PlayStation · RPG

Chrono Cross

クロノ・クロス

Japan: November 18, 1999 · Dev: Square · Music: Yasunori Mitsuda

About this game

Released in 1999, Chrono Cross is the successor to Chrono Trigger — a game that redefined expectations so completely that its sequel could only survive by going in a radically different direction. Where Trigger was tight and focused, Cross was sprawling and oblique, with over 40 playable characters, a dual-world structure of parallel dimensions, and a thematic concern with identity, memory, and the weight of choices not made. Yasunori Mitsuda's score is widely considered one of the greatest in RPG history.

Key Features

Over 40 recruitable playable characters with individual backstories, an elemental grid battle system replacing traditional MP, parallel world navigation between Home and Another dimensions, and Yasunori Mitsuda's full orchestral soundtrack including the legendary overworld theme 'Chrono Cross ~Scars of Time~.'

The Story Behind

Chrono Cross was directed by Masato Kato, who had been a writer on Chrono Trigger. Its relationship to its predecessor was deliberately complex and divisive — many Chrono Trigger fans found its narrative opaque, while others considered it a bold artistic successor. The game sold over 1.5 million copies in Japan alone and won multiple awards for its music and visuals.

Tricks & Tales

Yasunori Mitsuda has described the Chrono Cross score as the work he is most proud of. The main theme 'Chrono Cross ~Scars of Time~' was performed with live instruments and uses an unusual time signature that gives it an off-kilter, otherworldly feel. The game's ending involves multiple parallel timelines and remains one of RPG's most debated conclusions.

Collector's Guide

Rarity common
Japan Release November 18, 1999

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Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.

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