Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games created and published by Square Enix (originally by Square) and owned by The Walt Disney Company. This collaboration between the two companies was created by Square employees, Japanese game designers Tetsuya Nomura and Shinji Hashimoto. Nomura is the series' director.
The games mix various Disney characters and stories into an original fictional world. The series follows the main character, Sora, as he travels and interacts with Disney characters, as well as characters from Square Enix games like Final Fantasy, The World Ends with You, and Einhänder, along with original characters and places made specifically for the series.
There are thirteen games in the series available on multiple platforms, with more planned for the future. Most of the games have been well-received and sold successfully. As of March 2022, the Kingdom Hearts series has sold more than 36 million copies worldwide. Many related products have been released, including soundtracks, action figures, books, light novels, a collectible card game, and a manga series.
Media
Kingdom Hearts is the first game in the series. It was released in Japan on March 28, 2002, for PlayStation 2. Tetsuya Nomura was the game director, and this was his first time in that role. The game introduced the main characters—Sora, Kairi, and Riku—and set up the story’s main ideas, including hearts and dark creatures called the Heartless. It also included appearances by Disney characters and characters from the Final Fantasy series. The game was released in North America on September 17, 2002, with extra content not in the Japanese version. It was later re-released in Japan as Kingdom Hearts Final Mix on December 26, 2002. Final Mix includes the North American content plus new enemies, scenes, and weapons.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is a direct sequel to the first game. It was released for Game Boy Advance in Japan on November 11, 2004. The game helped connect the two PlayStation 2 games by introducing story ideas for the next game. The gameplay uses card mechanics in real time, where players build decks of cards for actions like attacking or using magic. A remake called Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories was released for PlayStation 2 with more detailed graphics. It was included with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix in Japan on March 29, 2007, and sold separately in North America on December 2, 2008.
Kingdom Hearts II takes place one year after Chain of Memories. It was released for PlayStation 2 in Japan on December 22, 2005. The game expands on the idea of “hearts” by introducing new enemies called Nobodies, which are the empty shells of those who became Heartless. The gameplay is similar to the first game but includes a feature called Reaction Command, which uses quick reflexes in battle. A revised version called Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix added more scenes and bosses. It was released with Re:Chain of Memories in a collection called Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ in Japan on March 29, 2007.
Kingdom Hearts Coded is a mobile game that follows Kingdom Hearts II. The first episode was released in Japan on November 18, 2008, and eight more episodes followed between June 2009 and January 2010. A remake called Kingdom Hearts Re:coded was released for Nintendo DS, combining gameplay from later games like 358/2 Days and Birth by Sleep. Unlike the original, Re:coded was sold internationally: Japan on October 7, 2010; North America on January 11, 2011; and Europe on January 14, 2011.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days was released for Nintendo DS in Japan on May 30, 2009. It takes place between the first and second games, focusing on Roxas’s time with Organization XIII and his reasons for leaving. It was the first game to include cooperative multiplayer alongside AI-controlled partners. The gameplay is mission-based with optional goals that give extra rewards. It also has a unique system for managing character abilities and weapons.
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the series. It was released for PlayStation Portable in Japan on January 9, 2010, and in North America on September 7, 2010, with extra content. The game is set ten years before the first game and explains the origins of the villain, Xehanort. It has four storylines, three of which follow the main characters: Terra, Ventus, and Aqua. A revised version called Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix was released in Japan on January 20, 2011, with content from the English version and a new fifth storyline.
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance was released for Nintendo 3DS in Japan on March 29, 2012. The game follows Sora and Riku as they prepare for a final battle with Xehanort by completing a test called the Mark of Mastery. It includes enemies and allies called Dream Eaters, which players can collect, train, and breed. The English version was released in Europe on July 20, 2012, and in North America on July 31, 2012.
Kingdom Hearts χ was announced at Tokyo Game Show 2012 as a browser game for PCs. It was playable in Japan from July 2013 to September 2016 and served as a prequel to the series, showing events before the Keyblade War. A mobile version called Kingdom Hearts: Unchained χ was released for Android and iOS in Japan on September 3, 2015, and later in North America and Europe. It was rebranded as Kingdom Hearts: Union χ in 2017, with a new story. The game was later renamed Kingdom Hearts: Union χ Dark Road and released as a mobile game in 2020. It was shut down in 2021 and removed in 2024.
Kingdom Hearts III was announced in 2013 after delays due to other projects like Final Fantasy XV. It was developed for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and released on January 25, 2019, in Japan and January 29 worldwide. The game follows Sora’s quest to recover his lost power, Riku and Mickey’s search for Aqua, Terra, and Ventus, and their final battle with Xehanort. It ends the “Dark Seeker Saga.” A version with extra content called Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind was released for Windows and Nintendo Switch in 2021 and 2024. A cloud version for Switch was also released as part of the series’ 20th anniversary.
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memo is not fully described in the provided text.
Concept and design
Nomura wanted the theme of hearts and the connections and strengths they represent to be a central idea in the games. Characters in the Kingdom Hearts series are made up of three parts: body, soul, and heart. The body acts as a container for the heart and soul, and the soul keeps the body alive. The heart stores memories and gives characters emotions, light, and darkness.
The Kingdom Hearts games are divided into different areas called "worlds," which players explore in order. These worlds look different, usually based on the Disney settings they represent. The graphics in each world match the art style of the Disney film it is inspired by, and the worlds are filled with characters from those films. For example, Hercules and Philoctetes appear in the Olympus Coliseum from the movie Hercules, while Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, and the Genie appear in Agrabah from the movie Aladdin. The game worlds include connected areas where battles and story events take place. Players move between worlds in different ways depending on the game, such as the "Gummi Ship" in the original Kingdom Hearts, the "Keyblade glider" in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the "Corridors of Darkness" in 358/2 Days, and the "Sleeping Keyholes" in Dream Drop Distance. Some worlds created specifically for the series look similar to other worlds and mostly feature characters from Square Enix games or original characters.
Although Disney allowed director Tetsuya Nomura to choose which characters and worlds to include, he and his team tried to follow the established roles of characters and the settings of the worlds. Nomura found it challenging to keep multiple worlds consistent. After deciding how many worlds the game universe would have, Nomura selected ones he thought would fit the series' story. His choices were reviewed by his team and Disney representatives. He aimed to use the same number of worlds in each game and tried to avoid making worlds look too similar by grouping Disney worlds based on their appearance and settings. For example, a world based on The Jungle Book was not included in the first game because it looked too much like Deep Jungle from Tarzan. He also considered worlds with Disney characters that would be interesting to players, such as a world based on Mulan for its unique atmosphere. The Tron world was designed to copy the look of an old computer game from the 1982 movie. Nomura had the idea to include this world after seeing a Disney employee work on Tron 2.0. He believed that the world's unique appearance would make it enjoyable for players.
Common elements
Kingdom Hearts combines characters from Disney and Square Enix, as well as new characters created by Nomura. The game includes original worlds and many worlds from Disney movies. Sora visits these worlds and interacts with Disney characters to protect them from enemies. His actions often follow the stories of the Disney films. The main characters avoid interfering with other worlds to keep the universe in balance. Final Fantasy characters also appear in several worlds. Moogles, small creatures, are common in the games and run a shop where players can create or buy items. Characters from The World Ends with You, such as Neku Sakuraba and Joshua, appear in Dream Drop Distance. Kingdom Hearts III includes characters from Pixar films like Toy Story and Monsters, Inc., as well as Schwarzgeist, a boss from Einhänder. However, Disney sometimes limits the use of characters. For example, Nomura wanted to include Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in Kingdom Hearts III, but Disney said it was "too difficult" to use without explaining why.
Common enemies in the series include Heartless, creatures born from the darkness of people's hearts. They lack souls and seek to take others' hearts. When a Heartless is created, the body left behind becomes a Nobody. Nobodies usually look monstrous, but members of Organization XIII keep their human forms because they remember their original identities. If both a Heartless and its Nobody are defeated, the original person is brought back.
Unversed are creatures introduced in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. They represent Vanitas' emotions and feed on negativity. Vanitas uses them to challenge Ventus as part of Xehanort's plan to obtain the χ-blade. When defeated, the Unversed's negativity returns to Vanitas, allowing him to recreate them. The Unversed disappear after Vanitas merges with Ventus and is destroyed, but they reappear briefly during Kingdom Hearts III.
Dream Eaters appear in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. They are dark beings that live in worlds separated from light and search for keyholes. They have two types: hostile "Nightmares," which harm good dreams and act as enemies, and benevolent "Spirits," which players can summon to fight Nightmares. Cat-like Dream Eaters called Chirithy appear as NPCs in Kingdom Hearts χ and Kingdom Hearts III.
Heartless are creatures born from darkness and lack bodies or souls. They are the most common enemies in the series and seek to take hearts from worlds. Their name comes from their lack of a heart, even though they originate from people's hearts. Initially, Heartless were called "Pureblood" and lived in the realm of darkness. Later, Xehanort and his apprentices created "Emblem" Heartless by corrupting living hearts. These Heartless have an insignia and release hearts when defeated. If the Keyblade is not used, the hearts go to darkness and become Heartless again. Maleficent's quest to collect the seven Princesses of Heart also increases the number of Heartless in the realm of light.
Heartless usually act on instinct but obey those with strong wills. In darker worlds, they are stronger and harder to control. They enter worlds through "corridors of darkness," which are unpredictable paths connecting different worlds.
When a Heartless is created, the body and soul of someone with a strong heart who lost their heart to darkness become a Nobody. Nobodies are "nothing" but still exist. Over time, they can gain new hearts. Members of Organization XIII keep their human forms because they remember their original identities. Each member controls a Nobody suited to their fighting style, similar to roles in Final Fantasy.
Like Emblem Heartless, Nobodies have an upside-down heart insignia. When defeated, they fade away until their Heartless counterpart is destroyed, allowing the original person to return.
Two Nobodies, Roxas and Naminé, are special cases. Roxas was created when Sora used Xehanort's Keyblade to release his heart, but he exists alongside Sora. He resembles Ventus instead of Sora and lacks Sora's memories. Naminé was born from Kairi's heart through Sora's body. She does not have Kairi's memories and can change the memories of Sora and others.
Unversed are creatures from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and are described as beings who do not understand their own existence. They are made from Vanitas' emotions and feed on negativity. Vanitas uses them to challenge Ventus as part of Xehanort's plan to obtain the χ-blade. When defeated, their negativity returns to Vanitas, allowing him to recreate them. The Unversed disappear after Vanitas merges with Ventus and is destroyed, but they reappear briefly during Kingdom Hearts III.
In Kingdom Hearts Coded, software bugs called "Bug Blox" or "Bugs" are the main antagonists. King Mickey investigates a message in Jiminy Cricket's journal left by Naminé by digitizing the book. However, the message's content causes issues, leading to the Bugs' appearance.
Development and history
The idea for Kingdom Hearts started when Shinji Hashimoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi talked about Super Mario 64. They wanted to make a game with 3D movement like Super Mario 64 but were worried that only Disney characters could compete with Mario's popularity. Tetsuya Nomura heard their conversation and offered to lead the project. Hashimoto and Sakaguchi agreed. Hashimoto met a Disney executive in an elevator (Square and Disney shared the same building in Japan) and pitched the idea directly to Disney. Development began in February 2000, with Nomura as director and Hashimoto as producer. Nomura had worked on the Final Fantasy series as a monster designer and graphic director but became widely known after designing characters for Final Fantasy VII. Kingdom Hearts marked his move into a director role, though he also designed the game's characters. Kazushige Nojima, a scenario writer for Square, provided story ideas for the game. Early development focused on gameplay with a simple story to appeal to Disney's target age group. After Hironobu Sakaguchi, the game's executive producer, told Nomura the game would fail without a strong story, Nomura expanded the plot. In June 2013, Nomura explained the game's name came from thinking about Disney Theme Parks, especially Animal Kingdom. He could not use just "Kingdom," so the team added "heart" to the title.
Nomura included a hidden trailer in Kingdom Hearts to hint at a sequel. He was unsure if fans would want a sequel and left some events unexplained if they did not. After Kingdom Hearts Final Mix was finished, development for Kingdom Hearts II began. Challenges included wanting to feature Mickey Mouse more, as his role in the first game was limited. Nomura planned for the sequel to take place a year after the first game but left that year's events unexplained. To connect the games, the team created Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Nomura was hesitant to release a Game Boy Advance version because he thought 3D graphics would not work well in 2D. He changed his mind after learning children wanted to play the game on a handheld system.
Disney allowed Nomura and his team to use characters and worlds freely but encouraged them to stay within established roles and boundaries. Nomura said Disney characters, who are usually not dark or serious, fit the story well and kept their personalities. Managing multiple worlds was difficult, and the team chose worlds with interesting characters and avoided making them look too similar.
The inclusion of Final Fantasy characters was based on fan and staff opinions. The team also considered whether characters would fit the storyline and Kingdom Hearts universe. Nomura was initially hesitant to use characters he did not design but changed his mind after pressure from his staff. Throughout development, Nomura left some events and character connections unexplained for future games. He believes leaving room for fans to imagine and speculate keeps games enjoyable even after they are released.
Promotion and marketing
The first Kingdom Hearts game was announced at E3 in May 2001. Early information stated that the game would be a partnership between Square and Disney Interactive. It would include worlds created by both companies and feature Disney characters. New characters, designed by Nomura, included Sora, Riku, Kairi, and the Heartless. On May 14, 2002, a press release listed the English voice actors for the game. The actors named were Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, and Hayden Panettiere, who voiced the three new characters. It was also stated that many Disney characters would be voiced by the official actors from their Disney films.
A secret trailer in the first Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts Final Mix suggested the possibility of a sequel. Rumors about a sequel on the PlayStation 2 began in Japan after a website called Quiter reported that an unnamed source at Square Japan confirmed development of Kingdom Hearts II had started. These rumors were confirmed when Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories were officially announced at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2003. Early details stated that the game would take place after Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, which happens immediately 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, said many mysteries from the first game would be explained.
To promote the games, websites were created for each game, and demos were shown at gaming events. Each main series game was later re-released in Japan with added content and served as updated versions of the series. The added content hinted at future plot points in the series. These re-releases included the term "Final Mix" after the title. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts Coded were re-released as Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, respectively. These versions were released on the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS with 3D graphics, voiceovers during some scenes, and new game content.
Square Enix and Disney have released many types of Kingdom Hearts merchandise, including toys, figurines, clothing, and jewelry. Two games, Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, had soundtracks released alongside the games. These were followed by a nine-CD collection that included both soundtracks and unreleased songs. Kingdom Hearts was also adapted into a trading card game by the Tomy corporation in 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 guides, interviews, and information from the developers. Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was released with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ and includes game details, artwork by Shiro Amano, and a director interview. In North America, Brady Games published strategy guides for each game. For Kingdom Hearts II, two versions were released: a standard version and a limited-edition version. The limited edition had four different covers and included a copy of Jiminy's Journal and 400 stickers.
Reception
The Kingdom Hearts series has been very popular and successful in sales. By March 2014, the series had sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. The three main games in the series sold well when they were first released. In the first two months after the North American release of Kingdom Hearts, it was one of the top three best-selling video games. Chain of Memories sold 104,000 copies in 48 hours in Japan, a record for a Game Boy Advance game at that time. Its strong sales placed it at the top of sales charts in Japan. In its first month of release in North America, it was ranked 1st on GameSpot’s ChartSpot for portable systems and 6th for all consoles. Within three days of the release of Kingdom Hearts II in Japan, it shipped 1 million copies, selling out 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 sold. In the month after its North American release, Kingdom Hearts II sold about 1 million copies. By February 2019, the series had shipped more than 30 million copies worldwide. This number reached over 35 million copies by October 2021. On April 11, 2022, it was reported that Kingdom Hearts III had sold 6.7 million copies by September 2021, surpassing the previous best-selling title in the series, which had sold 6 million copies. By March 2022, the series had 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 scored 36 out of 40 or higher from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, which is known for its strict scoring system. All six games have been praised for their visuals. Game Informer considers the series one of the best PlayStation 2 series to play. The individual games have also won several awards. GameSpot noted that combining the serious elements of Final Fantasy with the lighter elements of Disney seemed difficult, but the series did it well. Because of this, they awarded Kingdom Hearts "Best Crossover Since Capcom vs. SNK" in their 2002 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. Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded Kingdom Hearts II "Best Sequel" of 2006. It tied with Resident Evil 4 as Famitsu’s Game of the Year for 2005. The manga series has also been well received. Several manga volumes were listed on USA Today’s "Top 150 best sellers." The highest-ranked volume was Kingdom Hearts volume 4 at #73. Every listed volume stayed on the list for at least two weeks; Kingdom Hearts volume 4 stayed the longest at four weeks.
The series’ setting has received mostly positive reviews from critics. After the initial announcement of Kingdom Hearts, some publications expressed doubts about the first game’s success. Andrew Reiner of Game Informer said that despite the differences between Final Fantasy and Disney, they blended well together with new content. A second Game Informer reviewer, Matt Miller, called the concept a "hard sell" and described the combination of the two properties as "ridiculous." He also said the franchise’s formula was successful. The games’ graphics have been praised, especially their similarity to the source material. IGN said the "worlds look very much like their filmed counterparts." A Japanese gaming site, Gpara.com, also praised the look of the worlds. GameSpot called the worlds "wonderfully rich familiar environments," and GamePro described them as "spot-on with the original movies."
After the first game was released, the Disney settings were well received by critics. Allgame’s Scott Marriott said the Disney settings were the most attractive feature of the game and called some of the world choices a surprise. He praised the level designs, noting that many familiar elements from the Disney films were included. Marriott also said that even though the stages were small, interacting with beloved characters and exploring familiar settings were enjoyable. Maura Sutton of Computer and Video Games credited the Disney elements as a major factor in creating the game’s "astounding worlds." She called Kingdom Hearts a "delightful mixture of two enchanted worlds." Critics of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories expressed disappointment at the limited number of new worlds to explore. 1UP.com’s Bryan Intihar praised the environment of Kingdom Hearts II, calling it appealing and an improvement over the first title. He described the level designs as "impeccable" and noted the presentation of the Timeless River stage’s atmosphere. Intihar also said 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."