Chrono (series)
A Square Enix series of time-travel RPGs.
The Chrono series is a video game franchise developed and published by Square, now owned by Square Enix. It began in 1995 with the time travel role-playing game Chrono Trigger, which spawned continuations including Radical Dreamers: Nusumenai Hōseki and Chrono Cross, as well as a promotional anime and ports. The series is noted for its acclaimed gameplay and music.
- first_release
- 1995
- developer
- Square (later Square Enix)
- genre
- Role-playing video game
- notable_titles
- Chrono Trigger, Radical Dreamers: Nusumenai Hōseki, Chrono Cross
- composer
- Yasunori Mitsuda
- total_sales_by_2019
- over 5.5 million units combined
Lore & Background
The Chrono series began with Chrono Trigger, released in 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Its development was called the 'Dream Project,' led by a 'Dream Team' including Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yuji Horii, and Akira Toriyama. The story follows Crono and friends traveling through time to prevent a future disaster. In 1996, a side story, Radical Dreamers: Nusumenai Hōseki, was released as a text-based game for the Satellaview. Chrono Cross followed in 1999, set in parallel worlds and partly remaking Radical Dreamers. A promotional anime, Dimensional Adventure Numa Monjar, aired in 1996, and two trademarks for a potential sequel, Chrono Break, were filed but later dropped.
Reader's Guide
The Chrono series is significant for its innovative time travel mechanics and acclaimed storytelling, particularly in Chrono Trigger, which is often cited as one of the greatest games of all time. The series' music, primarily composed by Yasunori Mitsuda, has also received high praise. Despite only two main games and a side story, the franchise has sold over 5.5 million units by 2019. Its legacy includes ports and remasters, such as the 2022 Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers Edition, and continued influence on role-playing game design.
Did You Know?
- Chrono Trigger was Square Enix's 12th best-selling game as of March 31, 2003, with 2.65 million units shipped.
- Chrono Cross was described by director Masato Kato as 'not a Chrono Trigger 2' but 'a result of a pulled trigger.'
- The promotional anime Dimensional Adventure Numa Monjar was broadcast at the Japanese V-Jump Festival on July 31, 1996.
- Two trademarks for a potential sequel, Chrono Brake and Chrono Break, were filed in 2001 but the American trademark was dropped in 2003.
More in Square Enix franchises 1-24
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