Thirty-one years later, Chrono Trigger remains the gold standard for JRPGs. But at current market prices, is the cartridge worth the investment?
This article is a living document. It will be updated as we play through the game. Check back for new entries, reactions, and our final verdict.
How I Missed Chrono Trigger
I grew up on SNES RPGs. Final Fantasy IV (released as Final Fantasy II in the US), Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy VI (Final Fantasy III in the US). These games were foundational for me. They shaped what I expected from storytelling in games and what I thought an RPG could be. So when people talk about Chrono Trigger as one of the greatest games ever made, I nod along, but I’m nodding from the outside looking in.
I never played it. Not in 1995, not on the DS rerelease, not on any platform. It just slipped past me entirely. I was aware of Square as a developer. I was the exact target audience. It simply never crossed my path, and by the time it became a conversation piece in retro gaming circles, I had moved on to other things.
That changes now. In 2026, I’m finally sitting down with Chrono Trigger for the very first time.
The $200 Question
An authentic SNES cartridge of Chrono Trigger currently sells in the $150 to $250 range depending on condition and whether you want a complete-in-box copy. That price point raises a real question for collectors and newcomers alike. Is any single SNES game worth that much money in 2026, especially when the game is available digitally for a fraction of the cost?
Part of what we’ll explore through this playthrough is whether the game itself holds up well enough to justify that kind of investment, or whether the price tag is purely a collector’s market phenomenon disconnected from the actual experience of playing it.
Two Perspectives, One Playthrough
This retrospective has a twist. I’m not playing through Chrono Trigger alone. My wife Lisa is playing alongside me, and her perspective couldn’t be more different from mine. She didn’t grow up with RPGs at all. No Final Fantasy, no Dragon Quest, no Earthbound. The genre is almost entirely new to her.
That means this article will carry two distinct reactions. Mine will come from someone who spent hundreds of hours in SNES-era RPGs and is finally experiencing the one that supposedly tops them all. Lisa’s will come from someone encountering the genre’s mechanics, storytelling conventions, and pacing for the first time with completely fresh eyes.
If Chrono Trigger is truly as good as its reputation suggests, it should resonate with both of us for very different reasons.
Playthrough Log
Entries will be added here as we progress through the game. Each entry will cover where we are in the story (spoiler-tagged where appropriate), our honest reactions, and how the game is holding up against its legendary reputation.
Entry 1 — Coming Soon
The Verdict (So Far)
We haven’t played enough yet to pass judgment. This section will evolve as we make our way through the game. Check back.
