Facebook – Top 100 FAVORITE Video Games: 6

#6 shouldn’t come as much of a surprise for anyone paying any kind of attention. The game just had a massive replaying that I broadcast all over Facebook. So, you know, if you’ve been my friend this year, you’ve seen tons of images and status updates showcasing the following:

6. Chrono Trigger (SNES/PS1/NDS)
Developer: Squaresoft
Year: 1995

I’ve only played through this game three times. The third was just recently. I’ve tried to beat it a whole mess of times, but to no avail. Usually I only get as far as the first time travel adventure then give up. But each one of those times that I actually managed to conquer every part of the game was overly memorable.

The first time was when it came out on the PS1 as part of the Final Fantasy Chronicles collection which had CT and FF4. I’d tried the game a few times via emulation, but not having an SNES, I had no other means – despite the awesomeness of the game, I just couldn’t get into it with a keyboard and mouse. But with a Playstation controller? I was set. I remember clear as day playing with Dante (which is what I’d named Crono, back in the days when I couldn’t just let someone have their real names… I’d named Squall “Scythe” in FF8, for example, and Cloud “Kane” i FF7). I remember taking to the skies and time in the Govna (what I’d named the Epoch for… reasons unknown), and I remember feverishly working my way to acquiring every ending the game had. I remember putting more hours into that run through than probably the game makers intended. And it was a blast. I got to know characters, learn about their world, and see sights unseen.

In the summer between my last year of high school and my first year of college, I decided to blaze through the game as quickly as possible, if for no other reason than to simply love the game again and revisit some old friends.

and old enemies

I got to the top of the mountains to fight Giga Gaia in one day, sitting and doing nothing but blasting the hell out of anything in my way. At the time, my parents never let me play games on the family “big screen” downstairs, but they were out of town, so the PS2 was hooked up and I – once again on FFC disc – blazed my way through. For nostalgia sake, I renamed Crono as Dante once more, had the Govna, and kept people updated about my progress (for no reason, really) on my old Xanga blog. It was a great way to pass through a few days of the summer, and to showcase my nerdiness for all to see (much like this very list, I might add).

Then, this year, I passed through the world of Chrono Trigger once more. This time I left Crono’s name alone (but did name Lucca “Leah” just to piss her off a touch). Also, Govna was named… well, Govna. I’ll never change that. This time I was able to show the world my progress through photographic evidence and the use of Facebook statuses and the like. Why? I don’t know. Like-minded people seemed to enjoy discussing various parts of the game, from the soundtrack to the various areas, boss fights and endings you can get. It was a treat to be able to share in a single-player experience with a good number of other human beings, via the world wide web… some of whom I’ve not met once. It was a good time (that was supposed to only last a weekend but ended up taking a lot more time… despite being a 40ish hour run through…) that was highlighted with common experiences, conversation, and new memories.

All in all, my three playthroughs of Chrono Trigger are enough to satiate me for the time being… they’ve all been a good number of years apart and I remember the events that happen in the game very well, despite the small number of times I’ve completed the game. To me, its a game that has a special place in my heart – not only because of how great it is, how fun the combat system is, how cool the characters are, or how nifty the plot and its various devices are – but because of how many hearts it holds that place in. Its constantly referred to as one of the greatest RPGs ever made, and has spawned no (DIRECT!) sequel. A game worth playing, a game worth owning, and a game worth loving. Through and through.

Classic Moment:
For some reason I’ve always love the second trip through Ozzie’s fortress (although I guess its the first time, the first was through Magus’ lair…). Its all about the fight against Ozzie, Flea, and Slash. I don’t know why, but I love those three characters and their over-the-top antics. Flea… male or female, by the way? And what size are the Ozzie Pants? Can Robo fit in? Can Frog wear them without a belt? These are questions I need to know. Now!

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Added April 13, 2017
I play through this game every six-ish years, for the most part. Just got through the DS version in late 2016, mixed in with a bunch of Zelda games, Super Metroid, and Earthbound. It is still a great game, though the additional content the DS throws at you is pretty weak, overall. It’s the best version of the game as it has all the added content but none of the PS1 slowdown.
Its a good thing.
In this review I mention a photo collection during my (at the time) most recent playthrough and that was on Facebook. I have the images, the captions, and the comments. I don’t know what I’ll do with them as of yet.