Kingdom Hearts Play Order: Chronological or Release Order?

[@dodiswatchbobobo]

The games weren’t written in chronological order. Each game was written, THEN the next game to be released was written. And each game was written with scenes designed to give context to scenes from previous releases. The story is supposed to be part of the replay value. Ideally you should play each game twice before moving on.

[@smugaru]

Yesss thank you!! This is such a great way of conveying the whole point. So many other franchises whether it's games, books, shows, or movies follow this approach as well. It's frustrating to see some people treat this franchise as being bizarre for telling parts of the story out of order lol. I also really don't like this push to make every entry in a series serve as an entry point.

[@Researcher_Ryan]

I would argue the people who believe KH's story is way too confusing are the same people who play in Chronologically order. Too many factors are being covered at the same time and then the middle games become daughting because the questions being asked were answered in the games you played already.

[@smugaru]

Do you think people just want to perpetuate the meme of it? lol Considering we have all of the games available on a system of your choice, I don't see the point in needlessly complicating things, haha 😆 It's so frustrating, though, because it's not like layered narratives are a new thing either 😂

[@kamikaze5528]

I think it's pure lack of attention. I was watching a let's play once titled "story mode", and the dude kept skipping cutscenes, rushing through dialogue, and never once going through the character and story files in the menu.

[@smugaru]

@kamikaze5528 Wait, whaaaaat?! That's literally the story, though 🤣 You are probably on to something, though. A streamer friend of mine played through the series and would regularly get confused or not understand mechanics because they weren't paying attention to cutscenes or concepts the game was explaining to them😅

[@AeonKnigh432]

Actually it's people who haven't played the games and are just parroting what they've heard other say

[@smugaru]

@@AeonKnigh432 Oop, you're definitely not wrong there, but I'm not sure everyone is ready to have that conversation lol💀🤣

[@imprincesswolfy2565]

Always go release order, the first ever released game will (almost) always be the easiest to understand because the developers know you know nothing about the franchise, while prequels most likely assume you’ve played the other games and are familiar with a lot of concepts

[@smugaru]

Right?! Even more so when just about all of the games and stories have been compiled and made available on modern systems. There's little reason to not start with release order now lol😂 It feels like some people want to overly complicate things on purpose sometimes.

[@twiphe4375]

My first game was Dream Drop Distance on my 3DS when I was 8 and boy let me tell you. Fortunately I was at an age where I just thought that I'm probably too young to understand the story and just focused on the gameplay, which I loved. Which led me to buy KH1 and KH2 for the PS2, then emulate a GBA/PSP to play CoM and BBS, and buy days and re:coded for the (3)DS. I genuinely played the franchise in one of the worst orders possible, but eventually ended up understanding the story. Love this franchise.

[@smugaru]

But your experience just goes to show that it wasn't impossible, lol. The mystery and intrigue were compelling enough to make you want to go back and see what the heck was going on, which is an understated strength of the series 🤣

[@TheAzulmagia]

I saw someone on Twitch decide to play the games in chronological order after KH1, so they went straight to Birth by Sleep after being assured that they would understand the plot just fine. After an entire game of missing references, like the Organization members or Pete teaming up with Maleficent, they finally got to Blank Points (which shows pretty much every protagonist in the series up to that point as well as the ending of KH2/lead up to DDD) and realized they made a mistake.

[@smugaru]

Like, that's pretty disheartening. I would guess a viewer probably convinced them it would make sense? It can be really misleading when you already know how the story plays out in hindsight and don't account for all of the details that help the story naturally flow together 🙈 It's not even a clever or more intuitive way to play the games for your first time. It just needlessly complicates things.

[@CynicVash]

So my question is, playing any of the KH games, playing them on the easiest difficulty ok just to get through the story, ok? And would I be missing any special unlocks, like the best keyblade or costume if I were to play any specific game on the hardest difficulty? If I were a 100% completion-ist.

[@smugaru]

@@CynicVash I would absolutely go with just enjoying the beginner difficulty for the story. No shame in doing that! Yes, it will make unlocking the secret endings a little more difficult, but you can just watch them on KZbin. And other unlockables should still be obtainable if I recall though. Also, I would probably suggest watching the Chain of memories cutscenes on KZbin when you get to that game. It can be stressful or annoying for a lot of people (I like it though 😂😂)

[@DymirRobinson]

As someone who has definitely not had this conversation with you before 😉 I agree that release order is the proper way to play.

[@smugaru]

No way, that's crrraazy. We should totally like chat theories and stuff 👀😂

[@watchsoraonly5694]

I don't like people saying to play Days before 2 because it ruins one of the biggest twists in KH2, that is (spoilers if anyone is reading and haven't played) that Sora killing the heartless in the worlds was actually helping the organization make Kingdom Hearts, along with Sora's connection to Roxas and many other smaller things will tone KH2's experience down a lot, Days may get this a bit but since it was done after it suffers way less of this.

[@smugaru]

Exactly, so much of this is why I take this stance pretty firmly. You're hoping to encourage people to have that same excitement from the reveals that you got, but they're being actively led in a way that will ruin the surprise! 🙈

[@greenrangerfan1993]

If you had the HD remix on PS4, this is my suggested order: 1. Kingdom Hearts 1 2. Re:Chain of Memories 3. Kingdom Hearts 2 4. 358/2 Days (better experience, if you had a DS Copy) 5. Birth By Sleep 6. ReCoded (same for no. 4) (The rest are released separately from the collection) 7. Dream Drop Distance 8. A Fragmentary Passage 9. Kingdom Hearts 3 (If I plan to LP the series, it would be this order.)

[@smugaru]

Yep yep pretty much just this hahaha. Also big agree with actually playing Days and Recoded 💛

[@iheartcello0]

Great video! And I agree, suggesting any other order besides release order feels like a crime. To the point of Kingdom Hearts being confusing, I definitely agree that it's not as confusing as it's reputation. It makes total sense as you play it, but explaining it to anyone else does start sounding a little crazy.

[@smugaru]

Exxactly. Considering that you can get all of the stories on a single console of your choice now, I can't in good faith recommend against release order. We don't need to keep needlessly complicating the series lol. I will admit that the KH story is LONG! It's difficult to explain all of the details, but it will make sense when actually viewing the games.

[@tehdrumerer3]

optimal 358/2 placement is in between 1st any% standard/proud playthrough of KH2 and 2nd 100% critical (the canonical difficulty) playthrough of KH2FM

[@smugaru]

2FM on critical is pretty based ngl lol😌😌

[@3clipser]

I think sometimes the most simple answer is the correct one being that you could look at it like this: the release order is the way the developers intended you to play them. That's how I see it anyways

[@smugaru]

That's pretty much how I feel about it at this point. If a story was meant to be re-ordered I feel like there would have been effort to actually restructure the original stories order to reflect this and make it official. 😅😅 And again, like you said, this is the simple answer. Release order is literally the simplest way to experience a narrative. Especially now that we have all of the games more easily accessible than ever lol.

[@Crafty_boy70]

Honestly, "Chronological Order" is something that I don't think needs to be questioned at all in media. If the writer's intention was for a series to be shown in a certain order, then they probably would have written and released it in that order.

[@smugaru]

@Crafty_boy70 The whole thing with the 1.5 Remix bundle really screwed with that, unfortunately. The fact that the games were originally on both home consoles and handhelds, so people were introduced to different entry points in the narrative back in the day, also plays a big part. Some people just also comprehend the narrative differently, I guess, lol My main thing is that now that we have all of the games and stories easily accessible, I can't in good faith recommend anything other than release order😂🙈

[@abdieljove2011]

You know…I can’t think of any story heavy franchise were any order besides release order makes sense. Even if there are prequels and in between stories, they’re always written from the perspective of the story in release order. Answering questions asked in earlier titles, setting up plot hooks for future titles etc. Not to mention with games, gameplay advances from title to title. So playing any order that isn’t release order makes for really weird experiences when release order lets you see how game systems advance from game to game. Don’t play games outside of release order. Villains do that.

[@smugaru]

You absolutely nailed it! But it still leads to an interesting discussion. There are still people set on doing it their own way, which is fine. I can't make people play it the way I want. But considering we've got just about all of the games/stories compiled into collections and made available on a singular system of your choice, I can't in good faith suggest anything other than release order lol

[@nightwish1453]

draken/nier is pretty close that you can start wherever (except drakengard 2) as most of taro's games never feel like direct sequels, there are references but their not important to enjoy the thing your consuming, trying to play it chronologically is pretty much all over since even though there is a timeline there is no start and end it always reverts to the beginning again

[@smugaru]

@nightwish1453 Thank you for mentioning that. That's another series that I'm curious about (nier especially). It all sounds very fascinating, hahaha.

[@abdieljove2011]

@@nightwish1453 You know, I’m not sure I fully agree with that. On some level, sure. I mean, most people started with Automata and loved it. But if they had been playing since the first game, or God forbid since Drakengard, I promise you their Automata experience would have hit way harder. …Gonna be a hypocrite and say I don’t recommend starting with Drakengard though. Plays like ass. My advice to any newcomer is look up a lore video, MAYBE play Drakengsrd 3 and start with Replicant lol So I guess that’s the exception to my previous post. Some games really really don’t age well. Remake Drakengsrd from the ground up, Square. You absolute cowards.

[@aliceyuri]

the only part that's a bit awkward is either watching all of union x before playing 3 or leaving some of it until after playing 3 cos some of the scenes came out after 3 and like, when you'd watch back cover in reference to union x, that's really not what most people care about when asking this tho and for actual games you can play release order is the obvious answer, i'd lean towards "yea it's fine to just watch it all before 3" cos idk that the final scenes of union x really "spoil" anything for 3 or whatever but you'd obviously want to have a working grasp of the union x stuff to get what some of the stuff in 3 is about

[@smugaru]

Yeah, I agree. It is pretty awkward trying to fit it in. Watching all of KHUX before getting to KH3 seems like too much of an ask for new people. And it isn't that necessary; X Backcover gives just enough of the setup to get you started (while also having nothing really happen in hindsight, lol) I would imagine that if someone has made it to KH3, they will hopefully seek out KHUX & DR on their own. Ideally, it could be something you look up along and along while playing 3, or just save for afterward when you have downtime.

[@BrennySpain]

I actually would’ve preferred having 1, chain and memories and 2 in one collection (original trilogy as such) and then 358/2 days, birth by sleep and recoded in another collection (side games trilogy). But even if that was going to happen days and recoded would’ve needed to be fully playable games and I don’t think there was anytime to remake both games at all. Otherwise it would’ve already happened by now you know?

[@smugaru]

So would I, original trilogy would have so good in one little packaage. And for days, yeah, that is looking to be more and more likely, unfortunately 😕 So, pretty much that period of time when they put together 1.5 remix was like the last chance for something like a 358/2 remake to happen 😅 I hope they change their mind, though hahaha

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru well you never know sometimes.

[@Megaman.ExE7]

11:02 For anyone wondering

[@smugaru]

I meeeaaan 👀 🤣

[@DMPLAYER1000]

My first KH game was Re:Coded on the DS. Don’t know how I ever stuck with the series, but I’m glad I did

[@smugaru]

It's really cool learning more people started with Recoded. It's such a fun game. I could definitely see it being compelling enough to want to go back and see what the heck is going on with the story hahaha. And since it mirrors so much of KH1, I would imagine transitioning back to the first game still felt natural.

[@ZickDarkhaos]

The fact you have to explain how storytelling works..... Maybe every murder mystery movie should start with us seeing the killer committing the murder :)

[@smugaru]

Exactly lol! Like that can certainly work if that were the writer's original intention, but the narrative was presented in the order that it was. It naturally builds up anticipation while answering enough questions if you can commit to it. But even going back to your example, like, if the killer is fully revealed at the beginning you would hope for some sort of twist to offset that, otherwise it would just be so dull! 😂😂

[@ZickDarkhaos]

@@smugaru See, first you watch the movie that follows the killer's tragic backstory that ends with him committing the murder, then you watch the movie about a detective trying to solve the murder and the entire time the movie acts like you would have no idea who the murderer is even though you already watched the prequel movie ABOUT the villain. You watched it in chronological order! Why doesn't the original movie take this into account!? That's what this is

[@ZickDarkhaos]

@@smugaru Also, unrelated, but the whole thing of the devs saying "play bunch a'days first" is not a case of them saying chronological order is better, it's a case of Square Enix thinking westerners are too stupid to understand Japanese RPG plots, it's why we have shit like Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, this isn't a new thing. They're more interested in making sure more people play the games, not in making sure everyone understands them. If the devs came out saying "if you don't play in release order, you're doing it wrong" can you imagine the backlash? Them telling you to play bunch a'days first is a marketing decision, not a storytelling one

[@smugaru]

@@ZickDarkhaos Truuue, that's pretty much how I feel about it as well. This sort of layered storytelling isn't new! We've all consumed something that's narratively intricate like this at one point or another (a game, book, movie, show etc) I am with you though, the decision feels like it was more so for marketability, not for integrity of the story. Square Enix literally has an article claiming that the order doesn't matter, because if you wanna play/pay for the latest and most expensive game first then obviously you should, like come on now 😂😂 Not every title has to serve as an entry point. It's not the end of the world if a piece of media requires a little bit of homework as long as the material is accessible.

[@BrennySpain]

Excellent video overall! I really agree with all your points. Video games in general are so different nowadays compared to what they were back then. We won’t really be getting anymore side games as much I don’t think unless you count the mobile games like union cross and missing link for example.

[@smugaru]

Thank you so much!! And you're probably right. Kingdom Hearts definitely is a product of its time in a lot of ways. Hopefully, this means the storytelling will be tighter in this next "phase"? lol I don't know about you, but that sounds exciting to me... unless it means even more mobile games 😅

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru I just hope the mobile games will be ported to different consoles like switch someday. Who knows?

[@smugaru]

@BrennySpain Oooh yes, pleeaasse! lol🙏 There should be a remake of KHUX/DR if they ever need to fill space in the new phase lineup👀

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru yeah we’ll see.

[@CaptainCJ97]

As a fan of the series since 2007 this is the only game series where this is a topic lol

[@smugaru]

That's the part that still confuses me. I feel like there are other series/IP with lengthier, more complex and confusing narratives, but Kingdom Hearts always gets made fun of lol. Like I never hear people drag Metal Gear or Devil May Cry or something like that for being weird and confusing 😂😂

[@CaptainCJ97]

@@smugaru true they don't for some reason

[@smugaru]

@@CaptainCJ97 I guess it's just cool to dunk on KH cause it's weird Disney nonsense or whatever lol😂

[@numbug1234]

Chronological order isn't even the least confusing lol, X is a long as hecc mobile game whose central plot involves prophecies of the future and and even features someone traveling back in time, it's really building off of the chronologically future entries

[@smugaru]

Right! Like to ever suggest seriously starting off with the mobile games because they're technically prequels is kind of a crazy. They do explain a few details of the current story, but like you said, so much of it is really setting up for future events and storylines lol (which I think is kind of fun, but definitely not where people should start 😂😂)

[@numbug1234]

@@smugaru Mhm! Chronological order only really makes sense if you're *already* familiar with the story as a whole (and therefore don't need a "recommended order" in the first place) and just want to see everything unfold as it happened, but that would require so much time and effort that unless there was someone in the KH community doing such a monumental project for us there's not much point (Many thanks to Everglow for being exactly that someone!)

[@smugaru]

@numbug1234 Yeah, that's ultimately the point I land on. But there seem to be some people who insist that chronological order will make more sense, and that all narratives should be presented that way, and thus, there's an argument for a preferred or "recommend order" lol The story was very clearly written a certain way, and it was released that way. Considering that we now have all the games/stories more easily accessible now, I can't in good faith recommend anything other than release order for someone new, lol. I just feel like some people want to mind game the series and get ahead of all of the mysteries, as if it'll be too difficult to understand normally.

[@Bravidunno]

In my opinion, playing the game in release order for the first time is better than playing chronologically due to the lore spoilers the game may throw at you from time to time, such as the reason Riku got to use a Keyblade. Although let's be real the BBS movie from KH2FM spoiled the end of KHBBS and KH1FM and KH2FM spoiled the end of Days, and the fact you don't see the Wayfinder Trio in games like KH1, CoM or KH2, means that something must have happened to them. So, the release order spoils much more things than the chronological order does, and when you play the prequel, you know it's going to be a tragedy. It's similar to watching a filler arc of Bleach, where you see a new character that never appeared in the manga become a captain, so you know something bad is going to happen to them since something is going to cause them to be no more. But if you redo a marathon in the series there's no harm in playing the series chronologically since the prequels such as BBS do not directly reference events from games that took place after. The fact Land of Departure got turned into Castle Oblivion does not spoil events from CoM, you just know this weird mansion exists, and you'd see it again during CoM, but knowing that's what it was doesn't tell you that it was going to become a new facility for the organization that would lure Sora in. BBS doesn't reveal any fact about Ansem, or Xemnas, just that Terra became Terranort, but doesn't tell you that they became those two, then KH2 tells you what became of Terranort. Regarding Ansem's apprentices, the fact you meet them in BBS doesn't spoil you about events from Days or KH2, or what they'd become, if you see familiar faces from KH2, it's cool, but that doesn't serve any purpose other than telling you who they were. Ven saying Sora's catchphrase can be a reference to Sora, but in actuality, Sora is saying Ven's catchphrase. 0.2's story does reference the events after KH3D, but only during the cutscenes at Yen Sid's tower. But, those cutscenes are there to tease KH3 and... do not help making 0.2 playable as a sequel to BBS, so they're better skipped if you want a chronological experience. There are cases like in Union Cross that do make references to Maleficent's death, though, but I don't recommend playing the mobile games anyways... Looking at the Back Cover cutscenes do not spoil anything either from games that got released before. tl;dr knowing the causality before the consequence (BBS before KH2) isn't always that different from knowing the consequence before the causality (KH2 before BBS).

[@smugaru]

I get what you're saying about the KH2 secret ending, but it's more so just a plot point that's completely out of context to the rest of the story that they went with, and we don't see the conclusion. So, like kind of spoilery, but not really. After lurking around reddit and reading other interviews with Nomura, I kind of don't take the KH 1 & 2 secret endings too seriously anymore. It seems like they were just made to look cool and then they decided to incorporate parts of it into the actual games. It wasn't all as intricately planned out as it seemed lol. I think a lot of the hang ups now stem from just a difference of perspective of how we consume narratives. I don't interpret release order as really spoiling things like BBS or Days. We don't know what the story is going to be going into those games. They have a beginning, middle, and end that are still worth experiencing even with the little info the main games give you beforehand. I see them as being more supportive and helping fill in more context and lore for the established story so far. Also, I think it's more a coincidence that both of them happened to be tragedies lol

[@user-zq1um1mf1s]

For first playthroughs of the series I'd play by release but once you have a full grasp of the story it is interesting playing it in chronological order starting from X to BBS then kh1 (fragment passage and kh1 around the same time) COM 358 kh2 watch recoded then play ddd then kh3 then remind then melody. Also if you want, read the journals and secret reports in order accordingly to where you are currently in the time line while playing. As well as flashbacks in later games that are supposed to be taking place at that same time. Like the video of Xemnas meeting roxas during your kh1 playthrough and then you fight unknown boss then watch xemnas talking to Roxas after saying that he's been to see him etc. Or like watching xemnas trying to make contact with aqua in the chamber of repose right before aqua talks to terranort in fragment. Or watching the videos of older Xehanort in dark road actually at the end of the game inching towards bbs (I still watch the ending of little kid xehanort talking to the player character about being the child of destiny where it already is though cause i think its better that way). Or after bbs watch xehanort kill everyone and go by ansem and then the part in melody when he sends kairi to destiny islands etc etc. I also dont watch COM and 358 like at the same time because thats just too much to keep track of and the story of 358 is more of like a story telling by Roxas later in the timeline already anyway so it doesnt make sense to do that at least for me. Its an interesting perspective and feels like aqua terra and ven have been far away longer now and feels more satisfying bringing them back again.

[@smugaru]

Yeah, I think once you have the basis of the story from release order, it is really interesting to go back with the information in hindsight and see how things might fit together in chronological order. I'm just against having so much plot given away before even getting to KH1 the first time around lol. The mystery is a part of the fun, and a lot of questions are answered anyway 🤣

[@Dommbuscus]

I will always tell people to play 358/2 Days before KH2, for one simple reason: Everyone I notice playing KH2 first simply does not care about Roxas. It's not that they're confused, they're not in the dark. They just don't have any reason to feel anything, they're bored and just wanna move on to Sora. Even by the end of the prologue, everyone I see is always just like "Ugh, finally". So I suggest playing 358/2 Days so that people actually care. Give them a reason to not wanna quit the game before it even gets started. I had to keep convincing people to keep going, this wouldn't be an issue if they liked Roxas. 358/2 Days gives Roxas likeable traits, and backstory to care about. As for the spoilers in the intro, uhhhhhh skip the intro? That's all. It's just an intro. Most, if not all the intros in the series are inconsequential. And in 358/2 Days' case, there isn't even any new flashy animation, so there's no point in watching it. That's where you pull up your phone to check your texts and emails. Just imagine how impactful it would be doing the Roxas fight in TWTNW, given the context of his entire story. You can actually feel the tragic sadness and anger from Roxas when he's battling you. He's letting all of his hatred of you out, you ruined his life and you know it. It's sad, and makes you feel something. That's a good thing.

[@smugaru]

I definitely get not caring about Roxas. I remember not caring that much about him the first time I played and was really confused why people thought he was cool. It didn't bore me or turn me off though. I felt somewhat empathetic and curious to learn how he was relevant, and how things would tie together. It would be really interesting to have stats for how many people were put off or quit KH2 during the prologue lol. Skipping the intro, sure, but how would you know to skip it unless you or I are telling people they shouldn't bother watching it? I would imagine most people are gonna watch it because why wouldn't you watch an intro lol. I would say my big hang ups are still that the spoilers go deeper than the intro. So much of the plot of Days is revealing the behind the scenes of KH2, and a little bit of CoM. It gives away some pretty big reveals for the story: like Ansem being Riku, and that the hearts Sora/Roxas released from heartless was helping the org build their Kingdom Hearts. It also feels a lot more regressive in the storytelling with them showing you the remaining organization members, fully, only to go back them being hidden and mysterious in KH2. To me, the narrative flows better with getting their initial reveals in CoM/KH2 and then going back and experiencing the org as one of their members. Also introducing Xion, who isn't a part of the story of KH2 at all feels like a regressive step to me personally. If you're looking at things chronologically as you'll now have to wait a whole game for her to be brought up again. I get what you're saying about the impact, but it's not like it won't click in release order either, but it just hits differently. And I think it makes a bigger impact when you're then replaying KH2 because you had one idea of the narrative that's then completely recontextualized and it changes everything that came before it. Going through in chronological order takes away those realizations or "a-ha" moments. But I realize that we all just experience and comprehend stories differently, so while I do feel strongly about this, I do get that it's just my opinion haha.

[@d3vld0g6]

When I first started playing this series on the PS3 I played it by release order. When I played Theater Mode I watched in chronological order

[@smugaru]

Oohhh, really? now that sounds like the reasonable way to go about it 😌👌

[@AlastorNahIdWinRadioDemon]

My first game was Kingdom Hearts II

[@smugaru]

That was probably wild, yeah? lol Thankfully, the game does still provide all the character links and the little bios for everyone to give some context haha 😆

[@AlastorNahIdWinRadioDemon]

@@smugaru Indeed. I actually think it served the prologue better though because I not only had the intended level of confusion, but I didn't even know about the Sora stuff, which actually added to the mystery and I think made it so I was less annoyed than some about it.

[@smugaru]

@AlastorNahIdWinRadioDemon Ahhh, that's actually a really interesting perspective! So you wouldn't have had any prior expectations, yeah. But it makes it even more intriguing lol. For me, I had Roxas sort of hyped up before I got to play myself and was really confused at how little screen time he got lmao. Like, "Oh, that's it?" 💀

[@Asakedia]

@@smugaru same here, KH2 being my first to this entry, and my favourite. As well as the prologue being my favourite as well. I grew so attached to Roxas and Twilight Town itself, I have spent more than 10 hours in the prologue before I moved on with the story. I felt just as Roxas felt. I was very young at age 7 I believe. Not to mention that I had once a dream where I lived for 12 years in TT and it's become a part of my life ever since

[@smugaru]

@@Asakedia Oh wow!! The prologues for KH 1 & 2 really are so important I feel. And while KH2 does take a little while, it really does help ease you into following Roxas for whatever the heck is going on lol. I remember I was not super attached to Roxas initially, and that's why Days was so good as a follow up. It explained everything in hindsight and made him so much more compelling. And makes replaying KH2 feel more special imo. Twilight Town as a setting I still love as well. I was pretty gutted at how neutered it was in KH3!

[@CynicVash]

Haha dam it your right. But I inner OCD wants it chapters 1-2-3, story-wise. Like i wanna how this all started in the beginning and why. But playing it in order to experience the evolutionary gameplay as tech gets better in release order makes sense. But the correction for days is a helpful tip! Thank you! 🙏🏽 I hope Melody can get ported to steam before I finish all the games. Well I have time since I’m hella backlogged on games 😅 stupid steam sales! 🎉❤❤

[@smugaru]

Hahaha. I hope you enjoy them regardless! It won't be the end of the world if you just go through the "Remix order" that's in the collection. The story doesn't really reveal itself with chronological order in mind. That's still the main reason why I make the suggestion. It would be interesting if they'd ever consider renaming the collections in the future to be chapter based and more straightforward lol😂

[@TheKayasto]

it doesn't matter as long as you have fun! they'll get the story by the end of it. I started with kh2 and then played every release after in order. but I didn't feel like I missed anything from kh1 or com.

[@smugaru]

That's fair. I really just don't want people who might be seeking advice, be intimidated with where to start. It is best to just keep it simple, especially since the games and stories are so much more accessible now.

[@TheKayasto]

@smugaru oh yeah. if someone were to ask me (a seasoned veteran of the kh franchise) I would tell them release order but you can skip kh1 if you want. recoded and the smart phone games. but that's just my personal opinion on kh1. I know it's VERY important. but so little happens in kh1 compared to any other game I. the series that I'd sooner tell them to just watch a video in KZbin explaining the whole of kh1. and the only important thing in recoded is a single scene between maleficent and Pete about the book of prophecies. amd the riku smelling stuff lmfao

[@smugaru]

@TheKayasto Skipping KH1 is crrraazy, but alright, haha 😂 What's really a shame is recoded. It is fun to play, but the story only really works when you have gameplay to break things up. It being distilled to cutscenes did it no favors lol😭

[@TheKayasto]

@smugaru I started with kh2. and didn't play kh1 all the way through until oneyplays started a kh1 playthrough. then I got tired of the gap in episodes of that series and decided I'd finally play and beat kh1. I would been like 24 or so at that time. I had tried kh1 after playing kh2 first a couple times but never got further than wonderland. so with no real attachment to kh1, and playing it finally as a grown man, I can't say I like it very much. they tried too many things with kh1 so a lot of it didn't work out as well as it could if they focused on specific features instead of throwing everything at the wall at once. I'm glad they ironed out what they wanted the series to be like by kh2. and I'm glad kh1 exists because without it, we wouldn't have the rest of the franchise! but my personal opinion on kh1 is that it just isn't a very good game. some people think it's amazing! and I love that for them! I'm happy we all love kh! anybody is free to tell me I'm wrong. I'll accept that. I'm not trying to be right. TLDR don't ask me how to play kh because I'm a silly goose 😇😅😆

[@smugaru]

@TheKayasto Ahhh gotcha. I appreciate the perspective, hahaha. I'm somewhat of a KH1 simp. It is certainly the most inconsistent and slowest of the main ones though, so I can respect someone not loving it, especially after getting a taste for how good KH2 can be lol😂

[@Asakedia]

really like this video, spoilers kept to a minimum (with visuals) and a point I agree 100% with :3

[@smugaru]

Thank you so much! Tried my best to avoid spoilers. I still want people to have fun and be surprised and excited by the stories like I was haha💛💛

[@AdamOusley]

What's even worse is several cards in CoM are locked behind watching the cutscenes in Days. So if you're a completionist they practically force you to do Days before KH2. Thankfully you can just keep skipping the cutscenes so the game thinks you've watched them, and let's you unlock the bonus cards.

[@smugaru]

Omg that's right, that was so annoying to see. Almost like they were desperate to make chronological order work lmao. It does makes sense that they'd want to have ties to Days and CoM, but it is basically holding you hostage if you're trying to get everything before moving on with the story 😂

[@Skullheadpunkmusic]

My honest thoughts are you can play 358/2 days before or after 2. I don’t think it matters. They both spoil each other and no matter which one you play first Roxas is still a new character. Also Buy a 3DS and mod it. You can then play CoM, 358/2 Days, Re:Coded and DDD. I hope newcomers have fun on their Kingdom Hearts journey. EDIT: at least play kh2s prologue before 358/2 days and then restart 2 (yes replay the prologue too) but other than that release order then chronological.

[@smugaru]

@user-pi3ip4ss6g I looked up an old Q&A with Nomura for the Days launch, and he mentioned something to the effect that they felt it made sense properly introducing Roxas in this game as they were introducing the series to a new system (the DS.) I respect people whose first game was Days. I do still think it's a very dense watch prior to KH2 for newcomers, but I'm not stopping anyone from doing it, lol.

[@Skullheadpunkmusic]

@@smugaru yeah i agree but if you play the prologue first it’s a good experience also your one of my fav KZbinrs

[@smugaru]

@user-pi3ip4ss6g That's pretty reasonable. I could see Days being inserted after the prologue as like a really long flashback sequence. I'm also really curious about the opinions of newcomers playing along with their friends who suggest chronological order instead of release order (especially someone being convinced to start with BBS lol 😂) Also, thank you so much! I feel guilty for not being more motivated to create videos regularly, but that really made my day 💛💛💛

[@Roman6ixv3]

I went from 358/2 - Recoded - KH1 & 2 someone gifted me bbs but I didn’t have a psp so I never got to play it till the remixes came out 😭 but imo starting at days and recoded is good fof new comers too cuz they give a good gist THEN BBS

[@smugaru]

Being gifted a PSP game with no PSP is crraazzy. I feel for you lol💀 All of that would definitely fall under "other circumstances" for sure 😂 I can definitely see an argument for Days, and Re:coded especially since it most mimics KH1 while remaining somewhat removed from the main plot. It's possible I could feel differently if Days were actually playable in the collections.

[@dalewilliams4451]

Release order if you care about character reveals and drama, chronological order if you want to play them in order of timeline placement. There I saved you all the whole video

[@kamikaze5528]

Your chronological order is wrong, tho. Chain of Memories is nested inside 258/2 Days. Days starts before CoM, and CoM ends before Days is over. And Technically, Fragmentary Passage is set after Dream Drop Distance. The framing device is Mickey telling the others where he last saw Aqua, so it's a flashback. Also, you're missing the mobile games. But yeah, I agree with playing by release order, with the caveat that it makes no difference of which you play first between BBS, Days or Coded, as there is no direct connection between them.

[@smugaru]

Ahhh, yes, that's so true! Days would be nested in between the middle of KH1 and CoM and spread over roughly the same amount of time. I didn't want the timeline graphic looking too messy, hahaha. It's been a minute since I've played 0.2, so that definitely slipped my mind, but makes a lot of sense (and even more proof it should have been kept as the KH3 prologue)🤔 I agree with your caveat as well. It's just that now that we can easily get all of the stories on the system of your choice, I don't see the need to needlessly complicate things haha Also, yes, mobile games were kept out because it would have made my little graphic look even more of a mess🤣

[@_izanagj_3458]

for me it should be played in order of release, at most the only variation that can be valid is days before kh2, but you would lose the aura of mystery behind roxas, however it also allows you to have much more context on the situation, it depends , but as for everything else absolutely in order of release

[@smugaru]

Right, exactly. Especially since we have just about all of the major games/stories compiled into fairly easy to access collections or you can get them on a single system of your choice. It's difficult to not suggest release order now lol. For Days I also just think it's a lot of exposition dumping that doesn't quite hit the same, especially without gameplay. I may feel differently if it were actually playable in the collection.

[@_izanagj_3458]

@@smugaru I'm one of those who only played days, and never seen it so yeah hahaha

[@smugaru]

@_izanagj_3458 When I only had 1.5 on PS3, I tried to hold off on watching Days. Eventually, I did, and I was almost convinced the story wasn't that good. It felt so dry without gameplay, lol

[@_izanagj_3458]

@@smugaru it has a lot of problems, but I assure you that the movie is better, the gameplay has aged badly and 3/4 of the game is "kill heartless lick ice cream on the roof", the story is practically all concentrated at the beginning and end of the game, but let's say that I find it cool to start 2 knowing Axel, Roxas and knowing who Xion is, even if it actually destroys the aura of mystery behind Roxas, however the prologue of kh2 is practically set immediately after the end of days, so it creates a certain sense of continuity

[@smugaru]

@_izanagj_3458 Oh, trust me, I'm with you on the gameplay. I made a video about why the game needs a remake for that very reason lol 😆 I do get the whole continuity angle, and this is definitely just personal bias, but I think it works better as a reflective story. The ending is a bit of a downer because you already know the outcome isn't ideal, but that's what made it stick with me. And then you're asked to move on to the next chapter.

[@davion4777]

Playing in RELEASE ORDER is ALL IMPORTANT. And that goes for every single piece of any media ever that has prequels. Playing KH (or also Metal Gear for example) in chronological order is a perfect way to have a super confusing start. Prequels always contain references to other previously released entries that you wouldn’t be able to get, BECAUSE they are meant to be played AFTER.

[@smugaru]

Yesss omg, this exactly!! I was going to expand on that point in the video a little more, but I felt like I was rambling on enough as is lol. I can understand starting out in a random order if you're completely unfamiliar with an IP or literally can't obtain certain entries, but considering all of the KH stories have been made more accessible now... I feel like people just want to be confused 😂 Also appreciate you bringing up Metal Gear. Not a franchise I've gone into yet, but I almost never hear people comment on it for the story being weird and confusing considering how many games it has lol.

[@RagnorokKing]

In release order is how you should watch/play everything. The things that are made are never made "chronologically", everything has hindsight to what came before. NEVER WATCH OR PLAY SHIT CHRONOLOGICALLY, people who say to do that are idiots.

[@smugaru]

There were some additional points I was going to talk about in the video relating to that. I feel pretty sure that some people have just been convince that all narratives are meant to be presented in chronological order. It could possibly be due to a stigma of being confused about something, or due to the increase of timeline breakdowns/story explained videos. But those are just my theories lol.

[@zubochonk9205]

I agree with release order, but I think the story should be secondary to gameplay, at minimum I would just recommend playing main 3 games or include some of the recommended one like Birth By Sleep and DDD. As I would argue that if someone really want to understand the story fully, they should also watch the disney movies and play the square enix games.

[@smugaru]

I definitely think it's fair if you want to pick and choose which games you actually "play" as long as you're still getting some supplemental context of the narrative lol. In terms of gameplay then release order definitely applies. I can only imagine the whiplash of going from 2D taping (KHUX/DR) to a Command Deck, to the "standard" gameplay lol.

[@zubochonk9205]

@@smugaru yes, I enjoyed the main games more than the handheld games which is why I think playing the main titles only should be the minimum requirement. Will you get lost in the story, probably yes. Would it diminish your enjoyment of the game, definitely not and I will argue it’s the best experience in terms of gameplay. I am currently playing DDD and Joshua keeps spouting about the Reapers which is not even in the game.

[@smugaru]

@zubochonk9205 Yeah, I think the games on their own are just fun to play. The game play is a big part of what makes me return to them now. This was my first action rpg series at the time, and it's still very satisfying. They still scratch a specific itch, lol 😂 Even if you were to only keep up with the side games through the use of summaries during downtime between main games, I think that would be a fine way of doing it (as long as you stick to release order 😉)

[@zubochonk9205]

@@smugaru I agree but the spin-offs/ side games are not a fun as the main games in my opinion and bit grindy making you play multiple similar runs most of the times Which I would only recommend for hard core fans. I am just glad DDD is closer to the mainline gameplay but the story does not make sense half of the time even if I played and watched the related movies and games.

[@smugaru]

@zubochonk9205 Oh man. 3D I have only played once, and I agree that it was the first KH game where, by the end, I genuinely didn't understand what was happening in the story lol. I am in the camp that it is peak "Kingdom hearts is confusing" meme. It's one I do want to revisit, but I get what you're saying. I would argue that the side games make you better appreciate the main games in a way lol. Personally, I find chain of memories very interesting and fun in its own ways. I also think recoded is actually super fun to play (best of the command deck games imo), but none of them ever really reach the well roundednes of the main games. I still need to finish melody of memory, which so far has just been a recap of the entire series (could serve as an entry point if you like rhythm action games, honestly 😂)

[@OkeOke-zs5ju]

Never played KH but planning on buying the 1.5+2.5 remix tomorrow. Is the music you playing in the background from KH (don’t mean dearly beloved but the other song)? I hope it is

[@smugaru]

@OkeOke-zs5ju Yes! All of the background music I used for this video is from Kingdom Hearts games. There are a lot of really good tracks throughout the series! 😁

[@OkeOke-zs5ju]

@@smugaru nice, I just got it

[@Faming59]

Imo i say story. Just cuz unless u watch the 0.2 secret ending nothing gets spoiled. Wouldn't recommend watching union cross until before kh3 tho. Going by stort order explains a lot when going through the story. Like how kh1 kiri turned sora back into a person which gets explained ik khbbs

[@smugaru]

When you say story order do you mean chronological order, like, the order the story happens? I don't disagree that it will explain everything, I just feel like it could explain too much and leave you with less tension or little to figure out yourself. For me that's a little dull (and that's just me lol) The stories try to make connections to other points across the series and I personally feel these moments are stronger when it's not all explained right away. Trying to piece the story together yourself, and then having it make sense in the next game was a part of the enjoyment for me.

[@Faming59]

@@smugaru yeah the order the story happens. but i get that. for me i like going through a story start to finish. i do like figuring stuff out too as it goes along. but really the only things that are a mystery when going release date chronologically is bbs, 0.2 and days. the rest of the series is in story order. bbs was a in the past game. before kh 1, kh days was just roxas's story which came out after the first game and kh 0.2 happens the same time as kh 1. ik recoded is a thing but that story is pretty non relevant to the series. but besides those games all the others are in story order. so like kh1, kh chain, kh 2, kh ddd and kh 3. one straight story line. when i meant understanding stuff i didn't mean the story itself. just the little pieces. like kiri in kh1 reviving sora from being a heartless. it never gets explained until kh bbs with aqua putting some sort of magic on her necklace which was the light that revived sora and to this day not a lot of people actually know this at least from what i have seen

[@smugaru]

@Faming59 Ahh, ok. Thank you for explaining. Yeah, I get that haha. There are still a lot of little details that I really wish they'd explain in more detail 😂

[@Faming59]

@@smugaru yeeaaah same. like most small stuff gets explained but since the explanation happens out of order and is subtle so it's hard to pick out on it. cuz like the kiri thing unless u played kh bbs and then kh 1 right after you will probably not realize it's connected unless it's already in ur mind

[@roxyprime2564]

my experience was : watch a KH1 LP > watch a KH2 LP (didn't know CoM existed at that moment) > play BBS > play CoM (on GBA emulator, as the gods intended) > read KH1 and CoM (cause I love Amano Shiro's illustrations) > watch every other LP

[@smugaru]

Ooooh that's really interesting, and valid honestly lol. I love that you'd watch KH 1, play CoM, and then read through both of them as well. That actually sound really fun ngl😂

[@roxyprime2564]

@@smugaru I really think that if Disney ever wants to adapt KH into an animated series, the manga would be a more suitable source than the games in terms of narration

[@smugaru]

@roxyprime2564 Now, that would make a lot of sense. I haven't even read the KH Mangas myself yet, but I absolutely believe you. It would certainly go a long way in instilling some confidence for an actual series imo. An "accurate" adaptation of the game would just be asking for trouble lol😆

[@JKSmith-qs2ii]

Like with any piece of media or game franchise or whatever you always start with the first one in release order.

[@smugaru]

Exactly! Your point made about other media franchises was something I originally spoke a little more on too but ending up cutting it. I know it's not always possible to start at the beginning, which is fine. But when everything has been compiled for modern systems, it's kinda like, come on now lol. Also, I don't think it's inherently wrong for a franchise to not make each new release serve as an "entry point" 😅

[@BrennySpain]

Playing Kingdom Hearts 2 before 358/2 days will probably be the most debatable thing in the community ever I think! Even rewatching the cinematic cutscenes on the HD collections feels like a crime again humanity. At least to me anyway.

[@smugaru]

Right omg!! I actually cut out a part where I went in on it further because it's so frustrating, lol. But, without gameplay, Days is literally just a lot of sitting and giving exposition about KH2, which is such a hard sell to me🙈🤣

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru yeah agreed! Lol

[@vroom7815]

i like days before 2 because you have grown attached to all the characters, sure the mystery is gone but instead of a void, its replaced with nostalgia/sadness/hope for the characters. SPOILERS AHEAD . When i fought Axel for the first time in 2 as Roxas , the references from Axel, and then after the Roxas boss where he and Axel share one last ice cream, it was really emotional.

[@smugaru]

@vroom7815 I get that, and I realize that my perspective is tied heavily to how I experienced the games. The narrative just hits differently. It's not that it isn't still sad or nostalgic in release order (I would say it's even more nostalgic in release order), but it all kind of hit you in retrospect when you're thinking back and connecting all the dots. I would also argue hopelessness regarding the fates of the characters was the intention, lol😅 In chronological order, it certainly works, but it clearly wasn't written in that way. To me, it just feels more regressive, and like, it doesn't even give you a chance to figure anything out yourself.

[@reversecrown8271]

Release order is the way to go for me personally. But if you don't agree, that's fine too. I'll only have a problem if you go and say "I can't understand the lore of Kingdom Hearts" but also refuse to play (or even watch) KHCoM/Re:CoM, KHD, KHRe:Coded, KHUx, etc. because they're unplayable or not as fun as the "main series titles".

[@smugaru]

Exxxaactly, like at times it feels like some people just want it to be as complicated as possible for no reason. The narrative literally flows together if you put in the minimal effort with release order, lol🤣

[@Yman451]

So I'm looking to either buy kh the story so far, then buy kh3 and melody of memories, or buy the all in one package, anyways my question is apart from the 2 mobile games will that be all of the kh games and if not which ones are missing and on what consoles can i get them. thanks in advance

[@smugaru]

Yo! With either of your choices, aside from the mobile games (Union X & Dark Road), you will not be missing any of the titles. Two of the tittles (358/2 Days & Re:Coded are 'movies' in the collection and not playable games. Those are both DS games. If you decide to seek them out or emulate them later. Missing Link should be the next game, and it will be another mobile game (hopefully with a PC port if we're lucky, lol) I hope that helps!

[@gwgwgwgwgwgwgwgwgw]

Hot take for play order: Kingdom Hearts Kingdom Hearts 2 ReCOM/358/BBS (interchangeable) Recoded DDD X cutscenes/Back Cover/0.2 KH3 I mainly came up with this after hearing that Nomura initially planned on releasing KH2 first, before COM. I don't think playing COM is essential for playing KH2, as without COM you have the same level of knowledge as the characters that you're playing as, and that lack of knowledge creates a sense of mystery/intrigue. Everything that you NEED to know is explained in the game, it's not as confusing as people make it out to be. From there, ReCOM, 358, and BBS each give the player explanations for different questions that they may have had after KH2, ReCOM explaining why Sora was asleep for a year, 358 explaining Roxas' backstory, and BBS explaining who Xehanort is and why/how he did what he did. Also, even if someone enjoys KH1, the gameplay of ReCOM could turn them off from the story, and many people don't really want to sit through a cutscene compilation instead of playing the game. The intrigue from playing KH2 makes it more likely that they'll want to finish ReCOM.

[@smugaru]

I do think this is a really interesting perspective. It also would make a lot of sense. I think I remember reading that comment from Nomura, too. Like, how "CoM is the KH game that you could skip" because the story wasn't something they had originally planned to do. I'd probably agree with that order if KH1 & 2 released back to back. Considering they did decide to go with it, make it a direct sequel and have it set up stories for both Riku and Mickey, who do remember what happened... idunno, I'm not fully convinced yet, personally. It would be interesting to see this other reality where CoM doesn't come out before KH2 and how that would have affected the story.

[@mikeymacaque]

Every time I think I’m going to get into this series, I realize there’s actually like a dozen games not three and immediately decide to play something else instead.

[@smugaru]

Yeah, it can appear pretty intimidating for sure lmao. But just like any game or series, you gotta be in the right frame of mind to start it lol😂

[@fvb7]

We're doing a chronological run. Nothing will stop us despite a 100% concensus!

[@smugaru]

Ok? Please do report back with how it goes, though. I'll be curious to know what y'all think😁

[@fvb7]

@@smugaru So far the guy that kind-of not really knows has just accepted that Darkness and Norted are words he's going to hear a lot. Myself and the other guy that know a fair bit are starting KH2 so almost to the new stuff. Really chronological is for the most part same as release. Just BBS and 368 are out of sync yeah?

[@smugaru]

@@fvb7 That's right, BBS (and 0.2) and 358/2 Days

[@RamChop451]

I get the reasoning for Days after KH2, but i personally like it before. I know, blasphemous. But i just like the fact i get to know characters like Roxas and Axel before their stories reach an ending point in 2

[@smugaru]

Yeah, it's definitely personal bias. I preferred having the setup and then getting the answers later in a more retrospective or reflective way. It made KH2 completely different on a replay. It is very bittersweet, but it shines a new light on most of the things that didn't make sense or felt out of place in that game. And because it assumes you've already played KH2 I really liked getting that less hostile perspective of the origination members lol.

[@RamChop451]

@smugaru really interesting point. Going through KH2 first definitely puts you into Sora's big angry shoes when dealing with them, destroying them systematically only for Days to make you feel compassion for some of them in the end

[@smugaru]

​@@RamChop451 Right, When you do KH2 first you're given the more mysterious, antagonistic impression of the organization, their identities are hidden, they are the enemy. Then Days flips the perspective, you know their identities and now they're your coworkers essentially. Working towards a seemingly mutual goal. You also get a little more of that slice of life aspect, which I love. They just be chillin in their living room most of the time lol.

[@littlea420]

I literally played dream drop distance and bbs 0.2 first because I didnt know the order when I was younger and only had 11.8 collection😭

[@smugaru]

That definitely falls under "other circumstances" lol We can't know everything, and sometimes we just have to take what we're given 🤣 This was more so if you've gotten all the games, or looking to start out and wanted some advice 💛💛

[@AlastorNahIdWinRadioDemon]

Kingdom Hearts is simple compared to some other series I'm interested in. Like Fate-

[@smugaru]

Yooo, that's what I've heard. Fate actually sounds insane. But even just other video games, like have you checked out the FNAF lore? 😳😅

[@AlastorNahIdWinRadioDemon]

@@smugaru It took me three hours to fully understand one of the Fate timeliness. Just the one. That's not even talking the rest of the series. And yeah on other games we have things like Shin Megumi Tenseis multiverse which... The fact that it's a multiverse should say enough. I'd argue certain Final Fantasy games can end up being more confusing than Kingdom Hearts is. Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

[@smugaru]

@AlastorNahIdWinRadioDemon But obviously they're compelling and worth it to even want to go through the trouble of understanding it right? lol 😆 Like, a layered story can be fun if done right... a multiverse is a lot, though🙈. Also, I really like xenoblade. I haven't played 3 yet, though😍

[@yoman5029]

to me, chronological or release order doesn't matter, as long as people are actually playing the games and are paying attention to every key detail in the story.

[@smugaru]

Truuuueee! That was the intention with the final thoughts. If someone is purposefully asking for advice then I have my opinions which I feel strongly about, but also literally can't hover around people and judge them because they decided to go with something else lol. As long as they're still enjoying the series and can make sense of it haha.

[@yoman5029]

@@smugaru me who has already made sense of the storyline: 💪(this is a joke, i don't actually mean to flex lol, but i'm willing to give someone a vide of kh's story if they wanna know or whatever)

[@smugaru]

@@yoman5029 Hahaha, I mean the best we can do is try to be as encouraging as possible. Ultimately, I just want people to enjoy the games and have fun with them like I did (while having healthy and interesting discussions hehe)

[@BrennySpain]

2.8 final chapter prologue is still such a weird title for a HD compilation game. It would’ve been just easier to have dream drop distance as its own seperate remaster and then have X back cover as DLC. Then a fragmentary passage as the original prologue to KH3 like it should’ve been to begin with. You know what I mean?

[@smugaru]

Absolutely. 2.8 is almost like a joke that got greenlit for some reason. lol They should have just taken the L and let 3D be standalone. Polishing and saving 0.2 for the KH3 prologue would have been wonderful. And yeah, I really like the idea of Backcover being free dlc.

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru okay cool 😊

[@gaelg.c3256]

RELEASE ORDER: TRUE HYPE❤❤❤

[@Zhorah]

im actually doing an experiment that would have me in jail if it were up to the kh community lmao, im having my friend who has zero knowledge of kh go through the entire story in chronological order because i think it would be interesting to see how he reacts to scenes under different context than most fans, we finished the x saga and dark road so bbs is next, although i wont have him play the secret episode/watch blank points until he has beaten kh2/coded

[@smugaru]

How could you! 😭 But could you also keep us posted on the updates please👀🤣

[@warriorofthegrandline2y618]

I played KH3 and BBS before 2 I have no shame whatsoever

[@smugaru]

No, it wasn't supposed to be this way! How could you! 😱😭😂 It would be interesting to hear how you felt about them though haha.

[@warriorofthegrandline2y618]

@@smugaru I saved the best KH game as the last one because I kept on hearing about it being the “best” and while I was tempted to play it first, the eye-candy of KH3 was what kept me playing the game from the moment I started playing And the story of BBS was just really interesting to me Obviously I played KH1 as the first one Basically when I eat my full course meal I always save the best for last (In the case of kingdom Hearts)

[@smugaru]

@warriorofthegrandline2y618 Oohhh, interesting approach, ok🤔 As long as you've been able to enjoy the series so far, lol What did you think of KH2 when you got to it?

[@warriorofthegrandline2y618]

@@smugaru it was every bit as good as I imagined it would be Nevertheless this order I used to play the KH games were similar to how I played the Yakuza games Yakuza 0 felt like it took forever and I wanted to play them but kept feeling tired When I played yakuza 6 the song of life and finished that one first my enjoyment of entire series skyrocketed which surprised me since looking at reviews for 6 were either mediocre or they just flat out said the game was rushed to hell and that the story didn’t make sense And I guess playing 0-5 might’ve been why people feel the way about 6 the way they do but to me 6 is what got me really invested into the series since it was easier to understand and I probably would’ve taken longer get into the Yakuza series I bring this up just because KH and YK were games that took me a while to get into as much as I was.

[@smugaru]

@warriorofthegrandline2y618 Oohh really? That is interesting. So was it like having the more streamlined or newer gameplay helped provide a solid motivator to keep you interested in the going back to the beginning? Yakuza is a series I've been interested to check out at some point🤔

[@ZacharyShow]

You covered the 358/KH2 situation, but I got another question? Do I play the literal 358/2 game or watch the cutscenes?

[@smugaru]

Probably stick to the cutscenes for the sake of saving time. The game does have a lot of dialogue and funny little moments that aren't present in the cutscenes. You also get to revisit worlds from KH 1 and 2 with new enemies. But the gameplay has not aged very well in my opinion (it's pretty annoying at times). It's pretty different from the rest of the games. Play it if you're curious and have the time and don't mind using an emulator.

[@ZacharyShow]

@@smugaru Asking because there's a new Emulator version with camera controls called the Melon Mix. Seems like an improvement in a lot of ways. The only downside is I hear the gameplay is tedious (which I know is kind of the point)

[@smugaru]

​@@ZacharyShow I think I've seen the name melon mix going around. I didn't know what it was lol. But yeah, it's a cool game overall, interesting ideas, story is good, but gameplay is unrefined. It needs to be remade because of the shortcomings. Again, if you're not in a rush to get through the series it could be worth checking out. The same devs made recoded too, which I think turned out significantly better and more fun to play. That one I would definitely say play over watching the cutscenes lol!

[@ZacharyShow]

@smugaru I'm actually going through the series a 2nd time, but this time want to do content. Last time I watched the cutscenes, but I'd rather play the game for content instead of sitting there and reacting to the movie. The Melon version seems to be the best progress so far but I heard people are working on a mod with the KH1 or 2 engine. Not sure when that's coming though.

[@ZacharyShow]

@@smugaru TheGamersJoint made a video on the 358/2 version if you're curious for more info. I tried mission mode to give it a shot but haven't started the story yet. I feel better about playing the games rather than watching them.

[@cameronmayfield1150]

The reason why I have tell first time players to play in chronological order is because Kh2 literally tell you at end that birth by sleep is next with both secret ending and some final mix exclusive cut scenes even though it’s a prequel to Kh1

[@smugaru]

Wouldn't that make the secret ending for KH2 redundant because you already know all about Birth by sleep ahead of time? One of the points I was trying to get across with birth by sleep is, while being a prequel is it also expands on information you learn from KH1 and 2 and offering some pretty big story reveals that would spoil both games.

[@cameronmayfield1150]

@@smugaru I was referring to if you waited to play BBS in till after 2 because otherwise yes you would be spoiled but I still think days should be experienced first because the game play is a little similar to Kh1 just with a bunch of customization with the grid system and also because what I was referring to earlier.

[@smugaru]

@@cameronmayfield1150 It's possible I might feel differently about Days if you could actually play it in the collection. Having it just be the cutscenes is a lot to make someone sit through before getting to KH2 imo. Its very character driven yeah, but it mainly boils down to characters sitting (or standing) and giving a lot of exposition.

[@cameronmayfield1150]

@@smugaru lol I understand yes square should’ve just remade days and recode instead of all these mobile titles 😂

[@alexfraser8352]

Considering both orders are mostly the same (birth by sleep and 358 are the only exceptions), I'd say no it doesn't matter 😂

[@smugaru]

That's another frustrating point. I do think it matters, but you're right, the two orders aren't even that different lol

[@SpiderSora]

I dont care what nobody says but if you think you can play kh 1 and then immediately jump into KH2 where you play as a random blonde dude who you've never seen before only for Sora Donald and Goofy to finally show up 3 hours into the damn game then think again, heck you cant even start with KH3 since characters from birth by sleep and 358/2 days are in KH3, every kh game is connected story wise heck I think even Re coded ads something like more of an insight to the characters thoughts and feelings, if you wanna play in release order then hands down the best way to do it is play the games in order on ps4 final mix in one package then 2.8 along with KH3 and play Melody of memory last all on one console either being ps4 or ps5 if you have one instead of the monstrosity that was having to buy every single console that was around at the time just to fully understand what the hell was going on which I believe is definitely the equivalent of square and Nomura trapping all of us in the realm of darkness during that time 😂

[@smugaru]

Yeah, thankfully we're past that messy era. You can now get just about all of the stories on a singular system of your choice lol. I'm so glad they made an effort to make the experience more streamlined. Story so far and All in one are helpful, but I am wondering now if they might consider rebranding the collections going into this new phase.

[@SpiderSora]

@@smugaru yeah, facts maybe they will, me personally after seeing KH3 mods I wanna see a KH1 and KH2 remake with KH3 graphics, having the other games be remade like that would be cool too, especially getting actual playable PS4 versions of 358/2 days and Re:coded since those were movies 😭😭😭

[@smugaru]

@@SpiderSora A KH1 and 2 remake would be interesting to discuss! It may finally be time 👀😅 I'd love to at least see Days and recoded be made playable.

[@Sarah12471]

As someone who played birth by sleep before watching 358/2 days, i think that kingdom hearts is good at making you feel the impact even if you do or don't know who this weirdo is

[@smugaru]

Yeah, for sure. I was going to add a little note about how BBS is one I'd be a little more flexible on as it is relatively standalone. The flow of information could work either way with BBS and Days.

[@VGInterviews]

I hate that this is still a topic of discussion

[@smugaru]

Yep, we shouldn't have to discuss it. Especially now that we have all of the games and stories more easily available, it should be pretty obvious. But it seems like some people are set on keeping up the memes or treating it as though the series is too confusing. And Square Enix is complicit with pushing the narrative that any game can be an entry point now, lol. We don't need to needlessly complicate things anymore.

[@VGInterviews]

@@smugaru I blame star wars fans

[@smugaru]

@@VGInterviews Oh? Do explain? 👀👀 (I'm not a Star Wars fan btw lol)

[@VGInterviews]

@@smugaru they were the first to popularize the whole "alternate order" by saying you should watch the movies in chronologicam order instead of release

[@captianbacon]

Kh1-kh2-re:coded- days/chain (gba not recom) bbs-ddd- watch damios part 1 of unionX-kh3-damios part 2 unionX-dark road-remind-M.O.M.

[@smugaru]

Now that's like the super cut lol. I definitely agree with having Damo's khux dub as a part of the line up👏👏

[@captianbacon]

@smugaru I desperately think kh1 into kh2 is better then having chain in the middle cause sora doesn't remember anyways.

[@smugaru]

@captianbacon That is really interesting! I would imagine that's how most people ended up doing it back in the day. And it does make sense in a way. For me, with it being a direct sequel and involves setting up stories for both Riku and Mickey, who do remember what happened... idunno, it's still kind of a hard sell to me, personally.

[@captianbacon]

@@smugaru back in the day "sighs of age" that was the spring after it came out on ps2 it wasn't that long ago...

[@shizuwolf]

Release

[@kiddalmatiangawd8389]

No but mods matter

[@joyhappiness]

play order doesnt matter bc the story is hot garbage after BBS. that said, optimal is release order

[@smugaru]

The story overall hasn't been as strong after BBS. KH3 was all over the place. I do hope KH4 brings it back around haha.

[@Clxiro]

All that yapping to say “play how you want”

[@smugaru]

Nah, play in release order 😌👍

[@AlexxxMYLSince2013]

¡¡RELEASE!! 😁😁👍🤣

[@smugaru]

Say it loud, say it proud hehe😉💛

[@AlexxxMYLSince2013]

@@smugaru Yes, Sir 😄

[@bitsuuuuuu]

i hate so many prequels in any games, one is enough lol, many are unnecessary

[@smugaru]

@BitsuArtcrest I can get that. I think that's something bound to happen with a series or narrative that lasts as long as KH has, lol 😆

[@bitsuuuuuu]

@@smugaru i even google searched when KH will possibly end

[@smugaru]

@BitsuArtcrest Oh, if it's gonna be introduced to the Star Wars and Marvel crowd... it's gonna be a while lol 🤣

[@bitsuuuuuu]

@@smugaru oh god

[@smugaru]

@@bitsuuuuuu 😂😂😂

[@kylefernandz]

muahaha play 2 first and then the rest (jk don't listen to me this is how I started)

[@smugaru]

@@kylefernandz hahaha 🤣🤣🤣

[@dullededge1395]

brother why can i hear the spit in your mouth when you speak

[@smugaru]

I produce a lot of drool sometimes, not sure what else to tell ya there lol

[@majinboo6377]

kh 1, 2 and 3. the rest are trash. maybe except bbs. but thats it.

[@smugaru]

I don't think the rest are completely trash (except maybe most of the recoded story 😂). I think it's fair to just want to play the main games if you're at least watching the cutscenes or reading the SparkNotes for the games you don't want to play lol