Video Games People seem to Like: Chrono Trigger

Those words are the first few you read in this game. Isn't that just an excellent way to get started? The character's mom wakes him up, something many people could relate to. Anyway, this is "Video Games People seem to Like," or "VGPL." The purpose of this column is to write about a game or a series of games that, well, people seem to like! In these articles, I'm going to try to deduce the reasons why people seem to like them.

Chrono Trigger is one of the glittering gems of the Super Nintendo library. It is a definitive RPG title. Some video game enthusiasts go so far as to say it's one of, if not the, best game of all time. There are many reasons why people feel this way. This game has a lot going for it: an all-star developer team, great music, an excellent plot, crisp and fresh graphics, and much more. The effort put into this game shows, and I'm going to pick it apart bit by bit to give you, the reader, an understanding why people like it so much.

This section is about the minor things of the game that add up to create an enjoyable experience. The music, the graphics, the characters, and general atmosphere of the game are a part of the reason people love this game.

First, the music. This game's soundtrack was composed by Yasunori Mitsuda, who did an excellent job capturing the atmospheres of each of the game's distinct locations and eras. It's been said he worked so hard on it that he developed an ulcer. Best example: The credits theme. It was an excellent collaboration between Mitsuda and the programming team where the two worked together to make the music harmonize with the visuals. Enough said.

Second, the graphics. Graphics in this game are also notable due to the fact that famed animator and artist Akira Toriyama contributed greatly to the game. Many promotional sketches and even some animation was made for this game. Despite the archaic Super Nintendo's graphics capabilities, when compared to the age it was made in, the graphics were very thorough and vibrant. It was remarkable. Best example: In the game, there are several mountainous areas. The backgrounds in these specific areas are gorgeous and look similar to watercolor paintings.

Third, the characters. This game has a very broad cast of characters. How many video games out there let you have a giant robot for a partner? I can't think of very many. That's just one of the oddball characters you can recruit. Eventually in the game you find a swordsman frog, a cave woman, and a demonic magician who started a war with humans. Those characters are the playable ones, but non-playable characters in the game also add to the experience. There's Johnny, a hot-rod robot from the future who loves to race, three gurus from an ancient civilization that help you throughout the adventure, Spekkio, the god of war, and some comedic relief frogs who have no idea what they're doing. Best example: There is no one perfect example for this category, but if you look at the game as a whole, you can see that a lot of characters you come across in it are well-written and usually have some good insight or a funny thing to say.

Finally, the game's atmosphere. It shows that the developers of this game took a lot of time to flesh out each of the different areas you visit in this quest. The characters, settings, locales, and music all match very well and mix together to create a great atmospheric experience. What's unique about the atmosphere in the game is that it's not just one general broad atmosphere. Rather, the game is like several atmospheres that are inter-connected and play off of each other, which I think is a rather brilliant method of creating a "feel" to the game. Best example: Most people state that the Middle Ages era you visit in this game is the best fit for this category. It does show how thought-out it was. While the Middle Ages are a great example, each of the game's distinct eras can be used as an example of atmosphere due to how different they all are.

The main thing most people seem to like about this game is the storyline. Compared to other RPGs made at the time, this was a new thing. Surely, it was a risk to create something outside the box when it came to a role-playing game. To quote John D. Rockefeller: "If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success." The storywriters for this game did just that. One of the big sellers of this game's plot is the aspect of time-travel. It's a very big part of the plot, and it certainly adds to the game's depth. It would be hard to take a complicated concept like time travel and turn it into a grand adventure and great story, but the Chrono Trigger team pulled it off spectacularly.