[The following is a complete documentation of all ephemera encased within the original SNES 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.]

blaj

blah

Two double-sided posters depicting eras and locales the video game explores, along with various illustrations by Akira Toriyama

Made out of black cardboard, the box measures 7" x 5" x 1.25" in size and features art by Akira Toriyama (that has been reproduced as a complimentary poster in the game box, but also as artwork for the Nintendo DS iteration – and is now well-renowned as the iconic image of Chrono Trigger). In this scene, Crono, Frog, and Marle are in the heat of a battle (with Crono and Marle demonstrating what appears to be the tech move "Ice Sword." Below this image, is Square Soft's logo and a red SNES logo. In the bottom left, an ESRB rating of K-A, "KIDS TO ADULTS, Ages 6+," is displayed – a rating that will later be changed in 1998 to E (EVERYONE).

The back of the cartridge box reads: "The 32-Meg quest begins. The millennium. A portal is opened. The chain of time is broken. A young man is transported into the past, altering the course of history and the outcome of the future. He has to find his way home, but first he must travel to the outer edges of time to repair the world's chronology. On the way, he encounters strange friends and foes, utilizes incredible devices and vehicles, and penetrates and neutralizes the fortresses of the past, present, and future. A paradox has been created. If he does not restore the order of time, nothing will ever be the same. He is the one who will become a hero. He is Crono." Two captions also read: "From the creators of the acclaimed Final Fantasy series" and "Character designs by Akira Toriyama." Screenshots from the video game are depicted as well, and from left to right, the scenes depicted are: a view of the Kingdom of Zeal; a depiction of the Dragon Tank battle on the Prison Towers; a shot of the Zenan Bridge fight against Zombor (with Crono, Marle, and Lucca); a scene of the Crono trial scene; an image of Magus' castle; an aerial shot of the "Black Omen"; and a scene of Marle, Crono, and Ayla flying the Epoch. In the center of this collage, is an image of Crono bearing his katana. Lastly, below this is information reiterated from the front of the cartridge box.

The following is a standard SNES game pak measuring in at 5.3' x 3.5' x 0.75' and weighing 3.2 ounces in total. Artwork and information from the cartridge box are reproduced along the upper portion of the gray game pak.

Depicted on this side of the poster are various eras and locales from the video game: the Kingdom of Zeal (12,000 B.C.); Earth Bound Village (12,000 B.C.); and Prehistoria (65,000,000 B.C.). On the left side, Ayla is featured, and towards the right, both Frog and Crono are shown.

On the reverse side, artwork depicting a campfire scene with Ayla, Robo, and Crono is shown. Around them are numerous creatures and monsters watching them as they rest, and from the looks of it, these appear to signify the Prehistoria Era.    

Depicted on this side of the poster are various eras and locales from the video game: Post Apocalypse (2,300 A.D.); Crono's World (1,000 A.D.); Medieval Kingdom (600 A.D.); and The End of Time. On the left side, Marle is featured, and towards the right, both Lucca and Robo are shown. Towards the top, an image of Crono, Frog, and Lucca flying the Epoch is also displayed.

Printed in heavy, white card stock. The 2nd insert of the box introduces readers to Part One of the novel––"A Party in Woodside." The insert's design, once again, follows the general design of the box and 1st insert. A black square (4 1/4" x 3 3/4"), found at the center of the insert, is surrounded by a white border that measures 1 1/4"at the top, 1 3/8"at the bottom, 5/8" on the left and 3/4" on the right. Black lettering runs along the top, right, left, and bottom of the border. On the top above the label we see "Bad Information". Running along the right side of the black label are six plus signs (+) evenly distributed. At the bottom we read "for Apple II computers." Plus signs are found along the left hand side of the label, matching those on the right hand side.

The back of the 2nd insert repeats the motif used right hand side and back of the 1st insert: an Apple II computer featuring a "smiley face" displayed on its monitor. The design, however, is larger in size on this insert. Above the computer is the word, "BAD," and below, "INFORMATION"––the name Malloy gave to one of her first digital projects that became the name she continued to give to her practice. A hand-drawn box outlines the computer and company name. The box measures 2 9/16" x 2 7/16". Below the logo's box we find Malloy's address provided in two lines. Line one reads: "BOX 2340" and "2140 SHATTUCK". Line two is centered within the first line and reads: "BERKELEY, CA 94704". The logo box and address are contained in another box, also outlined in black that serves as a border for the insert. This larger box is 3/16" (top) x  3/16" (bottom) x 1/8"(left)  x 1/8" (right).

The 2nd insert opens to a size of 11" x 5 3/8"––that is, almost a regular size sheet of paper in portrait mode cut in half. The lettering is typed rather than hand-drawn like the lettering found on the front of the insert. The typeface differs from the first insert in that it is larger in size and heavier in appearance.

The left hand side of the 2nd insert is divided into four paragraphs of textual information. Paragraphs 2-4 are very similar to the information in the left hand side of the first insert (Uncle Roger). Unique information to this insert, therefore, is found in the first paragraph, which reads, "for Apple II series computers with at least 64K and upper and lower case display." The second paragraph provides background of the story and more detail than that of the 1st insert. It reads, "A PARTY IN WOODSIDE is file 1 of the database novel, UNCLE ROGER. The party is remembered fitfully, interspersed with dreams by the main character, Jenny, during the course of a long, mostly sleepless night. The story is told naturally, the way it is remembered by Jenny, in a textfile which is sometimes as disjointed as Jenny's night." The third paragraph offers a general understanding for how to interact with the work as a database novel and is more concise that the information found in the 1st insert: "The story is read by searching keywords. As you follow the characters, places and, [sic] things which you are interested in, the story begins to fit together." The fourth paragraph continues with the explanation of the way the database novel is conceptualized: "Like guests at a real party, you hear snatches of conversation and catch fleeting glimpses of old friends. There are occurances [sic] which you never observe. You meet people whom others didn't meet, so that the memory/picture of the party you come away with is both fragmented and individual."

The right hand side of the 2nd insert is divided into four paragraphs containing much of the same textual information as that found in the first insert (Uncle Roger). Paragraphs one and two are, however, more condensed. Paragraph one in this insert is comprised of one word, "Instructions",  hand-lettered by Malloy. Paragraph two, presenting typed text, simply tells the user to "Boot the disk." Paragraphs three and four both provide similar information as that found in the first insert. Paragraph three reads, "You are asked to select keywords from the keyword list on the main menu. Type them at the prompts, * in upper case,* exactly as they appear on the list. You can either search the story by one keyword - UNCLE ROGER, forinstance [sic], or, you can combine keywords - UNCLE ROGER and JENNY." The inclusion of the asterisks highlighting "in upper case" and the word "either" in the search parameters are unique to this insert. Note that the error, "forinstance", is retained. Paragraph four: "There are 3, self-explanatory, [sic] keywords prompts. Choose your first keyword at the first prompt. Choose whether or not you want to combine it with another keyword at the second prompt. If the answer is yes, you are given another prompt to enter your 2nd keyword. When your keywords are selected, the records which match the keywords you selected are displayed. After each record, you choose to continue the search or go back to the main menu. After your search is finished, you can either quit or do another search." This textual information differs in the substitution of the number "3" for the word, "three" found in the first insert and the addition of the erroneous comma between "self-explanatory" and "keyword." It is also important to note that the type of the 2nd insert is larger than that of the first and suggests that a different computer was used to produce it.

The 3rd insert of the box introduces readers to Part Two of the novel, "The Blue Notebook." The insert's design, once again, follows the general design of the box and 1st insert. A black square (4 1/4" x 3 3/4"), found at the center of the insert, is surrounded by a white border (top, 1 1/4"; bottom, 1 3/8"; left, 5/8"; right, 3/4"). Black lettering runs along the top, right, left, and bottom of the border. On the top above the label we see "Bad Information". Running along the right side of the black label are six plus signs (+) evenly distributed. At the bottom we read "for Apple II computers." Plus signs are found along the left hand side of the label, matching those on the right hand side.

The back of the 3rd insert repeats the back of the 2nd. The design in the center is the Apple II computer featuring a "smiley face" displayed on its monitor surrounded by a black border. Malloy's address is located at the bottom of the insert. All information contained in a larger box provides a border effect for the insert. As in the 2nd insert we see above the computer the word, "BAD," and below, "INFORMATION". The hand-drawn box outlining the computer and the company name measures 2 9/16" x 2 7/16".  Unlike the 2nd insert, the third offers four lines of textual information at the top, above the logo. Line one reads, "THE BLUE NOTEBOOK first appeared on". Line two, "ART COM ELECTRONIC NETWORK on the WELL." Line three: "The ART COM  DATANET version was funded by". Line four: "the CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL and ART MATTERS." Below the logo's box we find Malloy's address provided in two lines. Line one reads: "BOX 2340" and "2140 SHATTUCK". Line two is centered within the first line and reads: "BERKELEY, CA 94704". The logo box and address are contained in another box, also outlined in black that serves as a border for the insert. This larger box is (top) 3/16" x  (right) 3/16" x (bottom) 1/8" x left (1/8").

The 3rd insert is slightly larger than the 1st and 2nd insert. It opens to a size of 11" x 5 1/2"––that is, exactly the size of a sheet of paper in portrait mode cut in half. The production of this insert also differs from the previous two inserts in the way the information is displayed: The textual information is not centered and margins widely vary. The typeface also differs from the first insert in that it is larger in size and from the second in that it is not as heavy in appearance.

The left hand side of the 3rd insert is divided into three paragraphs of textual information. Paragraph one repeats the same information found in the 1st insert, while Paragraphs two and three provide background on the story and information about interacting with the work, respectively. Paragraph one reads, "for Apple II series computers with at least 64K and upper and lower case display." Paragraph two reads: "THE BLUE NOTEBOOK is file 2 of the database novel, UNCLE ROGER. In THE BLUE NOTEBOOK The [sic] story is continued by the narrator, Jenny. The narrative is framed by a formal birthday party for Tom Broadthrow at a hotel restaurant. Jenny's fragmented memories––a car trip with David, a visit to Jeff's company in San Jose, an encounter with Uncle Roger in [the, sic] restaurant bathroom––weave in and out of the birthday party recollections. Some of the text is taken from Jenny's blue notebook where, as she herself says, 'The things I wrote in the blue notebook didn't happen in exactly the way I wrote them.'" Paragraph three tells the user that, "The story is read by searching keywords. Each combination of keywords or "search" sends the reader down a different path as s/he follows one of the parallel yet intertwining narratives which relect [sic] the increasing complexity of Jenny's life. The story unfolds differently for each reader as s/he makes choices about which characters, places, or things to offer."

The right hand side of the 3rd insert is almost identical to that of the 2nd.  It is divided into four paragraphs.  Paragraph one reads, "Instructions",  hand-lettered by Malloy. Paragraph two, presenting typed text, tells the user to "Boot the disk." Paragraph three reads, "You are asked to select keywords from the keyword list on the main menu. Type them at the prompts, * in upper case,* exactly as they appear on the list. You can either search the story by one keyword - UNCLE ROGER, forinstance [sic], or. [sic] you can combine keywords - UNCLE ROGER and JENNY." The erroneous period found after the word, "or," is the only difference between this paragraph and that of the 2nd insert. Paragraph four: "There are 3, self-explanatory, [sic] keywords prompts. Choose your first keyword at the first prompt. Choose whether or not you want to combine it with another keyword at the second prompt. If the answer is yes, you are given another prompt to enter your 2nd keyword. When your keywords are selected, the records which match the keywords you selected are displayed. After each record, you choose to continue the search or go back to the main menu. After your search is finished, you can either quit or do another search." This textual information matches the information found in the 2nd insert.

The 4th insert introduces readers to Part Three of the novel, "Terminals." The insert's design is completely different than that of the other three inserts in that it presents the reader with textual information highlighted in the plus sign (+) border used to punctuate information on the back of the 1st insert. The textual information is also organized into three sections. Section one includes title information; section two, background about the story and directions for interacting with it; and section three, the page number. Line one of the title information in section one reads, "UNCLE ROGER – File 3." Line two: "TERMINALS". This section is followed by 51 plus signs that make up a border separating this section with section two. Section two contains two paragraphs. The first reads, "In January, the narrator, Jenny, left the Broadthrow family and started working for a market research firm in San Francisco. As Jenny sits at her desk on the eighth floor of an office building in Embarcadero Square, memories of a Christmas party in Woodside, a trip back East for the Holidays [sic], and other things that happened come and go in her mind." Paragraph two reads, "The 100 records which make up the story are selected at random by the computer. The information is stored in computer memory and retrieved at random in the same way it comes and goes in the narrator's mind. Sometimes one record will be repeated several times. Or, one part of the story will be submerged a long time, reoccurring unexpectedly." The last paragraph is followed by 51 plus signs (+), setting the section from the other two. The final section is comprised of only the number 5, signifying the page. Since the only other insert with a page number is the 1st insert and the number provided, "2," is found on the insert's third page, the numbering system of this archive does not follow any particular logic. However, the first insert––the one associated with the introduction to Uncle Roger––does alert the reader that there is page numbering connected to particular files and that page 5 "contains documentation" for "Terminals." The issue with the numbering system has led Malloy to suspect that the version of Uncle Roger loaned us is one of the "seconds" not sent to Art Com Catalog.

The back of the 4th insert is similar to the 3rd. It is divided into three sections with the first section providing publication and funding information, the second containing the logo, and the third stating Malloy's address. This insert, however, is signed by Malloy and dated, 1988. Section one reads, "A PARTY IN WOODSIDE, THE BLUE NOTEBOOK, and TERMINALS first appeared on the Art Com Electronic Network on the WELL. The Art Com Datanet version of THE BLUE NOTEBOOK was funded by The California Arts Council and Art Matters." Section two repeats the back of the 2nd and 3rd inserts––an Apple II computer featuring a "smiley face" displayed on its monitor with a black border. Above the computer appears the word, "BAD," and below, "INFORMATION". The hand-drawn box outlining the computer and the company name measures 2 1/2" x 2 1/2", so varies from the other two inserts. Section three containing Malloy's address is provided in two lines. Line one reads: "BOX 2340" and "2140 SHATTUCK". Line two is centered within the first line and reads: "BERKELEY, CA 94704". Malloy's signature begins with the copyright symbol and 1988, followed by "Judy Malloy." The logo box and address are contained in another box, also outlined in black that serves as a border for the insert.  This larger box is (top) 3/16" x  (right) 1/4" x (bottom) 3/16" x left (1/16").

The 4th insert is the exact size of the first insert, x 5 7/16, so is slightly larger than the 2nd and slightly smaller than the 3rd inserts. Additionally, its typeface matches that of the first insert.

The left hand side of the 4th insert provides information for "The Blue Notebook." It is divided into four sections: the title, information about "The Blue Notebook" including story background and directions, the design motif, and the page number. Section one presents the title in two lines. Line one reads, "UNCLE ROGER – File 2"; Line two, "THE BLUE NOTEBOOK".  Section two is comprised of three paragraphs and is separated from the other two sections by the same 51 plus sign (+) border used to punctuate information on the back of the 1st insert and front of the 4th. The first paragraph reads, "The things I wrote in the blue notebook didn't happen in exactly the way I wrote them." However, the next two paragraphs are almost identical to those found in the left hand side of the second insert, associated with "The Blue Notebook." It reads, "In THE BLUE NOTEBOOK, the story is continued by the narrator, Jenny. The narrative is framed by a formal birthday party for Tom Broadthrow at a hotel restaurant. Jenny's fragmented memories––a car trip with David, a visit to Jeff's company in San Jose, an encounter with Uncle Roger in the restaurant bathroom––weave in and out of the birthday party collections." The only difference between this textual information and that of the 2nd insert is the revision to the error––the missing "the" before the word "restaurant." The second paragraph reads, "The story is read by searching keywords. Each combination of keywords or "search" sends the readers down a different path as s/he follows one of the parallel yet intertwining narratives which reflect the increasing complexity of Jenny's life. The story unfolds differently for each reader as s/he makes choices about which characters, places, or things to follow." The only difference between this paragraph and the one from the 2nd insert is that the word, "reflect," is corrected from "relect." Following the border of 51 plus signs (+), we find the four Apple II computers with the smiley faces displayed on each of the monitors, centered on the page. The fourth section contains the page number, "3."

The right hand side of the 4th insert is organized into two sections: a title and directions for interacting with "The Blue Notebook" highlighted by the 51 plus sign (+) border. The title reads, "INSTRUCTIONS FOR: THE BLUE NOTEBOOK". The second section is divided into three paragraphs and provides some of the most detailed directions for interacting with Uncle Roger than seen anywhere else in the inserts. Paragraph one reads, "Boot the disk. Press <return> when asked until you reach the menu which lists the keywords." Paragraph two continues with the familiar directions, "You are asked to select keywords from the keyword list. Type them at the prompts, in upper case, exactly as they appear on the list. You can search the story by one keyword––UNCLE ROGER, for instance, or, you can combine keywords––UNCLE ROGER and JENNY." We see the erroneous period from 2nd insert associated with "The Blue Notebook" corrected to a comma, but "forinstance"remains unchanged. Additionally, the asterisks used in the 2nd insert are eliminated from this insert's textual information. The second paragraph continues with more detail about how to interact with the work: "A good way to start searching is to combine one of the characters at the beginning of the keyword list (JENNY, JEFF, etc.) with one of the places or things at the end of the keyword list (BLUE NOTEBOOK, BATHROOM, etc.)" A period is missing from the end of this sentence. Finally, the third paragraph reads, "There are three, self-explanatory keyword prompts. Choose your first keyword at the first prompt. Choose whether or not you want to combine it with another keyword at the second prompt. If the answer is yes, you are given another prompt to enter your 2nd keyword. When your keywords are selected, the records which match the keywords you selected are displayed. After each records, you choose to continue the search or go back to the main menu. After your search is finished, you can either quit or do another search."

The floppy disk for "A Party in Woodside" is a standard 5 1/4" size floppy disk, introduced in 1976 and in wide use until it disappeared from the market in the mid-1990s. By 1988–– the same year that Malloy's work was published––it was already being outsold by the 3 1/4" floppy disk. A white label measuring 3 1/2" x 1 1/2" is placed on the top left hand side of the disk. The information is organized into three sections. Section one contains the title, "UNCLE ROGER -- FILE 1". Section two is set off by the border of plus signs (+), one long line of 31 at both the top and bottom and three lines of three on the left and right side. Inside this border we find, "A PARTY IN WOODSIDE". Below the bottom border is Section three, comprised of two lines. Line one reads, "FOR APPLE II COMPUTERS". Line two, "COPYRIGHT 1988 J. MALLOY". There are no other distinguishing features on this floppy disk.

The back has no packaging or design. 

The 5 1/4 floppy disk of "A Party in Woodside" was packaged in a hand-made black sleeve that measures 5 5/8" x  4 3/8". The hand-made quality of the sleeve is apparent in the slightly slanted cut on the back portion. When inserted into the sleeve, the disk appears above the top of the sleeve by approximately 1/2". The title of the disk found on the disk's label is visible above the front of the sleeve. On the sleeve we find the words lettered in white, "I drank too much red wine. The Broadthrow's party is looping in my mind, nested with brief dreams." 

On the back of the sleeve we find hand-lettered text like that of the front of the sleeve. We read, "'Destroy that note,' said Uncle Roger. His breath smelled like Kentucky Fried Chicken. 'What are you up to?' I asked." We find space between the exchange between the two characters, and the text is not centered on the sleeve. There is a 3/4" margin at the top and 1/4" margin at the bottom of the sleeve.

This disk is marked by a hand-made black label on the top left hand side, measuring a general size of 2 3/8" x 1 5/8". The corners of the label are rounded, also irregularly. The text is hand-lettered and reads, "The Blue Notebook". The three words appear on its own line and are centered. 

The back of this disk is, like the first disk, unadorned, but it is of a different type. It is marked by a line of six groupings of three small rectangles equally distributed along the left and right sides. The top contains four groupings of three small rectangles, two on each corner. Embossed on the disk is the number "800716". It is clear that the black plastic of the disk has been folded and the markings are actually the method by which the plastic is held together.

Like the 5 1/4 floppy disk of "A Party in Woodside", the disk for "The Blue Notebook" was packaged in a hand-made black sleeve that measures 5 5/8" x  4 3/8".  The hand-made quality of the sleeve is apparent in the slightly slanted cut on the back portion. When inserted into the sleeve, the disk appears above the top of the sleeve by approximately 1/2". The title of the disk found on the disk's label is visible above the front of the sleeve. On the sleeve one we find the words lettered in white, "The things I wrote in the blue notebook didn't happen in exactly the way I wrote them." 

Unlike the sleeve for "A Party at Woodside," there are no markings on the back of this sleeve.