Radical Dreamers (Super Famicom) - Pt 1

Time to take a look at a game that never got released outside of Japan. This game was released in 1996, and was, sort of, the sequel to Chrono Trigger. It is most certainly the predecessor to Chrono Cross... actually, it's far more of a predecessor to Chrono Cross than Chrono Trigger is. I don't know what's more wrong: that, or the fact that CT got this as a sequel.

That said...it isn't bad on its own.

Here it is. There are lots of people who insist that this game is neither a CT sequel nor a CC prequel, taking place in a separate but similar world. Really, who knows? Square didn't exactly take good care of the Chrono-verse after Trigger.

 A familiar jingle plays as the pages of a book turn.

This would make a great beginning to a love letter.

That's right, Kid. All the Chrono Cross players just suddenly began to sweat.

HA! I'm pretty sure this is the work of the translators. Since le slow est le pew, I go with le fast.

Our heroes check out Viper Mansion from a distance. That's what this game is...the attack on Viper Mansion, from Chrono Cross. How is that a sequel to Chrono Trigger? I don't know. I do know that I'm digging the Yasunori Mitsuda soundtrack.

Left is Kid, without quite the 'bod that she has in Chrono Cross. Right is Magus. ...er, Magil. The game makes it abundantly clear that he's Magus, since he looks just like Magus, hovers across the ground, and attacks with shadow spells. But he's named Magil. Who's the guy in the middle? Well, that's... ::holds earpiece:: ...yes, I'm being told that is in fact Serge.

The journey begins. This game is text-based with illustrations. It's an interesting idea.

Note how Serge is narrating? Yes indeed, Serge is not a mute in this game.

Serge gives his thoughts on Kid. At least this book... er, this game is making sense. That's more than I can say for Chrono Cross, which I still don't fully understand.

This just in: Kid is the Sega Nomad™! IT DOES WHAT NINTENDON'T!

Magil... his whole deal is that he's mysterious. This game seems to really be about Kid and who she really is.

First battle of the game (What? A battle in a text based game? By Jove!)... and Chrono Cross's battle theme plays... AWESOME. A 16 bit version of the theme, but still. Pretty sweet to hear the theme in the origin state.

Yasunori Mitsuda is, in my view, the greatest game music composer of our time.

In what would soon become the trend of the game, Serge pretty much bumbles around while Magil completely obliterates everything. Kid doesn't make herself that useful either. Basically, you choose whether to attack or defend and see what happens. Most likely, Serge will end up getting owned either way, then Magil will do something useful and you'll win.

This is why we're here... to get the Frozen Flame. The battle theme isn't the only theme from Cross. Almost every theme is a proto version of a Cross theme. Might be the best thing about the game.

At this point the linearity breaks down and I can explore the mansion, Choose Your Own Adventure style. Those books were awesome.

Serge kicks a goblin in the BALLS. No, seriously, that was an option. Hilarity ensues!

Our heroes run into this game's Old Man Bal (Xenogears reference at 12 o' clock!) du jour, an old lady who seems to be milling about in one of the broom closets. She goes on to talk about Kid's history while "Star Stealing Girl" plays. Whoa. Amazing song from Chrono Cross. Look it up. And I was just talking about game music a few days ago...well, that's another shining example of how good it can be.

Lucca is referenced. This does seem to fill in some of Cross' story gaps, at least early on.

More battles, and they seem to be getting tougher. And by tougher, I mean Serge is taking even more of a pounding before Magil runs in and plays Deus Ex Machina, saving the day in mere seconds.

Know where that term comes from? In ancient times, they would literally wheel a giant statue of God onto the stage and have him solve whatever the problem was in the story. Deus Ex Machina.

Acacia Dragoons? This game is making me feel like playing Chrono Cross again...

At this point we find a talking mirror which claims to have all the answers. I had Serge ask for Kid's measurements, and got this. Evidently Kid is shaped like an apple on a stick.

Seems that Lynx is a bad guy. And he ruined this mirror's life!

This statue reminds me of Rare-style computer modelling.

At this point I suffer my first (and perhaps only) death of the game, as I make a string of wrong choices in a battle and ultimately run out of HP.

What came from the sea has returned from the sea... and then clawed right back out, like some sort of sea monster.

This is it...

Serge: "F...Frozen Flame-sama!"

Magil proceeds to BREAK IT and announce that it's a fake, only here to distract thieves.

Seems this game contains Heckran. The mere mention of Heckran conjures up fond Chrono Trigger memories.

And now, it's time for our greatest challenge yet. Lynx's elite troops. His Ginyu Force, if you will. The Magical Gobbler Team.

This really is the toughest battle yet, and leaves Serge in bad shape. Luckily, Magil YET AGAIN completely saves everyone's ass. Listen to the creaking of the giant metal God statue as they wheel it onto the stage!

Now that Magical Gobbler Team is somehow defeated, onward.

Click here for the second and final part of this short, peculiar, yet interesting game.