mark cerqueira well-rounded nerd

The Chrono Trigger Symphony is Complete

Blake Robinson is THE hero video game nerds dream about. This man is literally a one-man army with a virtual orchestra at his fingertips, and he’s put that power to great use. Chrono Trigger is on many people’s list of all-time favorite video games, and the memorable soundtrack (composed by Yasunori Mitsuda) is a pillar of the game’s greatness. Even today, the MIDI-based soundtrack inspires nostalgia and brings even the most powerful nerds to tears. But Blake Robinson would not let Mitsuda’s work be shackled by the 16 channels of MIDI, so he took the original soundtrack, scored it for an orchestra, and let his virtual orchestra play it. Yesterday, he released the third (and final) part of The Chrono Trigger Symphony. Hit the play button below to listen to Yearnings of the Wind and keep reading.

This isn’t a re-imagining or remix of the original soundtrack. The original soundtrack was on three CDs, and The Chrono Trigger Symphony spans three volumes, EXACTLY matching the track-list of the original. I’m no music buff, but Robinson and his virtual orchestra, from start to finish, do a pretty amazing job “musically upscaling” the original soundtrack. Your favorite gems will move you even more, and tracks that previously might’ve not been in your favorites are now competing for those top spots. Never before has being torn felt so freaking good. If you love Chrono Trigger, I can guarantee listening to The Chrono Trigger Symphony will fill you with saudades and make you want to dust off your SNES.

Gorgeous album art is frosting on the cake.

The Chrono Trigger Symphony is available on both Loudr and iTunes. Thanks, Blake Robinson. I am eagerly awaiting your next masterpiece.