Strap on your seatbelt as we look at some of gaming's greatest time travel epics
I don't know about you, but I love time travel! I really enjoy movies like The Time Machine and Back to the Future. Well, videogames have also tackled the time travel trope throughout the years. Some have implemented it better than others, of course, but it's neat to see it happen nonetheless. For this article, we're going to look at ten games which used time travel effectively. For these games, the time travel mechanic was either central to the story or was used in some creative way for the gameplay. Also, we're dealing exclusively with time travel, not time manipulation (check at the end for a list of games which use time manipulation). So let's go back in time now and see how these games used this timeless trope so well. Ready?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (1992, SNES)
This game is obviously about time travel--it's right there in the title! Turtles in Time is one of my favorite games. The game is split right in half, having the first half of the game take place in the present, and the second half take place throughout different time periods. It's a really great idea which causes the game to stay fresh, offering plenty of different locations and enemies. The Turtles get to go to the Prehistoric Era, the age of the Pirates ruling the sea, the Old West, and even a crazy neon future, and all along the way they kick foot soldier butt. It's a really fun game, and a great way to end the classic Turtles series.
Sonic CD (1993, Sega CD)
What sets Sonic CD apart from the other games in its series is time travel. Signposts dotted through each stage are marked "Past" or "Future," and passing through one of these earns you a time travel energy token. Once you have one of these in your possession, you can jump back or forward in time by reaching maximum velocity for a few seconds. Travelling back to a time before Dr. Eggman took over Little Planet offers Sonic the chance to permanently change history by locating and destroying the robot polluter in the "past" version of each stage. This gives the game some good replayability and sets it apart as one of the most interesting games in the series.
Chrono Trigger (1995, SNES)
Chrono Trigger is the ultimage time travel game! You don't get very far into the game before Marle, Chrono's new friend, vanishes through a time machine. Chrono must now find her. Along the way, you assemble a cast of characters from different time periods, and once you get the Epoch, you can travel to several different times and change certain outcomes. The real cause of all the problems is Lavos, a giant parasite who destroys the world in A.D. 1999. You can face him at any time, but you better make sure everyone is strong enough. Everything comes together to make Chrono Trigger an endearing game, and easily the best time travel game you will ever experience.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998, N64)
The first 3D Zelda game has a great time travel mechanic. After beating the first three dungeons, young Link is able to enter the Temple of Time, where he pulls out the Master Sword and is whisked into the future. This alone is awesome, but the game allows you to go back to the past or return to the future at any time. Playing as both young Link and adult Link is great, and you'll also notice changes in the future depending on things you've done in the past. Also, it's neat to see how certain characters have changed in the future.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (2000, N64)
Ocarina's sequel also uses time travel, but in a much different fashion. Majora's Mask is the Groundhog Day of games. Here Link must save the land of Termina within three days, and he is able to constantly go back in time and start over at the beginning of the first day while keeping the progress he has already made. This game is very dark, but the characters are the real stand-out. Link can help the characters, and many times you get to see how they react and respond to their inevitable doom. As you interact, you become attached to these characters, and you want to save them from their ultimate destruction. This really is a stand-out Zelda title, even if it is very dark and strange.
Timesplitters Series (2000-2005)
Timesplitters really was the spiritual successor to Rare's GoldenEye 007 on N64. This FPS series was great, the second game being the best in the series. This wasn't your typical FPS as you fought aliens as well as traversed through different time periods and used crazy weapons in said time periods. The protagonists used time crystals in order to travel through time, and the games also emphasized monkeys for some reason. But maybe that's why this is such a great series. Actually, this may be the only game series in which the whole series revolves around time travel. Sadly, the fourth game was cancelled, but here's hoping the series makes a comeback.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003, GCN/PS2/Xbox)
While this game involves time manipulation, the whole story revolves around time. The evil Vizier wants to get the Dagger of Time, but the Prince grabs it instead. By using the sand in the dagger, he can rewind time (which you can use in the game if you fall or something). The Prince must return the dagger to the hourglass in the Tower of Dawn. This game was a rebirth of the Prince of Persia series and led to several games, but by far this was the best in the series. It's an excellent environmental puzzle adventure game, reminiscient of the original, but in a much more modern and awesome fashion. Plus they made a movie which was pretty good based on this very game.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (2005, DS)
In this fun RPG, Mario and Luigi must travel back in time to save the Mushroom Kingdom from a group of aliens called Shroobs. They team up with Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, which creates a fun and exciting battle system. In additon, you will also meet other young characters in the past, such as Baby Peach, Prince Bowser, Young Toadsworth, Young Professor E. Gadd, etc. The game does not take time travel seriously, but simply uses it in a fun way. And indeed, it's quite funny to have Mario and Luigi interacting with their baby selves.
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (2008--JP, 2010--US, DS)
This excellent puzzle game is the third game in the Professor Layton series. The Professor and Luke watch a demonstration of a time machine, but, of course, something goes wrong and Dr. Alain Stanghun and the prime minister vanish. A little later the Professor and Luke receive a letter from the Luke of the Future (10 years in the future, to be exact). The story just becomes more exciting from here, leading to an incredible twist at the end! This was certainly the best in the series to this point, with excellent puzzles and an exceptional story, and why not? It's time travel, after all! A bit trippy? No doubt, but excellent nonetheless.
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (2009, PS3)
Insomniac's excellent Ratchet & Clank series takes a stab at time travel with an excellent story which is actually pretty deep. Clank plays a major role in this adventure which uses time portals, friendships and betrayals, dramatic action, and twists in time. The gameplay is excellent, but the story really does stand out from the rest of the series. They never warp back to different time periods, but simply use time to help or stop certain events which are integral to the plot and goals of the characters involved.
Games which use time manipulation:
Shadow of Destiny (2001, PS2)
Braid (2008, Xbox 360)
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (2010, DS)
Singularity (2010, Win/PS3/Xbox 360)
Life is Strange (2015, Win/OsX/PS3/Xbox 360)
These are all great games too!
Which time travel games do you most enjoy?
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