[The following is a complete documentation of all ephemera encased within the Nintendo DS re-release of Chrono Trigger. Discrepancies and similarities between physical materials such as guide books, manuals, posters, storage media, and media containers, along with trends -- especially between the various video game iterations -- will be discussed. Beside each description is a high-quality image of the document in question.]

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Thanks to Greg Philbrook's donation, this artifact was utilized for the traversal, interview, and further examination of the Nintendo DS re-release.

The box features artwork from the original SNES release of Chrono Trigger (that is also present is the form of a companion poster for both releases). Below is the publisher's logo "SQUARE ENIX ®" and the ESRB rating "EVERYONE 10+ ®" – which is noticeable because of the rating's distinction between the first two iterations (which were "KIDS TO ADULTS 6+ ®" and "TEEN ®," respectively). Along the side of this box, is the Nintendo DS logo.

 

The back liner reads: "The RPG of the Ages Returns. When a newly developed teleportation device malfunctions, young Crono must journey though time to rescue a mysterious girl from an intricate web of past and present perils. Enhanced with dual-screen presentation, stylus controls, and a host of great new features, the classic tale transcends time once again!" Two captions read: "Bonuses include brand-new dungeons and a multiplayer area," and "Timeless gameplay feels fresher than ever before!" Above each of these captions are images revealing the gameplay and dual-screen capability of the Nintendo DS. The images are, (from left to right) first a battle scene – with Ayla, Crono, and Frog – against Azala and her pet the Black Tyranno from the Prehistoric Era, a scene of Marle, Lucca, and Robo in the Epoch, and lastly, artwork of Frog, Marle, and Crono is depicted. In the top right corner, an icon states that "Wireless DS Multi-Card Play" is an in-game function between two players and requires both to own a copy of the video game. Below is an official Nintendo seal, a Nintendo logo, and a Square Enix logo. Lastly, the ESRB rating is specified further: "EVERYONE 10+ ®, Animated Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol."

 

The following is a standard Nintendo game card and measures at 1.4' x 1.3' x 0.2' in size with a weight of 3.5 grams. This game card reiterates information displayed on the box.

 

The font cover is minimal in aesthetics, much like the PlayStation re-release instruction manual – with only the Chrono Trigger title logo present amidst a white background. Similar to the Nintendo DS box, the left side of the instructional manual is embellished with the Nintendo DS logo.

 

The reverse side is blank, except for the presense of detailed information pertaining to Square Enix, which reads: "SQUARE ENIX ®, www.square-enix.com, Published by Square Enix, Inc., 999 N. Sepulveda Blvd., 3rd Floor, El Segundo, CA 90245."

 

When compared to the PlayStation and SNES booklets, this manual is stays true to the original SNES guide, utilizing the same table of contents imagery and character artwork (never depicting any of the cutscenes from the PlayStation re-release). This manual is also far more colorful and vivid than the PlayStation booklet, in a way reflecting the same atmosphere present in the original SNES instruction booklet. Although similar to the original in these aspects, this iteration is by far the most vague in its descriptions of events and characters, and only mentions a few of the items and tech moves featured in the game. There is also no walkthrough segment. These trends directly coincide with the abandonment of video game hint-lines as the internet becomes an even greater repository for video game knowledge (for more information please see the Chrono Trigger SNES release).

 

Included inside the box, in conjunction with the manual, is a complimentary poster (an exact replica of one of the poster's featured in the SNES release – which has also been displayed on the front of the Nintendo DS Chrono Trigger box). A comparison image of the two posters has been reproduced.

 

The following is a Japanese guide that was available to players at the time of Chrono Trigger's Nintendo DS re-release. A number of translations have been completed by members of the Chrono Compendium. It has been compiled in an Adobe PDF file down below. Please allow adequate time for the file to download.