Hey all, I’m curious: what would you rate Chrono Trigger on a scale of 1 to 10? I’ve been replaying it on my Steam Deck with the pixel remaster, and holy crap, it still holds up incredibly well. The time travel mechanics, the multiple endings, the sheer number of unique character combinations… it’s ridiculous how much content they packed into a 1995 SNES cartridge.
I remember first playing it on a borrowed SNES back in '96. I was blown away by the art style (Akira Toriyama at his peak) and the music – Yasunori Mitsuda’s soundtrack gives me chills even today. I’ve probably beaten it seven times across various ports, and I still discover new dialogue or side quests.
So, what’s your rating? And if you haven’t played it yet, you owe it to yourself to check it out. The DS version or the recent PC / mobile ports are great ways to experience it. I’d give it a solid 9/10 – it’s not perfect (some grinding, and the snaking-through-dungeons gets old), but it’s as close as any game gets to perfection for me.
Topic Summary: Zeroing in on Chrono Trigger: a solid 9/10. Time travel, multiple endings, Toriyama art, Mitsuda’s soundtrack—still incredible on Steam Deck. Seven playthroughs
Topic Overview (Wikipedia):
Chrono Trigger is a 1995 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the first installment of the Chrono series. The game’s plot follows a group of adventurers who travel through time to prevent a global catastrophe.
— Read more on Wikipedia
Man, I didn’t think anyone still talked about this game. It’s a 10/10 for me, no question. I actually just bought the orchestral arrangement album – people are still making new symphonic covers of ‘Corridors of Time’ and ‘Frog’s Theme’ on YouTube, and they’re breathtaking. The fact that a 30-year-old 16-bit soundtrack can inspire modern composers says it all.
I never got around to Chrono Cross back in the day, but I might give it a shot through RetroArch once I finish another Trigger playthrough. I’ve heard it’s got a unique battle system, though the story is more convoluted. Still, if it’s half as good as Trigger, it’s worth a look. Anyone here played Cross? How does it hold up compared to the original?
1/10? Who would dare! This game changed my entire view of RPGs. I used to think they were slow and boring – even Final Fantasy VII didn’t grab me at first. But then a friend forced Chrono Trigger on me. I fired it up on ZSNES, and within an hour I was hooked. The story just pulls you in: the trial, the meeting with Frog, the race against time (literally).
I spent weeks getting all 13 endings. I still have my save states somewhere on an old hard drive. Every ending felt meaningful – even the joke endings had charm. It made me appreciate how player agency can shape a narrative without feeling gimmicky.
I give it a solid 10/10. If you haven’t played it, do yourself a favor and grab the Steam version. It runs great on modern PCs and you can fast-forward through battles if you want. It’s the perfect entry point for anyone who thinks old games are junk.
Great discussion, everyone. I think the consensus here is pretty clear—Chrono Trigger isn’t just a great game for its era; it’s a game that still defines what a JRPG should be. The 9/10 and 10/10 ratings make sense because even its minor flaws (and yeah, the snaking dungeon corridors are a bit dated) don’t detract from its overall brilliance.
To add to what’s been said: one thing that doesn’t get enough credit is how the game respects your time. No random encounters, a brisk 20-hour main story, and combat that’s fast and tactical. So many modern RPGs pad themselves with filler, but Trigger is lean and purposeful. That’s a big reason why it’s still the gold standard.
As for Chrono Cross, rayzoredge—I played it a few years ago via the Radical Dreamers Edition. The battle system is genuinely inventive (no random encounters, stamina-based turns), and the soundtrack is on par with Trigger’s. But the story is deeply convoluted and feels disconnected from Trigger in ways that frustrate a lot of fans. It’s worth playing for the atmosphere and music, but don’t expect the same tight narrative. It’s more of a spiritual successor than a direct sequel.
And on the multiple endings—FLaKes is right. The New Game+ mechanism was revolutionary. It turned a linear story into a puzzle box where you could see the consequences of your actions at different points in time. I still remember stumbling onto the “Devourer of Time” ending by accident. That kind of organic discovery is rare even today.
So yeah, whether you’re playing the original cartridge, the DS version, or the Pixel Remaster on Steam Deck, Chrono Trigger ages like wine. It’s not just nostalgia—it’s genuinely well-designed. If anyone here hasn’t played it yet, do yourself a favor. You’ll see why we’re still talking about it 30 years later.
Topic Overview (Wikipedia):
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