Chrono Trigger

[King Ellis]

So with all the talk about this I decieded to give it a try. I take it we're not bothering with spoiler tags?

Anyway, I did the first time travel bit and was arrested when I got back to my time. I really liked the whole court room scene where things I had done at the start were used as evidence against me. Lying through my teeth didn't help and I was found guilty. Time to bust out of that prison!

[Sousa]

The courtroom scene is tremendous--one of the first times I've ever played a video game and realized that every stupid little thing I did mattered. It sets the tone for pretty much the entire game and the way the choices you make affect the outcome.

[Benji]

Good Lord it's ages since I properly played, I got it on DS on import ages ago but only played the first hour or so and then got distracted by another round of FFIX. I love this game, I feel like I'm playing it fresh because it's been that long since I actually sat down and played it. I would like to indicate, Robo is totally one of the single most fun characters ever and those who don't take him with them at all times deserve to be shot.

[Spee]

Magus is better to take with you though - his shadow magic is more powerful.

[Benji]

Magus is better to take with you though - his shadow magic is more powerful.

But Robo is a big robot.

[Spee]

Magus is better to take with you though - his shadow magic is more powerful.

But Robo is a big robot.

I'll admit that your argument holds some water.

[Sousa]

With Magus you can't properly create a proper goofy party featuring a cavewoman and a robot, a robot and a frog, etc. Magus is just Evil Elf Thing.

[King Ellis]

I got to Robo, the FMV was a nice suprise but only confirmed to me how weird these characters look. Marle's picture for example makes her look like Goku but with orange hair. I stuck with Crono/Lucca/Marle though, Robo's flailing around freaks me out sometimes. When I went back to 1000AD ('Did you just come out of my wardrobe?') I didn't immidiately realise I was on a different island and thought the little fiend things had somehow taken over which would make no sense since I only messed with the future and not the past.

[Spee]

I got to Robo, the FMV was a nice suprise but only confirmed to me how weird these characters look. Marle's picture for example makes her look like Goku but with orange hair. I stuck with Crono/Lucca/Marle though, Robo's flailing around freaks me out sometimes. When I went back to 1000AD ('Did you just come out of my wardrobe?') I didn't immidiately realise I was on a different island and thought the little fiend things had somehow taken over which would make no sense since I only messed with the future and not the past.

That's because Akira Toriyama did the pictures.

[King Ellis]

Talking to the cavemen in 65,000,000BC is like talking to Ringo or Fitzy on MSN.

"Chief no say you can trade, we no trade. "

[King Ellis]

I don't care if i'm just bumping this to talk to myself, I want to share my growing love for this game.

Turns out I wasn't meant to be in the dinosaur era just yet. After much traipsing around I couldn't find anything that triggered a storyline. Still, it helped me build my levels a little bit and got some better items. I then found myself where I was meant to be and actually got a bit of the story done, I think I went through 3-4 chapters. Went through 600, 1000 and then 63,000,000BC properly.

The 63M BC in particular was real fun, bisexual Ayla and the whole party scene was great ("Drink called skull-smash. Drink lots and in morning skull feel like it smashed." "I did what last night? Liar!"). Another little moment I liked was making my way through some mountainous region in I think 63m BC and coming across one of the white monsters (I think they're called Spekkioukous) and he says "Mountains're lovely" or something similar. That and fighting the Boa Apes (I think that's what they are, the big apes with wings), they usually throw the little volcanic rocks or Reptites at you but then I come across two apes together. Seeing one pick up the other to throw at me was hilarious. Not a funny moment but the story of how Frog came to be was also cool, made me feel some sympathy for him after getting a bit pissed at his constant moping.

The only problem I have now is what team i'm going to use. I've stuck with Chrono/Lucca/Marle mostly, switching out Lucca for any of the mandatory character segments (Frog, Robo etc). Upon getting Frog in the party again though I decided to go the whole hog and bring in Robo (I almost wish I could change his name now, I keep misreading it as Robbo. I'm worried he might chin someone). I went with Frog during the latest mandatory Ayla section and that worked well. I've been worried about healing without Marle but a dual tech Slurp Kiss between Frog and Ayla worked well. I think I may stick with them. I need to get Ayla decked out with some magic though, hopefully she can learn it. Hopefully Frog will learn Heal II or something as well.

I just fought Magus and Azala and now I think I have to fight Lavos.

End semi tl;dr ramble.

[Scott McFly]

Bump-me-do.

Just splashed out on this when I saw it in Gamestation today based on the love for the game in this thread and the fact I've heard it's generally a must have game for the DS. I think it's at number 1 on Metacritic even. So I better like it.

But I also bought Super Mario 64 DS with some credit I had for CeX. Never had an N64 so never had the chance to play this when it came out.

Now the question - which do I play first?!

[apsham]

I just bought this the other day after getting my DS Lite back. I didn't know whether to go with this or Dragon Quest V; the game I knew I loved versus the game that I hadn't played yet but liked the idea of. I'm glad I went with the ol'familiar here in Chrono Trigger. Even the new display is pretty awesome.

[Scott McFly]

So I started a game last night and spent most of my time just looking through the menus and option, there's just so much there! What settings would someone recommend to me who doesn't really play this sort of game an awful lot - I think the main option I was concerned about was "active" or "wait" for the combat? I presume active is more real time and wait is more turn based?

But yeah there's just so many options, I assume DS mode is better than Classic? It's all a bit daunting for a first time player.

[Liam]

Active means that as you chose your attacks, time still keeps going, so you can get attacked still. Wait means that when it comes to choosing attacks, everything stops, and allows you time to make your decisions.

[Sousa]

I tried DS Mode and hated it--I hate touch screen controls hamfistedly added to a game for no reason, and this one kind of takes the cake.

[King Ellis]

I use DS mode and barely touch the screen, it just keeps the top one clear of all the menu stuff normally.

[apsham]

I don't think the DS controls are all that bad of an idea.. I've been using them myself with my left fingers on the d-pad to move, auto-run turned on and my touch screen to interact with everything else. Some games do movement with the stylus good.. this one doesn't.

[Maxx]

Having never play Chrono Trigger, I can say with confidence that Chrono Cross is better.

Just got a DS, will be picking up Trigger and FF4 eventually. But the new Suikoden may be first in line

[Pizza]

Having played Chrono Trigger, I can say with confidence that no RPG is better, and possibly no game. I never could sustain enough interest to even finish Cross, and I've tried to play through it three separate times.