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Straight from E3, we bring you hands-on coverage of the DS remake of this fan favorite.

Square-Enix caused a huge tremor a few weeks ago when they announced a DS release of Chrono Trigger. Often considered the holy grail of Super Nintendo RPGs, the classic RPG is loved by fans for its unique time-traveling mechanic, memorable characters, and what is widely considered one of the best game soundtracks ever composed. It has a unique Given that Chrono Trigger has not seen a release since a 2001 Playstation port that was plagued by load times and the Super Nintendo cartridge still fetches over $50 on the used market, the timing couldn't be better for a DS remake. Much to the excitement of this reporter, the remake of the SNES classic was on display and playable on the E3 show floor, where I was able to spend some time with it.

Unlike the full-blown 3D remake treatment that Square-Enix has been giving the Final Fantasy series on the DS, Chrono Trigger is for the most part completely unchanged. There are rumors circulating of a new translation, but the build on the E3 show floor featured the original dialogue with only a few minor changes. Although you can now enter names longer than five characters, worry not - the main character's name is still named Crono, not the more logical “Chrono”.

The graphics have also not been altered, but despite being thirteen years old they look anything but outdated. In fact, they look better than ever: between the crispness of the DS's two screens and their small physical size, the game looks far better on the DS than the original SNES title does on my TV.

Given that the game featured some of the best spritework on the Super NES, it comes as no surprise that no updating was required to make the DS version look utterly gorgeous. Other than perhaps a few more frames of animation or updated 3D spell effects, I really couldn't ask for anything more from Chrono Trigger's visuals. The animated cut scenes from the Playstation release of the game were absent from the build I played, but I am told that they will be included in the final release.

The game can be played exactly as it was on the SNES. The button controls are mapped the same on the DS as they are on the SNES gamepad, and as mentioned above the creative team is staying very true to the original. That being said, there are a number of nice added features for the DS version. The game's action takes place on the top screen, with the bottom screen relegated to displaying an area map and buttons for each of the menu categories.

While you can still access a proper menu, it is nice to be able to get to screens such as the item equip and tech information without having to navigate through the clunky menu (fear not, the menu interface has also received a full redesign). Instead of just using the d-pad to move around, it is also possible to move using the touch screen. It functions like an analog stick – the farther away from the center of the screen you tap, the faster Crono moves. It doesn't feel completely intuitive yet, but it's nice to have the option.