You may have thought it was strange last year when Square Enix released Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition, a remake of the 1999 sequel to one of the most revered RPGs ever created, Chrono Trigger. Remaking the far-less beloved sequel before the original may seem like a weird decision, but it’s likely a result of the fact that the rights to Chrono Trigger are such a scattered mess that Square Enix isn’t actually able to remake it. Chrono Cross, with its brand new cast of characters and disconnected storyline, was Square’s way of side-stepping the rights issues back in ‘99, and ever since, the only new Chrono Trigger-related games have been largely unaltered ports on the 3DS, mobile, and PC. With news of a Super Mario RPG remake, which has similar rights issues, there’s renewed hope that a Chrono Trigger remake could be on the way.
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There are a lot of rumors and speculation when it comes to the Chrono Trigger rights. Developer and publisher Square Enix, then known as Squaresoft, owns the copyrights and trademarks related to Chrono Trigger. Unlike most games, however, the actual owners of the IP aren’t as clear cut. It’s possible, and perhaps even likely, that the three creators of Chrono Trigger (Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii, and Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama) all have a claim to partial ownership over the game. In fact, Chrono Trigger DS gives Story and Screenplay credits to both Square Enix and Armor Project, a production company founded by Yuji Horii in 2002. If the story rights belong to Horii, or the rights to the character designs belong to Toriyama, it could explain why we’ve never seen Chrono and pals show up in any other games, despite how influential Chrono Trigger was.
It’s pure speculation at this point, but the evidence suggests that there must be some kind of legal hang up that has kept Chrono Trigger relegated to the annals of video game history all these years. A similar, yet less opaque situation has seemingly plagued Super Mario RPG. Mario’s first RPG adventure is a rare example of a Nintendo game featuring Nintendo characters being developed by an outside studio. Despite Nintendo’s eagerness to remaster and re-release so many of its older games, especially ones featuring Mario, Super Mario RPG has been almost completely ignored since its release in 1996. None of its original characters, including party members Mallow and Geno, have ever appeared in other Nintendo games, aside from minor references like Smash Bros. trophies.
The announcement of the Super Mario RPG remake during this week’s Nintendo Direct gives us reason for hope. Square’s relationship with Nintendo became strained in the early 2000s due to Final Fantasy exclusivity on the PlayStation, which may have played a factor in Super Mario RPG going ignored for so many years. The remake is a direct result of strides the two companies have made to repair that business relationship in recent years, which is a positive indication for Chrono Trigger’s future too.
Among RPGs, Chrono Trigger is one of the most sought-after remake, and there’s no chance Square Enix doesn’t recognize the demand. While a remake might not have been possible before, relationships and business dynamics change over time - as Super Mario RPG remake proves - so there’s still a chance Chrono, Marle, and Lucca could one day make their long-awaited return.
