1. The Story
Probably the most notable detail about Kingdom Hearts that fans love to discuss is the grand plot and its sheer complexity. Being a Square Enix product like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, it is only right to assume that one of their longest running series is subject to extremely detailed writing complete with cliffhangers and unique plot devices that move the story along.
As of right now, the series has concluded its most recent story arc with the addition of Kingdom Hearts 3, however, according to its creator Tetsuya Nomura there are still many tales to be told and games to be made.
2. The Varying styles of Gameplay throughout installments
Though this may sound like a negative thing, I stand to disagree with this notion. Part of the reason why Kingdom Hearts has so many fans and longevity in the game industry is the evolution of gameplay over the years. Longtime fans of the series can recall the lofty yet fast-paced combat of the first installment and the various worlds filled with heartless to battle and Disney characters to interact with.
The ability to influence Donald and Goofy’s combat patterns while stringing combos of hits and magic with the keyblade provided an overall fun and exciting experience. The next installments would keep this core gameplay style while adding different features, like Chain of Memories with its 2.5D perspective and battle cards system or 358/2 with its unique skill tree system.
3. The Music
Another beloved feature of these games are the melodic tunes that accompany all types of scenes and gameplay. The earlier Kingdom Hearts games featured some of the most iconic songs in the franchise like “Simple and Clean” and “Dearly Beloved”. The sound team behind these games are always able to capitalize on the sometimes action packed gameplay and other times somber moments within the games by complimenting them with amazing soundtracks.
4. The Disney Worlds
Kingdom Hearts’ origins are as wild as its concept, that totally checks out. Apparently, a developer at Square had entered an elevator with a Disney executive. The Square developer had pitched an idea to combine franchises to compete with the likes of nintendo. Out of that fateful day, the series Kingdom Hearts was born. With each and every installment there are a set of Disney themed worlds that players explore, complete with their respective characters.
As a fan of the series (and Disney) it still boggles my mind that Mulan and Sora teamed up to save the day once and the fact that Cloud from Final Fantasy and the chicken from Chicken Little canonically appear in the same game. All this plus the fact that Donald and Goofy are Sora’s faithful companions throughout these games adds to the synergistic chaos of these games. This unique combination of characters was insane on paper, but somehow became an overnight success on its own accord.
5. The Community
As you can imagine a franchise as successful and old as Kingdom Hearts also has a very committed fanbase behind it. This community started small but strong in the early 2000’s, but now it spans across different social media platforms and in different countries across the world.
Though Kingdom Hearts originally started off as a Playstation Exclusive, its popularity would soon see it appear on varying consoles in the game industry like the Nintendo 3DS and the Xbox One. The games were also ported to PC recently as well, effectively creating a strong community that has shown their love of the series through the numerous mods that further enhance the gameplay experience.
6. The Keyblade
Arguably one of the most iconic weapons in video games, the keyblade would become the staple weapon for the protagonist of each installment. Whether its Roxas, Ventus, or Sora himself, the player will slowly but surely build the ultimate Keyblade master in these characters by slaying the invading Heartless and Nobodies. Some who are chosen to wield the keyblade also develop the ability to wield two at the same time, doubling the action and overall fun of the combat.
Within each game players can also attempt to craft THE ultimate keyblade- aptly named the Ultima Keyblade. Each installment has different requirements and different looks for the Ultima Keyblade, but they make sure to reward the player for their efforts by the sheer awesomeness of the look and power of this distinguished blade.
7. Secret Bosses
A secret boss in video games is truly a treat. It’s usually out of the way, so the player must truly explore their surroundings in order to find this hidden challenge that was planted there by the developers. Kingdom Hearts games are chock full of secret bosses, some integral to the story, some just there to bully you into grinding some more. Majority of the time it's the latter.
These secret bosses are, in my humble opinion, some of the coolest bosses in video games in terms of design and set up as well. The “Final Mix” version of Kingdom Hearts 2 also comes with a boss rush in which you can challenge each member of Organization 13, thus presenting the ultimate test for any fan of the series. Also, you can fight Sephiroth, yeah, THE Sephiroth.
8. Post Credit Scenes
Yeah, that’s right, the MCU isn’t the only franchise good at these things. One of the reasons why the story for Kingdom Hearts can be so captivating are its famous post credit scenes. Some of these post credit scenes are accompanied by bosses, some are just beautifully crafted cutscenes meant to show a vague yet attractive hint that leads to where the story might head next.
The developers are always sure to make these scenes descriptive, but not too descriptive, leading to some of the most wild fan theories and speculations created by fans. These scenes are only unlocked by completing certain end of game challenges, thus they are another well deserved reward by the player. But if you’re not up for the challenge, there’s always YouTube.
9. Sora
What’s a good video game without a good protagonist? When we first meet Sora on Destiny Islands, all we know about him is his rivalry with Riku and his tender relationship with Kairi. After being swept to Traverse Town by invading heartless, we see this young boy embark on a grand adventure to find his friends and get home. Of course, Sora would go on to embark on many adventures after this, each one adding pivotal dimensions to his character and his accomplishments as a true keyblade master.
10. The names
This may seem a little silly, but hear me out. I’ve played a lot of video games, but Kingdom Hearts seems to have some of the coolest naming conventions for, everything. Whether it’s the Heartless and Nobodies and the relationship they share, Organization 13, Xemnas, Xehanort, and or even Yen Sid (Which took me a while to figure out that it was Disney backwards) the creativity that goes into naming these characters goes to show the amount of creative effort and love that goes into each installment.
