Minigame

A minigame is a "game-within-a-game" in Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross. They are either a modification of the regular RPG gameplay or use gameplay concepts to create an entirely new game. Some offer rewards and story advancement, while others are merely distraction.

Minigames in Chrono Trigger

Prehistory

• Drinking Contest - Beat Ayla at a drinking contest to win the Dreamstone.
• Hunting Grounds - Hunt wild animals in the range to get Petal, Fang, Horn, and Feather. Trade them to the elder of the Ioka Village for special rewards:

1. Ruby Gun
2. Shaman's Bow
3. Stone Arm
4. Ruby Vest
5. Stone Helm
6. Primeval Blade
7. Dreamstone Bow
8. Dreamstone Gun
9. Magma Hand

Antiquity

• Belthasar's Hidden Labs - Solve the riddle of the elements to open the door to Belthasar's secret labs in Kajar and Enhasa.

Middle Ages

• Ozzie's Traps - In the Fiendlord's Keep, Ozzie uses trap doors, conveyor belts, and giant blades to deter your approach. Time your passage under the blades carefully, as hitting them causes damage. Make it through the maze of trap doors and Ozzie will run away.

Present

• Millennial Fair - There are multiple mini-games available at the fair. Most games award Silver Points, which can be exchanged at the exchange booth for money, 10 silver points for 50 G.
  • Ring the Bell - Test your strength to see if you can knock the ringer all the way up to the bell. Gauge your distance from the bell before striking. Hit the bell and win 1 silver point.
  • Foot Race - Bet on one of the four racers: Catalack, Steel Runner, G.I. Jogger, or the Green Ambler. Guess correctly and win 20 silver points.
  • Gato, Lucca's combat simulator - Gato is a singing robot fighter. If you beat him, you get 10 silver points. Watch out, as his chest-mounted boxing glove packs a punch!
  • Drinking Game - Tap A quickly to drink 8 cans of soda before time runs out. If you succeed, you win 5 silver points.
  • Jurassic Rhythm - Use the L, R, A, B, X, and Y buttons to dance along with the ancient rhythm of Prehistory. This offers no awards, but is a lot of fun.
  • Norstein Bekkler's Tent of Horrors - The most difficult games at the Fair, MC'ed by the master of horrors himself, Norstein Bekkler. Rather than awarding silver points, the games in this tent cost silver points and give special awards.
    • Guessing Game - 10 silver points - A little twist on the old shell game. You are introduced to three identical men: Biggs, Wedge, and Piette. They then mingle in a group for a few seconds before lining up on the stage once more. Norstein Bekkler then asks you to find one of the three at random (Biggs, Wedge, or Piette). If you win, you (the current team leader) are rewarded with a Poyozo Doll that is sent to your house. This doll is a music box that plays a different tune for each character. Afterward, if you win additional games, you are awarded cat food.
    • Simon Says - 40 silver points - A Doppel Doll of your party leader comes out on stage. Use the L, R, A, and Y buttons to mimic its raising its left arm, raising its right arm, jump in surprise, or laugh, respectively. At first, it will change positions slowly. Gradually, though, it will speed up. If you do not mimic it before it moves on to the next posture, you lose. Win, and Bekkler sends the doll to your (the current team leader's) house. Any wins after this award cat food. If you are attempting to win a doll of a specific individual when that person is not in your group, Bekkler will make a bet out of it. The further you get in mimicking the doll, the less he will charge you for it.
    • Beanbag Toss - 80 silver points - One of your team members is tied up and slowly lowered into the flames. You have to pull on the chain to keep them from getting burned. Three monsters are approaching you to stop you. Toss beanbags at them to knock them backward. When you are able to pull the chain, it will light up. If you allow one of the monsters to get too close to the front of the stage, it will hold you down and your team member will be toast. Force all three back as far as you can to win the game. Norstein Bekkler awards you (the current team leader) with a cat. Any additional wins award cat food. If you have multiple cats in your house as well as cat food to feed them, they will have kittens.
• Taban's Machine - When Lucca travels 10 years into the past, she witnesses her mother, Lara, about to be injured by a conveyor belt. Stop the machine by entering the password.

Future

• Rat Race - In order to get into the command center under Arris Dome, you have to catch the rat that was pretending to be a statue. Chase it across the catwalks, pressing A when you're close enough to grab it. It will reward you with the password to get into the command center.
• Jetbike Race - After getting the Jetbike Key from Doan, you have another obstacle to crossing Site 32. Race against the robot Johnny down the abandoned highway. If you win, you make it out the other side. If you lose, Johnny and his robots force you back to where you started. Jockey for the number-one position as you race down the highway. Press B to get a brief boost of speed.

Minigames in Chrono Cross

• Feeding the Dragons - In order to acquire the Manor Key to enter Viper Manor in Another World for the first time, the player must help the Stablekeeper feed five domesticated dragons in their stables. Use the X button to pick up buckets of feed from the left side of the stable, and the left and right directional buttons to move in front of individual dragons. The X button can be pressed in front of a hungry dragon to feed it. Dragons will roar and thrash around in their stables when they are hungry. Failing to feed any single dragon four times will fail the minigame. The player can choose how many times they wish to feed the dragons before starting the minigame, and can earn a prize for each of the available options: 10, 20, 30, 40, and 100 times. These prizes are a Knee Pad, Bronze Helmet, Bronze Mail, Recover All, and Iron Vest, respectively. Each prize can only be earned once per playthrough.