Game music of the day: Chrono Trigger

Welcome to GamesRadar's daily blast of all things pertaining to the ever-growing field of game music. Each post will introduce new sounds, games, composers and fan-made remixes of gaming's greatest aural achievements.

July 8, 2010

Game: Chrono Trigger

Song: To Far Away Times

Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda

Above: To Far Away Times from Chrono Trigger

No one doubts the size and quality of the Chrono Trigger soundtrack. It's inarguably one of the greatest bodies of VGM of all time, and will remain in that lofty position for as long as there are people drawing breath. But which song to elevate above the rest? For me, it's easily the end theme, the credits tune that ties it all up and just about brings a tear to my eye every single time.

Depending on your ending, To Far Away Times plays as Crono and Marle float above the cities of the world, looking down at all they've been through and all that they've saved in the course of the game - it's a touching final moment that soars even higher with this moving piece of music.

There it is with the ending intact. It meant a lot to me when the game first launched, as by this point in the game you're pretty damn attached to these characters and this world, and really feel like you did some good. Today, I hear this song and I'm moved all over again, thinking of those high school days when time was in abundance and beating Chrono Trigger was the biggest thing I'd do all week.

The above isn't really a remix at all, but it's still a wonderful metal adaptation of the end song. There's still the same sense of accomplishment and a slight twinge of sadness to the whole thing, making it a fine revision of a song that I'd put in my top five favorite songs of all time. Not just game songs - songs period.

Neon Night by O'Donnell and Salvatori

Purple Coins and Good Egg by Kondo and Yokota

Versus mode by Nagao, Tsukamoto and Hikichi