Chrono Trigger

Chrono Trigger

Exceptional story-telling and witty dialogue brings to life this time-paradox adventure, cleverly adapted for Nintendo DS.

Now here is a real gem, a role-playing quest that works divinely on DS. Although Chrono Trigger was originally conceived for a console that existed 14 years ago, Nintendo’s Super NES, its landmark standards are yet to be surpassed. Visually not even recent games that include the long-running Pokémon series have come close. As an example of storytelling for the young (and young at heart) this is among the most charming to have emerged from anywhere.

Chrono Trigger has never before been made available outside of Japan and the US, but we’re fortunate that Square Enix has waited until now to indulge us. Nintendo DS proves the ideal format to display the enchanting world and its characters without cluttering the view, and the touch-screen interface soon feels second nature. With everything laid out to be so inviting it becomes hard to resist a fantasy involving time-travel, a runaway princess, some very unusual friends and invariably madcap foes.

The playful narrative is always delightful. Unlike many role-playing games of a similar ilk it’s worth paying attention to almost everyone. There are very few ‘I’m just here to smell the flowers’ non-player characters; they’ll be giving you clues or else acting rather suspiciously because yes, you were right, they were hiding something. Chrono Trigger reminds you of a miniature puppet theatre choreographed to perfection.

Every hour is eventful, balanced neatly between exploration and fact-finding missions and nerve-wracking battles. The latter is one area that some players might feel restricted, with turn-based exchanges between your party and their foes. However this isn’t a game that ‘invisible’ enemies drag you into a confrontation while you travel, you can avoid them if you prefer most of the time. And where battles are unavoidable there’s a cool explanation – such as water-dwelling creatures that are alerted by noise, forcing you to tip-toe on by where possible. It’s fun, in other words.

And then there is the time-travelling. Readers hooked on television’s Lost could find something to amuse them in Chrono Trigger as its heroes must solve puzzles across time and space. This is a grand concept that deliberately unsettles you early in the adventure, but when you eventually become a master of the Epoch time machine your brain is kept happily buzzing along to make all the right connections.

Chrono Trigger is primarily a solo experience, but Square Enix has adapted the monster-farming element, in which you capture and train beasties to fight by your side, for Wi-Fi combat against friends. Another all-new DS feature is an additional dungeon, so even if you have encountered the game in another guise there’s a fresh reason to revisit this classic tale.

If you’re a romantic at heart and prepared to lose yourself in a make-believe world of adventure, all the more beguiling because of DS Lo-fi presentation pushed to the max, Chrono Trigger could not be more highly recommended.

5 out of 5