E3 2008: Chrono Trigger DS Hands-On

Many classic role-playing games have been remade lately, and they have been generating a lot of excitement among fans, especially fans of classic Super Nintendo RPGs. Chrono Trigger is one of those games, and for those who are worried about how Chrono Trigger will look, have no fear: Your favorite characters will resume their spritelike appearances. From our brief play session at the Square Enix booth during E3, there seem to be only some minor changes to accommodate the touch screen; otherwise, the look and feel of this game is the same.

Anyone who didn't have the opportunity to play it on the SNES or the PlayStation when it was rereleased with Final Fantasy IV as Final Fantasy Chronicles, this is your chance, and it's portable. We only got to play the beginning, but your adventure begins with Crono heading to the Millennial Fair to meet up with his friend Lucca. Along the way, he bumps into Marle, but Lucca's new transportation device sends her back in time.

Chrono Trigger DS plays the same way, and the only difference now is that there are options to use the touch screen in battle or when you are prompted with a question. You don't have to use the options, but they're there, and they're unobtrusive. Battles are active, and your character is ready once his or her active time bar is full. The bottom screen provides a map and icons to access your menu, tech information, and enemy details. During battle, you can still use the D pad and A or B to make your selection, but you also have the option of tapping the attack button that shows up under each character. This makes the action in the top screen less cluttered because the only thing showing is your health and active time bar. The stylus can also be used to move around if you choose not to use the D pad.

From what we've seen, Chrono Trigger DS stays true to the original and looks fantastic on the DS. The full-motion videos from the PlayStation release will be included, and the reps have said that there is also multiplayer available, but they cannot give details yet. The memorable music is all there, so fans who want to relive this fantasy can look for it this holiday season.