Year of the RPG: Chrono Trigger

Kicking off the first game of the Year of the RPG with Chrono Trigger, a game originally released on the Super Nintendo in 1995 and re-released for original Playstation in 2001. Developed by Square (now Square Enix), this beloved role playing game with turn-based combat is often regarded as a classic game that has stood the test of time (pun intended) and demonstrates what a “good” RPG should be like.

Historical Background

Published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1995 for the Super Nintendo, Chrono Trigger became an almost-instant success upon its release. Often hailed as one of the best video games of all time (you can check out Red Metal’s fabulous long-form review and analysis here), Chrono Trigger introduced the video game world to such revolutionary concepts as multiple endings, plot-related sidequests, and deep character development, all of which would return in future RPGs, eventually becoming somewhat expected for games in that genre.

As the first game this year, it seems fitting to go back to a classic that embodies so many “standard” RPG traits and, if all the praise it to be believed, implements them well.

Character Profiles

Two adventurers will be embarking on this journey (alongside their brave companion NPCs, of course)..

One will be following the warrior teachings of one BadgersAndBowties, righting wrongs and bopping baddies on the head with a sword until peace has been restored in… the past? The future? Everything seems alright in the present year of 1000A.D., but Crono’s home country of Truce must be in some sort of danger, shouldn’t it?

But I digress.

After playing the game for a few hours, it doesn’t seem like play styles will vary very much, considering Crono’s class is that of a warrior, and Chrono Trigger has a turn-based battle system so we’ll play as every class in our party, but from what I’ve gathered from a few hours of play is that dear Crono is a typical teenage boy living at home with his mother, oversleeping as some video game heroes are known to do. As a side-note, I’ll be interested to see the parallels between this hero and a certain other hero who oversleeps and travels through time…

Anyway, he also appears to keep to himself, mostly, considering he only has one friend name Lucca, no brothers and sisters, and only his mother at home. So I’m sure he’ll be happy to pick up a few friends along the way… 😉

Unfortunately there were some crossed wires between myself and BadgersAndBowties and so we both didn’t establish an alignment before this post was scheduled to go up. Again, I’m not sure it matters in this particular game, but I’ll be trying my hardest to align my “Crono” (creatively named “Athen”) with neutral good.

He believes that “what is right” is always the best course of action, even if it’s hard, and does not seek praise or recognition. He doesn’t lie, he keeps his promises, and follows rules to the point of them being “right.” He is loyal and respectful of authority as long as they follow his personal code, and puts the good of the many over the good of the few.

Time for the Festival of the Inciting Event

And with that, our heroes are off to the Millennium Fair! I’m sure nothing at all will go wrong.

The mailbox is open, and I’m checking it every day for updates from our heroes. If you’re on the adventure with them, let me know in the comments and I’ll know to keep an eye out for your writings, too!

Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you soon!
~ Athena (and BadgersAndBowties)

What’s next? You can like, subscribe, and support if you like what you’ve seen!

– Support us on Patreon, become a revered Aegis of AmbiGaming, and access extra content!
– Say hello on Facebook, Twitter, and even Google+!
– Check out our Let’s Plays if you’re really adventurous!