The mark of a truly great game is its ability to stand the test of time. Innovations may impress when they're fresh and offer something gamers have never seen before, but that appeal can wear off over time. Over a decade after its original release on the Super NES, Chrono Trigger displays its quality by returning relatively unscathed on the Nintendo DS. New content has been added in the form of items, equipment, quests, dungeons, and mini-games, but the experience is still very much the same: charming and unique.

Chrono Trigger manages to tell an epic story, spanning millions of years, without insisting that the player sit down and reflect on what's happened every other minute. When Crono, the mute protagonist, travels through time to rescue a strange girl he met minutes before, he stumbles into a dystopian future and discovers that a powerful creature known as Lavos is responsible for the planet's cruel fate. Crono and his friends resolve to save the world with the aid of time travel. Along the way, they journey through the same areas hundreds, thousands, and even millions of years apart. There are several twists and turns throughout, but the plot never attempts to steal the spotlight the gameplay rightfully deserves.

The battle system offers some interesting ideas not seen in other RPGs.

Chrono Trigger feels very unrestricted because you can explore as you see fit and come and go as you please, no matter what is happening in the story. The only downside to this light focus on plot is that it downplays the motive of half of the people who join your party. A few have little more than the role of an important NPC, and one has an even smaller role than that. It leaves you with the feeling that these characters are nothing more than stereotypical mascots of their respective time periods.

In a move that strays from traditional RPG roots, Chrono Trigger does away with random battles in favor of scripted encounters. Typically, walking close enough to an enemy will trigger a seamless battle, though later on, you'll occasionally find yourself getting frustrated with fights that you couldn't have anticipated, some of which respawn every time you return to an area. Unfortunately, it can occasionally defeat the purpose of eliminating random battles by still forcing you into combat. Keeping in line with the rest of the game, there are no battles at all on the overworld map, which is a refreshing deviation from typical RPGs and contributes to Chrono Trigger's unrestricted exploration.

During combat, you control a party of three with the option of an active time system similar to most Final Fantasy games. When a character's meter fills up, they can act with physical attacks, items, or techs, which serve as the game's most defining gameplay element. Early on, techs work just like regular techniques in most RPGs, but eventually characters will be able to combine their abilities for dual and triple techs. Most result in more powerful or more useful versions of the techs being used. For example, one character's healing technique may only be able to target one ally at a time, but when combined with a spinning sword technique of another character, the healing spell is spread out amongst the entire party. This element gives Chrono Trigger's battle system a unique feel and visual style.

Another interesting element of the battle system is the position of both the party members and enemies. Certain attacks only affect enemies within a specific distance from one another, while others may affect enemies in a straight line. The enemy will occasionally change their position, forcing you to use different techniques to be more effective. Unfortunately, this element wasn't developed as much as it could have been. You have no direct control over the position of your party or enemies in any given battle, so you just have to deal with what's there.

There are a total of seven playable characters, one of which is optional. They fall into typical magic-based, physical-based, or well-rounded roles. Certain characters can learn elemental magic which is put to fairly great use throughout the game. Chrono Trigger also offers a wide variety of equipment, some of which is exclusive to certain characters or genders. There are several optional side-quests towards the end of the game that yield extremely powerful equipment, which is useful, as the game allows players to start their journey all over again with their preexisting inventory.

After completing the adventure, players can access "new game +", which is exactly the same as the regular game except your party retains their stats, techs, and equipment from before, and a portal found early on takes you directly to the last boss. This feature was included to offer a bit of replay value, as finishing the game at different plot points yields alternate endings. The earlier you conquer the game, the better (or at least more bizarre) the ending becomes. The traditional ending is subject to several minor changes which occur depending on what tasks you completed throughout the time periods. This gives Chrono Trigger a very deep and immersive feel.

Exclusive to the DS version of Chrono Trigger are a variety of new items. Some are found within the main game while others require you to spend time fighting in new dungeons or a monster training arena. The arena is the first of these additions that you'll encounter, which is good considering it requires a large amount of in-game time to fully reap its benefits. There you'll send your monster in training to develop its stats in a time period of your choice, each of which improves a specific area of stats. When your monster is strong enough, you can pit it against other monsters in battle. You have no direct control over your monster, but you can offer it items to have it execute different actions. Winning will earn you prizes, some of which are very rare and potentially powerful if you earn them early in the game. You're also able to fight against other players online, giving you yet another excuse to keep playing even after you've experienced everything the main quest has to offer.

The game often leaves the player free to explore to their heart's content.

Another new addition is the Lost Sanctum, a collection of side-quests within an area of new dungeons. The other new dungeons, called the Dimensional Vortex, can only be accessed once you complete the game for the first time. They each return you to the various areas you've visited earlier and have you explore new dungeons that end with powerful bosses. The battles can be challenging, but the rewards for your trouble are never much greater than basic items and equipment. Some new pieces feature interesting abilities, but you'll never be able to fully enjoy them because you'll already be so incredibly overpowered at that point. Completionists should be happy searching for every last reward, though.

One of Chrono Trigger's greatest assets is its incredible soundtrack. Nearly all of the game's songs are infectious and incredibly unique, which gives each period its own distinct feel. The graphics, on the other hand, are nothing to drool over a decade later, but they work fine for what Chrono Trigger tries to accomplish. The only area that one could justify a complaint is in the new dungeons - at various parts, some of them look lazily thrown together.

Sticklers for plot and veterans who are only searching for something new in their old favorite may be disappointed, but for everyone else, Chrono Trigger has aged well. Its gameplay and scenario, while familiar, are still unique breaths of fresh air in a sea of cliches. The new additions could have been a bit more substantial, but the core package is so good that it makes this flaw easy to overlook. Considering the incredible price one would have to pay to acquire the original, Chrono Trigger is a great value that any RPG fan, old or new, can finally enjoy.