Saturday 27 November 1996 Tokyo Japan.
Today is a special day for many ZAGE fans because this month marks the release of two major titles. One is for their ZEPS 2 console, and the other is for PC. For the ZEPS 2, the ga being released is Chrono Trigger, while for the PC, it's Starcraft. Both titles have generated trendous excitent, each representing a different genre and platform.
Hironobu Sakaguchi, one of the lead developers at Triangle Soft—a video ga company known for producing many high-quality RPGs outside of ZAGE—was especially excited today. It was a holiday, and that ant he finally had the ti to enjoy ZAGE's latest release: Chrono Trigger. As soone who had always admired ZAGE's approach to JRPGs, Hironobu viewed each ga as both entertainnt and inspiration, offering new ideas and design techniques he could learn from.
What made Chrono Trigger even more special to him was its distinctive art style, created by none other than Akira Toriyama—his favorite mangaka and the creator of Dragon Ball his favorite manga and The fusion of ZAGE nnovative gaplay and Toriyama's iconic visuals made the ga irresistible.
"Hehehe, I can't wait to play it," he said to himself with excitent. Hironobu had already bought the ga from the nearest official ZAGE store and wasted no ti heading ho. Today was a day for gaming and nothing else.
Once he arrived, he quickly changed into sothing comfortable and set his living room into gaming mode. He dimd the lights, grabbed a few of his favorite drinks and snacks, and settled into the soft embrace of his couch. Everything was perfectly in place.
Without further delay, he powered on his ZEPS 2 console. He carefully inserted the ga cartridge into the slot, and within seconds, the RCT TV lit up with the bold "ZAGE" logo. The familiar chi played, followed imdiately by the ga's opening cinematic. A thrill ran through him—this was the mont he had been waiting for.
First, the screen faded in to reveal a serene afternoon sea, calm waves rolling gently under a pale sky, accompanied by the distant call of seagulls and a soft, soothing musical score that imdiately set a reflective tone. The peaceful scene lingered for a mont, drawing viewers into its calm beauty, before transitioning smoothly to a quiet room with a sunlit window, its curtains fluttering slightly in the breeze.
The cara then slowly panned toward a frad photo sitting on a desk. The photo contained six characters—each one unique and distinct. The cara zood in on them one by one: first, an orange-haired girl with a bright, determined expression; next, a wild-looking girl with fierce eyes and untad hair; then, a humanoid frog in armor, exuding nobility; a large, bulky robot with a chanical gleam; a girl wearing a helt and glasses, clearly the tech genius; and finally, a boy with spiky red hair and a wide grin, the energy of a true hero in his eyes.
As the last face faded, the screen exploded into vibrant motion. The bold title "Chrono Trigger" appeared with a subtle glow, and the music swelled—becoming epic and full of urgency. Clockwork gears and spinning chanisms filled the screen, each clicking into place as they shifted through multiple tilines in quick succession—prehistoric, dieval, futuristic, apocalyptic.
Then, the cinematic transitioned into a rapid montage of epic battle scenes: monsters clashing, spells being cast, blades drawn mid-air—all animated with fluid motion. The six characters from the photo were now seen in action, fighting alongside each other, each showcasing their abilities in perfect sync.
Finally, the music peaked, the visuals slowed, and the full title "Chrono Trigger" appeared once again, this ti glowing with finality as a pendulum swung gently back and forth on the screen. It faded into the main nu, where the ticking of a clock and the rhythmic sway of the pendulum created a feeling that ti itself was waiting to be rewritten.
After the opening, Hironobu Sakaguchi smiled in awe. "It's beautiful... the opening cinematic. I can't believe they managed to fit sothing like that into a cartridge."
The achievent was possible because Zaboru and the team at ZAGE had developed a special cartridge for Chrono Trigger—one that included additional storage capacity to hold all the cinematic data. The video quality wasn't ultra high-definition by any ans, but with clever compression techniques and smart engineering, it was more than enough to leave a powerful impression.
Even from the opening alone, Hironobu could tell—this ga was going to be sothing special. The presentation, the ambition, the atmosphere... everything about it scread that ZAGE had pushed the hardware to its limit. And he was here for every second of it.
Without further ado, Hironobu eagerly jumped into the ga. The first thing he encountered was a na entry screen. The user interface imdiately caught his eye—it featured a sleek gray background frad with elegant gold engravings that gave it a regal, almost tiless aesthetic. It was simple, yet beautiful.
"This is really good," Hiro muttered with a smile, impressed by the visual design. The balance of colors and clean layout made the screen both functional and appealing. He was then prompted to na his character. The default was "Chrono," and after a brief mont of consideration, he decided to keep it. It felt right because thats his habit always using character default na so he can enjoy the story fullest. With a few quick button presses, the na was locked in, and his journey began.
Within the first hour, after naming his silent red-haired hero Crono, Hironobu spent several minutes wandering through Crono's modest ho. He spoke with Crono's cheerful mother, who offered tidbits of context and affection, setting the tone for a grounded and lived-in world. He took the ti to adjust to the ga's smooth and responsive controls, pleasantly surprised by how fluid movent felt on the ZEPS 2. The interface was clean, without clutter or intrusive nus—it simply let the player enjoy the world.
Soon, a cheerful lody and the ringing of bells guided Crono to the vibrant Millennial Fair. Bright banners fluttered in the breeze, food stalls bustled with activity, and the entire area pulsed with joyful chiptune music. Hironobu couldn't help but smile. He laughed at the absurdity of the cat races, tested his reflexes at the strength bell with a wooden hamr, and competed in a soda-chugging mini-ga that made him chuckle out loud. Each interaction was light-hearted but thoughtfully designed—miniature worlds within the ga itself.
As he explored further, a sudden sparkle caught his eye—a shiny pendant lying on the ground. A blond girl, full of energy and curiosity, had just bumped into Crono and dropped it. Her na was Marle, and she thanked Crono warmly for returning it. At the ti, it seed like a simple mont, an innocent et-cute in a ga packed with them. But Hironobu, a veteran storyteller, sensed sothing more. He didn't know exactly why—but that pendant felt like the first domino in a very long chain.
Monts later, as Crono walked past a table and casually devoured a stranger's unattended lunch, Hironobu burst into laughter. "Oops! Hope that doesn't co back to bite ," he said jokingly. Little did he know, the ga would rember. That lunch, that pendant, every decision—Chrono Trigger was already setting the stage for sothing extraordinary.
Continuing the story, Hironobu had already t Lucca—Crono's childhood friend who had grown into a brilliant young inventor—and Marle, the spirited blond girl whose pendant had mysteriously reacted to Lucca's latest creation: a teleportation machine. Hironobu was already hooked, marveling at how the ga wove together its characters so naturally. When the demonstration of the machine took a dramatic turn and a strange portal violently tore open the air in the middle of the fairground, Hironobu gasped as Marle was pulled inside without warning.
Crono and Lucca stood stunned. For a few seconds, neither knew what to do. But then, as if driven by instinct, Crono stepped forward with quiet determination. Hironobu admired the protagonist—he didn't speak, but his actions were loud but still its like a Typical JRPG protagonist but Hironobu loves that. Lucca, gathering her courage, promised to follow once she figured out what had gone wrong with the machine.
Hironobu chuckled and leaned forward on the couch, muttering, "Ti travel, of course… hehehe." The screen warped with a swirling, disorienting effect, and suddenly Crono found himself in a dense, unfamiliar forest. The colors had shifted, and the air felt heavier. Before he could get his bearings, three strange, blue-skinned, bald creatures erged from the trees.
Hironobu sat up straight. "Oh, finally—a real battle," he said, smiling with excitent.
Hironobu grinned—up until now, he had been so caught up in the story and all the engaging mini-gas that he hadn't even realized he hadn't encountered a single battle yet and no he didn't challenge the robot in fair. Then suddenly, the mont arrived. A catchy and adrenaline-pumping battle the kicked in, and the screen transitioned into a combat scenario. Hironobu's eyes lit up.
"It's turn-based... but they're moving!" he exclaid, watching as Crono and the enemies shifted positions dynamically instead of standing still like traditional RPGs. The animations were smooth, with sword swings and skills delivered in ways that felt both cinematic and responsive. "Heh, this is quite unique," he added with a smirk, already appreciating the fresh approach.
As the battle ended, he continued on, venturing deeper until he reached the world map. There, a broader view revealed itself. Hironobu paused, tilting his head slightly. The layout looked oddly familiar. "Ohh? So this is the sa town but in a different tiline?" he mused. "Either the future or the past… but judging by the dieval aesthetics, definitely the past."
Driven by curiosity, he guided Crono toward a nearby inn labeled "Truce Inn." As he stepped inside, the dieval vibe was even more pronounced. Everything was rustic—the wooden architecture, the stone fireplace, and even the kitchen in the back looked centuries old. He noted the little details: copper pots hanging from iron hooks, unpolished wooden tables, and candle-lit sconces.
Hironobu chuckled when the guards outside called Crono insane for asking modern questions—they clearly had no idea what he was talking about. "Yep," Hironobu said to himself, "this is definitely the Guardia Kingdom. But in the past. That's so clever."
The sense of mystery, the ti-bending twists, the evolving environnts—it was all pulling him deeper. He could already feel it: Chrono Trigger wasn't just a ga. It was a journey through ti, space, and imagination—and he was completely along for the ride.
He continued to play, fully imrsed in the experience. It was clear now—Chrono Trigger had completely captivated him. The world, the chanics, the story, and the sense of ti-traveling wonder had pulled him in. There was no turning back; he was hooked.
To be continue
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