Chrono Trigger

Chrono Trigger (1995) follows Crono and friends as they travel through time to prevent a global catastrophe. This guide covers the entire game—main story, side quests, all 13 endings, and the DS/PC exclusive content.

Where to Start

First playthrough? Start with The Millennial Fair and follow the walkthrough in order. Each chapter covers one story segment with boss strategies, chest locations, and missable items flagged.

Looking for something specific? Jump to the Reference section for item lists, enemy stats, and tech tables. Or check Missables if you're worried about permanently losing items.

On New Game Plus? The NG+ Guide explains what carries over and how to unlock all endings efficiently.

The Time Periods

You'll visit seven eras throughout the game. Actions in one era affect others—plant a tree in 600 A.D. and it's fully grown in 1000 A.D. Here's what you'll find in each:

65,000,000 B.C. — Prehistory. Ayla joins here. Humans vs. Reptites. No shops; trade items at Ioka Village instead.
12,000 B.C. — Antiquity. The Kingdom of Zeal floats above a frozen world. Magus can join here (optional).
600 A.D. — Middle Ages. War between Guardia and the Fiends. Frog joins here.
1000 A.D. — Present day. Crono's home era. The Millennial Fair kicks everything off.
2300 A.D. — Post-apocalyptic future. Robo joins here. This is what happens if Lavos wins.
End of Time — Hub area connecting all eras. You'll learn magic here from Spekkio.

Combat Basics

No random encounters—enemies are visible on the map, so you can avoid fights if you want. Combat uses an Active Time Battle system; each character has a gauge that fills before they can act.

Techs are special abilities learned by earning Tech Points (TP) in battle. Single techs belong to one character. Dual and triple techs combine abilities from two or three party members—experiment with different party combinations to unlock them all.

Enemy positioning matters for area-of-effect attacks. Some techs hit enemies in a line; others hit a radius. Wait for enemies to cluster before using AoE moves.

Guide Sections

Walkthrough — The main story in 26 chapters, from The Millennial Fair to The Final Battle. Each chapter includes:

Step-by-step directions
All chest and item locations
Boss strategies with recommended levels
Missable items flagged with warnings

Side Quests — Six optional quests that unlock after the Ocean Palace event:

The Sun Stone — Crono's best weapon
Ozzie's Fort — Magus's best equipment
Northern Ruins — Frog's Masamune upgrade
Sunken Desert — Robo's sidequest
Geno Dome — Robo's backstory
The Rainbow Shell — Marle's family drama

Reference — Data tables for when you need specifics:

Techs — All single, dual, and triple techs
Equipment — Weapons, armor, helms, accessories
Items — Consumables and key items
Bestiary — All 246 enemies with stats and drops
Bosses — Boss stats and strategies
Shops — Every shop by era and location

Extras — Supplemental guides:

Endings Guide — How to unlock all 13 endings
New Game Plus — What carries over and optimization tips
Missables Checklist — Items you can permanently lose
Sealed Chests — Upgrade trick for paired chests
Charm Items — Everything Ayla can steal
Stat Capsules — All capsule locations

DS/PC Exclusive Content

The DS, PC, and mobile versions include additional content not in the original SNES release. If you're playing one of these versions, check:

Lost Sanctum — Two new dungeons with unique equipment
Dimensional Vortex — Three bonus dungeons and the true final boss
Arena of Ages — Monster raising minigame (DS only)

Quick Tips

Talk to everyone. NPCs give hints, and some trigger sidequests or items.
Bring Ayla to boss fights. Her Charm steals rare items you can't get any other way.
Don't sell old equipment. Some characters join with nothing; you'll want spares.
Save before the Ocean Palace. Major story events happen, and you'll want a backup.
The sealed chest trick gets you two items instead of one. Check 600 A.D. first, say no, then open in 1000 A.D.