This Legendary '90s Video Game Soundtrack Still Gives Fans Chills

Chrono Trigger is undoubtedly one of the best RPGs in the history of gaming. Even though it came out over 30 years ago, the game remains the pinnacle of role-playing because it possesses a heart that is rare in any story.

But what gave it that extra humanity that other 1990s video games couldn't replicate? We know that time travel mechanics were ingenious and felt like something from a great sci-fi novel or Hollywood movie. The battle scenes were interactive and unique in the genre and continue to stand the test of time.

It's the soundtrack. That beautiful set of compositions, mainly created by Yasunori Mitsuda in his early 20s, evoked feelings that other SNES games simply did not. Of course, there are other legendary soundtracks on the Super Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is probably Nintendo's best first-party soundtrack in its history. Secret of Mana is another incredible Square-developed game that is greatly enhanced by the music. But there's really only one Chrono Trigger.

The diversity of music in the game, and the scale at which the music affects the mood of the area you're in, is the secret ingredient to the greatness. It's hard to pick what song is the best because they're all perfectly placed and executed.

Listen to "Corridors of Time":

If you remember traveling to 12000 B.C. and setting foot into the Kingdom of Zeal, this song is what instantly floods your memories and sends chills up your arms and legs. It's an inescapable anthem of nostalgia and melancholy, and the first time in video game history that music made the medium an art form.

You want more goosebumps? Let's bump "Schala's Theme":

Something more upbeat? "Frog's Theme" is enough to make even the most meek person want to run through a wall and face a battle they never would have believed they could win.

There are entire online threads dedicated to trying to nitpick between different tracks and decide on the ultimate Chrono Trigger song. The one thing that is for certain is that there has never been a more timeless soundtrack in gaming history than this one!

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 9:28 PM.