Chrono Trigger is held in almost mythical regard by many gamers, yet, had it been up to Hironobu Sakaguchi, it may have simply been yet another forgettable RPG. Exalted by some as one of the greatest titles ever produced, its fate could have been far different.
At the Monaco Anime Game International Conferences 2023 (MAGIC 2023), renowned for inspiring the brightest minds in gaming, Hironobu Sakaguchi, famously hailed as the progenitor of the much-beloved Final Fantasy franchise, reflected on the iconic Chrono Trigger, a title crafted in collaboration with Yuji Horii of Dragon Quest fame and Akira Toriyama, creator of the legendary Dragon Ball series.
“For me, collaborating with Akira Toriyama was the realization of a long-held dream,” Sakaguchi reminisced. “That feeling was echoed by the entire team, and his artwork was a great source of inspiration for us.”
Despite that, the creation of Chrono Trigger was not a simple process. Sakaguchi remarked that it was the most arduous to make out of all the projects he had been associated with, a fact which makes it especially meaningful to him.
“We were perilously close to having a lackluster experience on our hands, so we had to tear the project up by the roots and start again from the ground up,” Sakaguchi declared.
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That was undoubtedly for the best, as the ultimate version unleashed for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995 was an instant classic that has continued to attract attention nearly three decades later. Sakaguchi recollects feeling pleased with the outcome, while Toriyama was also delighted with the product of their labour, leading to their collaboration once again on Blue Dragon, which made its debut 11 years later on the Xbox 360.
At the gathering, Sakaguchi had a likeness of himself rendered by Toriyama on full display, a reminder of their close bond.
At MAGIC 2023, Sakaguchi revealed his aspirations for the future of Fantasian, with an exclusive IGN interview in that same year delving into his admiration for Final Fantasy XIV and his plans beyond that.
Esra Krabbe is an editor at IGN Japan and doesn’t seem to have any intention of stopping his regular indulgence of the Fantasian soundtrack. He’s still faithfully captivated by its melodies and rhythms.
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