In the Nintendo DS version, one exclusive area exists called the Dimensional Vortex. The Dimensional Vortex is a dungeon that can only be accessed after beating the game at least once. When you return to your saved game, three new Gates will have appeared in separate time periods (12,000 B.C., 1000 A.D., and 2300 A.D.).
Like other dungeons in the game, the Dimensional Vortex varies depending on which time period you're in when you pass through the gate. Each time period specifies the reward from completing the dungeon: a permanent upgrade to one of three characters.
- Marle (the past)
- Crono (the present)
- Lucca (the future)
After completing all three different versions of the dungeon, a final, new, boss encounter is unlocked (as well as a new ending).
Dungeon entrance
Passing through any of the three Gates will take you to this area. You'll have to fight (or sneak) your way through several random maps from the game's locations before moving on.
After completing this first part of the dungeon, you'll enter into a room with a save point. Two additional paths lie in the room, one that takes you out of the Dimensional Vortex, and one that leads to the Twilight Grotto. This final area depends on which gate you entered through, and will also determine which boss you fight and which character receives a permanent stat boost.
12,000 B.C. dungeon
A large icy mountain. The special enemy is a Heckran like Snowbeast. At the end, you'll get to the Twilight Grotto where you'll fight a special boss if you haven't already done so. You'll move on to the "Twilit pool" and Marle will say something is calling her in. Move on to fight Alabaster Shade, a Marle look-a-like.
Alabaster Shade
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP 16,000 |
Weaknesses Shadow, Fire |
Strengths None |
Absorbs None | |
| Charmables Haste Helm |
Drops None |
XP 5000 |
TP 1 |
Gold 0 |
Attacks
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Description/Strategy
Attacks:Barrage, Icefall(Ice II), Recuperate, Counters:Icefall(Ice II), Barrage. A nasty boss. It will attack relentlessly with ice moves. If you manage to kill it, it will merge with Marle and her abilities will be boosted. | ||||
1000 A.D. dungeon
A large volcano dungeon. The special enemy is Red Ghul. At the end, you'll fight the special boss if you haven't already. At the Twilit pool, you'll need to have rescued Chrono for the Steel Shade.
Steel Shade
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP 20,000 |
Weaknesses Shadow |
Strengths None |
Absorbs {{{absorb}}} | |
| Charmables Prism Spectacles |
Drops None |
XP 5000 |
TP 1 |
Gold 0 |
Attacks
Techs:
Counters:
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Description/Strategy
A really nasty boss. If you brought Ayla into the battle, charm the guy for a pair of Prism spectacles. Similar strategy to Alabaster Shade. | ||||
2300 A.D. dungeon
Another dome place. As usual there is relentless security. The special enemy here is the Iron Maiden. If you make it to the Twilit pool, you'll get to fight Lucca's shade, the Crimson Shade, and an additional foe, Eggsterminator.
Crimson Shade
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP 12,000 |
Weaknesses Water |
Strengths None |
Absorbs None | |
| Charmables Nova Armor |
Drops None |
XP 5000 |
TP 1 |
Gold 0 |
Attacks
{{{attacks}}} | ||||
Description/Strategy
Attacks:Barrage, Shadow Fire (Fire II), Explosion (Flare), (Eggsterminator)Poison Mist, Flashbomb, Blaring Din, Recover, Counters: Osmose (Mp absorber) | ||||
Eggsterminator
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP 10,000 |
Weaknesses Fire |
Strengths None |
Absorbs Shadow | |
| Charmables None |
Drops None |
XP 250 |
TP 0 |
Gold 0 |
Attacks
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Description/Strategy
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Not only does the Eggsterminator have enough health to be its own boss, but it also has more attacks than Lucca's shade does. It also absorbs MP from you every time you attack, which can be annoying. Kill Lucca's shade first because it's weaker, despite it being the main boss, then kill the Eggsterminator second.
Twilight Grotto
You'll enter a greenish room. When you make it to a large pond in the center of the room, you'll run into Dalton who will engage you.
Once King Dalton
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP 26,000 |
Weaknesses None |
Strengths None |
Absorbs None | |
| Charmables None |
Drops None |
XP 6000 |
TP 0 |
Gold 0 |
Attacks
{{{attacks}}} | ||||
Description/Strategy
Dalton is still pretty easy although he'll launch a couple attacks like Fire II, and Ice II. When you finish him off, he'll try to kill you with a burp attack (slightly more powered than the first one) and he'll be finished. | ||||
Dalton will be pretty angry that you beat him again, so he'll say something about going to Porre to raise an army. Although he says this, he will not appear anywhere in the town in either timezone. This is a reference to Chrono Cross in which Porre takes over the land where the game takes place and serves to set up a reasoning for Porre to invade.
Time's Eclipse
At the End of Time, speak to Gaspar and it turns out there have been goings on while you've been away. Enter the bucket to Time's Eclipse. Run ahead and meet up with Magus in his Prophet outfit. He'll speak of a new enemy who can devour dreams. He'll ask you not to interfere. He'll run into the gate leaving you with the choice to fight or not. Enter the gate if you think you are ready.
Beyond Time's Eclipse
Exit the gate to find... Lavos? And floating above it is... Schala? Lavos will push Magus back into oblivion, and the fight will commence.
Dream Devourer
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP 32000 |
Weaknesses None |
Strengths None |
Absorbs None | |
| Charmables None |
Drops None |
XP 0 |
TP 0 |
Gold 0 |
Attacks
| ||||
Description/Strategy
An upgraded version of Lavos. This time, it's using Schala in place of Queen Zeal. To make things easy, make sure you have Golden Studs equipped on everyone. He'll start off with devouring a few dreams and knocking some HP out of you. This guy can do some nasty moves. You can beat him with Chrono, Magus, and Marle at around level 60. Hammer him with Dark Matter, Luminaire, and use Marle's Haste technique to speed things up. After knocking out 10,000 HP, Dream Devourer will create a protective shield on himself. Dream Devourer's shield makes it so magic damage is absorbed into either HP or MP. If you make the mistake of attacking it with magic damage, he'll counterattack you with Mana Reaver. With the Rainbow and the scythe you got in the Lost Sanctum, Chrono and Magus should have fairly high damage. Use moves like Frenzy and have Marle heal while Magus attacks with his weapon. When it does the little fireworks show Lavos core did before Resurrection, its defense will be lowered while it charges up for an attack named "The end of all and nothing" that's similar to the attack from Ocean Palace Lavos (destruction rains from the heavens). Dream Devourer's defense will now permanently lower more and more each time it charges up for one of those attacks. Eventually it will fire one of those beams it used on Future Magus. | ||||
The Dream Devourer will be ready to take down existence when Future Magus manages to wake up Schala, who warps your party back to its own time. Schala will give a speech about how she's changed and sends Future Magus back to whence he came. Magus will wake up, and decide to recover from his amnesia. Congrats on getting the new ending. Once the credits are over, you'll see a new cutscene and obtain the Dreamseeker, Crono's most powerful weapon!