Chrono Trigger is a traditional console role playing game, released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System on August 22, 1995 in North America and on March 11, 1995 in Japan. The game is well-known for its multiple endings, unique battle system, and various other innovations. Chrono Trigger was an anticipated collaboration from Square and Enix, and was published by Square on the Super Nintendo. The game follows a young boy named Crono and his small group of friends as they set out on an adventure to prevent the end of the world. The game has sold around 2.36 million copies worldwide.
Chrono Trigger was received with great critical and fan reception at the time of its release. Due to the game's multiple endings, story, music (by famed Final Fantasy composers), battle system, and detailed sprites, the game was so popular that it sold two million copies within the first two months of release.
Gameplay
Chrono Trigger's gameplay has often been referred to as revolutionary and innovative. Many concepts that appeared in late Final Fantasy games (and various other role playing games) were introduced in Chrono Trigger. All of the other elements present in Chrono Trigger, however, are those of a traditional console role playing game.
Chrono Trigger created the name of New Game Plus, however the concept had appeared in games dating back to the original Legend of Zelda. In New Game Plus, after completing a game, the player can create a New Game by choosing the option, and then they will retain all of the equipment, levels, and Techs. Lavos (the boss of the game) was also accessible at many points in the game, and depending on the time that the player chooses to fight Lavos, the player will get a different ending (which ranged from humorous to serious).
One of the most unique aspects of the gameplay was its time travel. Different periods of time became accessible during certain parts of the game. These times could then be accessed through time portals, or (later in the game) a time traveling device that the party dubs " Epoch." Epoch can travel to any time period instantaneously, while the time portals can only lead the player to certain areas in a time period. What the party does in the past directly affects what happens in the future; even if that something is a side quest. Not everything directly affects the future, however. It must be pre-determined, as either a side-quest, a story related action, or various other actions (for example, by leaving Robo to work on restoring a large forest in the year A.D. 600 there will be a forest in A.D. 1000).
Towns and various other locations of the sort are accessed through a map. Once in these areas, the party can do various things in the area. If it is a town, the party can purchase items, weapons, and armor (using the money amassed from battles). Enemies are displayed on the screen, as opposed to random battles, which makes some battles avoidable. It also helps create a smoother battle transition, as the characters just run into a formation instead of it going from an overworld screen to a battle screen.
Combat
Chrono Trigger utilized the Active Time Battle system, a well-known battle system popularized by the Final Fantasy series (first appearing in Final Fantasy IV). Each character has a bar which scrolls across based on the character's speed. Once the bar is filled, it is that character's turn. The player has a variety of options and commands at their disposal in combat, from Techs (short for Technique) or just regular attacks. Each character with the exception of Robo and Ayla (Robo is a robot, so he can't learn magic, and Ayla was born before the creation of magic) has a special magic ability, with abilities such as Water, Lightning, or Shadow.
The battle screen is separated with two rectangles; one showing the combat and the other for displaying the options of the battle. The rectangle used for choosing options in combat can be moved from top or bottom by pressing Y. Battles are not shown from the side, as in most traditional Final Fantasy games, but rather from a more top-down view. The enemies and characters aren't locked to a single grid either; they move around the area fluidly. Depending on location on the battle field, some attacks have more effectiveness than others (for example, attacks that hit nearby enemies).
In combat, there are three options: Attack, Item, and Tech. Each of these is similar to traditional role playing game commands, but they have their own innovations. If Attack is selected, the character attacking preforms a normal attack based on what item he or she is holding. If Item is used, then the character can choose which item to use, and then which character to use it on. Techs are special abilities that the character can use. There are three types of Techs: Single, Double, and Triple. They all take a corresponding amount of characters to trigger (and only certain characters can use certain double and triple Techs). When compatible characters are together on the battlefield, the triple Tech takes magic power from each character involved.