Chrono Trigger

1995 Square Enix RPG

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot sold

LinuxGold

Steam DeckPlayable

Gamicality score

Metacritic Not rated

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 861

How it’s combined

Playability today

Runs today4/5

Design today3.5/5

Steam user reviews

Very Positive

88%

11,200 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Chrono Trigger run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxGold

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks.3

Steam DeckPlayable

Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup.1

Played Chrono Trigger lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

How to get Chrono Trigger running today

If gameplay and menus run slowly or unevenly, disable Steam Input for the game in its Steam properties under Controller (PCGamingWiki).
Install the CTExt fan mod to remove the stutter when walking diagonally (PCGamingWiki).

Synopsis

A Japanese role-playing game in which a young swordsman and his friends fall through a time portal and set out to change the fate of their world across several eras. Battles play out on the field map in real time with turns, and party members can combine their skills into joint techniques. Choices and side quests lead to many different endings and a New Game Plus mode.

Developer: Square Enix
Released: 1995
Genre: RPG
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

The original is widely ranked among the best role-playing games ever made, praised for its story, music, combat and lean length. The 2018 PC release was built from the mobile version and drew heavy criticism at launch for its filtered graphics, touch-style interface and fonts, which Square Enix reworked through several patches that year. Players today still recommend the game itself, but many point to random crashes, a stutter when walking diagonally and low-quality sprite and interface assets that fans fix with mods.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

4/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
Most extra content from the PS1 and DS versions is included, though two PS1 cutscenes and the DS Arena of Ages are missing (PCGamingWiki).
Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
16:9 resolutions are available, mixing Hor+ and Vert- scaling (PCGamingWiki).
Full controller support or remappable controls
Controllers are supported with remapping, though a keyboard is needed to rename characters (PCGamingWiki).
Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
Known game-breaking bugs in the current version
Players still report random crashes to desktop in 2025 and 2026, and saves are only possible at fixed points (Steam Community).

Design today

3.5/5

Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Keyboard, mouse and controller all work and can be rebound, and patches in 2018 reworked the menus for keyboard and controller play. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, novacrystallis.com.
Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
Patches added a classic interface and battle menus modeled on the original, and the game runs in 16:9 at up to 4K with borderless window support. Source: novacrystallis.com, pcgamingwiki.com.
Saving is harsh: few saves or checkpoints, progress gets lost
Manual saves are limited to save points and the world map, and players report losing an hour or more of progress to crashes or a lost fight between them. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
Reviewers describe an easy-to-follow story and simple menus that suit newcomers to the genre, though a few spots have vague direction that sent one player to a guide. Source: gamingfurever.com, foreverclassicgames.com.
Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
The adventure is concise, about twenty hours for a first run, and reviewers call it a good entry point to the genre. Source: foreverclassicgames.com, gamingfurever.com.
Camera or movement fights the player
The screen jitters whenever the party walks diagonally, a long-standing complaint that RPG Site found still unpatched on PC and mobile. Source: rpgsite.net, steamcommunity.com, pcgamingwiki.com.