Attention all Final Fantasy and Disney fans. The time has come. Rest your hearts, because this is big. Kingdom Hearts III has arrived. For over a decade, Testsuya Nomura has long teased that another game is in the works. After careful planning, long overdue projects and countless other titles, Kingdom Hearts III has finally become a reality. It’s time to jump on the couch, grab the controller and relive your childhood. Before we start, let’s look at a quick overview of some the biggest titles from one of the most successful video game franchises ever.
The Major Kingdom Hearts Game Titles
Kingdom Hearts
The game that started it all. One of the most popular gaming titles of the 2000’s. A significant part of almost everyone’s childhood growing up. To put it bluntly, Kingdom Hearts as a series is the perfect union of Disney and Final Fantasy. After this game, more titles of the franchise followed suit and adopted the same formula. In this adventure, you play as the main hero, Sora. Sora and his friends become separated, but stumble upon Goofy and Donald. Even though they were dead set on finding their King Mickey, they both formed a magnificent friendship with Sora. On his path to become a Keyblade master, he meets new friends and evil foes alike. From Aladdin to Hercules, and Maleficent to Captain Hook, the game was a masterpiece.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
The first handheld game, and a successful follow-up to Kingdom Hearts. Sora and his friends continue their journey to find Riku and King Mickey. Having rescued Kairi from the Heartless, Sora is more determined than ever to bring his best friend back. However, they stumble across a mysterious structure called Castle Oblivion. Controlled by an enigmatic and shadowy group called “the Organization,” Sora must fight his way in order to conquer the darkness. But with each enemy he defeats, the more memories he seems to lose. This was quite a difficult game as it utilized a difficult gameplay mechanic. However, using cards to attack opponents didn’t stop fans from loving it. It was a perfect blend of nostalgia and fresh new characters.
Kingdom Hearts 2
In the continuation of the Kingdom Hearts saga, we encountered new friends and enemies along the way. After being sent to sleep, Sora, Donald and Goofy awaken a year later. Having cleared the path of the previous events in Chain of Memories, Sora is still on the quest for his best friend, Riku. However, the ultimate enemy is still lurking about. Now infamously known as Organization XIII, they plan to use Kingdom Hearts to rule over everything and become existing beings. New faces help Sora this time. From Mulan to Simba, Captain Jack Sparrow to Tron, Sora is not alone in this fight. With similar mechanics and new ways of taking on enemies, Kingdom Hearts 2 was a success among fans as it showed much emotion and character development.
Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
Birth By Sleep was another major game within the franchise. This time, Sora and the gang were not seen as much. In fact, you didn’t really play as them. The game focused on a group of friends: Terra, Ventus and Aqua. Three close friends, brave keyblade masters, and individuals destined to save everything they care for from darkness. Long before the events of Sora and his time, Terra and friends are on a quest to stop worlds from being consumed from the Unversed, nasty creatures that are the pure essence of evil and chaos. Along the way, they learn more information about the legendary Master Xehanort. While a majority of the character cast was left out of this game, critics and fans alike were enamored with this game. It was visually stunning with a great storyline and awesome characters.
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days
Shortly after the events of the first Kingdom Hearts game, this Nintendo DS title was beloved by fans and casual gamers alike. Super spoiler alert: Sora became a Heartless in the very first game, which also gave birth to his Nobody, Roxas. 358/2 Days tells the events of Roxas, and his life within Organization XIII. He becomes best friends with two other members, the fiery, fleet footed Axel, and the shy, but caring Xion. Over time, you see his relationship with his friends and other Organization cohorts. Copy and paste previous Disney Worlds, but add in new ways of fighting enemies. This game was a lowkey best seller.
Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
Another DS title in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, Dream Drop Distance was also a lowkey title beloved by the community. Following the events of Birth By Sleep, this game detailed the events of Sora and Riku becoming Keyblade Masters through the “Mark of Mastery” test. Both boys were put to the ultimate test in this game, fighting hordes of Heartless and evil characters, all in preparation for combatting the return of Master Xehanort, unbeknownst to them.
Last Word on the Kingdom Hearts Franchise So Far
All in all, Kingdom Hearts III will probably go down as potentially one of the best video games of all time, and of this year. Fans have been patiently waiting for this game for over a decade. Fans being treated to much deserved nostalgia will experience the culmination of love and joy. It’s time to play. It’s time to defeat the darkness once and for all.
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