Kingdom Hearts from Square Enix is one of the fan favourites and this title completed its 20th anniversary on 28 March 2020. This gaming title is a pure combination of Final Fantasy and Disney and is available on 7 different consoles. If you feel attracted to this title, then you should learn about Kingdom Hearts games ranked in the correct order.
Thus, you can sync with the chronology required to understand the gameplay and characters. Otherwise, the series might confuse you.
First released in 2002, Kingdom Hearts mainline currently has 13 games including the planned ones. Let’s check them out.
Kingdom Hearts Games in Order
You can arrange Kingdom Hearts games according to their chronology or release order. First, we will mention all mainline Kingdom Hearts games ranked in their release order.
After that, we will list them according to chronology so that you can figure out the purpose easily and figure out everything.
Let’s check out Kingdom Hearts games in release order:
2002- Kingdom Hearts
Released on 28 March 2002, this is the first ever game in the Kingdom Hearts legacy. Crafted for PS2, the original Kingdom Hearts holds a campaign of around 29 hours. It was impossible to imagine Disney characters in the environment of Final Fantasy.
However, the corresponding developers took the challenge and implemented it gorgeously with relatable characters and a concise story of Kingdom Hearts. You will find classic Disney villains in the gameplay and we found the combat system quite futuristic. Undoubtedly, it’s one of the best Kingdom Hearts games.
2002- Kingdom Hearts Final Mix
This title came up in 2002 and this is not a mainline Kingdom Hearts game but still a popular one. On the other hand, this title doesn’t stand a chance against its predecessor. The stories behind the scenarios don’t appear to be strong enough.
Additionally, we find the rendering quite awkward. Uneven performances and baffling parodies are some noted weaknesses of this Kingdom Hearts title. However, you can find the Aladdin part interesting as well as the fight by the Trickmaster and Olympus Coliseum challenging.
2004- Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
If you owned a Game Boy Advance then chances are there that you had your hands on this Kingdom Hearts title. This title was crafted for especially Game Boy Advance consoles. Later, it became available for PlayStation 2 back in 2008.
The card-based combat system is one of the noteworthy features of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. It allows players to page through different cards that decide their next move. If you consider Kingdom Hearts games ranked by difficulty, then you should not miss this title.
This acts as a bridge to Kingdom Hearts 2 title as it introduces Naminé. Currently, this title is available to enjoy on all the modern supported gaming consoles.
2005- Kingdom Hearts 2
Released on 22 December 2005, Kingdom Hearts is one of the most appreciated titles in the entire series. At the time of release, this might not have been highly ranked. However, the title has improved a lot over time. The campaign lasts around 32 hours and you can play this title on Sony PS2.
The characters displayed in the gameplay are relatable. You can witness stunning fights among bosses and all the greatest villains. Based on the combat system of the first Kingdom Hearts title, Kingdom Hearts 2 doubles the fun and involvement.
2007- Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories is a well-renowned title. It came up on 29 March 2007. The title can be played on PS2, PS3, and PS4 consoles. You can witness the same card-based battle system that lasts for a campaign for roughly 23 hours.
Like Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, the learning curve for this title might be quite steep. However, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories might be a challenging title for Kindom Hearts lovers. Additionally, the background story of this game is very interesting along with the introduction of important characters.
2008- Kingdom Hearts Coded
Kingdom Hearts started its mobile journey with this title. Additionally, this title is available on Nintendo DS. However, Coded is a comparatively smaller campaign than others. In addition, the gameplay depicts tales from a parallel data world.
If you don’t mind diving into the broader saga of Kingdom Hearts then this title will refresh your visions. The data world as discussed in the game exists inside a paper journal. And, everything in the data is digital and it’s difficult to understand who is in which specific world at any given time. Overall, the title is pretty engaging.
2009- Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days was remade for the PS4 users just like Re: Coded. The main difference between Re: Coded and 358/2 Days is the story. Lots of things are happening in Kingdom Hearts and this title can answer all your questions.
You can gain control of Roxas and other members of Organisation XIII. this is a fun idea but this will stretch out the missions and turn them into longer ones. Things can get worse with the interference of the fluid fast-paced combat technique from previous titles.
2010- Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep
You can’t skip this legendary title while reviewing Kingdom Hearts games ranked in release order. The story-telling of this title will amaze you and you will discover different emotional and dark moments. You can play as 3 new characters and revisit the same worlds every time.
Thus, the game might feel repetitive but you can unlock unique character-based attributes. Without any argument, this is one of the most heartfelt titles in the Kingdom Hearts series.
2012- Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
This title is quite controversial because of the background story. Allegedly, the story is quite difficult to understand. That’s why Dream Drop Distance tops the list of Kingdom Hearts games ranked by difficulty.
However, developers make up for the storytelling by engaging in actions. A lot of time-travelling is there in the gameplay. Hence, gamers report the game to be confusing. Otherwise, you can try this if you want to try something different from the lenient storyline of Kingdom Hearts.
2013- Kingdom Hearts X
Would you like it if you got to play Kingdom Hearts on a usual internet browser? If yes, then you could try Kingdom Hearts X a shot. However, this game was released in Japan only and a sequel to this came up with the release of Kingdom Hearts Union X, a mobile-based game.
Kingdom Hearts Union X was released in 2015 for mobile devices. However, both these titles are unavailable to play in 2023. Players witnessed the Keyblade war in the gameplay of Kingdom Hearts X. They had to produce their Keyblade wielder to be a part of a union among 5 available unions.
2017- Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep 0.2: A Fragmentary Passage
You can try this title if you miss the fluid combat system as shown in the mainline Kingdom Hearts games ranked in release order. Birth By Sleep 0.2 is a prologue for Kingdom Hearts 3 and it came up on 12 January 2017. Interestingly, the campaign lasts around 3 hours.
Not to mention, this is the shortest title in the history of the Kingdom Hearts series so far. The strength of this game is its meaningful and compelling storytelling. Moreover, its visual effects and graphics will keep you hitched until you finish the game.
2019- Kingdom Hearts III
If you are looking for a Kingdom Heart game that will be supported on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 then Kingdom Hearts III is all yours. Enjoy a sheer amount of entertainment and stunning graphics with Kingdom Hearts III. You will find the explorable worlds so detailed and beautiful that you will relate to any Pixar or Disney movies.
The only downside of this aesthetic masterpiece is that it falls short of the story. Gamers have reported different potholes in the storytelling. You might point out the same until you get closer to the game’s closing stages.
2020- Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory
This is not any typical Kingdom Hearts role-playing title. Rather, it’s a rhythm game and you will like it if you like the blend of music and video games in the right proportion. The advantage of this title is that it won’t bore you with heavy storytelling.
Developers have kept the story lightweight and included numerous playable characters. If you enjoy Disney with some good taste in music then Melody of Memory is for you.
Kingdom Hearts Games Ranked in Chronological Order
We have mentioned all the Kingdom Hearts games and movies (including mainline and others) in chronological order below.
Go through them if you are interested to discover the main story of this gaming legacy:
- Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover (movie)
- Union X (cross)
- Dark Road
- Birth by Sleep Final Mix
- Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep: A Fragmentary Passage
- Final Mix
- Re: Chain of Memories
- Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix
- Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded
- Dream Drop Distance
- Kingdom Hearts III
- Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind DLC
- Melody of Memory
Conclusion
Apart from the mentioned Kingdom Hearts games ranked in order, you can check out Birth by Sleep Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Unchained X, and Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover. We hope that the guide helped you with the release and chronological order of most Kingdom Hearts games.
