Chrono Trigger came out on the Super Nintendo in 1995, and it is still the RPG a lot of us measure every other one against. A group of adventurers travel through time to prevent a global catastrophe. The creators of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest made it together with Akira Toriyama, a team Square called the "Dream Team". Nintendo Power praised its multiple endings, and Yasunori Mitsuda's soundtrack is hailed as one of the best in games. It has shipped more than 5 million copies.
The trouble is that there is only one of it. These are the games players recommend most to Chrono Trigger fans, ranked by how many different people named each one. The last two spots go to classics that retro RPG reviews hold up next to Chrono Trigger.
8 Games Like Chrono Trigger Where a Small Band of Heroes Saves the World
Phantasy Star IV (1993)
Phantasy Star IV had combination attacks before Chrono Trigger made them famous. Use certain moves on the same turn in the right order, and your characters merge them into a new, stronger move. Hunters Alys and Chaz lead a party trying to stop an ecological crisis from destroying their solar system. Battles are turn-based and quick, and the walking speed is fast enough that you almost glide. It has been listed among the greatest video games of all time.
The big difference is the setting. You travel the planets of the Algol solar system with androids in your party. Even your vehicles can fight. To make sure a combo goes off, you can program a whole turn into a macro and pick it in battle. Play it on Sega Genesis, or on Wii.
Skies of Arcadia (2000)
Skies of Arcadia has the heart Chrono Trigger fans look for. Vyse and his crew have the same innocent charm as Chrono Trigger's cast. Vyse is a young air pirate, and he and his friends try to stop the Valuan Empire from reviving ancient weapons that could destroy the world. Battles are turn-based, and the joy is flying your airship in 3D across a sky of floating islands. It is often called one of the best Dreamcast games.
The big difference is exploration. Your map starts empty, and you fill it with discoveries you can sell to the Sailor's Guild. Random encounters come often, which can wear on you. Play it on Dreamcast, or get the Skies of Arcadia Legends port on GameCube, where random encounters have been toned down.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (2011)
Ni no Kuni is the one to play if Chrono Trigger was your first RPG and you want that feeling again. Young Oliver crosses a world you explore on foot, by boat or on a dragon, and he can travel between that world and his hometown of Motorville. Studio Ghibli made the animated scenes, and Joe Hisaishi co-composed the score. Reviewers praised its story and graphic design.
The big difference is the combat. It is an action RPG, and you fight with magic and creatures called familiars that you capture and tame. Other party members can be controlled in battle too. Play it on PS3 or Switch, or get the remaster on PS4.
Lost Sphear (2017)
Lost Sphear comes from Tokyo RPG Factory, the studio behind I Am Setsuna, and it plays like a love letter to the Super Nintendo years. Kanata and his party travel the land to restore vanished zones, in a world where the Moon is treated as a deity. You run into enemies on the map to start a fight, and combat uses a version of the Active Time Battle system. Critics praised the battle system and the music.
The big difference is the story hook. Kanata brings lost places back using memories, and the whole plot is themed around them. Reviews faulted its storyline and a lack of originality, so come for the fights. Play it on PS4 or Switch.
Xenogears (1998)
Xenogears has the closest family tie on the list. It started as a proposal for Final Fantasy VII, then was developed first as a sequel to Chrono Trigger before it became its own science fiction story. The composer is Yasunori Mitsuda, who scored Chrono Trigger. Battles use the Active Time Battle system found in games such as Chrono Trigger, and you string learned combos together in a fight. Fei Fong Wong has lost his memories of his past, and his journey grows into a war to overthrow the all-powerful rule of Solaris.
The big difference is how heavy it gets. The story draws on Jungian psychology and religious symbolism, and the late game is primarily told through cutscenes. Many critics called it a work of art. Play it on PS1, PS3 or PSP.
Cosmic Star Heroine (2017)
Cosmic Star Heroine wears its Chrono Trigger love openly. There are no random battles. Fights happen right on the field like in Chrono Trigger, with enemies you can see coming. Zeboyd Games made it as a science fiction RPG where you recruit up to 11 characters and take four into combat. Alyssa and her party explore 3 planets, with towns and dangerous areas on each.
The big difference is how fights flow. Each character sets up to 7 abilities, and once you use one it stays spent until you use the defend move, which recharges all spent abilities. That makes every turn a small puzzle. There is also a base to upgrade with recruits, much like Suikoden. Play it on PS4, Vita or Switch.
Radiant Historia (2010)
Radiant Historia is the pick for fans who loved the time travel most. Stocke is drawn into Historia, a realm divorced from time, and he can use the White Chronicle to alter events. The original got praise for its gameplay and time travel mechanics. Yoko Shimomura wrote the music, and you will hum it for days.
The big difference is the battle grid. Enemies stand on a grid and can move around it, and when several share a square, one attack damages all of them. On the map, Stocke can stun enemies with his sword to avoid a battle or get a preemptive attack. Play the DS original, or Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology on 3DS, which adds voice acting and an extra story path.
I Am Setsuna (2016)
I Am Setsuna was built to bring back the golden age of RPGs, and the team took mechanical inspiration from Chrono Trigger. Fights use the Active Time Battle system and happen right where you meet the enemy, with no jump to a separate battle arena. Characters learn Techs, and when a Double Tech is ready, the Techs menu changes to Combo. Chrono Trigger fans will feel at home in the first fight.
The big difference is the mood. Endir is a mercenary sent to assassinate Setsuna, a young woman destined to be a sacrifice for the monsters, and he ends up as her guardian in a snow-bound world. Tomoki Miyoshi's music was performed on piano by Randy Kerber. It sold well and critics liked it. Play it on PS4, Vita or Switch.
Which one to play
There you have it, the whole list of games like Chrono Trigger. A few are open tributes, and others share its battles or its heart.
If you want the closest match to Chrono Trigger's fights, start with I Am Setsuna. If the time travel was your favorite part, play Radiant Historia. Fans of the music should try Xenogears, with a soundtrack by the same composer. If you like a sci-fi twist, Cosmic Star Heroine is the one. Sega fans can dig out Phantasy Star IV or Skies of Arcadia. And for a younger player starting out, Ni no Kuni and its Studio Ghibli look make a lovely first RPG.
