May your heart be your guiding key!

One of the most iconic weapons from all of video gaming is the keyblade of Kingdom Hearts. As you unlock new keychains, this strange weapon changes form, creating styles that adapt to the various Disney and Final Fantasy worlds Sora visits.

The best keyblade designs in Kingdom Hearts history include a dramatic tone, a well-placed callback to a Disney classic film, or a reference to the friendships that Sora and other characters have gathered across their adventures. Here's a breakdown of ten of these cool?? styles.

Kingdom Key

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You have to start with the O.G. This simple but cherished keyblade design features the iconic crown as the blade end and a Mickey Mouse symbol as a keychain. The metallic shine and the bright yellow hilt make Sora's default keyblade pop on the screen. Whenever you see it, yo??u'll ??get a blast of nostalgia.

Dual Disk

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Any fan of Tron would get a kick out of this keyblade. It has the shape of the light cycles used to traverse the data scape. In addition, there's a little glow that emanates from this design, making it one of the best keyblades due to how unique it is. This might come from one of the worst worlds in the series, but it sure looks cool.

Ever After

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Whenever you think of the movie Tangled and its world in Kingdom Hearts 3, you think of the bright, colorful visuals. That is reflected within the Ever After keyblade. Rapunzel's Tower is symbolized perfectly by this keyblade, with the golden strands across the weapon as the princess' hair. The grass is represented by the hilt's green composition. What makes it even better?? is Rapunzel's weapon of choice, a frying pan, is the keychain o?f Ever After.

Grand Chef

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This Ratatouille-inspired keyblade looks magnifique while Sora is fighting the heartless and nobodies of Kingdom Hearts 3. The shining lights of the Eiffel Tower are showcased on the main section of the keyblade, while the rat Remy nes??tles on top. The transformation it takes fittingly turns into a frying pan that exudes fire as you strike. Gusteau's cookbook is also used as a keychain, making for a neat reference to the Pi??xar movie.

Fenrir

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One of the coolest weapons in all of gaming is the Buster Sword from Final Fantasy 7, so it's neat to see Kingdom Hearts 2 taking on a spin with the overall design for a keyblade. Bandaged up and metallic in nature, this keyblade holds weight in battle. While it does cause a "Negative Combo" effect, which reduces your attack string by 1, Sora looks like a badass while carrying Fenrir. The design more than makes up for it. You can also see the Fenrir symbol that Cloud carries in the film Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children as the keychain.

Oathkeeper

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The Oathkeeper is one of the more precious keyblade designs in the Kingdom Hearts series. It's emblematic of Sora and Kairi's relationship. The hero promises to bring back her lucky charm in the first game and then returns it when they finally see each other again at the end of Kingdom Hearts 2. This keyblade returns in Kingdom Hearts 3: Remind, and its transformation has Sora lancing at e??nemies quickly, disappearing into light as he dashes from place to place. The last form that this keyblade helps form is Sora duel wielding both Oathkeeper and Oblivion. There's nothing cooler than having two keyblades? at once.

The Stroke of Midnight

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The Stroke of Midnight is a neat keyblade as it references the beloved castle from Cinderella and the Magic Kingdom theme park. It features the ever-important glass slipper at the end of the keychain. It also helps Ventus, Aqua, and Terra in landing critical hits early on each playthrough of Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep.

Ultima Weapon

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With long-range and high offensive and magical stats attached to it, the Ultima Weapon is one of the best keyblades in Kingdom Hearts history. After getting all of the Orichalum+ in the game and finding other essential resources, this weapon is synthesized as proof of all your hard work. It's also a neat reference to the Final Fantasy games it is partly inspired by, as it shares its name with many other powerful weapons in that series, including FF7. 

Way To The Dawn

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Riku's original keyblade from the first Kingdom Hearts shows his initial struggle with the darkness and how it's betwixt with his presence as a force for good. The dark black and red of the core keyblade clashes with the lighter feather hilt. There's a heartless symbol dangling on the keychain and a creepy blue eye staring toward your soul when you look at it. The eye may actually be important, knowing recent information from the Master of Masters. Regardless, it's a cool keyblade that fits the harsh journey Riku took from the first Kingdom Hearts through 358/2 Days and KH2. 

Wheel of Fate

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Exploring the Carribean in Kingdom Hearts 3 was a thrilling adventure for fans of the series, and once completing this world, they received the Wheel of Fate keyblade. It has the masts and flags of a pirate ship on t??he keyblade itself. The wooden steering wheel also acts as the point of the keyblade. It's a fantastic design that embellishes the pirate spirit. The transformation also has Sora joust with the keyblade, making a stabbing motion rather than swinging it around. The differentiation in the combat makes the Wheel of Fate one of the best keyblades in the series.

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With a smile and a song

Over the past two decades, the Kingdom Hearts series has wowed its audience with powerfully emotional music fitting for the keyblade ??wielder's grand adventures. From the calming wonder of "Dearly Beloved" to the rocking "Rage Awakened," composer Yoko Shimomura brings a magical sound to each game.

With this list, we'll discuss the best Kingdom Hearts songs from Sora's beginnings on Destiny Islands all the way up to his stepping foot in Quadrat?um. Let us know your favorites in the comments section below as this article is just scratching the surface.

There will be spoilers for the Kingdom Hearts series within this article. You have been warned!

10. The 13th Struggle (Kingdom Hearts 2)

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"The 13th Struggle" successfully brings the chaos of an Organization XIII battle and turns it into musical form. ??The threat of danger signaled by the constant deep strings, the manic melody, an??d the heavy percussion all make this an epic battle theme that will keep your blood pressure rising until the end of the fight.

9. Edge of Existence (Kingdom Hearts 3)

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In the mysterious new world of Scala ad Caelum, this music piece by Yoko Shimomura heightens the drama unfolding in the story of Kingdom Hearts 3. The combination of brass, strings, and percussion all make for an epic track to ??explore this final level with. In addition, ??there is a beautiful few seconds of the piano playing that spins off from the main melody, adding to the mystery of this long-forsaken place.

8. Rage Awakened (Kingdom Hearts 2)

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Epic is one word to describe "Rage Awakened." During the boss fight with the Enigmatic Soldier, the stakes are raised and the music elevates with a rocking backdrop. The strings in this piece tell of the soldier's sad past as the thunderous drumming reflects his might as he strikes you down over and ?over again.

7. Vector to the Heavens (Kingdom Hearts 3 Re Mind/ Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days)

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In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, two friends are torn apart by fate, and "Vector to the Heavens" is an emotional piece that also works as a battle theme. Piano forward in 358/2 Days, this song hits you to your core as the stunning Xion's theme is impacted with drama from the strings and secondary piano backdrop. The central theme of Kingdom Hearts' "Dearly Beloved" is also woven through it as Xion is deeply connected to Sora and decides to return to him. The Kingdom Hearts 3 Re Mind version takes a wholly? different approach with a rocking guitar and deep drum baseline. Both work well within the context of each game.

6. Destati (Kingdom Hearts)

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Yoko Shimomura is a master of bringing atmosphere to her music, and "Destati" absolutely nails it. In the deep darkness of End of the World, the chilling vocals of the choir mixed with the dramatic piano all make for a groundbreaking piece. It's absolutely incredible how the pace picks up as the strings and percussion begin to reveal themselves throughout it. The Kingdom Hearts 3 rendition of this song is also striking.

5. Traverse Town (Kingdom Hearts)

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If you want to talk about nostalgia, "Traverse Town" is certainly that. It's like a warm hug. The jolly melody embraces Sora and the gang as they explore the characteristic town. While it's not as epic as a  song like "Destati," the song is a wonderful jazzy piece that elevates the world and makes us feel welcome within it. This context also makes sense as Traverse Town is a place many have escaped to, like Pinocchio and Leon (Squall). The charming vibe of Traverse Town's theme makes it one of the best Kingdom Hearts songs in existence.

4. Lazy Afternoons (Kingdom Hearts 2)

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If you want some chill vibes after a long hard day, you can't go wrong by listening to "Lazy Afternoons." This is the song in Kingdom Hearts 2 that sets the tone for Roxas' version of Twilight Town. The beautiful playing of the flute next to the melancholic strumming of the guitar makes this yet another nostalgic-sounding piece. There is a subtle us??e of the xylophone in the background, calling you back to fonder times. If you want a nice Sunday walk, it's rec?ommended to play this while strolling through your hometown streets.

3. Scherzo Di Notte (Kingdom Hearts)

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When Sora enters Hollow Bastion, it is a time of uncertainty. He loses his keyblade, his friends, and almost his hope. However, he carries on forward with The Beast beside him. "Scherzo Di Notte" carries that brave attitude onward with strong instrumentals and a marching drum beat in the background. The melody is upward and onward, while the brass instruments add wavering one-off melodies that stra??y away, representing Sora's s??truggles. It's an epic piece that is fitting for a late-game world such as Hollow Bastion.

2. Roxas / The Other Promise (Kingdom Hearts 2)

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Roxas' story throughout the majority of the Kingdom Hearts series is emotional. He is pulled?? away from his friends, stuck inside Sora's heart, and holds anger within him. He is the counterbalance to Sora's upbeat attitude, but Roxas holds much compassion w??ithin him too. His theme, otherwise known as "The Other Promise," shows that perfectly. The flute playing is absolutely tragic as the melody is beautifully charming while the backdrop of the piano is emotionally strained. The playing mid-way through the track in "The Other Promise" version is then intensified, adding to the drama.

"What I try to remember is not to repress your emotions," Shimomura said in an interview with Hatalabo (translated by KH13). "If you need to cry, cry outrageously [..], especially since music is an expression of emotion." She also mentioned, "the more expressive you are emotionally the more expressive the music becomes." You can certainly hear the emotion in this piece by the legendary game composer, and that is why it's one of the best Kingdom Hearts songs.

1. Dearly Beloved (Kingdom Hearts 2)

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For any great JRPG, you need an amazing main menu theme, and the Kingdom Hearts series delivers that in spades. "Dearly Beloved" is an awe-inspiring piece that has chronicled Sora's journey up to this point. It's highly adaptable, with each title in the series having an alteration on the piano-led track. Kingdom Hearts 3's version sounded momentous as it was the last entry in the Dark Seeker saga, while Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory has an eccentric jazzy take on the familiar song.

After much consideration, Kingdom Hearts 2's version of "Dearly Beloved" is the one that stands out the most. It has a sensational held string section at the top of the number with a stunning harp elevating the introduction. The piano then hits alongside the sweeping strings, stirring the heartstrings. It's melancholy and has plenty of tones within the piece that revolves around the main piano melody that resembles the adventurous and dramatic spirit of the game. This version of "Dearly Beloved" is simply perfect, and the piece itself has been featured in the ClassicFM Hall of Fame six times, according to KH13.

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These Disney worlds are not wishes your heart makes

The Kingdom Hearts series is known for its wondrous world design and impeccable recreation of Disney classics. However, as? Sora strikes down the heartless one by one, the worlds he explores sometimes drag down the whole experience. They make you wish you were just watching the movies that inspired them.

From Sora feeling like the third wheel in the world of Arendelle to playing arduous mini-games in 100 Acre Wood, here are the ten worst Kingdom Hearts worlds.

10. Prankster's Paradise (Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance)

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Pinocchio is one of the most cherished Disney classics, and yet Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance's interpretation of it is so forgettable. It's hard to remember a story element, boss, or landmark to find in this world. What saves it from being further down the list is being able to rail over the rollercoaster track with the Flowmotion mechanic and ?the gorgeous music by Yoko Shimomura.

9. The Grid (Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance)

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While the Rinzler battle at the end of the world is exhilarating, the rest of The Grid is absolutely dull. The environments are unimaginative open spaces with dark lighting and little wonder behind the art design. The Tron world in Kingdom Hearts 2 was colorful, unique, and had intriguing areas to discover; it also has the light cycle mini-game that fits right into the canon of the world that Sora is stepping into. The repetitive electronic music in The Grid also gets irritating after ten minutes, and the storyline matters so little to the overall narrative. To add to all that, the live-action actors like Jeff Bridges look creepy wit?h their low-poly models in this 3DS game.

8. Deep Space (Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep)

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Lilo & Stitch is a beloved Disney film, and yet its world in Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep is lackluster. The reason? It's all set in the spaceship where Stitch is imprisoned. We don't get to explore the sandy beaches of Hawaii and surf along the waves. No, we have to find our way through a bland white ship, an annoying vertical area that requires plenty of platforming (not one of the series' strengths), and an awkward pinball-like exterior section that feels out of place.?? The boss fight with Gantu in Ventus' playthrough also l?eaves much to be inspired.

7. San Fransokyo (Kingdom Hearts 3)

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San Fransokyo is a bad first impression of what Kingdom Hearts 4's Quadratum could be like. There is some neat Japanese-inspired architecture spread across the area, but it has so little to do. There aren't any side quests like cooking in a fast food restaurant or defending citizens from the heartless.  It's also jarring th??at the world has in??visible walls with Hiro calling you via video chat every time to move out of the area.

The original concept art for San Fransokyo in Kingdom Hearts 3 had so much promise. The idea is that the Baymax from the end of the movie, left in an interdimensional rift out of power, turns into a darker version of itself. The storyline in this world went for something way more forget??table, however. One of the few entertaining moments in this world is seeing Sora sitting alongside Hiro and his friends on the film's Asian interpretation of the Golden Gate Bridge. It had a neat flashback to Roxas hanging out with his friends with sea salt ice cream on the clock tower.

6. Arendelle (Kingdom Hearts 3)

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As one of the most successful Disney movies ever, Frozen was inevitably selected as a Kingdom Hearts 3 world, and it failed to impress during Sora's third adventure. The storyline within Arendelle hardly ??includes Sora, as the Frozen characters barely interact with him. There's also a pointless recreation of the scene where Elsa sings "Let It Go." We could just watch the movie instead. Sora, Donald, and Goofy don't even team up with the powerful princess and instead are stuck with a buff snowman lacking in personality as a party member.

Square Enix had to pad out the story with a confusing maze out of ice. The strange waymarking and level design within this area leave players scratching their heads before they eventually escape. Whi??le the snow does look beautiful in Kingdom Hearts 3 with Sora leaving footprints on the ground, Arendelle felt like it was thrown in because it was mega popular rather than a well-rounded world to expe?rience. At least the music stirs your heart as Sora ventures through this wintry landscape.

5. Monstro (Kingdom Hearts)

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Monstro is one of those Kingdom Hearts worlds that hasn't aged well. The insides of the whale are strung with untextured, alien-like blobs on the walls, and the overall level design makes you want to tear your hair out. The hallway placement is in a random manner as you traverse from chamber to chamber. It's hard to memorize which doorway goes where. This, mixed with the terrible camera in Kingdom Hearts, makes for an arduous experience.

While there's a lot of character development within this world for Riku and Sora, this is one part of the original game many fans grimace at the thought of.  The boss is also quite annoying as it pois??ons Sora whenever it touches the ground; thankfully, it's relatively easy if you use the Aero spell that helps defend the keyblade wielder.

4. 100 Acre Wood (Kingdom Hearts)

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While Winnie The Pooh is a childhood favorite for many, the Kingdom Hearts games make his adventures so boring. It's supposed to be the one area that you feel safe in ??and take a br?eak from battling the heartless. On the other hand, there are some mini-games that are time-consuming, irritating, or will make your brain go numb.

For example,? the mini-game in which you're protecting Pooh from bees requires you to stand on a branch and strike the bees as they come by. This lasts for minutes, but it feels five times longer while playing it. These mini-games truly test your patience.

Thankfully, this world is completely skippable, but it will give you valuable resources if you complete each chapter within the 100 Acre Wood, like an upgraded Stop spell and the Bambi summon. What makes it worse?? is that you have to col?lect torn pages in hidden areas of the game to gain access to each location of the 100 Acre Wood.

3. Atlantica (Kingdom Hearts)

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Atl??antica is commonly critiqued by the Kingdom Hearts fanbase, and for good reason. The controls feel awkward, your move set is limited due to Sora's new merman form, and both of Ursula's boss fights are annoying to deal with. In addition, getting around is awkward, especially towards the latter half of the world, where you have to ride a dolphin to get to Ursula. It's never explained in any of the cutscenes, and when you do find the dolphin, tons of enemies spawn around it before you can grab its tail.

Getting back to Ursula, she's the final boss of the Atlantica world, and, my gosh?, she's a nuisance. The only way to attack Ursula is by hitting her head, but she keeps casting spells that cause serious damage. Sometimes, it's really hard to avoid her incoming spells because of the awkward controls, and it's difficult to connect moves because of her frantic movement and Sora's limited move set. Atlantica truly is one of the worst Kingdom Hearts worlds in existence.

2. Disney Town (Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep)

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Mini-games are the scourge of the Kingdom Hearts series, and most of your time in this world is spent playing them. From janky volleyball with fruit to the kind of kart racing you'd expect from a cheap Mario Kart clone, Disney Town is a curse on Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep. There's also a rhythm mini-game with Chip and Dale that feels out of sync. What makes it worse is that this sickly sweet world feels incredibly out of place within one of the darkest stories within the Kingdom Hearts canon. It's so bright, colorful, and silly that it doesn't match the tone Birth By Sleep is going for at all.

1. Deep Jungle (Kingdom Hearts)

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While Tarzan is a nostalgia blast from the tail-end of the Disney Renaissance era, Square Enix plagues fans' memories of the film with terrible level design. The game doesn't clearly tell you where to go to activate the next story element, and even after multiple playthroughs of Kingdom Hearts, you'll get lost in the manic nature of Deep Jungl?e.

While the story is rock solid as it builds the relationship between Donald and Sora, Deep Jungle is simply a mess. Swinging around on the vines in this world is also awkward as you have to time your button presses between each jump. You'll fall many times due to the timing of t?hese swings, the bad camera, and the strange jumps that Sora makes while platforming.

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Kingdom Hearts is light!

_{[Please extend a warm welcome to new freelance writer Sorrel Kerr-Jung! Sorrel has previously worked for entertainment sites such as Looper and CBR,  as well as writing for their local newspaper, they are now kicking the door down here at Destructoid by tackling the mightiest subject of all: Kingdom Hearts continuity. - Chris Moyse]}

It's tough to talk about Kingdom Hearts without mocking it in all the easiest ways. Yes, the basic idea of a Disney-themed JRPG developed by Square Enix is ridiculous. Yes, it's hilarious to watch Mickey Mouse look Squall Leonhart in the eye and ask him what he knows about the Door to Darkness. Y?es, Goofy has done battle with Sephiroth, yes, Maleficent loves to time travel, and yes, you'd better believe that Donald Duck is canonically stronger than Baha?mut. All of these things are true.

But here's the secret: all of these things are also great. I love Kingdom Hearts for its ardent refusal to go the easy route. It absolutely rules that, when granted the adaptational rights to Disney's catalog of revered classics, Square Enix chose to invent a world and imbue it with a ridiculous amount of unintelligible lore. Kingdom Hearts could have been a phoned-in, simple (and clean) series of licensed Disney games for kids. Instead, it's a franchise comprised of some of the best action RPGs ever made. Featuring Tinker Bell. Not every Kingdom Hearts game is created equally, though �and there are a lot of Kingdom Hearts games. So, here's every Kingdom Hearts game (including the ones that aren't really games), ranked? from worst to best.

Kingdom Hearts χ/Dark Road

Right out the gate, I'm already cheating a little. In some ways, this entry actually covers three games �there's Kingdom Hearts χ, a browser game that was only ever released in Japan, Kingdom Hearts Union χ, a mobile-exclusive sequel that's also kind of a remake that was released worldwide a few years later, and Kingdom Hearts Dark Road, a largely separate story that's accessed from within the Union χ app. To look at things from another pe??rspective, though, this entry also covers zero game??s.

Kingdom Hearts χ and Union χ are both totally unplayable in 2022, as servers for both titles have been taken offline. The only way to officially experience the story is to trudge through the comically terrible cutscene collection available in the Union χ app, prefera?bly with a guide at the ready since the cutscenes aren't arran?ged in any remotely logical order.

It's a shame given that the χ storyline digs into the Keyblade War, one of the more interesting and important periods in Kingdom Hearts' history. Dark Road gets a slight bump for the fact that it's still technically playable (sans online), but, honestly, the gameplay just barely counts as "gameplay," and it doesn't resemble the action RPG combat found in the other games at all. There's some neat insight into series antagonist Xehanort's history here, ??but it's surrounded by headaches.

Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth By Sleep - A Fragmentary Passage

There's really not much to say about A Fragmentary Passage. As the title suggests, it's not a full game; it's more of a brief prelude to Kingdom Hearts 3. By the time A Fragmentary Passage came out, most of the (many, many) pieces of Kingdom Hearts 3's massive puzzle were already in place, so this one doesn't add too much to the narrative. For the most part, it's just an excuse to check-in on Aqua, a fan-favorite character from Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep.

A Fragmentary Passage utilizes the excellent combat system found in Kingdom Hearts 3, so it's naturally pretty pleasant to play. It's also got a rudimentary character customization system, something Kingdom Hearts isn't exactly known for. It gives Aqua something to do and fleshes out her character quite handily, but the whole thing is over so quickly that it's hard to care too much abou?t any of it.

Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover

Thankfully, the miserable cutscene theater in the Union χ app is not the only way to get a bit of insight into the χ story. Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, a one-hour movie that was included in the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue compilation, takes place during the events of the original browser game. It's not a complete recap of that game's events, but it is a pretty decent whodunnit mystery that gives some much-needed identity to the Foretellers, a group of string-pulling weirdos central to Kingdom Hearts χ's plot.

Back Cover is actually a fairly good time, and it features what might be a career-best performance from Ray Chase as the Master of Masters, the guy who pulls ??the strings on the string-pullers. Unfortunately, there are a few things that are holding it back from climbing any higher on this particular list. First, of course, is that it isn't a video game �the only reason I'm including it on this list at all is that it was technically released on a PlayStation 4 disc.

Second is that it was produced while the story of Union χ was still ongoing, so it can't act as a meaningful substitute for that darn cutscene theater. The most important reason Back Cover is condemned to the far reaches of this ranking, though, is that there's absolutely no Disney content to be seen here. Later Kingdom Hearts games are often criticized for sidelining Disney characters, but Back Cover excises them entirely. The idea of a Kingdom Hearts mystery is a very fun one, but the movie doesn't feel very Kingdom Hearts at all.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Hear me out here: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is not a great game. This Nintendo DS side story is focused entirely on Roxas, the main playable character for the first several hours of Kingdom Hearts 2. Roxas is the series protagonist Sora's "Nobody", a kind of zombie that comes into being when a person becomes a Heartless. If those proper nouns are making your head spin, you haven't seen any??thing yet.

358/2 Days is a prequel focused on Roxas' time with Organization XIII, the antagonistic group that gave Sora a hard time in Kingdom Hearts 2. The game represents a so-so effort at bringing the Kingdom Hearts formula to the DS. While it introduces some formally interesting elements to the series, including a Monster Hunter-ish mission system, moment-to-moment combat is a slog. It's also got far and away the most convoluted plot of any of these titles �no small feat for a series like this �an??d it's a bit difficult to get at all invested in the supposed tragedy of it all.

Kingdom Hearts Coded

Coded began life as a mobile game released in episodes, and the story certainly feels like that of an episodic mobile adventure. It's much smaller than the other epic tales in the Kingdom Hearts series, taking place almost entirely in a parallel data world. Most of this game is a?? retread of events from previous games, and it's not always entirely obvious how it factors into the broader saga, but honestly, that miniature scale is a bit refreshing at times.

The best version of Coded is definitely the DS release. It does a much better job of translating Kingdom Hearts to the DS than 358/2 Days, and it's nice to play a Kingdom Hearts game that both feels good and isn't all that heady. Like everything else in the series, it's pretty much nonsensical (the data world exists inside of a paper journal, but everything inside of it is apparently digital, and it's not entirely clear who is in which world at any moment), but it's not all that important. Also, come on. Kingdom Hearts in the Matrix is pretty cool.

Kingdom Hearts

I know, I know. Keeping the original Kingdom Hearts this far from first place is blasphemous. It's a classic. It's the game that started it all. Here's the thing - Kingdom Hearts should actually be lower on this list. I'm giving it a huge boost based on the importance of blazing a trail. Truth be told, Kingdom Hearts is not a great game. It's a total rough draft of what the series would eventually beco?me. The foundations ar?e here, but boy, they're pretty shaky.

Kingdom Hearts is an action game from 2002, and twenty years later, knowing what we know about action game design, it is not fun to go back to. The camera flails about like it's been taped to the end of a mace during regular combat, and during boss fights, it only gets worse. It also contains the worst version of the worst mini-game in the form of the Gummi Ship. There is, of course, lots to love in the original Kingdom Hearts; it's still got so??me of the best Disney worlds in the series, the story is relatively simple for the first and last time, and it introduces the ridiculously imaginative world and lovable characters that define the rest of the series. It'?s just... not that good.

Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep

Birth By Sleep is a bit of a black sheep in the Kingdom Hearts canon. It features an almost entirely original cast, swapping Sora and co. for a new trio of heroes: Aqua, Terra, and Ventus. Actually, Ventus is kind of Sora, but that's a story for another time. Aqua and Terra are fledgling Keyblade wielders training under Master Eraqus and Master Xehanort about a decade before the events of the original Kingdom Hearts. This is the game where the lore of Kingdom Hearts became basically incomprehensible, establishing the K??eyblade as a lightsaber-style emblem of some ancient? group of noble warriors (fittingly, Eraqus is voiced by one Mark Hamill).

All that convoluted lore is supported by a pretty charming central cast of three heroes, each of whom gets their own campaign that feeds into one central narrative. It's kind of like Kingdom Hearts by way of NieR:Automata, and it's as odd and compelling as that sounds. Birth By Sleep is also, in some ways, Kingdom Hearts' finest "tragedy," focusing on characters who genuinely fail and suffer in the process. It's the first game that makes Xehanort a truly compelling villain, and it expands the scope of Kingdom Hearts to a truly exciting degree. Add to that the fact that this one has a Lilo and Stitch world and yeah, it's pretty good.

Kingdom Hearts 3

Oh, Kingdom Hearts 3, you lovable mess. This culmination of the franchise's first major narrative arc almost certainly bit off more than it could chew. It's the kind of game that always had to be everything for everyone, and it ended up being only one thing for one very specific group of people: a really good game for Kingdom Hearts super fans. As a Kingdom Hearts super fan, I'm here to confirm th?at, yes, ??this is a really good game.

Kingdom Hearts 3 doesn't totally work. It attempts to resolve every major plot line introduced up to that point, and there's no shortage of major plot lines in Kingdom Hearts. Still, when KH3 works, it works really well. It's constantly paying off beats established literal decades before, and the game seems so excited about that fact that it's hard for players to resist being pulled in. It even briefly made me care about Kingdom Hearts χ. The combat utilizes elements of every game in the series, adding a few new pieces of its own to create what is, if not the best, certainly the largest action game combat system ever made, and the story, while disjointed and messy, really does give every major player a chance to shine. It's messy around the edges and a little too big for its ideas, but it might be the best version of Kingdom Hearts 3 I could have asked for.

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

Chain of Memories was the game that taught players what to expect out of Kingdom Hearts. At the beginning of Kingdom Hearts 2, Sora is chilling in an egg in somebody's basement. Why? To get that answer, you need to play the Game Boy Advance spinoff. Lesson learned: no Kingdom Hearts spinoff is skippable, and Chain of Memories might be the least skippable of them all.

Picking up right where the original Kingdom Hearts left off, Chain of Memories follows Sora, Donald, and Goofy as they adventure through Castle Oblivion, slowly losing their memories as they go. A lot of the worlds in this one are reskinned versions of worlds from the first game �handily, Sora doesn't remember that first game, so most of his dialogue can remain unaltered �but the broader plot is both totally original and deeply compelling. This is where Organization XIII, the Nobodies, and the all-important friendship between Riku and Mickey Mouse were introduced. It's also got one of my personal favorite Kingdom Hearts mechanics, a charming deckbuilding system that hasn't returned since. There's a pretty decent PS2 remak??e, but for my money??, you ought to play this on GBA.

Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory

One of the best things about Kingdom Hearts is the music. Over the last twenty years, legendary composer Yoko Shimomura has been accompanied by a bevy of brilliant musicians, including Japanese-American pop star? Hikaru Utada, and the series has amassed the best collective soundtrack a gaming franchise could ask for. What better way to celebrate all that excellent music than with a rhythm game?

Melody of Memory isn't really a Kingdom Hearts game in the usual sense. There's no real combat, not many RPG elements, and barely any ridiculously convoluted lore. It's mostly just a straightforward rhythm game designed to celebrate the series' music. Thankfully, the series' music is ridiculously good. Developed by Theatrhythm Final Fantasy developer indieszero, Melody of Memory really is an excellent rhythm game, and a grea??t excuse to listen to the Traverse Town theme again. And again. And again.

Kingdom Hearts 2

Most people would pretty confidently call Kingdom Hearts 2 the best Kingdom Hearts game. Maybe most people are right! It is a pretty ex??ceptional game. The combat is deep and involved without becoming ridiculously complex, the story is pleasantly silly but still coherent enough for its e?motional beats to land, and it remains one of the best-looking PlayStation 2 games ever made.

It's tough to say anything negative about Kingdom Hearts 2. It strikes the perfect balance between the silly, convoluted mess of JRPG lore that Kingdom Hearts would become and the saccharine, endearing crossover that Kingdom Hearts was always sold as. I don't think it's the best Kingdom Hearts game, but ther??e's a good chance that it is the most perfect.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

This is a weird pick for the top spot, but I promise I can explain. Kingdom Hearts has always be??en a story about maturing. The very first game is the tale of two boys who have never left home being thrust into the wider world, and being forced to contend with darkness. On one side, there's Sora, who finds the outside world exciting. On the other side, there's Riku, who finds his home stifling. They both want to see everything, but one is optimistic, where the other is cynical. Riku contends with that cynicism for the entire game, while Sora thrives with that optimism.

In Dream Drop Distance, Sora and Riku finally find out what kinds of people they've become. Sora has followed the arc that was always set for him - he's gone from JRPG protagonist to cartoon character. In this game, he's the most cartoonish and lovable he's ever been. Riku, meanwhile, has grown into something resembling an actual adult. He's not addicted to the novelty of new experiences the way Sora is, but he also no longer resents his own life the way he used to. He wants to take care of his friends, and he wants to preserve the almost-ordinary world he's built with them. Sora might be the hero of Kingdom Hearts, but Riku, at long ??last, is the hero of his ow?n story.

Does it help that Dream Drop Distance has the best combat in any Kingdom Hearts game? Sure. Is it nice that there's a creature-collecting system featuring some of the cutest guys of all time? Of course. But at the end of the day, Dream Drop Distance is my favorite Kingdom Hearts game because it is the fullest realization of Kingdom Hearts. In its own weird way, Kingdom Hearts is about growing up. In Dream Drop Distance, Kingdom Hearts grows up.

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Break out your giant shoes once again

Square Enix remasters Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue are now both available to p??urchase on Xbox One via the Microsoft store, thus completing the original run of franchise titles on the Xbox platform.

Both ports were initially announced for "2020," with no specific release date. Things looked a little more hopeful for Xbox fans after a store listing briefly appeared for Final Chapter Prologue, but now it seems both games are good to go, finally letting Xbox fans take a deep dive into the leviathan of Kingdom Hearts lore. It should be ??noted that this journey comes at a hefty cost, however, as pic?king up both titles will run you around $110.

The full con??tents of these t?wo releases are as follows:

Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 1.5 ReMIX

• Kingdom Hearts Final Mix
• Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (HD Cinematics)
• Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix
• Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix
• Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (HD Cinematics)

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

• Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep: A Fragmentary Passage
• Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover Movie
• Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD

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The Story So Far

Appearing out of nowhere on Square Enix's official web store, Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far is a new compilation for PS4 that packs together the previously released 1.5 + 2.5 Remix and 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue. Containing seemingly nothing new, this just looks like a way for latecomers to get up to speed before the world ends Kingdom Hearts III comes out.

I'm mostly surprised Square Enix isn't releasing a version of this for the Xbox One. Considering III will be on Microsoft's console next year, you'd think there would be an initiative to get fans on the Xbox up to speed. Whatever the case, you'll be able to grab The Story So Far on October 30, 2018, for $39.99.

KINGDOM HEARTS - THE STORY SO FAR - [PS4] [Square Enix Store]

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You have got to be kidding me

Earlier this year, after mostly missing out on the series for its entire run, I finally put down the cash to pick up Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX?? on the PS4 thinking it would be the final compilation?? of the series to see release. Turns out that line of thinking is probably wrong.

According to two product listings on Amazon.de and Koch Media, another series bundle is on its way that will include 1.5, 2.5, and  Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue. Released earlier this year, Prologue features Dream Drop Distance from the Nintendo 3DS, Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover, an extended cinematic that sums up the story of the Foretellers from the mobile title Kingdom Hearts Unchained X, and Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep - A Fragmented Passage.

It's my own damn fault. This series has more compilations than the frickin' Namco Museum. Either way, I expect a formal announcement sometime soon with a release date early next year to get people psyched up for Kingdom Hearts III. 

Kingdom Hearts PS4 Collection listed at A??mazon Germany, Koch Media Store [Gematsu]

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Adjustments for 0.2 A Fragmentary Passage only

Looks like no game is safe from early patches and updates nowadays, not even the long-standing Kingdom Hearts series which is typically known for its polish. The 1.02 patch that launched in Japan today made adjustments to camera speed, shortcut button response, and the magi?c command display. Gameplay aspects such as reflect and cartwheel response times, Barrier Cracker cancellation time, and MP consumption were also "adjusted." 

Square has seemingly avoided phrasing these chang??es as "improvements," but it obviously wouldn't update the software to make it worse intentionally (it's ?not Mozilla nor Windows). In any case, these changes come at the cost of making the game easier on higher difficulties.

On Proud Mode, you'll receive less damage than before the update, and Critical Mode has been updated to increase th??e amount of damage you inflict on enemies. "Enemy AI and parameters" have also been adjusted but aren't specifically detailed. 

I'll be one of the first to admit that difficulty in Kingdom Hearts is increased by little more than boosting enemy stats while nerfing the player's own. Still, that combat is so good it can be forgiven. In particular, the increased difficulty makes boss fights more intense, especially the secret ones like Julius, Lingering Will, and the dreaded Mysterious Figure from Birth By Sleep. 

Mysterious Figure set the precedent of difficulty alteration by being made slightly easier in the Final Mix version. Granted, one of his moves was a (usually) unavoidable o??ne-hit kill and thus ?broken. Regardless, I still beat him on Critical with all three characters before the nerf. Likewise I think I'll sacrifice some of those possible improvements for the extra challenge when I finally get around to this game. 

Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage- version 1.02 update now ??available [Gematsu]

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It's pretty much the same, minus AR cards

This week I put a preview build of Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue to the test, and so far, I'm happy with how well at least one of the three games that comprises this compilation has translated -- Kingdom Hearts 3D, or, Dream Drop Distance -- one of the least silly bits of nomenclature in a franchis??e that l??ikes to put fractions in their titles.

It's a four year old portable game, sure, but it looked colorful then on the 3DS, and it looks great now when blown up on a TV in 1080p at 60FPS (a framerate that's smooth, by the way). And just like any old Kingdom Hearts game you'll need to get used to a weird camera (bring out that claw hand) and some lock-on issues, but everything else is there. That includes the pet/companion system, which doesn't accommodate AR cards anymore, and is probably for the best.

With fantastic new worlds that haven't been explored ever before in the series like Hunchback, Fantasia, and Three Musketeers, as well as a meaningful connection to the previous games as a lead-in to Kingdom Hearts 3, it feels more like a mainline entry than a half-hearted spino??ff. Get a look ??at some screens in the gallery below before it hits its worldwide release date of January 24.

I'm really limited in what I can say about the Kingdom Hearts χ extended cinematic retelling and the all-new Fragmentary Passage portion of this triple-pac?k, so just sti?ck around for the full review later this month.

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I neeeeed it!

Sometimes I feel stressed with all the things I have going on in my life and clearing games from my backlog can occasionally feel like self-imposed work, especially when I don't particularly enjoy a game but am playing it to completion out of obligation to myself. Watching anything Kingdom Hearts related reminds me I'm alive and that games are meant to be fun. This final trailer for Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is no different, instantly makin?g ?me grin from ear to ear.

The trailer shows Aqua taking on various bosses, cutting through dark shrubbery, and most importantly dressing up using various items such as wings, cute cat ears, or Minnie Mouse's polka dot bow. The options listed there in Japanese are head, arms, back, pattern, and color. While Sora, Donald, and Goofy got several world-specific designs and Sora's outfit changed slightly when using drive form in Kingdom Hearts 2, this will be the first time we'll actively be able to customize a characters appearance in the series. Although you won't be able to do much to her base outfit, I am ready to start collecting items. I wonder if they'll expand on this in KHIII. No one's got a problem with me likin??g to dre??ss up girls in games do they? Good.

Looking at the map while Aqua is grinding and dodging a Darkside's attacks sh?ows a narrow path, suggesting a unique fight where at least part of the battle will occur while skating down at high speed. Inventive boss fights have always been a highlight of the series and it appears that will continue here. 

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Something something Disney--whatever I just want this damn game already!

"You're giving me too many things that aren't KH3" would've been the subheader if it didn't sound so critical. Sure, they keep re-releasing prior titles and even this new appetizer for Kingdom Hearts 3 is packed in with a movie based on the mobile game and a remaster of Dream Drop Distance. ?It's likely only a few hours long, but GAT DAMN do I wa?nt it.

Longtime fanboys like me will see call-backs to the original game in the opening movie for 0.2 Birth By Sleep- A Fragmentary Passage. I almost skipped it so I could go in blind, but it didn't really spoil or reveal anything new. Simple and Clean is remixed as Aqua's ?friendship with Ventus and Ter??ra is summarized alongside that of Sora, Riku, and Kairi.

The story of the game is somewhat hinted at, perhaps suggesting Aqua will help free not only herself but Ventus and Terra as well. Since we know that's going to happen at some point, I figure they may as well do that now and let Kingdom Hearts III continue the story ins?tead of just tying up l??oose ends all the way through.

Sure, the story is crazy and indecipherable, but just go for the ride. People recognize that the stories of the Metal Gear and Resident Evil franchises are insane and make no sense, but we don't knock them too much for that. It's part of the fun. I've played?? the first two main-line games to 100% at least 10 times a piece, and even I don't get everything. And I don't care.

It's not for everyone, but it's for me and I'm ready.

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It's a pin

A pin. A pin! That's it! OK, see you later.

Oh, you want an article? Well, fine. I love Kingdom Hearts, and?? I know it's free and all, but they want people to commit to buying a game that will have maybe three to five hours of new content at a full $60 price tag and all they have to give us is this pin and paper box decorated in bathroom wallpaper?

At least throw in a soundtrack or art book ?or somet?hing man, come on.

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Probably due to the title length

[Update: In a Twitter message aimed at fans, director Tetsuya Nomura has stated that Kingdom Hearts 2.8 will be supported on PlayStation 4 Pro, and that the cause of the delay was due to helping out with Final Fantasy 15 and its own delay.]

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue was previously announced for a wo?rldw??ide release in December, 2016. However, during Sony's press conference at Tokyo Game ?Show, the game got a new trailer -- and a new release date. This time it is listed for January 12, 2017 in Japan and January 24, 2017 for North America and Europe.

Frankly, I don't min??d waiting another month to ensure it's done right (it would be another story if was like a year or something), especially since the new ?trailer is pretty amazing:  

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Daybreak Town hot and fresh out the kitchen

Remember what I said 30 minutes ago? That whole spiel about "it's 2016, we ain't writing about screenshots, show us some dang video!" It was a lie. It was a rhetorical framing device to fill up the meat up in a post about a trailer?? for a new video game that some of y'all are interested in, but that I don't have much more to talk about besides minute details (release systems, date, etc.) because, let's be real, we're just writing about a commercial. That's what a trailer is. A commercial for the internet and for websites, which is fine; the game looks pretty a'ight.

This, too, then is just rhetorical framing in an effort to pull even more meat from the 'ol brain nethers to flesh out a post about the hilariously-named Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue.

Referring back to our past coverage -- with the prior link-back, but also here, more directly -- "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a PS4-exclusive collection with a high-definition remake of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance that was originally a Nintendo 3DS exclusive, a new series of cinematics called Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover, and Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep--A Fragmentary Passage which takes place directly after the original Birth by Sleep."

Hell of a collection coming 2016. Here's a picture of Daybreak Town, from it, from the Kingdom Hearts Twitter account. Incidentally, today is the 14th anniversary of the first Kingdom Hearts'?? Japanese release, which means that Sora is now 28. Fucking millenials.

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Looks fantastic

The new trailer above just released at the Jump Festa event in Japan and shows off both Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and a peek at some gameplay in Kingdom Hearts III with Goofy and Donald Duck in tow. 

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a PS4-exclusive collection with a high-definition remake of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance that was originally a Nintendo 3DS exclusive, a new series of cinematics called Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover, and Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep--A Fragmentary Passage which takes place directly after the original Birth by Sleep.

The collection is planned to launch sometime in 2016, meanwhile Kingdom Hearts III has no announced release date.

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