Kingdom Hearts

is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square) and owned by The Walt Disney Company. A collaboration between the two companies, it was conceptualized by Square employees, Japanese game designers Tetsuya Nomura and Shinji Hashimoto; Nomura serves as the series' director.

''Kingdom Hearts'' is a crossover of various Disney properties based in an original fictional universe. The series centers on the main character, Sora, and his journey and experiences with various Disney characters, as well as some from Square Enix properties, such as ''Final Fantasy'', '' The World Ends with You'', and '' Einhänder'', in addition to original characters and locations created specifically for the series.

The series consists of thirteen games available for multiple platforms, and future games are planned. Most of the games in the series have been positively received and commercially successful. As of March 2022, the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series has shipped more than 36 million copies worldwide. A wide variety of related merchandise has been released along with the games, including soundtracks, action figures, companion books, light novels, a collectible card game, and a manga series.

Media

Games

* '' Kingdom Hearts'' is the first game in the series, released in Japan on March 28, 2002, for PlayStation 2. Tetsuya Nomura served as game director, his first time in this position. ''Kingdom Hearts'' introduced the main characters (Sora, Kairi, and Riku) of the series, and established the plot's framework involving hearts and dark beings known as the Heartless. It also established the role of Disney characters in the series, with character cameos from the ''Final Fantasy'' series. ''Kingdom Hearts'' was released in North America on September 17, 2002, and featured additional content that was not in the original Japanese version. The game was later re-released in Japan as '' Kingdom Hearts Final Mix'' on December 26, 2002. ''Final Mix'' includes the content from the North American release and additional enemies, cutscenes, and weapons.
* '' Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'' is a direct sequel to the first game. It was released on the Game Boy Advance in Japan on November 11, 2004. ''Chain of Memories'' was touted as a bridge between the two PlayStation 2 games, introducing and previewing plot elements that would be explored in the next game. The gameplay system is a departure from the original and employs card game mechanics in real time. Players construct decks out of cards that correspond to different actions in battle, such as attacking or using magic. It was remade into a PlayStation 2 game titled '' Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories'', which contains polygonal graphics instead of the sprites used in the original game. The remake was released in Japan as a second disc packaged with '' Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'' on March 29, 2007, and in North America as a standalone game on December 2, 2008.
* ''Kingdom Hearts II'' takes place one year after the events of ''Chain of Memories''. It was released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on December 22, 2005. The game further explores the "heart" concept by involving a new group of enemies, the Nobodies, which are the cast-off shells of those who have become Heartless. The gameplay is similar to that of the first ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, with the addition of the Reaction Command, which performs reflex-sensitive actions in battle. ''Kingdom Hearts II'' was revised into ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'', which contains more material than the original release, such as additional cutscenes and bosses. ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'' was released with ''Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories'' in a collection titled ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+'', which was released in Japan on March 29, 2007.
* '' Kingdom Hearts Coded'' is an episodic mobile phone game that picks up directly after ''Kingdom Hearts II''. The "preinstall" episode was released in Japan on November 18, 2008, and eight episodes were released between June 3, 2009, and January 28, 2010. The game was remade for the Nintendo DS as '' Kingdom Hearts Re:coded'', and features updated gameplay combining that of two later entries in the series, ''358/2 Days'' and ''Birth by Sleep''. Unlike the original version, ''Re:coded'' was released internationally: October 7, 2010, in Japan; January 11, 2011, in North America; and January 14, 2011, in Europe.
* '' Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days'' was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on May 30, 2009. It is primarily set between ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II'', focusing on Roxas' time in Organization XIII and his motives for leaving. It is the first game in the series to feature cooperative multiplayer in addition to the traditional use of AI-controlled partners. Gameplay is mission-based with optional objectives that yield additional rewards. The game also has a unique panel system which governs character improvement, special abilities, and equipped weapons.
* '' Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'' is a prequel to the series, released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan on January 9, 2010, and in North America on September 7, 2010, with additional content. The game is set ten years before the events of the first ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, revealing the origins of the villain, Xehanort. It consists of four scenarios, three of which focus on one of the game's three protagonists, Terra, Ventus, and Aqua. The game was re-released in Japan under the title '' Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' on January 20, 2011, with the content from the English versions as well as new features, such as an additional fifth scenario.
* '' Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' was released on March 29, 2012, in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS. The game focuses on Sora and Riku's Mark of Mastery exam under Yen Sid in anticipation of Xehanort's return and their subsequent conflicts with enemies from their past. In addition to similar systems inherited from ''Birth by Sleep'', this game features " Dream Eaters" which serve as both enemies and allies. Players may collect and breed friendly Dream Eaters and train them to become more powerful. The English edition came out on July 20, 2012, in Europe while it came out on July 31, 2012, for North America.
* '' Kingdom Hearts χ'': At Tokyo Game Show 2012, Square Enix announced ''Kingdom Hearts χ'', previously known as ''Kingdom Hearts for PC Browsers''. It is a browser game for PCs, and was only playable in Japan from July 2013 to September 2016. It features cartoon-like 2D models and is a prequel to the series, detailing the events leading up to the Keyblade War.
** ''Kingdom Hearts: Unchained χ'': An international port of ''Kingdom Hearts χ'' that was released for Android and iOS devices. ''Unchained χ'' was released in Japan on September 3, 2015, in North America on April 7, 2016, and in Europe on June 16, 2016. Later in April 2017, it was rebranded as ''Kingdom Hearts: Union χ'', featuring an all-new story that expanded and diverged from the original. In January 2019, the game was available on the Amazon Appstore for Amazon devices. The app was rebranded once again to ''Kingdom Hearts: Union χ Dark Road'' with the release of ''Kingdom Hearts Dark Road''. The game was shut down and converted into a cutscene viewer in May 2021, and delisted in August 2024.
** '' Kingdom Hearts Dark Road'' is a mobile game accessed within ''Kingdom Hearts Union χ ross', which released worldwide on June 22, 2020. The game is set 70 years before ''Birth by Sleep'' and explores the origins of Xehanort and his eventual turn to darkness, and was developed by the same team working on ''Union χ''. Following the shutdown of ''Union χ'', ''Dark Road'' was converted into an offline game and received its final story update in August 2022.
* ''Kingdom Hearts III'': In September 2010, Tetsuya Nomura stated that his team was too busy with other projects such as '' Final Fantasy XV'' (known as ''Final Fantasy Versus XIII'' at the time) to work on ''Kingdom Hearts III''. He also stated that his team was researching how to create the high-definition graphics of the game, which depended on the technical restrictions of the next generation consoles. On June 10, 2013, at the E3 Sony press conference, after years of rumors and speculations, Nomura introduced a teaser for ''Kingdom Hearts III'', which stated it was in development for the PlayStation 4. It was announced the next day to be in development for the Xbox One as well. In ''Kingdom Hearts III'', Sora embarks on a journey to regain his lost "Power of Waking" while Riku and Mickey search for Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in preparation for their final battle against Xehanort. The game concludes the "Dark Seeker Saga". The game was released on January 25, 2019, in Japan and on January 29 worldwide.
** ''Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind'': A port of ''Kingdom Hearts III'' with the ''Re Mind'' DLC included that was released for Windows and the Nintendo Switch. It was initially released on Windows exclusively via the Epic Games Store on March 30, 2021, followed by a Steam release three years later on June 13, 2024. A cloud version for the Nintendo Switch was announced during Sora's reveal as the final DLC fighter for '' Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' on October 5th, 2021, and released as part of the series' 20th anniversary celebration on February 10, 2022.
* '' Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory'' is a rhythm-based game for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It released in Japan on November 11, 2020, and worldwide on November 13. Featuring 140 songs, it sees players travel to each stage in a Gummi ship, and features gameplay similar to '' Theatrhythm Final Fantasy''. ''Melody of Memory'' continues Kairi's story from the end of ''Kingdom Hearts III'', with Nomura saying the ''Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind'' title screen laid "some of the groundwork for it".

Other games

A ''Kingdom Hearts'' game was developed for V CAST, Verizon Wireless's broadband service, and was released on February 1, 2005, in the United States. It was one of the launch games for the V CAST services. The game, developed by Superscape and published by Disney Mobile with no involvement from Square Enix, features gameplay akin to the first ''Kingdom Hearts'' game, modified for the input method of mobile phones. The game's storyline features Sora struggling to free himself from a nightmare induced by Maleficent's magic.

'' Kingdom Hearts Mobile'' was a ''Kingdom Hearts''-themed social game in which players could play mini-games together. Unlike ''Kingdom Hearts'' for the V CAST and ''Kingdom Hearts Coded'', this game does not have a storyline and focuses more on socializing. The service operated in conjunction with ''Kingdom Hearts Coded'', as new avatar costumes became available after the player completed an episode of ''Kingdom Hearts Coded''. ''Kingdom Hearts''-related media such as wallpapers, ringtones, graphics, and other items could be purchased and downloaded through the service for mobile phones.

Announced in September 2018, ''Kingdom Hearts VR Experience'' is a free, 10-minute interactive video "featuring iconic moments nd musicfrom the ''Kingdom Hearts'' games" with the ability to unlock additional content by progressing through the experience. The first part was released in Japan on January 23, 2019, with the second part releasing in early 2019. The first part had initially been scheduled to release on January 18, 2019, after initial release dates of December 25, 2018, for the first part, with the second part releasing on January 18, 2019.

Sora has made guest appearances in other video games, including '' World of Final Fantasy'' and '' Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.

Collections

The first collection, '' Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix'', was released for the PlayStation 3 in Japan on March 14, 2013. The collection includes remastered versions of ''Kingdom Hearts Final Mix'' and ''Re:Chain of Memories'', which include gameplay enhancements and trophy support, as well as a "Theater Mode" consisting of high definition cutscenes from ''Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days''. The collection was released in North America, Australia, and Europe in September 2013. In the credits of ''HD 1.5 Remix'', clips of ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'', ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix,'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Re:coded'' appeared, hinting at another collection; something that Nomura had previously hinted. On October 14, 2013, '' Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix'' was announced for the PlayStation 3 and included ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' along with HD cinematics of ''Re:coded''. The collection was released in Japan on October 2, 2014; releases in North America, Australia, and Europe occurred in December 2014. Clips of '' Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' shown in the credits of ''HD 2.5 Remix'' as well as the inclusion of a secret ending related to the game, hinted at an additional collection. In September 2015, Square Enix announced '' Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue''. The collection features an HD remaster of ''Dream Drop Distance'' as well as '' Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover'', a cinematic telling of the backstory behind the events of '' Kingdom Hearts χ'', and ''Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage'', a new game taking place after the events of the original ''Birth by Sleep'' from Aqua's perspective. It was released in Japan, North America, and Europe in January 2017, with releases on Xbox One and Windows in subsequent years. A cloud version for the Nintendo Switch was released in 2022.

The three collections have been repackaged together in various combinations. The first were the Japanese exclusives ''Kingdom Hearts Starter Pack: HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix'', which includes the first two collections, and ''Kingdom Hearts Collector's Pack: HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix'', a special pack that also includes a code for an Anniversary Set in ''Kingdom Hearts χ'', music, and a series art booklet. A single-disc compilation titled ''Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix'' for the PlayStation 4 was released globally in March 2017. It was later released for the Xbox One in 2020, for Windows in 2021, and for the Nintendo Switch in 2022. Prior to ''Kingdom Hearts III''s release, a bundle of all three collections titled ''Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far'' was released in North America in 2018. Soon after ''Kingdom Hearts III''s release, a similar bundle that also included ''Kingdom Hearts III'' titled ''Kingdom Hearts: All-In-One-Package'' was released digitally on the PlayStation 4 in North America on January 29, 2019. The bundle became available physically in North America in 2020. A cloud version of ''All-In-One-Package'' titled ''Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece for Cloud'' was released on the Nintendo Switch in 2022 and includes the ''Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind'' DLC. A non-cloud version, simply titled ''Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece'', became available on Steam in 2024.

Future games

Though ''Kingdom Hearts III'' was the end of the "Dark Seeker Saga", which revolved around Xehanort, it had been decided where certain characters end up in order to potentially continue their stories in future games. In January 2020, Nomura said there would need to be "more time" before the next main entry in the series, later noting in September that Yozora would "definitely... be involved" in the future of the series, in an unexpected and surprising way. In April 2022, Square Enix revealed '' Kingdom Hearts IV'' was in development, confirmed that Sora, Donald, and Goofy would return, and that the game would be set in Quadratum, a realistic world inspired by Tokyo. ''Kingdom Hearts IV'' will be the start of the "Lost Master arc". In March 2023, during a ''Kingdom Hearts'' Concert Breath Concert, Nomura vaguely announced something happened that determined the "direction of the series" going forward.

Cancelled games

A mobile game titled ''Kingdom Hearts: Fragmented Keys'' was briefly worked on in 2013, but was ultimately cancelled before being announced. Concept art for the game was later discovered in 2015, revealing it would have featured Game Central Station from ''Wreck-It Ralph'' as the central hub, through which the player would access both new and returning worlds based on films such as ''Aladdin'', '' Frozen'', and ''Star Wars''.

In April 2022, Square Enix revealed that a new mobile game for iOS and Android devices titled ''Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link'' was in development, with its story set in the Scala ad Caelum world between the events of ''Union X'' and ''Dark Road''. A closed beta was originally set for late 2022. However, the iOS beta testing, which consisted of around 1,500 players from Australia and the United Kingdom, was delayed to the end of 2023. The Android beta testing was also delayed from its original January 2024 date until later in spring of that year. The delay was to allow the developers time to make the game compatible with a wider range of Android devices. The game was expected to launch on mobile devices at an undetermined date. On May 14, 2025, Square Enix announced that the game had been cancelled.

Printed adaptations

A manga based on ''Kingdom Hearts'' was released in Japan and the United States. The story and art were done by Shiro Amano, who is known for his manga adaptation of the '' Legend of Mana'' series. The story follows the events that took place in the video games with differences to account for the loss of interactivity a video game provides. The manga was originally serialized in Japan by Square Enix's '' Monthly Shōnen Gangan'', and the first tankōbon was released in Japan in October 2003. The manga was released in the US by Tokyopop two years later in October 2005. Yen Press now holds the rights to publish the books for the USA market. The first series, ''Kingdom Hearts'', consists of four volumes, while the second series, ''Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'', has two volumes. The third series, ''Kingdom Hearts II'', consists of ten volumes. A fourth series based on ''Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days'' was released in five volumes while ''Kingdom Hearts II'' was in progress. As of April 2019, a fifth series based on ''Kingdom Hearts III'' has been serialized monthly in Gangan Online with Amano returning to do story and artwork. Yen Press also licensed the series and published it online in English on apps such as Comixology and BookWalker alongside the Japanese release. This series will soon have two volumes published in tankōbon format.

The games have also been adapted as a light novel series, written by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. Like the manga series, it is divided into separate series based on the individual games. ''Kingdom Hearts'' is divided into two volumes; "The First Door" and "Darkness Within". ''Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'' is divided into two volumes. ''Kingdom Hearts II'' is divided into four volumes; "Roxas—Seven Days", "The Destruction of Hollow Bastion", "Tears of Nobody", and "Anthem—Meet Again/Axel Last Stand".

Television and film

A pilot for a television adaptation of the first ''Kingdom Hearts'' game was commissioned in 2003 for the Disney Channel, but did not go forward as a series. In October 2022, the pilot's director, Seth Kearsley, uploaded the pilot animatic to his personal YouTube channel and shared more details on the production. The cast of the games reprised their roles for the pilot with the exception of Haley Joel Osment, who was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts and was replaced with Bobby Edner. According to Kearsley, the pilot tested well with their test audiences, but the decision was made not to go further into production due to the franchise's expansion and the difficulty of maintaining consistency with the ongoing game series. The animatic was later taken down by Kearsley at Disney's request, though it was later reposted by minor channels.

On May 27, 2020, it was reported that a TV series based on the franchise was in development for Disney+. On April 24, 2024, ''The DisInsider'' reported that an animated ''Kingdom Hearts'' film was in the works. While previously having been a show for Disney+, it was changed to a theatrical film. It was also noted that these are just rumours and nothing had officially been given the greenlight.

In October 2007, a fan-made web series of CG action films called ''Dead Fantasy'' was created by Monty Oum. ''Dead Fantasy'' featured ''Kingdom Hearts'' characters teaming up with ''Final Fantasy'' characters and competing against ''Dead or Alive'' and '' Ninja Gaiden'' characters in battle royale-style brawls.

Common elements

Characters

''Kingdom Hearts'' features a mixture of Disney and Square Enix characters, as well as several new characters designed and created by Nomura. In addition to original locations, the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series features many worlds from Disney films. Sora must visit these worlds and interact with various Disney characters to protect them from enemies. Often, his actions in these worlds closely follow the storylines of their respective Disney films. The main characters try not to interfere with the affairs of other worlds, as it could negatively affect the universe's order. Various ''Final Fantasy'' characters also make appearances within several worlds throughout the series. This includes Moogles, small creatures who are another common element in the games. They provide the player with a synthesis shop to create and purchase items used in the game. The main cast from '' The World Ends with You'' - Neku Sakuraba, Joshua, Beat, Rhyme, and Shiki - appear in ''Dream Drop Distance'', and ''Kingdom Hearts III'' features characters from Pixar films such as the ''Toy Story'' series and '' Monsters, Inc.'', as well as Schwarzgeist, one of the bosses from '' Einhänder''. Nevertheless, the usage of Disney characters is not without restrictions. For example, Nomura had requested the use of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in ''Kingdom Hearts III'', but the response from Disney was that the character would be "too difficult" to use, with no further clarification or details from Disney.

Nomura intended hearts and the strengths and connections of the heart to be a common theme in the games. Characters within the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series are composed of three parts: body, soul, and heart. The body acts as a vessel for the heart and soul, with the soul giving life to the body. The heart holds their memories and gives them emotion, light, and darkness.

Common enemies in the series include the , creatures who are born from the darkness of people's hearts, lack a soul, and seek to consume others' hearts. When Heartless are created, the body left behind becomes a . Nobodies typically have monstrous appearances, but the members of Organization XIII retain their human forms due to possessing strong hearts as humans and remembering their original selves. If both a Heartless and their Nobody counterpart are killed, then the original person is resurrected.

The are creatures that are introduced and predominantly appear in '' Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''. Described by Nomura as being "those who are not well-versed in their own existences", they are Vanitas' emotions given form and feed on negativity. Vanitas pits these creatures against Ventus to strengthen him as part of Xehanort's plan to obtain the χ-blade. Upon defeat, the Unversed's negativity reintegrates with Vanitas, allowing him to recreate them no matter how many times they are destroyed.

are primarily featured in '' Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance''. Like the Heartless, they are beings of darkness that inhabit the Sleeping worlds isolated from the realm of light and are compelled to find the worlds' keyholes. Dream Eaters manifest in two kinds: hostile "Nightmares", which devour good dreams and create bad ones and serve as the game's enemies; and benevolent "Spirits", which the player can create to serve as party members and combat the Nightmares. Additionally, cat-like Dream Eaters called Chirithy appears in '' Kingdom Hearts χ'' and ''Kingdom Hearts III'' as NPCs.

Story

In the first ''Kingdom Hearts'', the story begins with a boy named Sora who is separated from his friends, Riku and Kairi, when their home Destiny Islands is consumed by dark beings called Heartless. During the encounter, Sora gains a Keyblade weapon that allows him to defeat the creatures. However, a storm of darkness transports Sora to a new world, Traverse Town, where he meets Donald Duck and Goofy, two Disney Castle emissaries seeking their missing king and the Keyblade wielder. The three band together to search for their companions and travel to various worlds defeating Heartless. During their travels, they encounter a group of Disney villains led by Maleficent, who enlists Riku's aid in seeking seven Princesses of Heart whose power can open the titular Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds. After the trio defeat Maleficent, Sora sacrifices himself to revive Kairi, whose heart was separated from her body and had resided inside him. Sora is transformed into a Shadow Heartless, but Kairi is able to restore him to his human form, and they learn that a sentient Heartless, Ansem, has possessed Riku and attempts to open Kingdom Hearts. Though Sora defeats Ansem, he is forced to trap Riku and King Mickey in the Realm of Darkness but resolves to find them.

In ''Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'', Sora's search for Riku and Mickey leads his group to Castle Oblivion, a fortress controlled by a mysterious group of Nobodies called Organization XIII. One member of the group, Marluxia, forces Naminé to alter the group's memories for his agenda. After Marluxia's defeat, Naminé places the three in a year-long sleep to restore their memories and forget their experience in Castle Oblivion. While Sora ventures through Castle Oblivion, Riku ends up in the castle's basement and ascends the levels with Mickey's aid while dealing with a Replica of himself. Finding Sora comatose, Riku joins the mysterious DiZ to help Naminé keep Sora safe. In ''Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days'', unexpected events forces Riku to capture Roxas—Sora's Nobody and a member of Organization XIII —after he was forced to defeat and absorb Xion, a Replica of Sora in Kairi's image.

In ''Kingdom Hearts II'', Roxas fuses with Sora, enabling him to awaken and resume his search for Riku and Mickey. The King's mentor, Yen Sid, familiarize the trio with the Nobodies and Organization XIII's remaining members. The three reunite with Mickey and encounter Organization XIII's leader Xemnas, who they learn is the Nobody of the real Ansem's apprentice, Xehanort. The Organization's plan is also revealed: regaining their lost hearts by using Keyblade users to create an artificial Kingdom Hearts from slain Emblem Heartless. Axel, a rogue Organization member who is Roxas' friend and first encountered Sora in Castle Oblivion, abducts Kairi in an attempt to see Roxas. Axel's action give Saïx, his former friend and Xemnas' enforcer, leverage to force Sora into finishing what Roxas and Xion began. Axel sacrifices himself to help Sora's group reach Organization XIII's headquarters and reunite with Riku and Kairi. DiZ, revealed to be the real Ansem, attempts to dissipate the artificial Kingdom Hearts before being engulfed in an explosion when his extraction device self-destructs and is sent to the Realm of Darkness. Sora and his friends then battle Xemnas. After Sora and Riku defeat Xemnas, they become trapped in the Realm of Darkness, but a letter from Kairi summons a gateway and the two are reunited with their friends at their home. Sometime after his first adventure in Disney Castle, Sora discovered a portal at Disney Castle leading to a mysterious armour referred to as the Lingering Will. During their exchange, it mistook Sora for Xehanort, after which Sora fought the mysterious armour. Sora won the battle, and the Lingering Will merely knelt down after this, saying that he once felt the power Sora possessed.

During ''Kingdom Hearts Coded'', Mickey writes a letter to Sora, Riku, and Kairi about parts of their past that Naminé learned while restoring Sora's memory. After receiving the letter, they learn that Xehanort is a Keyblade Master who sought the secrets of the Keyblade War that shaped the fates of his friend's, Eraqus, apprentices during the events of ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''. Terra became possessed by Xehanort, with his heart being transferred to a Heartless known as the Dark Figure that serves Ansem. Ventus sacrificed his heart to prevent Xehanort from recreating the χ-blade, which allows the user to control Kingdom Hearts; separated from his body, Ventus' heart was absorbed into Sora's, while Aqua placed his comatose body in Castle Oblivion. Aqua later became trapped within the Realm of Darkness, while an amnesiac Xehanort became Ansem's apprentice alongside Braig. Mickey also discovers that the destruction of "Ansem" and Xemnas has led to Xehanort's restoration. To combat the new threat Xehanort poses, Sora and Riku take the Mark of Mastery exam to become Keyblade Masters.

During the test in ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'', Sora and Riku encounter a young version of Xehanort who can travel through time. The two Keyblade wielders learn how Xehanort has manipulated events since ''Birth by Sleep'' with Organization XIII's true purpose to provide thirteen vessels for him to use against seven hearts of pure light in a battle to recreate the χ-blade. Sora's interference forces Xehanort to retrieve his alternate selves, Marluxia, Larxene, Demyx, Luxord, Vanitas, and Xion from across time in Replica bodies to form his ideal Organization XIII with Xigbar, Saïx, and Vexen. Sora is narrowly saved from being Xehanort's final vessel, and Riku learns about Ansem the Wise's secret plan to save those connected to Sora. At the end of the exam, Riku is declared a Keyblade Master; in ''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue'', Sora embarks on a journey to regain his "Power of Waking" while Riku helps Mickey find Aqua. Yen Sid begins training Kairi and Lea so they can help battle against Xehanort.

In ''Kingdom Hearts III'', Sora regains his "Power of Waking" in his group's travels while Riku and Mickey retrace Aqua's steps. Sora later discovers Eraqus's Keyblade and uses it to open a door to the Realm of Darkness, finding Aqua who has been consumed by darkness after Ansem was abducted by Xehanort's Heartless. Once Sora and Riku purify Aqua, she leads them to Castle Oblivion, which she restores to its true form as the Land of Departure to revive Ventus despite Vanitas' interference. Kairi and Lea join the group as they face Xehanort, his followers, and a Riku Replica at the Keyblade Graveyard. After initially losing, Sora once again uses the "Power of Waking" to restore the guardians and call the "Lingering Will" armor, to assist. Afterward it is revealed that Saïx and Vexen sabotaged the Organization's plan by restoring Roxas in a replica body. Sora's group manages to defeat Xehanort's remaining selves while freeing Xion and Terra from his control. Xehanort kills Kairi to force Sora to manifest the χ-blade, revealing his plan is to use the true Kingdom Hearts to wipe reality before finally being defeated. Xehanort departs with Eraqus's spirit into the light as Sora closes Kingdom Hearts. Sora also sacrifices himself by using the Power of Waking to revive Kairi. Afterward, the guardians as well as their close friends and allies, celebrate at Destiny Islands. Xigbar, revealed to be the current incarnation of the ancient Keyblade Master Luxu, summons the Foretellers, his fellow Keyblade Masters, to the present for the next phase of his mission. A year later, Riku and Kairi, with the help of the Fairy Godmother, find clues that lead them to believe that Sora has been transported outside of their reality. Riku embarks on a search for him after opening a portal to another reality in the Final World. Elsewhere, Sora meets Yozora, a fictional character from a video game. During their exchange Yozora claims that he is tasked to "save Sora" and the world is transported into Shibuya. Sora is challenged to a fight by Yozora, whom he defeats. Yozora fades away as Sora returns to the Final World.

Gameplay

The ''Kingdom Hearts'' games contain elements of action role-playing video games with hack-and-slash elements. The games are driven by a linear progression from one story event to the next, usually shown in the form of a cutscene, though there are numerous side quests available that provide bonus benefits to the characters. In most games, the player primarily controls the principal protagonist of the series, Sora. Sora is usually accompanied by Donald Duck and Goofy, who are artificial intelligence-controlled non-playable characters that aid Sora in battle. In the first and third game, their behavior can be altered to suit different combat objectives. The games feature real-time combat that incorporates physical attacks, magic, and summonings, though each game handles battles differently. The game also allows for items to be used on the field of battle to heal oneself or one's party members.

Gummi Ships are another common element of the series, which serve as the main mode of transportation between worlds in the games. The gameplay for the Gummi Ship sections is more akin to a rail shooter. Because it received negative criticism in the first game, it was modified in the third game. Most games also feature a journal which is accessible from the main menu. This journal keeps track of information regarding the story, characters, enemies, and locations. In ''Kingdom Hearts'', ''Chain of Memories'', ''Kingdom Hearts II'', and ''Kingdom Hearts III'', the journal is kept by Jiminy Cricket, who was appointed by Queen Minnie as the royal chronicler. In ''358/2 Days'', ''Birth by Sleep'', and ''Dream Drop Distance'', the main characters write their own journal entries.

The games are influenced by their parent franchise, ''Final Fantasy'', and carry its gameplay elements over into their own action-based, hack-and-slash system. Like many traditional role-playing games, ''Kingdom Hearts'' features an experience point system which determines character development. As enemies are defeated, the player gains experience which culminates in a "level-up", where the characters grow stronger and gain access to new abilities. The amount of experience is shared with all party members and each character grows stronger as experience is gained.

Music

The music for the series has been primarily composed by Yoko Shimomura. Kaoru Wada works as the arranger for orchestral music, including orchestral renditions of the main vocal themes and the ending themes. Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack CD insert. Toshiba-Emi Limited. 2002. Kingdom Hearts II Original Soundtrack CD insert. Toshiba-Emi Limited. 2006. The orchestral music was performed by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Soundtracks were released for the first and third installments following the release of their respective games. A compilation soundtrack was later released that included soundtracks for the entire series, including reworked tracks for the re-released ''Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories''.

While the themes for some of the Disney-based worlds are taken directly from their Disney film counterparts, most of them are given entirely original musical scores. In addition to each world having unique background music, each is given its own battle theme rather than having a common theme to cover all fights. Several of the main characters have themes, and the final boss of each game has several themes played in the various phases of those fights. The fights with Sephiroth feature a modified version of Nobuo Uematsu's " One-Winged Angel" from ''Final Fantasy VII''.

The main theme songs for the ''Kingdom Hearts'' games were written and performed by Japanese singer Hikaru Utada. The three main themes are " Hikari", originally from ''Kingdom Hearts'', " Passion", from ''Kingdom Hearts II'', and "Oath" from ''Kingdom Hearts III''. Each song has an English counterpart, " Simple and Clean", "Sanctuary", and "Don't Think Twice" respectively, for the North American and European releases. Utada was the only singer Tetsuya Nomura had in mind for the first ''Kingdom Hearts'' theme song. This marked the first time Utada had produced a song for a video game. Both of the first two theme songs reached notable popularity; on weekly Oricon charts, "Hikari" reached No. 1 in 2002 and "Passion" reached No. 4 in 2005.

Development and history

History

The initial idea for ''Kingdom Hearts'' began with a discussion between Shinji Hashimoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi about ''Super Mario 64''. They were planning to make a game with freedom of movement in three dimensions like ''Super Mario 64'' but lamented that only characters as popular as Disney's could rival a ''Mario'' game. Tetsuya Nomura, overhearing their conversation, volunteered to lead the project and the two producers agreed to let him direct. A chance meeting between Hashimoto and a Disney executive in an elevator (Square and Disney previously shared the same building in Japan) allowed Hashimoto to pitch the idea directly to Disney. Development began in February 2000 with Nomura as director and Hashimoto as producer. While Nomura had done previous work in the ''Final Fantasy'' series as monster designer and graphic director, he did not gain widespread recognition until he was the lead character designer for ''Final Fantasy VII''. ''Kingdom Hearts'' marked his transition into a directorial position, though he also served as the game's character designer. Scenarios were provided by Kazushige Nojima who was a scenario writer for Square from ''Final Fantasy VII'' until he left in 2003. Originally the development focused on the gameplay with a simple story to appeal to Disney's target age range. After ''Kingdom Hearts'' executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi told Nomura the game would be a failure if it did not aim for the same level as the ''Final Fantasy'' series, he began to develop the story further. In June 2013, Nomura stated the name of the game came from him thinking about Disney Theme Parks, especially Animal Kingdom. However, Nomura could not get the IP with just "Kingdom", so the development team began to think about "heart" as a core part of the story, so they decided to combine the two to form "Kingdom Hearts".

Nomura placed a secret trailer in ''Kingdom Hearts'' in hopes that fans would want a sequel. He was unsure if fans would want a sequel and felt that if they did not, then it would be best to leave certain events in the first game unexplained. After '' Kingdom Hearts Final Mix'' was completed, development for ''Kingdom Hearts II'' began. There were several obstacles to clear before development could begin on a sequel. One was the development team's desire to showcase Mickey Mouse more; Mickey's inclusion in the first game was restricted to a very small role. Nomura had planned for the sequel to take place a year after the first and originally intended for the events of that year to be left unexplained. To bridge the gap between the two games, ''Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'' was developed. Nomura was hesitant about releasing a game on the Game Boy Advance because he felt the 3D graphics of the original game would not translate well into 2D. He changed his position after hearing that children wanted to play ''Kingdom Hearts'' on the handheld system.

Creation and design

Though Disney gave Nomura freedom in the characters and worlds used for the games, he and his staff tried to stay within the established roles of characters and boundaries of the worlds. Nomura has stated that though many of the Disney characters are not normally dark and serious, there were not many challenges making them so for the story and despite this, their personalities shine because they maintain their own characteristics. He also felt managing and keeping multiple worlds was problematic. When deciding which worlds to include in the game, the development staff tried to take into account worlds with Disney characters that would be interesting and made an effort to minimize any overlap in the overall look and feel of each world.

The inclusion of specific ''Final Fantasy'' characters was based on the opinions of both fans and staff. Another criterion for inclusion was whether the staff felt the characters would fit into the storyline and in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' universe. Initially, Nomura was hesitant to use characters he did not design, because he was unfamiliar with the backstory of such characters. For ''Kingdom Hearts II'', he changed his mind after receiving pressure from his staff. Throughout the development of the games, Nomura has often left certain events and connections between characters unexplained until the release of future games. Nomura does this because he feels that games should have room for fans to speculate and use their imagination. He has stated that with speculation, even though a game gets old, people can still be happy with it.

Promotion and marketing

The first ''Kingdom Hearts'' was announced at E3 in May 2001. Initial details were that it would be a collaboration between Square and Disney Interactive, and would feature worlds developed by both companies and Disney characters. New characters were designed by Nomura and include Sora, Riku, Kairi, and the Heartless. On May 14, 2002, a press release announced a list of the English voice actors. The list included Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, and Hayden Panettiere as the three new characters introduced into the game. It was also announced that many of the Disney characters would be voiced by the official voice actors from their respective Disney films.

A secret trailer in the first ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Final Mix'' hinted at the possibility of a sequel. Rumors for a sequel on the PlayStation 2 were spurred in Japan when a Japanese video game site, Quiter, stated that "an internal (and anonymous) source at Square Japan" confirmed that development of ''Kingdom Hearts II'' had begun. It was not until ''Kingdom Hearts II'' was announced, along with ''Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'', at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2003 that rumors were confirmed. Initial details were that it would take place some time after ''Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'', which takes place directly after the first game. Other details included the return of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as well as new costumes. At the 2004 Square Enix E3 press conference, the producer, Shinji Hashimoto, stated that many mysteries of the first game would be answered.

To help market the games, websites were set up for each game and demos were on display at gaming events. Each game in the main series was also re-released in Japan with additional content and served as canonical updates to the series. The additional content foreshadowed later plot elements in the series. The rereleases of the main series games had the term "Final Mix" added after the title, while ''Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Coded'' were re-released as ''Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Re:coded'' and released on the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS, respectively, with 3D graphics, voice overs during some cutscenes, and new game content.

Merchandise

Both Square Enix and Disney have released a wide variety of ''Kingdom Hearts'' merchandise including toys, figurines, clothing, and jewelry. Two of the games, ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II'', had a soundtrack released to coincide with the video games. These were followed by a nine CD complete set which featured both soundtracks and unreleased tracks. ''Kingdom Hearts'' has been adapted as a trading card game by the Tomy corporation of Japan. An English version of the game was released in November 2007 by Fantasy Flight Games. The video games have also been adapted into manga and novel series.

Like the ''Final Fantasy'' games, a series of " Ultimania" books were released in Japan for many of the games. These books include game walkthroughs, interviews, and extra information from the developers. ''Kingdom Hearts -Another Report-'' was released along with ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+'' and features game information, visuals by Shiro Amano, and a director interview. In North America, Brady Games released strategy guides for each game. For ''Kingdom Hearts II'', they released two versions, a standard version and a limited edition version. The limited edition was available in four different covers and included a copy of Jiminy's Journal along with 400 stickers.

Reception

The ''Kingdom Hearts'' series has been critically and commercially successful. As of March 2014, the series has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. The three main games in the series all met with positive sales at the time of their releases. In the first two months since the North American release of ''Kingdom Hearts'', it was one of the top three highest-selling video games. ''Chain of Memories'' sold 104,000 units in 48 hours in Japan, a record for a Game Boy Advance game at the time. Its positive debut sales placed it in the top spot of sales charts in Japan. In the first month of its North American release, it was ranked 1st on GameSpot's ChartSpot for portable systems and 6th for all consoles. Within three days of the ''Kingdom Hearts II'' release in Japan, it shipped 1 million copies, selling through within a month. By the end of March 2006, the NPD Group reported that ''Kingdom Hearts II'' was the highest-selling console game in North America, with 614,000 copies. In the month after its release in North America, ''Kingdom Hearts II'' sold an estimated 1 million copies. As of February 2019, the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series has shipped more than 30 million copies worldwide. This number reached to over 35 million copies shipped by October 2021. On April 11, 2022, ''Kingdom Hearts III'' was revealed to reach a total of 6.7 million units as of September 2021 surpassing ''Kingdom Hearts'' 6 million units to become the current best selling title in the series. As of March 2022, the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series has shipped more than 36 million copies worldwide.

The games have also received high ratings and positive comments from reviewers. All of the main games in the series have scored a 36 out of 40 or higher from the Japanese gaming magazine ''Famitsu'', known for its harsh grading. All six games have been praised for their visuals. ''Game Informer'' considers the series the eleventh "must-play PlayStation 2" series. The individual games have also won several awards. GameSpot commented that the concept of mixing the serious elements of ''Final Fantasy'' with the lighter elements of Disney seemed impossible, but was pulled off quite well. Because of that they awarded ''Kingdom Hearts'' "Best Crossover Since '' Capcom vs. SNK''" in their 2002 Best and Worst of the Year awards. IGN named ''Kingdom Hearts'' "Best Art Style/Direction" in their 2003 list of "Best Looking Games on PS2". G4 awarded it "Best Story" at their 2003 '' G-Phoria'' awards show. ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' awarded ''Kingdom Hearts II'' "Best Sequel" of 2006. It tied with ''Resident Evil 4'' as ''Famitsu's'' Game of the Year 2005. The manga series has also been well received. Several of the manga volumes were listed on ''USA Today''s "Top 150 best sellers". The highest ranked volume was ''Kingdom Hearts'' volume 4 at #73. Every volume listed stayed on the list for at least two weeks; ''Kingdom Hearts'' volume 4 stayed the longest at four weeks.

The series' setting has garnered mostly positive reception from critics. Following ''Kingdom Hearts'' initial announcement, publications expressed skepticism towards the first game's viability. Andrew Reiner of ''Game Informer'' stated that despite the extreme differences between ''Final Fantasy'' and Disney properties, they blend well together along with the new content created for the series. A second ''Game Informer'' reviewer, Matt Miller, described the concept as a "hard sell", describing the combination of the two properties as "ridiculous". He also stated his belief that the franchise's formula is successful. The graphics of the games have received generous praise, with particular focus on their similarity to the source material. IGN stated that the "worlds look very much like their filmed counterparts". Japanese gaming site, Gpara.com also praised the look of the worlds. GameSpot referred to the worlds as "wonderfully rich familiar environments", and ''GamePro'' described the worlds as "spot-on with the original movies."

Following the release of the first game, the Disney settings were well received by critics. Allgame's Scott Marriott stated the Disney settings are the most attractive feature of the game and considered some of the world choices a surprise. He praised the level designs, commenting that many familiar elements from the Disney films were integrated into them. Marriott further stated that though the stages were small, interacting with beloved characters and exploring familiar settings were enjoyable aspects. Maura Sutton of ''Computer and Video Games'' attributed the Disney elements as a major factor in creating the game's "astounding worlds". She summarized her review by calling ''Kingdom Hearts'' a "delightful mixture of two enchanted worlds". Video game critics of ''Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories'' expressed disappointment at the limited number of new worlds to explore in the game. 1UP.com's Bryan Intihar lauded ''Kingdom Hearts II''s environment, calling it appealing and stating it was an improvement over the first title's. He described the level designs as "impeccable", citing the presentation of the Timeless River stage's atmosphere. Intihar further commented that the expansions and changes to previous worlds made them "feel fresh". In contrast, Reiner described the Disney elements in ''Kingdom Hearts II'' as "tacked on".

Further reading

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See also

* List of Square Enix video game franchises
* List of Japanese role-playing game franchises

Notes

References

External links

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