Amongst the many sequels, prequels, and spin-offs, Kingdom Hearts has found its place as a Triple-A franchise within the gaming industry. However, in spite of the record-breaking sales that Kingdom Hearts III produced, fans undoubtedly laud the original games, Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, as the best games of the series.
Between the two titles, players are given a whole host of worlds to explore, including some of the most iconic Disney properties, and introduced original characters like Sora, Riku, and Roxas who would go on to become franchise favorites. While both titles are universally loved, Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II built the franchise in their own unique ways.
10 The Original Offers The Most Interactive Environments
Part of the original Kingdom Heart's charm was how immersive the environments Sora is placed in could be. Sora searches the Lotus Forest in Wonderland for evidence to save Alice. In Deep Jungle, Sora must swing across the jungle canopy like Tarzan. Even the Gummi Ship sees some action when it gets swallowed by the infamous Monstro.
Limited by technology and budget, Square Enix was forced to find creative ways to engage players within these relatively small, boxed rooms that comprised of the game's worlds. And, when compared to the sprawling but empty worlds of Kingdom Hearts III, the creativity of the original Kingdom Heart stands out even more.
9 Kingdom Hearts II's Drive Forms Are Absolutely Broken
Calling Drive Forms in Kingdom Hearts II Sora's most powerful weapon in his arsenal is an understatement. Simply put, they are game-breaking, so much so that the game's Final Mix attempts to nerf them by typically forcing Sora into Anti Form whenever he faces off against one of the Organization XIII.
The base Kingdom Hearts II offers four primary Drive Forms: Valor, Wisdom, Master, and Final, with each form being attributed to a specific combat style (e.g. physical, magical). With Final Mix, however, Limit Form is added, stylizing Sora in a version of his original Kingdom Hearts outfit and bringing back classic moves like Sonic Blade and Ars Arcanum.
8 The Original Has Some Of The Most Iconic Summons
Amongst all the games in the franchise, the original Kingdom Hearts features perhaps some of the most iconic and memorable Disney summons (in part due to their return in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories), each infused with a unique mechanic that can greatly aid Sora in battle, be it offensively or defensively.
While the original game's summoning process is long and often arduous, it's often worth the wait to witness Sora fighting alongside Disney icons like The Lion King's Simba and Mulan's Mushu. Furthermore, these summons set up prime storytelling opportunities that make Sora's eventual reunion with them in Kingdom Hearts II all the more heartwarming.
7 Sora Gets To Visit Disney Castle In Kingdom Hearts II
With Kingdom Hearts being marketed as a crossover between Disney and Final Fantasy, it comes as a mild surprise that the home of Disney's world-renowned cast, Disney Castle, isn't more prominently featured in the series. In fact, Sora only visits the castle once throughout the entire franchise, and it occurs in Kingdom Hearts II.
Usually well-protected against the forces of darkness, Sora, Donald, and Goofy are horrified to learn that Heartless have penetrated the castle walls when they arrive in the second game. They quickly unravel Maleficent's plot to take the place for herself, which lands them in the monochrome fields of Timeless River, one of the franchise's most unique worlds to date.
6 Players Can Only Explore Destiny Islands In The Original
While Sora gets to explore Donald and Goofy's home in Kingdom Hearts II, players can only explore Sora's home, Destiny Islands, in the beginning of the original Kingdom Hearts, which hasn't been an explorable location in the franchise since, much to the frustration of the series' most stalwart fans.
After waking from a nightmare (which was really a Dive to the Heart), Sora is tasked with helping his two best friends, Riku and Kairi, build a raft so they can sail out into the beyond in search of other worlds beyond their own. Besides the heavy-handed foreshadowing, the quaint island offers seamless Final Fantasy crossovers and hidden nooks for Sora to explore.
5 Roxas Is First Introduced In Kingdom Hearts II's Opening
One of the most integral elements of Kingdom Hearts II's narrative is the story of Roxas, a former member of Organization XIII and the Nobody of Sora. The two have dueling stories in the second game, with Sora becoming increasingly frustrated by the Organization's attempts to call to Roxas, not realizing his relationship to the Nobody.
When players are first introduced to Roxas, they are left thoroughly confused as they take control of the golden-haired boy in the streets of Twilight Town. While sharing Sora's friendly proclivity, the Nobody's thoughtful and melancholic personality differentiates him from his counterpart, emphasizing the duo's duality upon their eventual clash at Memory's Skyscraper.
4 Sora Fights More Classic Disney Villains In The Original
As the series progressed, Kingdom Hearts has controversially shifted its focus away from Disney and more onto the original story it's trying to tell. Consequently, most of the later games' primary boss fights are members of Organization XIII or iterations of Xehanort. This makes the boss fights of the original game that much more memorable.
Featuring a cast of A-list Disney villains like Jafar, Hades, Ursula, and the Mistress of All Evil herself, Maleficent, Kingdom Hearts had no shortage of epic, challenging fights. Even to this day, Maleficent's Dragon in Hollow Bastion is still regarded as one of the franchise's harder bosses, unleashing an impossibly rapid barrage of fiery pain upon the unprepared player.
3 Kingdom Hearts II Has Awesome Organization XIII Fights
While the villains of Kingdom Hearts are indubitably iconic, the clashes with Organization XIII in Kingdom Hearts II are nothing short of exhilarating, whether it be the indolent Demyx in Hollow Bastion or the intimidating Xaldin at Beast's Castle. However, to defeat these eponymous villains, players must master the unique battle mechanic of each member.
Furthermore, the second game ends with perhaps the most memorable fight of the series, with Sora and Riku fighting against the Organization's leader, Xemnas. During the fight, players temporarily control Riku partway to save Sora and reflect a multitudinous swarm of lasers that Xemnas summons as a last-ditch effort to stop the keyblade wielders.
2 Disney Is Integral To the Main Story Of The Original
Perhaps the most relished aspect of the original Kingdom Hearts is how masterfully the Disney and Final Fantasy elements are woven into the fabric of the game's narrative. Not only are the environments and bosses well designed, but the crossover components play a pivotal role in the game's overarching story.
In an effort to uncover why the worlds are falling to darkness, Sora discovers a plot to use the seven princesses of heart to unleash Kingdom Hearts. As the game progresses, Sora witnesses two of the princesses, Alice and Jasmine, get abducted before his eyes. While Maleficent plays at being the mastermind behind this scheme, it's later revealed that the true villain, Ansem the Seeker of Darkness, is responsible for everything.
1 Kingdom Hearts II Features The Battle Of 1000 Heartless
The siege of Hollow Bastion during Kingdom Hearts II's mid-game is one of the most iconic sequences of the entire franchise, and was a technical marvel at the time of release. After defeating Demyx and teaming up with some of Final Fantasy's most famous characters, Sora stares down a literal army of Heartless.
The ensuing carnage is one for the ages. Given the density of the combat sequence, Square Enix chose to remove Donald and Goofy from the sequence and focus solely on players' ability to fell hordes of Heartless that proliferated across the screen. The scene has garnered so much popularity that a similar sequence appears in Kingdom Hearts III, albeit not quite to the degree of wonder its predecessor had.
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