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

Few industries benefit from technical leaps as much as video games. Not only do games look better than ever, but it’s possible to make and publish titles on digital storefronts, allowing anyone to become a successful creator if they have the time and skills for the job.

Graphics and performance aren’t everything, as the lower barrier to entry means that there’s also a ton of garbage on the market. Quality lasts forever, which is why games like Space Invaders and Pac-Man are just as enjoyable now as they were back in the day. This is especially true of RPGs, where visuals don’t matter as much as the gameplay, with one game from the ‘90s standing above the rest.

Chrono Trigger Has Yet To Be Beaten

Chrono Trigger is a game that’s a product of the best minds of its era, all working in tandem to make a masterpiece. A group known as the “Dream Team” put their minds together, with a roster including Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii, Dragon Ball author/artist Akira Toriyama, and Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu.

The legendary Dream Team compiled all of their efforts to make an RPG that goes beyond time itself. Set free from the shackles of the expectations of the Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy franchises, which had already made a name for themselves as industry titans, their respective creators were able to create something entirely new, something that is timeless in its appeal.

Despite being limited by the SNES's 16-bit hardware, Chrono Trigger still impresses to this day, with sharp, expressive sprite work that looks good. The game’s scope and soundtrack are impressive to this day, considering what the developers had to work with.

Chrono Trigger Is A Masterpiece And The Gold Standard For RPGs

Chrono Trigger is the story of Crono, a young swordsman who encounters a princess at a festival. They fall through a portal to the past, when mankind was at war with monsters. This kicks off an initially fun and lighthearted journey through time, one that quickly grows dark when they arrive in the future and find the world nearly destroyed.

The cause of the apocalypse was Lavos, an alien lifeform that had been hiding under the planet’s surface since prehistoric times. Crono and his friends realize their time-travel powers can stop Lavos and save the future, kicking off a quest to gather allies throughout history and learn the origin of their alien foe.

Chrono Trigger uses the active/turn-based battles of the Final Fantasy series, but puts the enemies on the overworld at all times, giving the player the chance to avoid battle, making random encounters a lot less frustrating. When it’s the player’s turn, each character fights using “Techs”, which can be combined with those of a party member, resulting in powerful “Dual Techs” and even “Triple Techs.”

One character who uses a fire spell might be able to enchant Crono’s sword with flame if they’re in the party at the same time, while a healer might be able to infuse his sword with healing magic, allowing it to affect the entire party at once. The Tech system makes party composition important, with runthroughs feeling different depending on whom the player uses.

As Chrono Trigger involves time travel, the story involves visiting different periods in history, each with its own expansive storyline and optional side quests. There’s also a ton of endings to see, as the conclusion differs depending on exactly when the player is able to travel to the future and kill Lavos.

The sheer scale of Chrono Trigger is incredible to experience, even in the modern day. The cast of loveable characters is unforgettable, which is why people are still asking for a 2D-HD remaster, or even a remake in the modern era. Many fans also search for other RPGs like Chrono Trigger, but while other games come close, there's nothing that truly measures up to it.

Square Enix has been notably reluctant to remake Chrono Trigger, which is surprising, as the company has no problem bringing back the Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy games for the umpteenth time on each system. Perhaps the legendary status of Chrono Trigger is the reason why it is not available on modern systems, as some classics are best left in the past, as marks of the era that birthed them.