The making of Chrono Trigger & Secret of Mana

Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger, two of Square's games from the 16-bit generation that showcased their experimentation with new takes on the RPG format.
//Support the channel
All your views, likes comments and shares are really appreciated! This video is part of a bigger series. I set up a patreon for those who would like to financially support it: / strafefox
//Narration by Steven Kelly
/ stevenmkelly
//Music and Sources
For the complete track-listing with time-codes skip to the end of the video. Sources used for this video are also listed there.
//Chapters
00:00 Intro
03:01 Secret of Mana
15:49 Chrono Trigger

[@vinesauce]

Two of my favorite games ever. Loved this video, didn't want it to end.

[@HyperDefective]

Agreed, Vin. This 30 minutes went by so fast

[@theSato]

FOR REAL. This channel is the epitome of quality over quantity.

[@maccamachine]

Hell yeah Vinny Chrono trigger is amazing

[@mariosbrother6845]

knew i'd see you here lol. love both channels so much

[@MsTatakai]

Wanna replay CT ? or maybe Secret of mana with the patches that make the combat better ? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ maybe?

[@Jingleboy14]

The production quality of these videos blows me away every time. Top-notch work!

[@strafefox]

Thanks so much! For this particular episode It was fun playing around with the different seasons and settings and tying them to specific chapters, adding a touch of the "spring-summer-autumn-winter" puzzle of Secret of Mana as subtext.

[@Dawwwg]

@@strafefox Yeah, that was pretty clear, Square would approve 😇

[@victoriagrayson5082]

Good punctuation and grammar!

[@victoriagrayson5082]

*Thanks so much! For this particular episode, It was fun playing around with the different seasons and settings and tying them to specific chapters, adding a touch of the "spring/summer/autumn/winter" puzzle of Secret of Mana as subtext.@@strafefox

[@Azuris190]

Nothing to add, fabulos stuff.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

How do I find meaning in my life? I can't go on, the burden of liv...NEW SPLASH WAVE? HELL YEAH!

[@SRC267]

Powerful

[@Vulpas]

We can put down the knife for half an hour.

[@Antwan86]

Thought the same 😍 what a surprise for this rainy November

[@Tucker11111111]

Please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please more Splashwave.

[@Epic_C]

These games of that era hold a special place in my heart, not only for its nostalgia, but for the time, effort, and workmanship that developers put into these games. I thank the developers of the time for their work and dedication because they made many childhoods something very special with the limitations they had. Limitations breed creativity.

[@SpaceyZee]

Better production than high end studios 🔥🔥🔥

[@strafefox]

Thanks so much! :)

[@MarMaxGaming]

11:50 absolutely fascinating… had no idea the image was still being loaded and hidden this whole time. Unreal!

[@wildwest1832]

Me neither

[@barryschalkwijk9388]

Dude the graphical wizardry is off the chain in this one. So many unique renders...

[@JohnDoe-pt7ru]

Literal genius level problem solving

[@bananachild1936]

The unsung story of an underrated KZbin channel has blessed us with another banger video once again.

[@jeremycarrier7532]

Your videos are 100% the best of their kind. Nobody else is doing it like you, on a level of visual montage, detailed research, narration, and music selection.

[@MarMaxGaming]

Your production is UNBELIEVABLE… the effort is through the roof

[@rickstone5191]

Just when I think I've seen every video about Chrono Trigger's production possible I find a gem like this, had no idea about the ILM stuff. The amount of work done on even minor background assets is insanity. As is the work on this video!

[@chrisgeorgiou]

A diamond documentary for two diamond games. Flawless as always. Great work as always.

[@Liquiddna89blaa]

I was scrolling through your channel yesterday wondering when a new vid would come out. I was scared you stopped which would of been a huge shame. The quality and passion in these videos are amazing. You seriously should be signed by a major streaming service for this series

[@Dawwwg]

Yeah, it can go straight on TV or streaming services with at least 2 seasons - if not more - of backlog !

[@abswithflabsttv]

Same

[@harmhoeks5996]

It takes a lot of time to make these videos I reckon

[@Liquiddna89blaa]

@@harmhoeks5996 Yeah I assume so. Especially with the high level of production quality that goes in

[@SaviorGabriel]

Beautifully done. I appreciate you guys drawing attention to minor details that we often overlook, or just don't think much about. It never ceases to amaze me how these developers could put forth such masterpieces.

[@gemfruitgames]

That bit around 11:20 is one of the coolest game development factoids I've ever heard, absolutely love and appreciate that so much! I shared this video a solid 2-3 times before I had finished it myself, I knew would be good, but damn I was not disappointed.

[@FatehBenMerzoug]

Absolutely marvelous work, thank you very much Jeroen!

[@strafefox]

Awesome to hear! Thanks so much!

[@MattQVSTheWorld]

This dude was tasked with "Squaresoft RPG video essay" and made an environment art portfolio. Simply amazing stuff.

[@Musicedge88]

This channel really does need more subs to go along with how amazingly done these videos are.

[@OriginalMasters]

Well, you gotta wonder how many serious enthusiasts like us there are, compared to casual people who want straight entertainment.

[@Absolutely_Nobody]

Oh, wow. Two of my favorite games of all time. Due to in large part thanks to Yasunori Mitsuda being one of the best video game composers ever. I would be remiss to not mention Hiroki Kikuta, as the Mana series wonderful soundtrack wouldn't exist without him. As always, thank you all so much for these videos!

[@rogerriggii6733]

when i was younger, i would watch G4, hoping for discovery-channel quality documentaries. now, i get to enjoy them whenever you release a video. please, keep up the tremendous work. I know we get antsy that you're not delivering as often as we want, but the quality and production is a tier setting of its own.

[@SlashCrash_Studios]

As always Strafefox, extremely well done.

[@FuzzballRenakitty]

I've said it before and I'll say it again- it's criminal how this channel doesn't get more recognition! The research and information is consistently high quality, the scripts are well thought out and don't feel rushed, and the graphics side of things just keep getting better and better! I really wish that more and more people could enjoy these videos- no.. pieces of art~

[@FRAMEINTOFOCUS]

Fantastically put together. One of your strengths is production. Well fitting, not destracting, really adds to the video. I feel the passion in this.

[@cgrooney9945]

Your videos are top tier! how you don't have more of an audience astounds me, please don't change what you do

[@GLEclipseGaming]

Another masterpiece. Amazing work Strafefox.

[@fluffy_tail4365]

your documentaries are the absolute best. The stories of the early game generations are often forgotten due to obscurity, time, and language barriers, but you manage to condense those information so well

[@Dare1C]

Ive been watching your stuff for a decade now it seems. Always super quality shit man. Keep it up!!

[@TheInternetIsDeadToMe]

Both these games meant so much to me a kid and you seem to have created the ultimate historical log of them. Watching this is like therapy! The explanation of how Secret of Mana’s opening sequence was created by working around the system’s limitations was absolutely fascinating. I swear artists produce their best work when working around limitations. Thanks so much for all your hard work creating these videos. You’re setting the bar.

[@RichardBlaziken]

These videos are absolute treasures. The passion and work that must go into them is outstanding. You haven't raised the bar, you _are_ the bar for quality on KZbin!

[@Carl-vj1sc]

I regularly watch the first "Making of Secret of Mana" video that you published 9 years ago. It's a testament to your craft that a video from 9 years ago is still as relevant, interesting, and captivating. It was the highlight of my day to see that you revisited and delved deeper into this topic in a new video. You deserve my support through a Patreon subscription.

[@lucaslee8784]

It's seriously such a shame this channel hasn't blown up. Always top notch!

[@Turbo_Waitress]

Man, to be a dev at Square in the 90s! Watching videos like yours and reading articles like “An Oral History of Final Fantasy VII”, I’m just reminded of what an incredibly creative time that was for them. Obviously it wasn’t all hits, but their passion and willingness to experiment yielded so many incredible classics across multiple console generations. Your videos are fantastic by the way. The production quality of this video was amazing.

[@chiarosuburekeni9325]

I really appreciate you guys. These videos are so well made!

[@DuckAlertBeats]

Brilliant video! Ah Secret of Mana.... This game blew me away when it came out. The music still gives be goosebumps to this day ❤

[@roboticskybeast]

There’s no one else in this world that makes videos as perfectly as you guys!!

[@xXBlueSheepXx]

Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana are those games where I never played them, but love their music. Great video.

[@afropowa1598]

2 of my fav. RPGS. That is so cool in the way Secret Of Mana hide their loading time by adding in sound effect, music and storyline. I never notice it since I enjoy watching that opening. With Chrono Trigger, I never realize that game use 3D pre rendered graphic but the court room looking so awesome would explain it. Honestly, that scene kinda look like a pre 2D HD graphic before Octopath, Live A Live remake, etc. Awesome video as always.

[@COIFISHGAMING]

Easily the highest production quality of any Retrospective channel, 2 of my favorites right here!

[@remakeyourself]

Awesome video. At this point, there is very little I don't know about these stories, but a handful of storytellers like yourself still manage to make each of these videos entertaining. Great work!

[@tylerjones9197]

I have watched ever one of your videos and have been watching for more than 3 years and it still took KZbin’s algorithm 8 days to recommend your newest video. I hope the algorithm starts treating you better your content is is the best of the best!

[@th3cub350]

Two of the best of the best RPG's on the Snes bundled in one video (and that says something as the Snes had dozens of masterpiece RPG's), Square were at the top of their game in this Era, ahhh the nostalgia, it was a good time.... very very good... Just a few music notes and images of the games (especially the title screens) is enough to make your body and heart smile. Thanks you for this wonderful trip to the past as always top-notch production.

[@brichan1851]

An excellent video. What a retrospective! Thank you so much for this trip down memory lane. ❤❤❤❤

[@hieioni3354]

Lovely documentary! Very professionally done. I always adore Steven Kelly's voice and style of narration. He's one of the key features of your documentaries and I love it! Also, thanks for helping me realize the importance of Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger. I had never played them and only knew of them via reputation alone, but I didn't know how important they were not only to the 16-bit era in particular but also to video gaming as a whole. Chrono Trigger was one of the games that laid the groundwork for 3D imagery in video gaming, which later on would drive most of game devs to pursue 3D designs and background works. Even though I'm not really a big fan of 3D elements in video games, there are instances of 3D works that made me stare in awe, such as Half-Life 2, the Portal series and Nier: Automata. So now I have new appreciation towards Chrono Trigger (and shamelessly fanboying for Toriyama's character designs haha). And after watching this video, I will have to listen to the OST of both Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger as I'm a big fan of video game soundtracks. So see ya and I will patiently wait for the next video! Take care! :D

[@lynaras.673]

Secret of Mana was my first RPG. Awesome video, guys! Hope to see another one soon.

[@KTLam]

RIP Akira Toriyama, thank you for bringing all the joy and inspiration!

[@TheSektorz]

There's something really special about this channel. From the presentation, to the story telling... Every time it drops a video I'm amazed that this is a KZbin channel, yet it surpasses high-budget Netflix and Disney shows in so many ways. Would love to see more SEGA Genesis content, as always, but whatever it is, it's always interesting to watch.

[@huzi990]

Every single one of your videos are just... *chef's kiss*

[@strafefox]

Thanks so much! One thing I always aim for is to replicate the atmosphere of the games in the videos, so hopefully they feel as an extension and bring back some of the good memories :)

[@nostartia]

Beautiful work. I love both games so much. Secret of Mana's intro got me so much into the story it made me burst into tears the first time. Loved the video. THANK YOU for your stellar work.

[@leeartlee915]

I played both of these games when they came out on SNES. I’m not gonna lie, I felt like I had discovered some kind of secret world of video games no one else was aware of. I remember trying to described Chrono Trigger and SoM to friends and they just could not follow what I was saying. Both of my original carts sit on my shelf right in front. Have I used them anytime recently? No but I really don’t have that much left from my childhood. But one day I’ll be dead and while I’ll be gone, I do wonder what the fate of those carts will be. Likely, they’ll just be tossed or sold at some kind of estate sale (will people still want carts in 30-40 years?) Damn, that got morbid. Anyways, these games rock and I’m so happy this channel is still producing.

[@tiagodantasr]

This channel never ceases to amaze me about the amazing quality of these videos. This is, in my opinion, the channel with the best videos and with outstanding content.

[@thinicer]

Until this video, I never would have suspected that the title screen of Secret of Mana was secretly (heh heh) loading the image of the mana tree in the background due to the technical limitations of the SNES. This is a detail that makes me appreciate the game even more. Great job, Squaresoft. And thank you for the informative video about a game that is a cherished memory of my youth.

[@MusaFinderi]

This was a beautiful presentation. The Moomin reference was spot on. Secret of Mana always had this immersive and tranquil atmosphere that inspired me greatly. The game was more of an experience in a fantasy setting than a story arch. The title opening sequence gives me chills even today. Pixel art really came alive with the amazing music.

[@jeffhiner]

I obsessively played Secret of Mana growing up. This, FF6, and Chrono Trigger were the main reason I fell in love with this art style and later spent several years in Japan. As an embedded software engineer I have the perspective now of understanding the hardware limitations at a high level. But I had no idea the delayed intro scene for SoM was a technical mask for decompressing the intro artwork. The dovetailing with the intro music timing hits even harder now. I stand in awe. There have been a lot of videos released about both games, but I've not yet watched something of this depth. This is a stellar presentation on the results of early SNES archaeology. Well done, sir, and thank you.

[@DanielMoore3d]

First time seeing anything on this channel. This editing... So much work into all these 3d models for the storytelling. It really has a nice nostalgic feel to it. Great job!

[@kalythgaming]

Wow... just wow... Not only I felt nostalgic about old times, but the dedication and efforts in these documentaries is incredible. And I totally remember how NEW it felt to see finally a Square game ported officially in Europe. To play Chrono Trigger and FFVI we had to use adapters and pay SO MUCH to import the NTSC versions.

[@JohnDoe-pt7ru]

It's so amazing to see the ingenuity of these classic devs. Taking a problem and finding a clever solution that not only solves it but makes it look great. Necessity is truly the mother of invention.

[@m128jg]

6:18 I didn't see that anime as a kid, but I did watch The Enchanted Journey(Gurikku no Bouken) which also had chipmunks on a journey. 10:36 I'll never forget when EGM published the Mana Tree poster and 2-page ad in issue 52, along with a 2-page preview. That's when I fell head-over-heels for SoM. Thank you! This video was an unexpected surprise.

[@iamreiver]

That Secret of Mana opening scene with the flying birds, three characters, and the tree looked freakin amazing on my old CRT TV

[@iandamaral]

I'm always baffled by how carefully crafted your videos are! You are absolutely amazing, strafefox! Congratulations, you always leave us viewers in awe.

[@brentsanderson6566]

Its 11:30pm. My wife and two children are fast asleep in the other room. Took a small hit of some home grown and cracked open a cold one. Sitting in the darkness of our living room with the glow of my computer screen the only light provided. I cannot express how excited I am to watch this right now. Never stop Strafefox.

[@PhotonArray]

Knocked it out of the park as always, absolute legend.

[@davidt3563]

I was just thinking about replaying Chrono Trigger again. Thanks for the push!

[@tats_sacs]

Incredible documentary. Might i add that Uematsu is such a great person. Yasunori Mitsuda almost quit square soft because they won’t give him any composing work. Uematsu is the one who suggested to give it Mitsuda or else. Mitsuda got hospitalized from exhaustion composing the game and that’s the reason why Uematsu added a few composition so Mitsuda can rest.

[@SynthetiThespis]

I just put up a massive poster of the Secret of Mana cover art- and it's breathtaking to people who know nothing about the game. It had such an impact on me as a child, I'm glad to look at the mana tree every day with awe. Thanks for this incredible video! Very well researched and thorough. I love both of these games so much.

[@JesusGarcia-Digem]

Fantastic production! God bless.

[@CorneliousRR]

I've said it before, and I will continue to say it every time you upload. Your content is CRIMINALLY underrated. You deserve SO much more attention than you get, because every video you make manages to invoke such strong emotions and are incredibly informative to boot. Keep making content man, never stop.

[@Hustmayorivick]

The quality of this channel always amazes me.

[@flowdee1058]

The production quality accompanied by the historical knowledge and technical details of these videos are simply out of this world. If this isn’t the product of an entire team of specialised people, it’s borderline insane. Regardless, my hats off to you. If only 1% of YT was this good!

[@MMaRsu]

You are a legend dude! The editing is always top notch and the amount of information is very much appreciated, lots to learn!

[@Zogamer7]

I just recently re-watched your beautiful Secret of Mana video. You briefly touched on Chrono Trigger during it and I thought "wouldn't it be amazing if Strafefox dedicated an entire video to it. Thank you so much for your amazing, educational, and in-depth looks in the video game industry!

[@DavidBrown30]

My God... The quality of your videos are absolutely stunning. Thank you so much for providing such great content.

[@adamdesanti6713]

What a terrific behind-the-scenes documentary on these two beloved SNES RPGs from my early teens! Secret of Mana has all that gorgeous pixel-art and musical tracks that are surprisingly beautiful. Even if the characters are one-dimensional and the story gets pretty thin near the end, the game is so damn charming and immerses you in such a world that I have VERY fond memories of loosing myself in this one during the 90's. Chrono Trigger of course is an absolute MASTERPIECE, a 10/10 in every area. What a terrific buy it was for a kid with limited funds. I was able to loan it out repeatedly to friends to play other RPGs (Final Fantasy VI, Breath of Fire, Secret of Mana).

[@inumari3703]

Beautifully made and told by your team strafefox! Thank you for the upload and I hope you have a great day!

[@dawnstar5294]

As always easily the most underrated content I've seen on KZbin. It blows my mind that this channel doesn't get better exposure when every video is a beautifully produced masterpiece. Also I don't know if you're using a new mic or something but the narration here is like listening to hot chocolate 🥹

[@Joe_from_Rio]

Splash Wave : never expected, always appreciated

[@DuelScreen]

A wonderful production all around. Thank you.

[@cravis123]

The water effect in Secret of Mana is the most beautiful ever made in a 16 bit video game! I was so disappointed what they did with the water effect in the remake! Such a great video! Bravo!

[@onetimeoccam]

When you showed the Epoch, I totally went "oh, this is the kind of madman who would make a 3D model of it" cause I've tried a couple of times to no avail. Unfortunately I wasn't right but that just speaks to the quality of your channel, it's always so impressive that I have the expectation it will impress me even more. Love your channel, great vid

[@JasonBoyce]

The music from Secret of Mana is some of my favorite of all time. So glad to see it get its due

[@maxwelseven]

Fantastic video, as always! 11:20 An extra fact about this: The Japanese version uses a more complex image of the same artwork. As there is more detail, the decompression takes much longer and ends just before the entire image is shown. The American version actually ends right when the camera starts scrolling up, but to keep up with the music, they kept the same timming.

[@MrKanjidude]

This video brought literal tears to my eyes. Thank you. Secret of Mana was one of my favorite games, and the music was amazing. Really impressed by how they pulled off the game's intro sequence too. True creativity and effort is indistinguishable from magic.

[@Aeoncalcos91]

Yet another fantastic video. You did a wonderful job covering these two games.

[@RobG1981]

Absolutely fantastic. I always felt the Flammie ride had some "The Neverending Story" feel to it.

[@Craplatte]

Masterful, as always! Thank you for the great work. Especially SoM and it's soundtrack is always something I devour on sight XD

[@Tombrillioot]

He’s done it again! A whopping double feature! What an amazing, jawdropping video! I dropped everything when I saw this upload. Secret of Mana, together with Link of the Past, were the first two defining titles of my youth and a definite inspiration of me pursuing a career as an illustrator. Especially Secret of Mana, with its rich visuals, lovely and charming story but especially its enchanting, fairytale musical score. I got a reproduction poster of the box art hanging in my living room, I guess that says it all. It drew me in as a young boy. That enigmatic start screen with that ethereal score, it always gives me chills. It’s still a stellar example of an cover art design that tickles the imagination and conveys a bit of mystery, instead of hitting you over the head with RPG clichés. I played the sequel as well, Seiken Densetsu 3, and even though that game is better in every possible regard (SoM can be very grindy and repetitive at times, especially late stage) this game has a special place in my heart. Quick sidenote; I got the Secret of Mana artbook, and this title is the shortest chapter in the book. Seems like a lot of the artwork for this game has been lost to time, unfortunately. Lastly, I had chills during this whole video. Thank you so much, Strafefox! Keep it up! Huge fan!

[@moronpoliceHQ]

Thank you for this. Secret of Mana is the game that made me fall in love with music and made me want to make my own. The OST is still, to me, the best music ever created for a game. While standing tall on its own. But as you say, it elevated the images in your mind while playing the game and made it a much larger experience for it. Secret of Mana still has a magic to it that is impossible to put into words.

[@MrCalverino]

It's so amazing to see the background work of some of the greatest games from the 90s- THIS CHANNEL IS TOO GUD!!!

[@alexelectricx]

Damn bro I swear to god I will NEVER unsubscribe. Long absence between absolute gems is your signature, never change!!

[@graymars1097]

You know you're the real MVP for making these "the making of" videos, right? Thank you so much 😊

[@Jumpernot]

Thank you so much, I love your series. Secret of Mana is one of my favourite games of all time and I actually said "Oh my god" out loud when I saw you had created a video about it. Thank you for all the obscure artwork / details that I've never seen before. Your videos always take me back down memory lane to a happier time when games didn't have to be so complex with graphics and seemed to be made with a real love and care!

[@sakarain]

Wow Secret of Mana’s title screen sounds really cool and unique. The technical explanation was interesting Maaan the art direction on this game. Lots of cool details which look really nice

[@cyxceven]

Thank you, Strafefox! This channel is the platinum standard for content on KZbin.

[@turhiki]

YES, YES YESSS!!! This is the video that had been missing from my life!! I still have my original Chrono Trigger cardtridge from back in the day, and it's one of my most precious possessions. And I played and replayed SoM like mad when I was a kid in the early 90's. Your videos never, ever disappoint!

[@Klausterfull]

That is so cool to see someone explaining the birth of these two games... Their story are so intertwined, yet interesting! Thanks for the amazing quality video!

[@sem_aki]

Square was going crazy with all the new projects back then wow Thank you for covering the development stories of those games, this stuff sadly gets lost in time

[@mrnuage]

Thank you for clarifying things. Until now, we've all been speculating that Secret of Mana began on CD and then had 40% of its content cut to fit on cartridge. While there's some truth about the CD, we were wrong for so long... Also I really love that anecdote about SoM intro. I didn't know this masterpiece of an intro was made like this due to technical limits. It's one of the best example of limitations bringing creativity. Also I had no Idea about CT using CGI pre-rendered stuff. This blowed me too. Thank you, as always for your incredible work. Keep going like this. Now that we've seen Square's project dream games, maybe would it be interresting to talk about how Tales of Phantasia and Star Ocean broke some SNES limitations and how they were related.

[@evulopah]

Again an awesome video, very professional. I really liked the detailed info regarding the loading trick for the SoM title screen. Never knew that.

[@FJB2020LGB]

Yes!!! I’ve been waiting for this video for YEARS!!! Thank you 🙏

[@BoundaryBreak]

great vid sir

[@budderk1305]

thank you for keeping the history of 'ancient' video game history accessible