So does this retro game hold up in the new millennium? Yes and no. While Square Enix has completely remade some of its back catalog for the DS, adding 3D graphics and voice acting, "Chrono Trigger" is essentially unchanged, minor additions notwithstanding. The new translation helps, but the story, which felt deep and interesting at the time, now feels a bit simplistic (though accessible for tweens and older). But the "Halo" generation of gamers might not have the patience for what is still a strategic, time-intensive experience. This re-release is aimed squarely at those who played through the game a decade ago and are looking to revisit it. There may not be enough here to hook new gamers, but the fact that it's in portable form makes it much easier to play in small chunks of time. I still love the game, and those who give it a chance will too.

Graphics: "Chrono Trigger" retains the identical graphics of its 16-bit counterpart, with the addition of fully animated cut scenes. The pixel-based sprite art and detailed backgrounds have a lot of charm even now. They certainly don't tax the DS hardware, but that's sort of beside the point.

Audio: Here, "Chrono Trigger" shines. The compositions are still amazing, catchy tunes that fit every moment of the game. (Early copies are actually shipping with a bonus CD containing a couple of fully arranged orchestral tracks.) Again, while the DS could certainly handle a fuller sound, you'll never miss it.

THE WRAP-UP

Parent's take: The game's characters fight against monsters of various sizes. While flashy sword, bow and magic attacks are involved, zero blood is depicted. The game's script contains comedic references to mild inebriation. It mostly earns the E10+ because there's a lot of written text, which very young children may not want to slog through or understand.

Final word: "Chrono Trigger" is the product of an older generation, but there's still an excellent game waiting to be unearthed here. For those who played it back in the day, you probably already own this update. For anyone else, if you like role-playing games, this format may be the perfect way to fall in love with a classic.