I've been watching alot of the Endurance Run and feel that this is a game I should play. Should I get the DS one? I'd be playing it on my 3DS so I know it won't look as good. I've never really been big on JRPGS, except for Parasite Eve, mainly because of random encounters. Thoughts?

It's my favorite game. Buy it!

Only if you intend to ignore the bonus shit.

Its ok, they updated the translation so it isnt as funny. but it is still good. Im playing it now. but be warned that it gets kinda old school where you can trap your self if you run out of healing items and are low on health points.

I haven't played the game but what I've heard it's an excelent port (compared to PSN).

Ok. I'll defiantly get it since its $20 on Amazon. :)

Yep, i put in a ton of time with the ds version, its great.

Its the easiest version to obtain and the cheapest, if you can however get the SNES version.

While we are on the topic of Chrono Trigger, is Chrono Cross good?

@AcidBrandon18 said:

While we are on the topic of Chrono Trigger, is Chrono Cross good?

Yes. Arguably the best JRPG ever made.

@AcidBrandon18 said:

While we are on the topic of Chrono Trigger, is Chrono Cross good?

It's pretty dang good. Though it suffers from the same thing most PS1 era JRPGs do and has magic attack that take waaaay too long to play out and need to be loaded off the disc. It's a great game, but takes a fat amount of patience.

Translation sucks but it's my favorite game ever on the go. Can't beat that.

You would be crazy not to.

DS version is the best version out right now, from a technical standpoint. Better translation, new features and endgame content.
 
As far as RPGs go today it still holds up (though that's evidence to how reluctant the Japanese industry is to rock the boat) as a very decent game. Kind of easy  to get overleveled even without grinding, but the time travel story (13 endings!) is seriously great.

I have the ps1 version and god yes please buy the DS one. The loading times are awful on the PS1 version.

Also, Chrono Cross is amazing despite what the haters say.

It's a fantastic game that still holds up after all these years. The DS port is great, with a few minor ameliorations here and there (mostly translation).

So if you don't mind playing it on a portable system, or simply playing an older game, you totally should get it.

While we're on the subject of ports, does anybody know if that FF4/Chrono Trigger dual pack for PS1 worth getting? It's $14 on Amazon.

Yes, it rules.

Oh, and I just looked it up. It seems the game came out on PSN pretty recently (october), if you want it that way instead. I wonder if it includes the anime cutscenes.

Edit: It's also on Virtual Console if you have a Wii.

Yes, it rules.

@Strife777 said:

Oh, and I just looked it up. It seems the game came out on PSN pretty recently (october), if you want it that way instead. I wonder if it includes the anime cutscenes.

Edit: It's also on Virtual Console if you have a Wii.

It should, since it's the PS1 version being emulated.

@Strife777 said:

Oh, and I just looked it up. It seems the game came out on PSN pretty recently (october), if you want it that way instead. I wonder if it includes the anime cutscenes.

Edit: It's also on Virtual Console if you have a Wii.

The PSN version has load times, so I wouldn't grab that one unless you've got no other options.

@AcidBrandon18 said:

While we are on the topic of Chrono Trigger, is Chrono Cross good?

not as good as chrono trigger

Yes, get Chrono Trigger on the DS. It's the SNES version (no loading) with the animated cutscenes from the PS1 version, plus it has some alternate scenario.

The internet says the SNES version is on Virtual Console. I'd think that'd be pretty much the same as the version Patrick and Ryan are playing.

@AcidBrandon18 said:

I've been watching alot of the Endurance Run and feel that this is a game I should play. Should I get the DS one? I'd be playing it on my 3DS so I know it won't look as good. I've never really been big on JRPGS, except for Parasite Eve, mainly because of random encounters. Thoughts?

As long as you're comfortable playing on a handheld, then Chrono Trigger DS is pretty much the ultimate version of the game, being comprised of both the SNES and PS1 versions. It's got good extra options, including the ability to enable or disable the PS1's animated cutscenes, and nice touches like the option to Always Be Running without holding the button down (instead it makes you walk).

If random encounters are the main thing that annoy you about JRPGs, then you're probably fine here. There's a fair amount of unavoidable scripted encounters (like you might have noticed as Patrick and Ryan went through the forest over and over) but that's something that never really becomes an annoyance as long as you remain on track. Most importantly, CT's battle system doesn't get stale as the game goes on. As more options and abilities open up, it gets better. If you're interested in CT just from looking at the comparatively-boring early portion of the game, I think you'll enjoy your time with it.

@AcidBrandon18 said:

While we are on the topic of Chrono Trigger, is Chrono Cross good?

That's always a tougher question. A lot of CT fans had a pretty bad reaction to Cross just because of how different it is from Trigger, and how it's mostly detached from the lore yet manages to screw with it in weird ways. But, since you're not carrying the burden of nostalgia that shouldn't be applicable to you. Me, personally, I seem to simultaneously love and hate Chrono Cross. There were a lot of things about it I absolutely adored, and other aspects that just drove me mad, more due to seeing wasted potential than anything. I feel like CC should have been a much greater game than it was, and it was merely some silly design choices that held it back. That said, I still played through the game three times over to see all the playable characters (40+ of them, I believe).

That paragraph wasn't helpful in the least, I'm sure. Uhh, it doesn't have random encounters though...?

Or does it? You know, it's been so long I can't even remember.

@Dagbiker said:

Its ok, they updated the translation so it isnt as funny. but it is still good. Im playing it now. but be warned that it gets kinda old school where you can trap your self if you run out of healing items and are low on health points.

Basically this. I love going back to old games just to read their funny translations. Even as a little kid, I found those old Genesis / Super Nintendo Japanese games hilarious!

But it is a great 90's RPG that anyone who has even dabbled in the Roll Playing Game genre should play this game!

SNES version.

No, just download an emulator and rom of the original.

Unless you want a handheld version and then definitely.

@hwy_61 said:

While we're on the subject of ports, does anybody know if that FF4/Chrono Trigger dual pack for PS1 worth getting? It's $14 on Amazon.

Eh, there are some kind of bad load times between scenes, but what is really janky to me is there are load times in the menus. It is not terrible, but it is there. It didn't break me due to me being from the old school days, and I feel like if you are looking at this game anyways, you would be fine with playing these kinds of games.

I'm curious to see how well this game translates to the iPhone and how much it will cost. Square Enix seems to pride itself in having the most expensive games on the app store.

I'm playing the DS version now, it's pretty great.

For what it's worth I enjoyed it a lot

@DoctorWelch said:

No, just download an emulator and rom of the original.

Unless you want a handheld version and then definitely.

Or he could, ya know, pay for it. There are versions available of that game for basically every non-Microsoft console. He has numerous avenues to legally obtain the game.

I don't have issues with advocating emulating something like Earthbound, which has never been rereleased on ANYTHING, so you'd just be buying second-hand anyways. But c'mon, Chrono Trigger is fucking everywhere these days.

@BisonHero said:

@DoctorWelch said:

No, just download an emulator and rom of the original.

Unless you want a handheld version and then definitely.

Or he could, ya know, pay for it. There are versions available of that game for basically every non-Microsoft console. He has numerous avenues to legally obtain the game.

I don't have issues with advocating emulating something like Earthbound, which has never been rereleased on ANYTHING, so you'd just be buying second-hand anyways. But c'mon, Chrono Trigger is fucking everywhere these days.

Hmmmm, pay more money for things or pay less money for things? I'm gonna go with less on this one. Also, your argument literally makes no sense. If he buys the DS version he's going to be buying it second hand. So how one game is okay to emulate because you'd have to buy it second hand anyway, but another isnt okay to emulate even though you'd be buying it second hand anyway is the craziest thing I've ever heard.

@DoctorWelch said:

Hmmmm, pay more money for things or pay less money for things? I'm gonna go with less on this one.

You mean "pay zero money"? OK, you're a thief. Got it.

@DoctorWelch said:

Also, your argument literally makes no sense. If he buys the DS version he's going to be buying it second hand. So how one game is okay to emulate because you'd have to buy it second hand anyway, but another isnt okay to emulate even though you'd be buying it second hand anyway is the craziest thing I've ever heard.

Earthbound hasn't been distributed by a publisher for ages, so the only people you'd be depriving of money by emulating it are private collectors. Morally, I think it's fine to emulate games that have been completely out of print for years, because there's no conceivable way that me paying a private collector will ever find its way back to the original developer, original publisher, or current rights holder.

Chrono Trigger has been distributed by publishers very recently, on a variety of platforms. I've seen places that still have the DS version in stock, plus the downloadable versions on both Wii and PS3 are always available, and at a fairly low price. If you still just emulate the game despite publishers making the game available for purchase on several modern platforms, you're a lazy sack of crap.

People tend to agree that is the best version, other then the original

@BisonHero said:

@DoctorWelch said:

Hmmmm, pay more money for things or pay less money for things? I'm gonna go with less on this one.

You mean "pay zero money"? OK, you're a thief. Got it.

@DoctorWelch said:

Also, your argument literally makes no sense. If he buys the DS version he's going to be buying it second hand. So how one game is okay to emulate because you'd have to buy it second hand anyway, but another isnt okay to emulate even though you'd be buying it second hand anyway is the craziest thing I've ever heard.

Earthbound hasn't been distributed by a publisher for ages, so the only people you'd be depriving of money by emulating it are private collectors. Morally, I think it's fine to emulate games that have been completely out of print for years, because there's no conceivable way that me paying a private collector will ever find its way back to the original developer, original publisher, or current rights holder.

Chrono Trigger has been distributed by publishers very recently, on a variety of platforms. I've seen places that still have the DS version in stock, plus the downloadable versions on both Wii and PS3 are always available, and at a fairly low price. If you still just emulate the game despite publishers making the game available for purchase on several modern platforms, you're a lazy sack of crap.

I find it hilarious how you are actually arguing against emulating a 16 year old game, and at the same time you are saying things that make literally no sense. Okay, lets break it down.

1. You said its okay to emulate an old game if I'm going to buy it second hand anyway.

You're basically saying emulating that game is okay and buying it used is also okay for the same reason: no money goes back to the publisher. So, if I buy all my games used, does that give me the right to emulate any game because no money goes back to the publisher no matter what I do? You would obviously say no to that. So then nothing you're saying makes sense. Who are you to decide what is an okay game to emulate and what is a game I have to buy used or new. If you're going to argue for or against emulation with someone, than pick a side and argue for it so that you actually make sense instead of babbling randomly. Since you're entire argument is based off of the fact that the publisher doesn't get any money than I can assume you think everyone should always buy new when available (which is also insane and stupid). So does that mean that buying a used game is also stealing if you have the option of buying new? Because when you both emulate or buy it used, there is no money going to the publisher.

2. Fact: Chrono Trigger DS came out 3 years ago, so you're going to have a fairly hard time finding that new.

So are you truly arguing that because there is a new copy somewhere out there that I should search for one until I find it and then buy it? That's also insane so I doubt that's what you're saying. So, if he does buy the game for the DS like he is suggesting, chances are 9 times out of 10 he will buy it used. So basically, if he plays Chrono Trigger the publisher is not going to get any money, and if he plays Earthbound the publisher is not going to get any money. Somehow though, it is okay to emulate Earthbound, but it is not okay to emulate Chrono Trigger...

lol... nobody plays old 2D RPG's any more dude, get with thee times.

the whole endurance run thing is just a ironic joke

As a member of the CT fan club I think that Chrono Cross is garbage, for the record. Too many characters that aren't good enough, you don't get a chance to use all of them (like you do in the massive battles in Suikoden games) and you need a guide to get them anyway. The combat system is a step down from the original and the story never engaged me for a second. If you ask me it shares nothing with Chrono Trigger aside from a couple allusions to the previous game that are pretty easy to miss.

Yes. It's a great game. Lots of fun.

@DoctorWelch said:

1. You said its okay to emulate an old game if I'm going to buy it second hand anyway.

You're basically saying emulating that game is okay and buying it used is also okay for the same reason: no money goes back to the publisher. So, if I buy all my games used, does that give me the right to emulate any game because no money goes back to the publisher no matter what I do? You would obviously say no to that. So then nothing you're saying makes sense. Who are you to decide what is an okay game to emulate and what is a game I have to buy used or new. If you're going to argue for or against emulation with someone, than pick a side and argue for it so that you actually make sense instead of babbling randomly. Since you're entire argument is based off of the fact that the publisher doesn't get any money than I can assume you think everyone should always buy new when available (which is also insane and stupid). So does that mean that buying a used game is also stealing if you have the option of buying new? Because when you both emulate or buy it used, there is no money going to the publisher.

2. Fact: Chrono Trigger DS came out 3 years ago, so you're going to have a fairly hard time finding that new.

So are you truly arguing that because there is a new copy somewhere out there that I should search for one until I find it and then buy it? That's also insane so I doubt that's what you're saying. So, if he does buy the game for the DS like he is suggesting, chances are 9 times out of 10 he will buy it used. So basically, if he plays Chrono Trigger the publisher is not going to get any money, and if he plays Earthbound the publisher is not going to get any money. Somehow though, it is okay to emulate Earthbound, but it is not okay to emulate Chrono Trigger...

I think part of the confusion here is that you keep referring to "Chrono Trigger DS" as a discrete unit, but I'm talking about the availability of "Chrono Trigger" in general.

The point I was making that you keep misconstruing is that I completely disagree with your original post where you suggested he emulate it, unless he really wanted to play it on the go. Assuming AcidBrandon18 is indeed open to other, non-portable versions of the game, jumping immediately to your suggestion of "screw it, just emulate the game" is lazy. I would hope he would at least consider buying the downloadable versions on PS3 or Wii, which are legitimate options that are relatively inexpensive, and would probably cost less money than buying the SNES cart or DS cart online. I would not suggest the same course of action for something like Earthbound, because there obviously isn't a way to buy it from a publisher anymore, so whether you emulate or buy it second-hand, the publisher is getting no revenue and is getting no data on what the demand for that game is.

I think people should always buy new when they can afford it. If you can barely pay your bills or you specifically want a version that is out of print, then sure, I'm fine with somebody buying it used, but the publisher has done the work to make this particular game continuously available on two of the major consoles at a low price, and the Wii version is identical to the original SNES version. Even if he owns neither console, I'm sure he could borrow a Wii from a friend or family member who hasn't turned theirs on in a year or two and then get Chrono Trigger. The game is so easy to buy that I don't see how you can advocate emulating it.

I don't think I can state my position any clearer than that. You're free to disagree with it, but you insist on accusing me of being nonsensical and incoherent, so I have no interest in continuing this exchange.

@BisonHero: So because a game is available new (giving money to the publisher) on other platforms than you need to try to buy it new even if you are going to buy it on a different platform where it is most likely not available new? I'm done discussing this because all of your points are so odd and unreasonable. You literally said "Even if he owns neither console, I'm sure he could borrow a Wii from a friend or family member who hasn't turned theirs on in a year or two and then get Chrono Trigger." Now if that's not the craziest thing I've heard in a while than I dont know what is. Especially when he could literally be playing the game in a matter of minutes if he wanted to emulate it.

Now I've sorta been playing the devils advocate this whole time so I'll come at this from a different perspective. I do agree that its good to try to give money to a publisher who made a game that you like when you are able to because then you are helping them in many ways, and you are also giving feedback to let them know that you will pay money for this game because you deem it worthy of your money and time. But if someone comes up to me and says "I want to play Chrono Trigger, what should I do?" I'd tell them that you can buy it on these platforms if you find that convenient and want to play it that way, or if you want a free easy way to play a 16 year old game you can get easy access to it on your computer and this is how. Either way is fine to me and I feel as though you are not in the "right" or "wrong" whichever way you do it.

Basically my general philosophy is anything from a few generations back is perfectly acceptable to emulate because it can run so easily on your computer and it is most likely more of a hassle to find and then buy that game when you can play it in seconds anyway. Even so, I own most major consoles and I love buying old games for my snes and nes so I can play them "as the were intended" I guess you could say.

I am currently playing through the DS version and I have enjoyed every minute of it so far.

The SNES/VC and the DS versions are both great ways to play Chrono Trigger. Can't go wrong with either.

SNES/VC for the original experience, DS for the updated translation (some like it, some don't - either way it's more accurate) and some additional features (some are cool, some are worthless)

Just wanted to throw my two cents in -- if the PSN version is the PS1 port, avoid that option at all costs. I saw that someone already mentioned the loading times, but I don't think their annoyance can be overstated.

@Veektarius said:

As a member of the CT fan club I think that Chrono Cross is garbage, for the record. Too many characters that aren't good enough, you don't get a chance to use all of them (like you do in the massive battles in Suikoden games) and you need a guide to get them anyway. The combat system is a step down from the original and the story never engaged me for a second. If you ask me it shares nothing with Chrono Trigger aside from a couple allusions to the previous game that are pretty easy to miss.

I will offer a dissenting opinion.

You should play Chrono Cross and pretend it has nothing to do with Chrono Trigger. This is the best way to play it because then you can appreciate how amazing the soundtrack is. Honestly, Chrono Cross has my favorite soundtrack in all of videogames. Heck, just the opening sequence song is amazing. There are a couple parts of this game I would honestly just stop playing at to listen to the music.

The game has little bearing on Chrono Trigger except in some very weird ways and you will only make yourself mad if you go into it expecting that. I enjoyed the magic system more than CT (there is a LOT more to manage between levels and colors of elements), but I can see it being kind of annoying. They require you to attack to build up the ability to cast spells, which makes face-rolling over weaker enemies with Techs as you did in CT much harder.

This is a JRPG, and it does NOT have random battles. That alone should be worth the price of admission.

After loving it on SNES, I decided to play it on DS a few months ago.
I may have just matured as a gamer, but it seems like they dumbed it down immensely, it was startlingly easy.