Chrono Trigger

Chrono Trigger arrived on iOS and Android in 2011 as one of the first major JRPG ports proving that even a time-hopping classic from the Super Nintendo could work on a touchscreen without major compromises. The game was created in the mid-nineties by a so-called dream team - the creators of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest joined forces to craft a story about a group of heroes traveling across history, from prehistoric times to the distant future, to prevent the ruin caused by the alien being Lavos, which they discover almost by accident during an ordinary trip to a fair.

The mobile version is based on the later Nintendo DS remaster, so it adds bonus content and extra dungeons over the original, and the controls are noticeably adapted for touch - the virtual buttons and menus work well, and battles taking place directly on the game map without switching to a separate screen remain just as fluid as in the original. The system of multiple decision branches and several different endings further encourages replaying through a New Game+ mode, where the player carries over progress and equipment into a new playthrough and can see scenes they missed the first time.

Chrono Trigger is still cited today as one of the best-paced JRPGs ever made - no unnecessary padding, every chapter has a clear purpose, and the game knows exactly when to end, which is far from a given in a genre notorious for dozens of hours of grinding and sets it apart from most of its contemporaries and successors alike.

Why play it: For anyone who loves JRPGs and hasn't played Chrono Trigger yet - a compact, well-crafted story and combat system that holds up even today, now on mobile with bonus content from the Nintendo DS version.