E3 2008 Preview
Chrono
Trigger is not exactly a new title. The game was first released for the SNES way
back in 1995 and quickly became of the system’s best titles as well as one of
Square’s (the developer) signature games.
With seven
playable characters and following the role-playing gameplay elements that were
somewhat standard at the time, Chrono Trigger followed the exploits of the
titular character as he wandered through the world of 1000 A.D. with his
companions, and armed with a katana. The game had a somewhat complex plot that
involved traveling in time and consequences for actions
One of
Chrono’s companions, Marle, seems to have been pulled into a teleporter, but as
the story evolved, it seemed that in the past, one of her ancestors was
kidnapped, not rescued and that affected the bloodline on down. Marle had ceased
to exist. It falls to Chrono and his friends to venture across time and space,
to worlds altered in unusual ways and rescue Marle’s ancestor and thus bring
back Marle.
Chrono
Trigger’s depth of gameplay, imaginative story, and solid graphic elements made
it a classic. During the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in the Los Angeles
Convention Center, Square Enix had a treat for gamers – Chrono Trigger is
finally being ported to the Nintendo DS handheld console system. And not only
that, but the game is almost a direct port with just a few additions.
Yes, the
game has been configured to work on the DS’s two screens with touch-screen
capabilities. The new features will include a new dungeon and multiplayer
gaming.
Not a lot of
time was spent with the title in a brief stop-by visit, but what was seen should
absolutely delight fans of both the Chrono Trigger title as well as NDS fans.
While true that Square Enix has reached into the vault to pull out an old
favorite, the developer-publisher could not have selected a stellar title, but
has handled it in a way that will invoke nostalgia and introduce a new
generation of gamers to a classic title.
