Kingdom Hearts [META] Newcomers FAQ

[META] Newcomers FAQ
I tried to learn about Kingdom Hearts lore after Sora got announced for smash, it made absolutely no sense, so I turned to the most reliable source I know.
The gang's all here! (Stoic_Miiverse)
Why is this so accurate?
On October 8th, 1970 Nomura was born. Happy birthday Nomura!
Yeah Sora's great and all, but think about what could've been...
If you wanted to add one character in kh other than sora to smash bros who would it be
Do it Sora ��
Xion’s Dive to the Heart from the Smash trailer!!
The thing I wanted the actual story to have from the manga went
Wasn’t expecting that price…
Me explaining Kingdom Hearts to people.
It’s A-Me, Xariom!
One of the top posts of this subreddit. Man, I still can't believe it's happening.
Now we can finally team up with Cloud to kick this man’s ass!
Leaked kh4 cut as cutscene
Playing this on my PS5 is love
Roxas is the only Legend-based KH character in the Smash spirit board because he’s the most iconic from the cast after Sora:
I put the word Kingdom Hearts into an A.I. that turns words into pictures (nightcafe) and this is what I turned into
Super Mario World, the prophecy has been fulfilled:
The boi is in smash
Celebrating Sora coming into smash I beat Riku 100 times. The 9 times he won was a fluke.
Got hyped so I drew our boy!
Aqua artwork I just finished today!
So. About those “cloud versions” on switch……..
This fits way too perfectly.

Posted: 07 Oct 2021 11:52 PM PDT

Hey Everyone!

First off, to all the newcomers: welcome to Kingdom Hearts! We promise, the plot isn't that confusing!

To Returnees: Welcome back! Hopefully you didn't miss a lot!

While we do have a dedicated wiki page regarding playorder at this time, we wanted to clear up a few common misconceptions or questions that people might have about the series in regards to play order, Final Mixes, and content of the compilations and so on, plus have it much more visible and more easily available.

This Thread can be updated as time goes on for any corrections or updates.

That being said:

Q1: Which game comes with which collection?

A: Understandably, it's a bit confusing, especially with names such as "Kingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5 Re:Mix" "Kingdom Hearts: The Story Thus Far/All-In-One Package", and so on. Breaking down each compilation:

Game	1.5+2.5	2.8	"Story Thus Far" Collection (PS4)	"All-In-One Package" (PS4)
Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix	x		x	x
Re:Chain of Memories	x		x	x
358/2 Days (Cutscene Movie)	x		x	x
Kingdom Hearts 2: Final Mix	x		x	x
Birth By Sleep: Final Mix	x		x	x
Re:Coded (Cutscene Movie)	x		x	x
Dream Drop Distance HD		x	x	x
Birth By Sleep: 0.2 -A Fragmentary Passage-		x	x	x
χ Back Cover (Short Movie)		x	x	x
Kingdom Hearts 3 (Base)				x

The last two named compilations were released before and after Kingdom Hearts 3, and are for the most part, the most "complete" you'll get to owning all the games in one go.

As for the reason why some games only exist as cutscene stories, it's mostly believed that it was due to time constraints or other reasons. You're free to find the original games (emulator or legit, just be mindful of our rules regarding asking for ROMS here on the subreddit) and play them if you're curious.

Q2: What is a "Final Mix?"

A: Final Mixes are basically what we know now as "Definitive Editions" or "Enhanced Versions". Think Persona 4 to Persona 4 Golden or Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire to Emerald. Compared to their original versions, Final Mixes have some balance changes, additional content and various other miscellaneous changes. For the most part, Final Mix versions are the standard now as they're in every modern compilation.

Q3: Do I play in Release Order or Chronological Order?

A: You're better off playing in Release Order. While you can play in Chronological Order, you might be left with a ton of questions or missing context from game to game (unless you fear nothing, then by all means). You can check out the [Chronological Order in our Wiki Page.

Q4: Do I have to play every game?

A: For newcomers, it'd be recommended, but given some of the games are from previous generations, the cutscene movies will suffice. They provide enough context for their parts to the overall story. As previously stated, you're free to seek out the respective games (emulator or legit) and have a go.