the $40 DS port.

Also, I can't imagine killing Magus. He, Frog, and Crono make for a badass team up against Lavos.
 
For what it's worth, the Black Omen is a requirement for New Game + on the original SNES version. Since there was no saving after the end of the game like in the ports that came after it, the game activated it by checking if you activated the flag that changed the chapter title from The Fated Hour to The Final Battle and that was accomplished only by clearing The Black Omen. So you didn't get bad info or anything.

Though the idea that you don't need to clear it for New Game + in the SNES version is a very common misconception, to the point where 8 years ago I actually ended up creating a video demonstrating that fact to people who couldn't believe it lol

Unfortunately I uploaded it to Viddler since it ended up being too long for youtube at the time, so... yeah that doesn't exist anymore. The topic is still archived though! The fact that the video shut everyone up should hopefully be enough proof... lords knows I'm not going through that trouble again.
 

Samemind

Member
I'm going to get Chrono Cross as soon I beat Chrono Trigger again and explore all the different endings. I'm always curious about sequels that are underrated.

I'm hoping I don't face a similar problem I had with CT.
I hope you don't mean missing a chance to recruit a party member, because I've got bad news for you!

Just kidding, you should really play CC.
 
I didn't treat any of the side quests as "optional" when I first beat the game. And I'm kind of glad I didn't. They all added a lot to the story and characters.

Ironically when the development team were working on the game, they were about to wrap it up before these side-quests were even conceived. Then Sakaguchi took a look and was like wtf guys that's not enough, you need to put some more content in that b****!

http://shmuplations.com/chronotrigger/

Kitase: I hadn’t thought about it that deeply, but Sakaguchi insisted that we should focus on building these characters consistently and thoroughly. It left a big impression on me. Even at the very end, just before the final deadline, Sakaguchi was saying we should add extra scenes to flesh out the characters. Tokita did Marle’s scenes, and I did Lucca’s.

Sakaguchi: Those turned out really well too. Since they were made at the very end, everyone was settled in and acclimated to the development by that point, and knew what they should be doing and how to do it. Those episodes came out in one burst of energy. That last bit of seasoning is very important for a game. When people are under pressure, their best comes out, and that’s how interesting games can be made. Players may think, “oh, they must have had the story all planned out from the beginning.” But that isn’t always the case!
 
Which is the definitive version of the game? Is it the DS version because of the added content?

SNES version has the better intro sequence (it was outright removed in the other versions) and the better translation (DS version was retranslated by someone who didn't even know shit about the original).
 

L Thammy

Member
Chrono Trigger would be a better game if a first time player could just go into the right teleporter and beat Lavos right away.
 

Tunahead

Member
Actually the only thing wrong with Chrono Trigger is when you go to the End of Time and the game says you're only allowed to have three members in a party because that's how many people fit through a time hole all at the same time.

How does that make any sense? Why can't three people go through first, and then like 20 minutes later, another three people? And what about time periods with multiple time holes? Couldn't you just agree to enter the time period through both holes and meet up somewhere, and try not to think about how gross that sounds? And why doesn't anybody bring up the theological implications of Robo counting towards the three people limit, even briefly? And why does a three party member system need a plot explanation, especially a dumb one? If you were playing Mario and the game suddenly went "MARIO FACT: Mario can jump so high because he has abnormal physique, and hollow bones, like a bird. NEVER QUESTION MARIO", would that improve the experience for you?
 
If you were playing Mario and the game suddenly went "MARIO FACT: Mario can jump so high because he has abnormal physique, and hollow bones, like a bird. NEVER QUESTION MARIO", would that improve the experience for you?

It might just be me, but I think that would absolutely improve the Mario experience.
 

aett

Member
I just want to say that, while the Lost Sanctum sucks as a dungeon/sidequest, I did love getting new and even stronger gear for my characters. It makes getting all the endings a little easier since you have to fight Lavos so many times.
 

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
I don't think I've ever heard of someone missing recruiting or fighting Magus.

Recruiting Magus is the best part of the game. Why miss out on that?

Does this guy still have that terrible haircut?

I could never watch him on video because of his awful haircut.

He looks totally different now. Lost a lot of weight too. He looks fantastic now.

To be fair, that was also like, 10 years ago.

Chrono Trigger would be a better game if a first time player could just go into the right teleporter and beat Lavos right away.

Why would that make the game better??
 

Ashler

Member
I didn't want to risk spoiling the game for me So I just read a bit of the OP, but wanted to say that I finally started my first play-through of Chrono Trigger as the first game I fired up on my new JXD S192 and I have to say it's been a great fame so far. I get why people love this game.

Can't wait to finish it :)
 

Fluxdyne

Member
The Magus thing: I usually look for a missables guide when I play jrpgs, and that should be listed there. But even if it isn't (or I'm not using a guide), I'd probably save at that point to check out the consequences of both dialog choices.
 

SkyOdin

Member
Actually the only thing wrong with Chrono Trigger is when you go to the End of Time and the game says you're only allowed to have three members in a party because that's how many people fit through a time hole all at the same time.

How does that make any sense? Why can't three people go through first, and then like 20 minutes later, another three people? And what about time periods with multiple time holes? Couldn't you just agree to enter the time period through both holes and meet up somewhere, and try not to think about how gross that sounds

Simple answer to your question: they only have one Gate Key.

Also, it is mostly just a simple nod to justify game mechanics. Videogames do these all the time. I mean, Final Fantasy VI, VII, and VIII all have moments where they come up with silly reasons for why they need to stick to certain party sizes in particular scenes.

Mostly though, the four-person thing is a convenient justification for introducing the End of Time, which serves an important gameplay purpose that is directly related.
 

Rich!

Member
I absolutely love chrono trigger. I've played through it countless times on DS and SNES, finished every quest


....but uh

I'm ashamed to say




I've never beaten lavos.
 

SkyOdin

Member
I absolutely love chrono trigger. I've played through it countless times on DS and SNES, finished every quest


....but uh

I'm ashamed to say




I've never beaten lavos.
You should give it a try! It is a fun fight, and Chrono Trigger has an amazing ending, regardless of which version of the main ending it is. Also, once you beat Lavos, you can go on to New Game+ and see some really crazy/weird endings.
 
For what it's worth, the Black Omen is a requirement for New Game + on the original SNES version. Since there was no saving after the end of the game like in the ports that came after it, the game activated it by checking if you activated the flag that changed the chapter title from The Fated Hour to The Final Battle and that was accomplished only by clearing The Black Omen. So you didn't get bad info or anything.

Though the idea that you don't need to clear it for New Game + in the SNES version is a very common misconception, to the point where 8 years ago I actually ended up creating a video demonstrating that fact to people who couldn't believe it lol

Unfortunately I uploaded it to Viddler since it ended up being too long for youtube at the time, so... yeah that doesn't exist anymore. The topic is still archived though! The fact that the video shut everyone up should hopefully be enough proof... lords knows I'm not going through that trouble again.
So was my opinion valid? Is it a legitimate complaint I can make?

Because I did play the Wii VC version, and I'm pretty sure it was the SNES version.

I'm not sure anymore. I'm completely lost on who to trust.

I think lots of people are mixing up their experiences with the PSX and DS version.
 
So one last question before I set off.

Do I ultimately blame myself, the guide, or is it the game's fault?

Personal responsibility is dead. Wow, I'm not even going to bother.

This thread is proof positive that opinions can indeed be wrong, particularly when the source they come from simply doesn't have the guile to know what they are talking about.

Insert People Die when they are killed.jpg
 
I don't remember too well, since last played this game over 10 years ago, and without a guide. But I think what might be disappointing now is that you have all these possible endings you can get, but you'd never be strong enough to see them. So you'd basically just play the whole game, finish everything, then fight the final boss.
 
Chrono Trigger is not without it's faults... Honestly, the thing with the most faults, is probably what people remember and talk about most... The story. With each era being written by a different person, a lot of the 'rules' set up by the story aren't followed, and a lot of things just don't flow well. The parts with the most consistent and (IMO) best written story tends to be 10,000BC and everything revolving around Magus/Janus/Schala/Queen Zeal... and those were all written by Kato... who a lot of people rag on for Chrono Cross for.

Everything else though? God tier. Fun and well balanced combat system (that you can completely destroy and lul through in NG+), amazing pacing, great and varied endings, which not only incentivizes multiple playthroughs, but exploration and experimentation on when and how to beat the game. The characters are all well fleshed out, unique, and everything about how they play in battle reflects their personality (especially characters like Frog and Ayla).


I don't remember too well, since last played this game over 10 years ago, and without a guide. But I think what might be disappointing now is that you have all these possible endings you can get, but you'd never be strong enough to see them. So you'd basically just play the whole game, finish everything, then fight the final boss.

... what?
 
How would I play Radical Dreamers anyway?

Chrono Trigger is not without it's faults... Honestly, the thing with the most faults, is probably what people remember and talk about most... The story. With each era being written by a different person, a lot of the 'rules' set up by the story aren't followed, and a lot of things just don't flow well. The parts with the most consistent and (IMO) best written story tends to be 10,000BC and everything revolving around Magus/Janus/Schala/Queen Zeal... and those were all written by Kato... who a lot of people rag on for Chrono Cross for.

Everything else though? God tier. Fun and well balanced combat system (that you can completely destroy and lul through in NG+), amazing pacing, great and varied endings, which not only incentivizes multiple playthroughs, but exploration and experimentation on when and how to beat the game. The characters are all well fleshed out, unique, and everything about how they play in battle reflects their personality (especially characters like Frog and Ayla).

Yeah, I consider the slight story inconsistency can be a little bit of a problem, but its not a big deal to me. I'd still give the Chrono Trigger a lot of credit to putting as much work in the as they could. They could fix that in a potential remake of the game.
 

Metal B

Member
Wait until you play chrono cross. It's even better.
No, it really really isn't!
Chrono Cross completely lost all of Chrono Triggers simplistic but deep charm by making everything unnecessary complicated (like the story, battle system and party members). Then it went too dark and depressive in comparison to Chrono Trigger good balance between its light-heard and serious moments. And to top it all, every beloved main character from Chrono Trigger just got the worst outcome.

Compering Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross is like compering Marvel's Avengers to DC's Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice.
 

antitrop

Member
I don't think Cross is bad or anything, but it's never sat right with me that Trigger could be one of my absolute favorite games and Cross had me bored to tears in 5 hours.

After all the 10/10 reviews for it and shit, I went in expecting to love it just as much as Trigger and I just didn't.
 
No, it really really isn't!
Chrono Cross completely lost all of Chrono Triggers simplistic but deep charm by making everything unnecessary complicated (like the story, battle system and party members). Then it went too dark and depressive in comparison to Chrono Trigger good balance between its light-heard and serious moments. And to top it all, every beloved main character from Chrono Trigger just got the worst outcome.

Compering Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross is like compering Marvel's Avengers to DC's Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice.

I think I can break this down even simpler...

Cross tried too hard. Tried too hard to have a big cast. Tried too hard to have a unique battle system. Tried too hard to be quirky. Tried too hard to be serious.

All that said, there is a wonderful game in there and you can definitely get to a lot of it... I just kind of wish some enterprising hackers could reedit it a bit.

Still easily in the running for the best music of any game ever though.
 
I like the part with all the sidequests because it feels lik the game finally goes into an open world portion. It's the first time you can explore freely and there's a lot of neat stuff to find. Except for running up and down that damn mountain in the DS version, that's just a time sink full of fetch quests that doesn't fit with the rest of the game at all.
 
I just want to say that, while the Lost Sanctum sucks as a dungeon/sidequest, I did love getting new and even stronger gear for my characters. It makes getting all the endings a little easier since you have to fight Lavos so many times.

And you get the Dino Blade for New Game Plus, which is a big boost if you want to use Frog when getting the extra endings. Too bad he doesn't get to keep the powered up Masamune, although that's make a mess of the story.
 

petran79

Banned
I remember trying some SNES RPG games in early 2000 through ZSNES fan translations.
Chrono Trigger, Eien no Filena, Seiken Densetsu 3, Final Fantasy VI and Sailor Moon: Another Story. I only finished the last one, mainly because I could not cope to watch 200 TV episodes and preferred the video game story instead. Also because it had the least grinding and easiest battle system

I played Chrono Trigger but as I was slowly progressing game became much grander in scale than I had imagined. I remember stopping in the future wasteland. Had met Frog, had beaten the mecha, had reached 12000BC, cant remember the correct order of events.
When I was stuck and then saw it had multiple endings, interest faded.
 

Fluxdyne

Member
How would I play Radical Dreamers anyway?
You can apply the translation patch to the Japanese SNES ROM and play it on any emulator... There's no other way to play it.
Honestly, the game is over 20 years old, was released on a now-dead-Japan-only platform, only in Japan and only in Japanese. It will probably never get re-released, neither in Japanese or in English.
Support the series by buying Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross, and if Radical Dreamers ever becomes available again, buy it.
 
Which is the definitive version of the game? Is it the DS version because of the added content?
DS or SNES. Extra content in the DS version is trash, but it does have the special animated cutscenes... which are non-essential, but kind of nice.
 

Giolon

Member
SNES version has the better intro sequence (it was outright removed in the other versions) and the better translation (DS version was retranslated by someone who didn't even know shit about the original).

Are you talking about the attract sequence? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d8kWeDfeUc

If so, it's still there on the newer versions. You just have to let it loop through the FMV once, then it'll play the original.


Edit: I'm wrong about this. It's not there. Wishful thinking.
 

NeonZ

Member
Which is the definitive version of the game? Is it the DS version because of the added content?

The DS version keeps track of the endings you've gotten which is a rather nice addition.

The "Lost Sanctum" extra area/dungeon is pretty repetitive though, but the three dimensional Vortex dungeons are decent post-game dungeons. The DS version also adds an extra ending that leads into Chrono Cross, if you're planning to play that.
 

Giolon

Member
Interesting. It's apparently missing in the PS1 version (along with Yasunori Mitsuda's name in the credits; they were mad that he was gone freelance).

Actually, I'm wrong and you're right. I am mis-remembering this as "what they should have done" vs what actually is.
 
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