Overall, the extra features do little to justify the infamous "Square Tax" that makes Chrono Trigger and other Square Enix RPGs among the most expensive DS titles. The new boss also provides a nice link between Chrono Trigger and its quasi-sequels, Radical Dreamers and Chrono Cross. Defeating this mysterious new enemy is probably going to require a few trips through New Game +, but that's perfect for devoted fans who are already eager to take multiple paths through the story. You'll need those stat boosts and superior weapons to tackle the final bit of bonus content: an ultimate boss battle that is far more difficult than any form of Lavos. Even combined, the three Dimensional Vortices are quicker to complete than the Lost Sanctum, but they are far more interesting to play through, and the rewards are much more useful. These fights can be quite difficult and may require special preparation (such as equipping elemental armor), but if you emerge victorious, the corresponding character in your party will gain an extra status boost in Speed, Strength, Magic, etc.
The climax of each area is a boss battle against an evil doppelganger of Crono, Lucca, or Marle. The next part consists of a new "dungeon", with fresh puzzles, epic treasures, and some new enemies, yet remixed from familiar areas like Death Peak and Geno Dome.
CHRONO TRIGGER MAC EMULATOR SERIES
Each Dimensional Vortex begins with a series of rooms from earlier in the game, which you must traverse in exactly the same way as before. Either way, you'll find these new areas to be challenging. You can either load your last save before fighting Lavos and warp out to seek the new areas, or you can play through a New Game + file until you have the ability to fly to the vortices. Considering the hours required to complete this area, its blatant recycling of assets, and the nearly useless product of your labors, the Lost Sanctum is a shallow way to extend the game's length.ĭimensional Vortices are far more engaging bonus content, but they don't appear until the game has been completed once. Few of the tasks are memorable, and the rewards mostly consist of gold coins. The Lost Sanctum is essentially a long chain of "fetch quests" that involve repeated transfers between the two time periods. It's a secluded village of friendly Reptites, surrounded by some new battle areas that are based on familiar environments: forest, swamp, cave, and mountain. Upon obtaining the winged Epoch, you'll gain access to a new area, the Lost Sanctum, which exists in Prehistory and the Middle Ages. This feature is definitely the least interesting addition. You receive a monster to train for special battles, but the training itself is automated, and the result is largely dependent upon which item you give to the monster. The first to become available is the Arena, which is accessed through a new portal at the End of Time. There are several gameplay additions, all optional and of varying quality.
A new DS presentation mode cleans up the display by moving status information and menus to the lower screen this style of play is recommended even if you ignore the touch controls, which are inelegant and wholly unnecessary. Most fans of the game are unlikely to notice these slight differences, while newcomers will see a Super Nintendo game presented as such. The graphics and sound have been restored to some extent, and the translation has been appreciably revised while presenting no jolting differences with the original English text. With the Nintendo DS version, Square Enix (now a single company) departs from its lavish remake style and instead presents Chrono Trigger almost exactly as it existed in 1995. Its technology may be quaint by today's standards, but the game itself hasn't aged a day. And, like these pillars of music and film, Chrono Trigger is timeless. In some respects, its stature within the video game realm is parallel with such legendary collaborations as Kind of Blue and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Combining talents from both Square and Enix, along with animator Akira Toriyama, the game is truly a "dream team" project. There is no disputing Chrono Trigger's importance to the Japanese RPG genre.