Two legendary games on a legendary console, but which one is superior? I honestly can't decide, as both games are simply amazing in every possible way.

Chrono Trigger's battle and leveling system is superior and more balanced. Earthbound's story is more compelling, and far more humorous.

For some reason, I can never motivate myself to get past the opening area of Chrono Trigger. The Mother series and Secret of Evermore are the only RPGs I've ever played where I actually enjoyed going to towns due to the constantly clever dialog and townsfolk full of character.

So when CT starts me off in this generic town with all the usual people saying the usual things, I just don't feel like playing. I need to let someone else get me to the part where you actually start playing so that I can get into this game because I'm sure it's great if not for my laziness holding me back.

I'd have to go with Chrono Trigger on this one but I must admit my playtime with both games is only about the half way point. Earthbound is definately the wittier of the two but Chrono Trigger beats it hands down in the game play department, imo.

WOW, both are good RPGs, I feel chrono trigger is more indeepth but I feel earthbound is a little better.
I like them both but Earthbound is my choice.

Earthbound was a funny, unique and surreal experience, but Chrono Trigger is a much more refined example of the genre. It didn't have random encounters (neither did Earthbound, thank goodness), excessive grinding (like Earthbound) or bland dungeons that seem to draaaaaaaaaaaaaaag on (like Earthbound). That's why Chrono Trigger is my favorite RPG ever. It seemed to be completely devoid of any of those annoying niggles you see in other such RPGs.

Earthbound had excessive grinding? You must be talking about some other Earthbound. Or maybe I am misreading "like Earthbound." It's a bit ambiguous in context since I'm not sure if there is an implied "does" as in "like Earthbound does" in each phrase. Hmm.

Its few "dungeons" always seemed short to me, too. The Mole cave might be long if you keep going in circles, but other than that most of them go by in a few minutes. I really need to play Chrono more if its dungeons are even smaller. I don't like it when games drag either, and RPGs are the worst offenders.

On this topic, I'm a bit like Adam, it would seem.

I've tried starting Chrono Trigger several times in the past on various emulators (before it was available on the DS), and I never got very far before forgetting about it. Maybe I'll eventually think about picking up the DS game and trying again; for whatever reason, though, the game didn't grab me from the outset. That festival and the all the first occurrences following it just sort of bored me, and that's putting it kindly.

Earthbound, on the other hand, I started playing for the first time recently, and I was hooked on it immediately. Just within the opening section with the meteor I was already thoroughly entranced by the music (which I find not only to be written remarkably well, but also to stand out from all other game soundtracks in the sheer inventiveness and variety), the clever and amusing dialog, and just the tight presentation all around. To be honest, I don't even care about the traditional RPG / leveling / battle elements of the game... I'd enjoy it about the same if it were pretty much just a cartoon that I have to control with no real challenges. The writing is entertaining all on its own, and the "game" parts are primarily an obligatory but useful addition for me, merely to give it a stronger sense that you're involved and that you need to actually engage the situations.

My personal number 1 RPG

is EarthBound and Chrono Trigger AND Terranigma !!

Seriously I can't decide ...
it's like chosing between a sweet cake and a juicy steak!

It depends on what you want, but both are tasty! AND DONT FORGET TERRANIGMA! It's a barrel of wine!

I haven't gotten far into either game so I say neither. They just haven't been able to hold my attention as of yet... I think I would like Earthbound more if I could play it on a handheld, but Chrono Trigger DS just didn't bring me in for some reason.

Since I hate Earthbound and Chrono Trigger is my favorite RPG of all time, I'm gonna go with Chrono Trigger.

Funny thing, as warioswoods, I started with Chrono Trigger (the PS1 remake), but the opposite happened to me, It grabbed me, and I end up finishing it, and, after that, I played it to get 3 other endings, I just love that game.

I also played Earthbound for the first time recently (emulation), but I didn't found it special at all, the music was good and the dialogue funny, but I found everything else dull, I played it for a few hours and then leave it for good. Still, the hole concept of the Mother series is good and it seems ahead of it's time, I really hope we get to see a new sequel, for Wii or Dsi, over here, but lets just say I'm not an Earthbound fan.

@Corbie
You say that you hate EarthBound in every topic about it.
It's getting worse than the 7s

TOPIC: I love EarthBound but I didn't still had the chance to play to play chrono (care to give me a copy? XD).
So i will just say that they are both equall in quality for different reasons.

I hate Earthbound. There I said it twice. Mixed it up a bit, didn't I?

I can't agree more with Corbie.
Earthbound just doesn't feel special or great to me in anyway.
I don't see either of these games appearing on the VC for quite some time.

Chrono Trigger The Story is so deep well i actually cried.. cause its so great a title never cried about any other story but that one.

Earthbound was the first game I ever emulated to completion, and that was this year. I've never played Chrono Trigger, but if it drops to $30 or something on DS I'll comment, k? Although soon I'll be able to voice my opinions on Chrono Cross, because I'll have a memory stick that will actually fit the eboot on it. Although Crisis Core and Patapon are in the mail too, so maybe I'll voice my opinions in August.

EDIT: Mother 3 sucks balls, though.

I found earthbound too easy and boring and it took so long to do things. That is why Chrono Trigger is a far more superior game

@Adam and WariosWoods-Of course, the beginning is a little boring. But, it doesn't take long for the game to be fun, trust me. You guys should at least play a couple of hours and let the game grow on you. I need to do the same thing for Earthbound.

I've been told that for so many games, Sonic, but really who is going to waste two hours of boredom in order to see something fun? I have so many games that I can turn on and immediately be enjoying myself. I know it's difficult for RPGs, but I am not going to stick with games that take too long to get interesting. That's pointless.

Earthbound grabbed me right away. The eerie, mysterious mood of the short opening scene was just too intriguing not to investigate. Unlike Chrono Trigger's opening. Again, I'm sure it's great after, but I just have an unusual hatred of generic RPG towns.

I will say that if it ever comes to VC I'll definitely download it. I enjoy playing RPGs more with a friend so if it's boring at a certain time we can at least talk about how boring it is and make fun of it until it's actually fun.

@ Kim Jong Il
I think that's the first time I've ever heard of someone liking Earthbound but not Mother 3. It's so often the other way around. Out of curiosity, what didn't you like about it? I love both, and it's a tough call, but I think I'd take Mother 3 over Earthbound myself.