History and Features of the Chrono Trigger Nintendo Dual System Re-release
The History
"I wanted it to be based on the original
Super Nintendo release rather than the Playstation version.
I thought we should look at the additional elements from the
Playstation version, re-examine and re-work them to make it a complete edition.
That’s how it struck me and I told the staff so later on.”
- Mitsuda Yasunori Chrono Trigger Ultramania interview (2009)
On July 1, 2008, Square Enix co. launched a new website, confirming news about a latest iteration of Chrono Trigger, this time making its debut on the Nintendo Dual System (DS) on November 25, 2008 in North America – and for the first time since its birth – garnered both an Australian and European release in February 2009 (officially spreading outside Japanese and American markets).1 And by March 31, 2009, Square Enix co. sale figures recorded a total of 790,000 copies of Chrono Trigger were sold (with the majority of sales coming from Japan and America).2
Features
With the resulting migration to a cartridge-based dual-screen handheld device, various alterations took place outside of the “Classic” mode option (which simulated the original SNES release of Chrono Trigger) available for players anytime throughout the playing experience within the “Settings” menu. Not only did the change in storage media (back to the cartridge) remove load times that were present in the PS re-release, but the change in hardware also presented developers with the issue of screen size. This ultimately drove many players to choose the “DS” mode (a tailored experience for playing on this smaller screen size) for the purpose of relieving top screen clutter.3 To the delight of many players, improved user-experience and interface design were emphasized in this re-release, and resulted in the complete customization of game features, including the ability to tailor on-screen information, the option to remove “touch” functionality, as well as the choice to modify the control-scheme. In fact, the capabilities of changing a character's name mid-game and removing the PS release's animated cutscenes were also introduced features.4
Among the changes already discussed, the following were also included in the Nintendo DS re-release: the ability to use a second screen for the reallocation of menu items and battle options, as well as the introduction of an ever-present map of the surrounding area; the addition of “Health” and “Active Time Battle” (ATB) bars over party members during battle; the establishment of 56 new additional items and 40 types of new enemies; the inclusion of a multiplayer mini-game area called “Arena of the Ages,” in which players raise and battle monsters; and the introduction of an entirely updated design for contextual menus, as well as navigational differences between the menus.
Masato Kato, (Story Planner of Chrono Trigger) upon hearing the news of Chrono Trigger's eventual re-release, was especially passionate about preserving the integrity of the original SNES version, but still wanted to re-examine and re-work the additional elements from the PS in order to create a complete edition.5 Mitsuda Yasunori, (Composer and Music Supervisor of Chrono Trigger) also felt it was integral to recreate the soundtrack as “a perfect replica of the SNES version.”5That said, because the SNES version was made using older equipment that could only process eight sounds, it was not feasible to preserve the original sound.
"We search for sounds in the latest synthesizers that are as close as
possible to the original sounds and use them to create the music.
From the perspective of a composer, this is an unusually arduous task.
But if you think about the fan’s feelings, wouldn’t they be happier
if the music was just like they remember it from the SNES original?”
- Mitsuda Yasunori Chrono Trigger Ultramania interview (2009)
A partial script re-translation was accomplished by Tom Slattery, who chose to remove Frog's earlier Elizabethan English dialect since it was impossible (due to time constraints) to apply this flair to the rest of the time period.6 The new script also restored elements – like mentions of breastfeeding and bisexuality – that were censored upon the SNES game's arrival in North America (see SNES release page), not to mention that numerous items' and locations' names were altered, among other discrepancies.6
However, what came with the most controversy was the inclusion of new quests and a new ending that ultimately raised questions of canonicity. These new sections – unlocked after beating and then reloading the game – are called “Dimensional Vortex,” “Lost Sanctum,” and “Beyond Time's Eclipse” respectively. Numerous complaints describe the “Lost Sanctum” as “forgettable” and “purposeless fetch-quests” that ultimately “detract from the experience.”[7][8] Whereas the “Dimensional Vortex” and the new ending at least “offer additional challenges, new items, and story closure on several ambiguous issues directly relevant to Chrono Cross.”9 Regardless of the “Nintendo DS”-specific changes, the fact that this system is now in its tenth generation (with the New Nintendo 3DS XL) means that the playing experience is fundamentally different depending on which device you own – with the weight of the system varying from 7.5 to 12 ounces, screen display size ranging in diagonal length from 3 inches to 4.88 inches, and battery life lasting anywhere from 3 hours to 19 hours.9 The position of the hands also varies, and is extremely different from the experience of utilizing a SNES or PS controller – due to the latter's light weight and larger space for tactile maneuvering. Most notable however, is the lower resolution size when playing Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi game cards on Nintendo 2DS and Nintendo 3DS systems – which can be overridden by holding down either START or SELECT when loading the game (ultimately reverting the game visuals to their original resolution). This is why it is highly recommended to play Chrono Trigger – and any other Nintendo DS game – on earlier versions of the system (in the case of Chronicles, the Nintendo DS Lite was utilized for conducting traversals).
