Kindom Hearts

Setting
Main article: Universe of Kingdom HeartsThe universe of Kingdom Hearts is a collection of various levels, referred to as "worlds", through which the player must progress. Thirteen can be accessed in the game and one, Disney Castle, is shown in cutscenes. Additional worlds are mentioned by various characters, but are inaccessible because they have been destroyed by the Heartless, beings of darkness. Ten of the worlds are based on Disney fiction,[16] primarily from the Disney animated features canon, and the other four were created by Square specifically for the game.

The graphics and characters of each world were designed to resemble the artwork style of its respective Disney film. Each Disney world is inhabited by characters from their respective film; Hercules and Philoctetes inhabit Olympus Coliseum, while Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, andJafar inhabit Agrabah. Each world is disconnected from the others and exists separately. Most characters in the worlds are unaware of the other worlds' existence, with few exceptions. Players travel from one world to another via Gummi Ship.[12]

The worlds created specifically for the game mirror the overall appearance of the other worlds and feature either new characters or characters from several Final Fantasy games. The new worlds include: Destiny Islands, where the story opens;[17] Traverse Town, which serves as a launching point for most of the game; Hollow Bastion, which many of theFinal Fantasy characters call home; and End of the World, a large, dark world created from the remnants of various worlds consumed by the Heartless.[18] The main characters travel from world to world to seal each "Keyhole"; this protects the world from the Heartless and ultimately from destruction. They also try to minimize their interaction with characters of other worlds to maintain a balance of separation.[19] This sometimes requires Sora, Donald, and Goofy to blend in with the world inhabitants by changing their physical appearance.[20] ===[edit] Characters=== Further information: Characters of Kingdom HeartsThe collaboration between Disney and Square resulted in a mixture of familiar Disney and Square characters, as well as several new characters created and designed by Tetsuya Nomura.[21] The primary protagonist of the game is Sora, a 14-year old boy chosen to wield the Keyblade, a large key-like weapon for battling darkness. The game also features two friends from his home world, Riku and Kairi. For most of the game, Sora is joined by Donald Duck and Goofy. Donald, the court wizard, and Goofy, captain of the royal guard,[22] were sent from Disney Castle to find the Keyblade.[23] The three join forces to search for King Mickey Mouse, Kairi, and Riku. The primary antagonist is Ansem, who seeks power and knowledge by using dark beings called the Heartless. The Heartless, hearts corrupted by darkness, serve as most of the enemies encountered in the game and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

As a game meant to explore the fictional universes of various Disney films, over one hundred Disney characters are featured in various capacities.[24] While many serve as major characters in the story, others appear in cameo roles, such as the One Hundred and One Dalmatians playing a part in a side-quest. Most worlds also feature a Disney villain whom the player must defeat. The player can summon various Disney characters to fight alongside Sora in battle, causing Donald and Goofy to withdraw from the battlefield for the duration of the summon. Available summoned characters include the Genie from Aladdin, Tinkerbell from Peter Pan, and Simba from The Lion King, among others.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-StrategyGuide_12-3" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[13]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Square also incorporated several characters from the Final Fantasy series into the game, though the characters were slightly altered to fit the game's back-story. On Destiny Islands, the player meets younger versions of Tidus and Wakka from Final Fantasy X and Selphie from Final Fantasy VIII. In Traverse Town, the player encounters Squall Leonhart (known in the game as "Leon") from Final Fantasy VIII as well as Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-StrategyGuide_12-4" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[13] Rikku from Final Fantasy X was originally set to appear, but was replaced by Yuffie.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[25] Cloud and Sephiroth, both from Final Fantasy VII, make appearances in Olympus Coliseum, where the player can fight them in tournaments.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-StrategyGuide_12-5" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[13] The emphasis on characters from later Final Fantasy installments stems from Nomura's hesitation to use characters he did not design.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[26] The game also uses other Final Fantasy icons such as the Moogles who mediate item synthesis.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Instructions_11-3" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[12] ===<span class="editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;float:right;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;margin-left:5px;">[edit] Story=== <p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Kingdom Hearts begins on Destiny Islands, where Sora, Riku, and Kairi live. The three friends want to leave the islands to explore new worlds and have prepared a raft for this purpose.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Instructions_11-4" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[12] One night, the islands are attacked by shadow creatures—the Heartless.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHgamespy_9-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[10] Sora seeks out his friends, finding Riku, who disappears into a dark portal. At the same time, Sora obtains the Keyblade, a weapon effective against the Heartless. However, the islands are destroyed and Sora drifts into space. Meanwhile, King Mickey has left his own world to deal with the increasing numbers of Heartless and left instructions for Donald and Goofy to find the "key" that will protect the worlds from the encroaching darkness.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MickeyNote_22-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[23]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Donald and Goofy use the Gummi Ship to reach Traverse Town, where Sora has drifted. Sora meets Leon, who explains that the Heartless are beings that consume hearts, and that the Keyblade is the only weapon capable of defeating them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[27] A man named Ansem is said to have studied the Heartless. Sora then meets Donald and Goofy, and the three decide to travel together—Donald and Goofy to find King Mickey, and Sora to find Kairi and Riku. The three go to various worlds based on Disney films, finding that the Keyblade also locks "Keyholes", passages to the "heart" of a world which, when sealed, prevent it from being consumed by the Heartless. Meanwhile, a group of Disney villains, led byMaleficent, seek out the seven Princesses of Heart to unlock the final Keyhole that leads to "Kingdom Hearts",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-MobyGames_8-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[9] a repository of knowledge and power and the source of all hearts. This group includes Riku; Maleficent promises that she will help him find Kairi in exchange for his support. Maleficent sows distrust in Riku, telling him that Sora abandoned him and Kairi for new friends and the Keyblade.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[28] An increasingly antagonistic Riku finds Kairi's body, but cannot find her heart.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Sora and his friends eventually arrive at Hollow Bastion, Ansem's home world and Maleficent's current headquarters. Riku takes the Keyblade from Sora, claiming to be the true Keyblade master and that Sora only received it in his absence.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[29] Donald and Goofy, having been explicitly ordered to follow the "key", reluctantly leave Sora for Riku.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[30] Sora challenges Riku, stating that his heart derives strength from his friends; his friends return to him, as does the Keyblade. Shamed, Riku meets a cloaked man who goads him to give into the darkness. Meanwhile, the three engage and defeat Maleficent. Sora finds Kairi's body and confronts Riku, who reveals that he is possessed by Ansem.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[31] Ansem explains that Kairi is a Princess of Heart, and that her heart has been hiding within Sora's body since Destiny Islands was destroyed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[32] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[33] After defeating Ansem, Sora impales himself with Ansem's Keyblade, releasing both his and Kairi's heart. Kairi's heart returns to her body, in turn completing the final Keyhole, while Sora becomes a Heartless. Kairi recognizes Sora's Heartless and the light in her heart restores him to human form. He resolves to confront Ansem.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Ansem is found in End of the World, the combined remnants of worlds taken by the Heartless.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Goofy-EndOfWorld_17-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[18] Ansem seeks Kingdom Hearts, hypothesizing it to be the ultimate darkness. Upon opening the door to Kingdom Hearts, however, it reveals its light, overwhelming and destroying Ansem. Beyond the door are King Mickey and Riku, and they help Sora and the others close the door, as there are many Heartless beyond it. Mickey and Sora use their Keyblades to lock the door. The worlds lost to the Heartless reconstruct themselves; as the Destiny Islands reform, Kairi returns there while Sora is forced to part with her. The game concludes as Sora, Donald, and Goofy resolve to find Riku and Mickey.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[34] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[35]

[edit] Development
<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">The idea for Kingdom Hearts came about when producer Shinji Hashimoto met a Disney executive in an elevator; Square and Disney had previously worked in the same building in Japan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IGN-TGS04-NI_35-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[36] The production team consisted of over one hundred members from both Square and Disney Interactive.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GS-CompanyLine_14-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[15] The game began development in February 2000<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[37] and originally focused more on the gameplay with a simple story to appeal to Disney's target age range.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Insider-KHU-NI_37-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[38] After executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi told director Tetsuya Nomurathe game would be a failure if it did not aim for the same level as the Final Fantasy series, Nomura began to develop the story further.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Insider-KHU-NI_37-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[38] When choosing the Disney worlds to include in the game, Nomura and his team tried to pick worlds that had distinctively different looks.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-NI-PSE_38-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[39] They also tried to take into account worlds with Disney characters that would be interesting.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Insider-KHU-NI_37-2" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[38] Though they had few restrictions on which worlds they could use from the Disney franchises, they tried to remain within each character's boundaries set by their respective Disney films.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-G4TV-NI_39-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[40]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Additional content was added to the North American release that was absent in the initial Japanese release:<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Square-KHsite_23-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[24] new optional bosses, one of which was named after the winner of the official website's "Name-In-Game" sweepstakes,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Square-KHsite_23-2" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[24] an extra difficulty level,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[41] and a teaser of Kingdom Hearts II accessible by meeting certain criteria.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-G4TV-NI_39-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[40] Nomura included the teaser in order to gauge fan reaction to the possibility of a sequel; he felt that if the idea was unpopular, then it would be best to leave certain events in the game unexplained.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-NI-KHIIU_41-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[42] The new content was later added to the Japanese re-release titled Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. Final Mix also included additional content such as new items, cut scenes, and enemies. The new content further hinted at plotlines that would be explained in sequels. Some content omitted from Kingdom Hearts was later added into Kingdom Hearts II. A world based on The Lion King, for instance, was unfeasible because an additional program was required to process movement on four legs—a necessity since Sora would become a lion in that world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-NI-Dengeki3_42-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[43] Due to time constraints, the developers left out an optional boss battle, similar to the Sephiroth battle, against Tifa Lockhart. She was later included in Kingdom Hearts II as a more developed character.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHII-TN-interview_43-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[44] ===<span class="editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;float:right;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;margin-left:5px;">[edit] Promotion=== <p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Kingdom Hearts was announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in May 2001.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GS-E3-2001_20-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[21] Initial details were that it would be a collaboration between Square and Disney Interactive and would feature worlds developed by both companies and Disney characters. New characters were designed by Nomura and included Sora, Riku, Kairi, and the Heartless.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GS-CompanyLine_14-2" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[15] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GS-E3-2001_20-2" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[21] A playable demo was available at the Tokyo Game Show in 2001. The gameplay of the demo showcased many action role-playing game elements that would be included in the final product.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-44" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[45] To help market the English release of the game, Square launched the official website in April 2002, which featured trailers, a "Name-In-Game" sweepstakes, and other Internet content.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[46] On May 14, 2002, a press release announced a list of the English voice actors. The list included Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, and Hayden Panettiere as the three new characters introduced in the game. It also announced that many of the Disney characters would be voiced by the official voice actors from their respective Disney films.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GS-CompanyLine_14-3" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[15] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[47] Other marketing efforts included auctions of the game and related items before the North American release<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[48] and a Consumer Demo Day in San Francisco, California.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[49]

[edit] Audio
===<span class="editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;float:right;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;margin-left:5px;">[edit] Musical score=== Further information: Music of Kingdom Hearts<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Yoko Shimomura composed the music of Kingdom Hearts.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-OST_49-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[50] While there are arranged melodies derived from previous Disney films, most of the soundtrack consists of original themes written specifically for the game by Shimomura. The opening orchestration and ending credits theme were arranged and orchestrated by Kaoru Wada and performed by theNew Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-OST_49-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[50] The main vocal theme for the original Japanese release is titled "Hikari" (光<sup style="line-height:1em;"><span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color:rgb(0,0,238);font:normalnormalbold80%/normalsans-serif;text-decoration:none;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0.1em;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0.1em;">? ). The English version of "Hikari", "Simple and Clean", was used in the Western releases and the Japanese re-release, Final Mix. Both versions were composed and performed by Hikaru Utada. Her involvement, along with the Japanese song title, was announced in January 2002.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-50" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[51] Utada was the only singer Nomura had in mind for the Kingdom Hearts theme song.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IGN-KH-Utada_51-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[52] This marked the first time Utada had produced a song for a video game. The single, "Hikari", was released in Japan on March 20, 2002<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-52" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[53] and proved to be very popular; by August 2002, it had sold over 860,000 copies in Japan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IGN-KH-Utada_51-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[52] The Kingdom Hearts soundtrack was released on a two CD set on March 27, 2002 in Japan and a year later in the United States. The soundtrack was later included in the Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack Complete, which was released in Japan on March 28, 2007.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHOSC-Toshiba-Emi_53-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[54] Music from Kingdom Hearts was also included in Yoko Shimomura's best works compilation album Drammatica.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Drammatica_54-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[55] ===<span class="editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;float:right;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;margin-left:5px;">[edit] Voice cast=== <p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Kingdom Hearts featured well-known voice actors for both the Japanese and English versions. The Japanese version featured Miyu Irino as Sora, Risa Uchida as Kairi, andMamoru Miyano as Riku. Other notable voice actors included Kōichi Yamadera, Hideo Ishikawa, and Maaya Sakamoto.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[56] A special effort was made to preserve the official voice actors of characters from the Disney movies used in Kingdom Hearts. Some of the voice actors from the related television series or direct-to-video sequels were chosen over the original voice actors from films, where applicable (e.g. Dan Castellaneta as Genie, rather than Robin Williams). The English version featured Haley Joel Osment as Sora, David Gallagher as Riku, and Hayden Panettiere as Kairi.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GP-VoiceCast_56-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[57] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ffnet_57-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[58] Other notable voice actors included Billy Zane, David Boreanaz, James Woods, and Mandy Moore.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GP-VoiceCast_56-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[57] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-GSTechInfo_58-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[59]

[edit] Reception
<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Kingdom Hearts received positive reviews and sales figures. During the first two months of its North American release it was one of the top three highest-selling video games<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-59" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[60] and was among the top selling titles during the 2002 Christmas and holiday season. In November 2002, UBS Warburg listed it as the 6th highest console game in terms of sales during the week of November 5.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-60" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[61] At the end of April 2003, Square announced that Kingdom Hearts had sold its millionth copy in the United States, which made it eligible for PlayStation's "Greatest Hits" status, and over 3.0 million worldwide.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-greatesthits_4-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[5] Sales reached 1.2 million in Japan in the first quarter of 2004, and broke 4.0 million worldwide.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-61" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[62] In December 2005, the NPD Group listed it as "one of the top ten best-selling PlayStation 2 titles of all time in North America".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-62" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[63] As of December 2006, Kingdom Hearts had shipped over 5.6 million copies worldwide with 1.1 million in PAL regions, 1.5 million in Japan, and 3.0 million in North America.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10mil_5-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[6] ===<span class="editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;float:right;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;margin-left:5px;">[edit] Critical response=== <p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">The game received high ratings among reviewers. In IGN's Best of 2002 awards, it was nominated for "PS2's Best Game of 2002 Editor's Choice Award" and was a runner up for "PS2's Best Game of 2002 Reader's Choice Award".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-72" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[73] In 2007, the website listed Kingdom Hearts as the 22nd best PlayStation 2 game of all time.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22nd_73-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[74] Critics commended the visuals, orchestral score, voice acting, and hybrid action-adventure and role-playing feel to the game. IGN named it "Best Art Style/Direction", runner-up for "Best CG Graphics", and honorable mention for "Best Animation" in IGN's 2003 list of "Best Looking Games on PS2".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-74" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[75] GameSpy listed Kingdom Hearts twice in its "Top 25 Video Game Cinematic Moments".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-75" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[76] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-76" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[77] GamePro stated that the graphics were "gorgeous", giving them high marks.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GP-KH_15-2" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[16] The audio was also praised, particularly the quality of the voice-overs and musical score.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHgamespy_9-3" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[10] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHgamespot_10-3" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[11] GamePro had positive comments on the overall audio and gave that aspect a perfect score.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GP-KH_15-3" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[16]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Criticism about the gameplay was mixed. Many reviews complained that the camera was at times frustrating and the Gummi Ship portions were out of place. GameSpot cited "tedious" gameplay and Gummi Ship sections as "pale imitations of the Star Fox series", but stated that the combat was fun, particularly the boss fights.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHgamespot_10-4" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[11] Dengeki Online commented on the camera controls, saying that the camera would often run into objects while being rotated by the player.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-77" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[78] GamePro compared the battle system to "old N64 Zelda games" and had positive comments about Donald and Goofy's artificial intelligence.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GP-KH_15-4" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[16]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">GameSpot commented that the concept of mixing the serious elements of Final Fantasy with the lighter elements of Disney seemed impossible, but was pulled off quite well. Because of that they awarded Kingdom Hearts "Best Crossover Since Capcom vs. SNK" in their 2002 Best and Worst of the Year awards.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BWGS_3-2" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[4] GameSpy noted that the periodic departure from the main plot into the Disney side stories was disappointing, and when the original plot builds to a climax, "the story fails to gel thanks to a confusing mish-mash of vague terms and symbolism that probably made more sense in the director's head than in this final product." Aside from the plot, they stated that the overall package was worth playing through to the end.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHgamespy_9-4" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[10] G4TV awarded it "Best Story" at their 2003 G-Phoria awards show.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-beststory_70-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[71] Fan response was also positive; Kingdom Hearts was voted as the 19th best game of all-time by readers of the Japanese magazineFamitsu,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Famitsu_78-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[79] 16th by the users of website GameFAQs,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-79" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[80] and 92nd by IGN users.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-80" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[81] Kingdom Hearts ranked ninth on IGN's most recent "Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time" list.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-81" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[82] It was also a nominee for the Best Game Award from the CESA Game Awards for 2001-2002.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-82" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[83]

[edit] Versions and merchandise
Further information: List of Kingdom Hearts media<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Multiple versions of Kingdom Hearts have been released. The first was the original Japanese release, followed by the North American and PAL releases, which includes additional content. The game was later re-released in Japan as Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, which features the content of the North American/PAL release, as well as more new content. Nomura has shown a desire to release a high definition rerelease of the game, but has yet to confirm it.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-83" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[84] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-84" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[85]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Both Square and Disney also released numerous types of merchandise before and after the release of the game. Merchandise ranged from toys and figurines<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Square-KHsite_23-3" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[24] to clothing items and books. Like the Final Fantasy games, Square released an Ultimania book on Kingdom Hearts in Japan following the release of the game and a revised edition following the release of Final Mix. In North America, a strategy guide was released by Brady Games. It featured a comprehensive walkthrough and a sticker activity journal.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-StrategyGuide_12-6" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[13] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-85" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[86] A manga series based on the game was released in Japan and the United States. A novel series also based on the game was released in Japan. It was authored by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. The novel series consists of two volumes and was released in North America on March 25, 2008.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHNovel1-Indigo_86-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[87] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHNovel2-Indigo_87-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[88] ===<span class="editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;float:right;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;margin-left:5px;">[edit] Final Mix=== <p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Released only in Japan, Kingdom Hearts Final Mix has several events and a number of gameplay tweaks that are not in previous releases. Spoken dialogue is in English, with Japanese subtitles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IGN-FinalMix_88-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[89] New scenes, clarifying certain plot points, such as Riku's journey and foreshadowing of Kingdom Hearts II, were included. A gameplay option allows the player to skip cut scenes after seeing them once.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IGN-FinalMix_88-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[89] The optional bosses first included in the English version were introduced to Japanese players for the first time, along with a new fight against "Unknown Man", in an attempt to raise interest for the sequel.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">In another attempt at foreshadowing, a video titled "Another Side, Another Story 【 deep dive 】" plays at the ending if the player accomplishes certain tasks.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHInsider-FinalMix_89-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[90] New music tracks incorporated were "Disappeared" and "Another Side". The "Night on Bald Mountain" and "One-Winged Angel" tracks from the English version were included as well. Other changes include new abilities, new weapons, new items, additional and recolored enemies,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHS-UltimaniaAlpha_90-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[91] and gameplay tweaks to make the game easier for the player, along with two new levels of difficulty.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHInsider-FinalMix_89-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[90] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-91" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[92] When first released, Final Mix included either a deck of Kingdom Hearts cards or special music CD. A limited "Platinum Edition" version of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix was later released with an action figure of Sora, a sticker set, and sketches of some of the main characters.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IGN-FinalMix_88-2" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[89] ===<span class="editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;float:right;font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;margin-left:5px;">[edit] Manga=== <p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">The game was adapted into a manga by Shiro Amano. The story follows the events that took place in the game with a few minor differences to account for the loss of interactivity a video game provides.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IGN-Manga_92-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[93] Some events that took place in the Final Mix version were also included. The manga was originally serialized in Japan by Enterbrain's Famitsū PS2, but has since been released worldwide in four volumes. The volumes have been published in English in the United States by Tokyopop. The first volume was released on October 11, 2005,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-93" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[94] and the fourth volume was released on July 10, 2006.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-94" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[95] The entire series was later released in a boxed set on October 10, 2006.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-95" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[96]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">The manga series has had moderate success. The first volume was ranked 95th in USA Today's "Top 150 best sellers" during the week of its release.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-96" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[97] IGN praised Amano's artwork and commented on wanting to replay the game after reading. They criticized the lack of new content and stated the transition from game to print lost most of the story's appeal.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IGN-Manga_92-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[93] The series was followed by others based on the game's sequels: Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-97" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[98] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH2-1-Manga_98-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[99]

[edit] Sequels
Further information: Kingdom Hearts<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Kingdom Hearts was followed by several sequels, becoming the first game in the Kingdom Hearts series. It was followed by a direct sequel, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, which was released in Japan on November 11, 2004.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CoM-IGNProfile_99-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[100] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-COM-gameFAQs_100-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[101] Kingdom Hearts II is the third game in the series, set one year after Chain of Memories, and was released in Japan on December 22, 2005 for Sony PlayStation 2.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHII-IGNProfile_101-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[102] Like the first game it was re-released as Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix alongside a PS2 remake of Chain of Memories.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-khfmii_102-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[103] A Kingdom Hearts game was developed exclusively for V CAST, Verizon Wireless's broadband service, and was released on October 1, 2004 in Japan and on February 4, 2005 in the United States.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-103" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[104] In November 2008, Kingdom Hearts coded was released for mobile phones in Japan, the game takes place after the events of Kingdom Hearts II. A midquel entitled Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days was developed for the Nintendo DS and released in Japan on May 30, 2009 and in North America on September 29, 2009. A prequel was released in Japan on January 9, 2010, entitled Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, for the PlayStation Portable, which takes place 10 years before the events of Kingdom Hearts.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-104" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[105] The following title in the series was Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance for the Nintendo 3DS, released in 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Nomura_E3_105-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">

Characters
Further information: Characters of Kingdom Hearts<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">The collaboration between Disney and Square resulted in a mixture of familiar Disney and Square characters, as well as several new characters created and designed by Tetsuya Nomura.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-GS-E3-2001_20-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[21] The primary protagonist of the game is Sora, a 14-year old boy chosen to wield the Keyblade, a large key-like weapon for battling darkness. The game also features two friends from his home world, Riku and Kairi. For most of the game, Sora is joined by Donald Duck and Goofy. Donald, the court wizard, and Goofy, captain of the royal guard,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-OfficialWebsiteInfo_21-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[22] were sent from Disney Castle to find the Keyblade.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MickeyNote_22-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[23] The three join forces to search for King Mickey Mouse, Kairi, and Riku. The primary antagonist is Ansem, who seeks power and knowledge by using dark beings called the Heartless. The Heartless, hearts corrupted by darkness, serve as most of the enemies encountered in the game and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">As a game meant to explore the fictional universes of various Disney films, over one hundred Disney characters are featured in various capacities.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Square-KHsite_23-0" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[24] While many serve as major characters in the story, others appear in cameo roles, such as the One Hundred and One Dalmatians playing a part in a side-quest. Most worlds also feature a Disney villain whom the player must defeat. The player can summon various Disney characters to fight alongside Sora in battle, causing Donald and Goofy to withdraw from the battlefield for the duration of the summon. Available summoned characters include the Genie from Aladdin, Tinkerbell from Peter Pan, and Simba from The Lion King, among others.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-StrategyGuide_12-3" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[13]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Square also incorporated several characters from the Final Fantasy series into the game, though the characters were slightly altered to fit the game's back-story. On Destiny Islands, the player meets younger versions of Tidus and Wakka from Final Fantasy X and Selphie from Final Fantasy VIII. In Traverse Town, the player encounters Squall Leonhart (known in the game as "Leon") from Final Fantasy VIII as well as Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-StrategyGuide_12-4" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[13] Rikku from Final Fantasy X was originally set to appear, but was replaced by Yuffie.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[25] Cloud and Sephiroth, both from Final Fantasy VII, make appearances in Olympus Coliseum, where the player can fight them in tournaments.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-StrategyGuide_12-5" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[13] The emphasis on characters from later Final Fantasy installments stems from Nomura's hesitation to use characters he did not design.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[26] The game also uses other Final Fantasy icons such as the Moogles who mediate item synthesis.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Instructions_11-3" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[12

Story
<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Kingdom Hearts begins on Destiny Islands, where Sora, Riku, and Kairi live. The three friends want to leave the islands to explore new worlds and have prepared a raft for this purpose.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Instructions_11-4" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[12] One night, the islands are attacked by shadow creatures—the Heartless.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KHgamespy_9-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[10] Sora seeks out his friends, finding Riku, who disappears into a dark portal. At the same time, Sora obtains the Keyblade, a weapon effective against the Heartless. However, the islands are destroyed and Sora drifts into space. Meanwhile, King Mickey has left his own world to deal with the increasing numbers of Heartless and left instructions for Donald and Goofy to find the "key" that will protect the worlds from the encroaching darkness.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-MickeyNote_22-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[23]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Donald and Goofy use the Gummi Ship to reach Traverse Town, where Sora has drifted. Sora meets Leon, who explains that the Heartless are beings that consume hearts, and that the Keyblade is the only weapon capable of defeating them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[27] A man named Ansem is said to have studied the Heartless. Sora then meets Donald and Goofy, and the three decide to travel together—Donald and Goofy to find King Mickey, and Sora to find Kairi and Riku. The three go to various worlds based on Disney films, finding that the Keyblade also locks "Keyholes", passages to the "heart" of a world which, when sealed, prevent it from being consumed by the Heartless. Meanwhile, a group of Disney villains, led byMaleficent, seek out the seven Princesses of Heart to unlock the final Keyhole that leads to "Kingdom Hearts",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-KH-MobyGames_8-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[9] a repository of knowledge and power and the source of all hearts. This group includes Riku; Maleficent promises that she will help him find Kairi in exchange for his support. Maleficent sows distrust in Riku, telling him that Sora abandoned him and Kairi for new friends and the Keyblade.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[28] An increasingly antagonistic Riku finds Kairi's body, but cannot find her heart.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Sora and his friends eventually arrive at Hollow Bastion, Ansem's home world and Maleficent's current headquarters. Riku takes the Keyblade from Sora, claiming to be the true Keyblade master and that Sora only received it in his absence.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[29] Donald and Goofy, having been explicitly ordered to follow the "key", reluctantly leave Sora for Riku.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[30] Sora challenges Riku, stating that his heart derives strength from his friends; his friends return to him, as does the Keyblade. Shamed, Riku meets a cloaked man who goads him to give into the darkness. Meanwhile, the three engage and defeat Maleficent. Sora finds Kairi's body and confronts Riku, who reveals that he is possessed by Ansem.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[31] Ansem explains that Kairi is a Princess of Heart, and that her heart has been hiding within Sora's body since Destiny Islands was destroyed.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[32] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[33] After defeating Ansem, Sora impales himself with Ansem's Keyblade, releasing both his and Kairi's heart. Kairi's heart returns to her body, in turn completing the final Keyhole, while Sora becomes a Heartless. Kairi recognizes Sora's Heartless and the light in her heart restores him to human form. He resolves to confront Ansem.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:0px;line-height:1.5em;">Ansem is found in End of the World, the combined remnants of worlds taken by the Heartless.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Goofy-EndOfWorld_17-1" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[18] Ansem seeks Kingdom Hearts, hypothesizing it to be the ultimate darkness. Upon opening the door to Kingdom Hearts, however, it reveals its light, overwhelming and destroying Ansem. Beyond the door are King Mickey and Riku, and they help Sora and the others close the door, as there are many Heartless beyond it. Mickey and Sora use their Keyblades to lock the door. The worlds lost to the Heartless reconstruct themselves; as the Destiny Islands reform, Kairi returns there while Sora is forced to part with her. The game concludes as Sora, Donald, and Goofy resolve to find Riku and Mickey.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">[34] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" style="line-height:1em;font-weight:normal;">