What Order To Play Kingdom Hearts Games

What Order To Play Kingdom Hearts Games

Okay, so you’re ready to jump into the amazing world of Kingdom Hearts! That’s fantastic! But wait, there are a lot of games. Like, a LOT. And they don’t always come out in the order of the story. It can be a bit confusing. Don’t worry though; we’re here to help you sort it all out. We’ll guide you through the best ways to play through the adventures of Sora, Riku, and their friends, so you understand the whole story and don’t get lost in the magic.

The Big Question: Release Order vs. Story Order

The biggest question you’ll face is whether to play the games in the order they were released or in the order the story unfolds. Both ways have their ups and downs. Let’s break down what each means.

Release Order: Playing as the Series Was Made

This means playing the games like people did when they first came out. So you start with Kingdom Hearts, then Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and so on. The good part? It’s how the creators meant for people to experience the series for the first time. Each game builds upon the previous one, and the new gameplay features and mechanics feel like a natural progression. You’ll also see how the series evolved over time.

Here’s the list of the main games in their release order:

• Kingdom Hearts (2002)
• Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (2004)
• Kingdom Hearts II (2005)
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (2009)
• Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (2010)
• Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (2010)
• Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (2012)
• Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep –A Fragmentary Passage– (2017)
• Kingdom Hearts III (2019)
• Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory (2020)

However, this way can be a bit confusing at times. Some games that come out later actually happen before the ones you played earlier in the order, so you might not understand everything the first time around. If you’re someone who really likes to keep things straight in their mind, it can feel a little messy.

Story Order: Playing in Chronological Order

This method has you playing the games in the order the story happens. So, you’ll start with Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep since that’s the very beginning of the timeline. This way can be helpful because the story develops in a clear way without the time jumps that release order gives you. This method may help you understand who the characters are and what their goals are more easily and quickly. It makes sure that nothing happens out of order, making the story much easier to follow as you progress. This may be better for players who want to learn the complete story.

Here’s how the games line up in story order:

1. Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
2. Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep 0.2 Birth by Sleep –A Fragmentary Passage–
3. Kingdom Hearts
4. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
5. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
6. Kingdom Hearts II
7. Kingdom Hearts Re:coded
8. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
9. Kingdom Hearts III
10. Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory

There are cons to playing in story order. Some of the games that happen earlier in the timeline may have story details that you don’t understand completely until you play the later games, so you may lose out on some of the surprises. It also may make the changes in the gameplay experience feel odd, as the games were designed to be played in release order. So, a game with more complex gameplay may come before a simpler one.

Why Release Order Is Recommended for First-Time Players

For most people just starting out with Kingdom Hearts, we strongly suggest playing in release order. Even with a few story hiccups, it’s the way that allows you to experience the series as it was meant to be played for the first time. When you play in release order, new game mechanics get introduced slowly, and you gradually become comfortable with how the games work. That makes the whole process much easier and a lot more enjoyable. You get to appreciate how the series has grown over time. Also, some of the later games that come earlier in the story have spoilers for the first games, so if you want to be surprised, release order is the best approach. You’ll encounter characters and concepts gradually, allowing you to put all of the puzzle pieces together.

Let’s take a closer look at each game, with notes on why the release order works so well.

A Deep Dive Into Each Kingdom Hearts Game (In Release Order)

Kingdom Hearts (2002)

This is where it all begins! The very first game introduces us to Sora, Riku, and Kairi, three friends from Destiny Islands. We see how the Heartless show up and how Sora gets the keyblade, a special weapon that he uses to fight the darkness. You’ll visit different Disney worlds, meet iconic Disney characters, and begin the main journey that carries through the whole series. This game sets the stage for all that comes after. It is a bit more simple in terms of combat compared to the rest of the games, but is still extremely fun to play through.

Why Start Here?: It lays the foundation for all the characters, the plot, and key elements like the Heartless, Keyblade, and the importance of light and dark. It’s the perfect place to get acquainted with the whole universe.

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (2004)

This game is unique, because the gameplay focuses on card-based combat system rather than the traditional action combat of the first game. It’s a direct follow-up to the first game, taking place immediately after, and shows Sora’s journey through Castle Oblivion. Here, he encounters a mysterious group called Organization XIII, and faces his memories being manipulated. While the gameplay may be a bit different than the other games, it is an important part of the story that helps setup things for the next entries.

Why Play Second?: Chain of Memories introduces key characters who continue to be important and introduces the concept of memories being a powerful thing, a concept that shows up repeatedly throughout the series. It connects to the first game, making it a necessary part of the full story.

Kingdom Hearts II (2005)

This game is the proper sequel to the first game. It picks up a year after the end of Chain of Memories. Sora, Donald, and Goofy reunite and travel to new Disney worlds to fight against Organization XIII and the growing threat of the Heartless. The gameplay is improved, with more advanced combat and mechanics, and introduces new forms and abilities that makes combat exciting. This game has a lot of story beats and twists that change the future of the series. It’s considered one of the best and most popular in the whole franchise.

Why Play Third?: It gives you a great feeling of progression from the first game, both in the gameplay and the story. It really builds upon the previous games and starts to answer some important questions, while still building more mysteries for the future. This game really shows how much the world has expanded.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (2009)

This game is kind of a side story focusing on Roxas, a character we met in Kingdom Hearts II. It explores Roxas’ time with Organization XIII, during his time as a nobody. You’ll see what the Organization is up to when Sora isn’t around and get a deeper look into the characters’ motivations. This game is more focused on the story of Organization XIII and expands upon what we saw in the past few games. This game is very important for understanding Roxas and his place in the story.

Why Play Fourth?: It helps you understand Roxas and his story. Also, it sets the stage for some big events in later games. Playing it after Kingdom Hearts II gives you all the information you need to understand what’s going on and helps make some key moments in the series even more emotional.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (2010)

Here, we go back in time to before the events of the first game. We are introduced to Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, three keyblade wielders. They’re training under Master Eraqus. You will explore their journeys and how everything sets the events into motion that will be important for the rest of the series. The gameplay is a bit different from the other games, as each character has their own playstyle. This game is super important for the overall plot of the series, as it adds a lot of background information that helps you understand some things that happen in the other games. This game is really important to get the full picture.

Why Play Fifth?: While it takes place before the first game, it was released later because it uses story elements from the other games to explain itself. Playing it now gives the story a fresh and important perspective, especially if you’ve played Kingdom Hearts 1, Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II, and 358/2 Days. It adds new insights into the characters we’ve already come to know and understand.

Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (2010)

This game revisits the story of the first game, this time from inside Jiminy Cricket’s journal. It’s also focused more on gameplay and less story. Sora goes into the digital journal and fixes all the bugs that have shown up. While it isn’t as important to the main story, it still has some story moments that are important to follow the main narrative.

Why Play Sixth?: It takes place after Kingdom Hearts II but has a different focus from the other games. While it may not be as important as the main line games, it has a some important story scenes that give more context for things that happen later in the series. It’s a unique way to see the story again.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (2012)

This game follows Sora and Riku as they take the Mark of Mastery exam. It introduces new mechanics like flowmotion and the dream eaters. They both travel through sleeping worlds. This game focuses on preparing the characters for future challenges and introduces some new concepts that are crucial for the rest of the series. It also gives more information about the main villains, making it crucial to keep going through the story.

Why Play Seventh?: It sets up the story for Kingdom Hearts III and develops Sora and Riku a lot. You can see them grow and get ready for big things. The new mechanics also help keep the gameplay interesting.

Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep –A Fragmentary Passage– (2017)

This is a shorter game that takes place right after the end of Birth by Sleep, focusing on Aqua and her journey through the Realm of Darkness. This game was originally created as a demo for Kingdom Hearts III to show off new mechanics and graphics. It is a great way to follow up on the story of Aqua after the events in Birth by Sleep and before Kingdom Hearts 3.

Why Play Eighth?: It helps connect the events of Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts III. It’s a fun way to see Aqua’s perspective of things as they are happening and see the growth of the gameplay that is showcased in Kingdom Hearts III.

Kingdom Hearts III (2019)

This is the big finale! The main story continues where all the past games left off, bringing together many story threads and characters from the previous games. This is where Sora and friends make their stand against Master Xehanort and his plan for the darkness. This game also introduces even more Disney worlds and improves the gameplay even further. It’s the epic conclusion to a long series of events and a crucial game to play.

Why Play Ninth?: It’s the final chapter in the main story arc! If you’ve played all of the games before this, you’ll understand the full magnitude of what’s happening and feel the full power of the story coming together. The new combat mechanics also make it feel very fresh compared to the older titles.

Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory (2020)

This is a rhythm game that serves as a recap of the main story from the first game to Kingdom Hearts III, all while setting up the next main story for the franchise. It also touches on Kairi’s perspective on things, which is a first in the series. It’s a great way to enjoy all the great music while also keeping up to date on the story from the past games.

Why Play Last?: It summarizes all the main events in the series and is a great way to reflect on all that you’ve been through on this journey. It also is an important prologue to any upcoming games in the series.

Side Games and Important Notes

There are also other games and movies related to Kingdom Hearts. Most of these aren’t necessary to understand the main story, but if you want to dig deeper, they can enhance your experience. These include games like Kingdom Hearts coded (which has some plot significance), and Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ/Union χ which is a mobile game that delves into the lore of the very early days of the story.

It’s also important to remember that some of the games have been remastered or bundled together in collections, which makes getting them easier. The Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix includes Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (as a movie), and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix. The Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue includes Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep –A Fragmentary Passage–, and Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover (a movie).

Final Thoughts on Playing Order

We recommend playing the Kingdom Hearts games in release order, especially for your first time. It’s the best way to experience the story how it was intended, with gradual introductions to the story and characters. There are other ways of playing, but this seems to be the best for most players who are starting the journey. However you decide to play, it’s important to remember that Kingdom Hearts is a journey filled with heart, friendship, and adventure!