Every Kingdom Hearts Cover Art Ranked!

Kingdom Hearts is known for it's amazing Box/Cover Art illustrated by Tetsuya Nomura so let's Rank every single one!
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[@attilak6195]

The best moment is when you are on the Car ride home from a Gamestop/local game store just staring at that juicy box art before playing it

[@TheGamersJoint]

My god isn’t it just sensational

[@Vinylmelody1517]

I remember doing that with bbs and rechain a ton. Bbs especially was a long wait cause I had to wait till my family finished shopping and we got home to play.

[@Friendly_Neighborhood_Qrock]

4:16 I dunno .. I actually loved re coded box art , it gives me a very sad feeling towards the cover and game in general.. like this feels like a fake Sora that won't ever be mentioned ever again which is why the box art is my favorite in a way..

[@eloricelery]

had that feeling seeing everyone on the KH3 cover art.

[@alessandrozingali8410]

Me when I got 1.5+2.5

[@Hazoodles]

For your question at 24:02, when in 2D Mickey mouse is always drawn with both ears visible to keep his silhouette recognisable

[@DreamerFromTheDepths]

24:02 No actually that's exactly what Mickey's ears look like from that perspective, even good ol' Walt Disney himself drew it like that from that angle, does it make sense? No, has it always been like that? Yes, so Nomura didn't mess up.

[@TheGamersJoint]

I actually didn’t know that fact about Walt himself, thanks for keeping me in the know how! It makes sense to keep those iconic ears visible. I’ll however never be able to unsee two Ear Mohawk Mickey

[@burningHeart09]

@@TheGamersJoint not OP but it's based on the idea of silhouette. It's also why most modern 2d Sonic cartoons don't have Sonic's spines disappear behind his head at full portrait view. Making sure the shape is maintained is more important than giving Mickey an ear mohawk or Sonic sideways spines

[@sanicboom6443]

It's the same with Goku's hair

[@zachtemoro2116]

Actually it does make sense. It was intentionally done this way to make him easier to market. When you see three circles, a big one and two smaller ones, you think of Mickey/Disney. Walt did this to make Mickey more recognizable

[@DreamerFromTheDepths]

@@zachtemoro2116 I meant from a logical standpoint, if someone with those features stood at that angle it would look different.

[@alostyuki]

So no one’s going to talk about how sora’s keyblade is up his ass in the kh com cover?

[@nombnomb5648]

KidHikaru There are some things we don’t talk about and the com cover is just one of them XD

[@gigablast4129]

the best will be the donald duck games one when it comes out

[@BrnBear]

Kingdom hearts series but in Donald's perspective. It's like Hermione Granger's character but not attractive

[@Darkspine501]

"Sora's the king and kairi's the queen" "Kairi getting cosy on Sora" SoKai fans: YEEESSS

[@saxenart]

26:40 Same, KH1 cover art is still my favorite. It’s full of nostalgia and when i look at the art while dearly beloved is playing....I CRY

[@Zephhi]

Damn at the time of this comment I haven't watched the video, but it's also my favorite. Figured Jared would have taste lol

[@jaybriel1337]

I just can't get over how thin sora's leg is in the Kingdom Hearts 2 cover., like his leg is basically a toothpick

[@fsr1895]

My boy wasn’t being fed through KH1

[@Blah3210]

@@fsr1895 Nah, he was fine in KH1. It was during his year of sleep after CoM that his limbs withered away lol.

[@ruger51995]

Yeah it's dumb

[@buckyhillsong6936]

he ran away just before dinner in kh1

[@meteornome2556]

@@buckyhillsong6936 That's what happens when the only food you eat for an entire year is Potions, Hi-Potions, Mega-Potions, Ethers, Hi-Ethers, Mega-Ethers, and Elixirs.

[@manuelmanuel87jm]

Kingdom hearts 1 for me too. i'll never forget picking up that game to rent at the video shop and being like "wtf is this...oh shit Donald Duck and Goofy? this is going to be sick". The art work itself is just amazing, Kingdom Hearts in the background and everyone looking in the same direction except for good ol introverted Riku. Has this awesome mystery to it!

[@krusenator123]

The artwork is what got me interested in the series and here I am 15 years later

[@IJustWantAMocha]

:’) I was younger when it came out but kdh was my brothers first game and he brought it home to play I watched him through all his happiness and anger (because of hard parts he would get very mad) but he has slowly drifted away from it when kdh 2 came. He said it didn’t feel the same as kdh 1 and I understand what he meant by that now.

[@manuelmanuel87jm]

@@IJustWantAMocha I think KH2s game play is perfection but 1 just hits differently

[@katelynstewart2868]

Jared: *Nothing to see here, just kissing a kh2 poster Us: ok 😂

[@blksheepramirez]

KH3 and it’s cover art will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s by far the best

[@krusenator123]

*2

[@eloricelery]

no 3, everyone’s there :(

[@johnpantag472]

@@eloricelery yes but they have a generic pose. I think the all in one edition is better. Sora is the king

[@nanidesuka1591]

“Awkwardly kisses KH2 box art”

[@DavidZMH]

Quarantine love...you won’t get covid from a kh poster

[@xbolt678]

No clue why, but that "hey guys, it's Cynical here" got me all kinds of excited. Bias aside, KH has the best box art I've ever seen, namely because Nomura specially creates them himself. The KH3 art is still my phone lock screen lol.

[@mollyclark6828]

You know even though KH3 wasn’t my favorite game... I have to say that cover art is stunning. The colorful sky, the characters all together.... I wasn’t prepared for that to be my number one lol

[@footestomp]

15:17 “We’ve got the card pattern on the LEFT to represent Chain of Memories, and the black-and-white-checkered pattern on the LEFT to represent Days.”

[@darknesswave100]

He also said Disney islands instead of destiny island on the 358/2 cover lol

[@Muz1k10]

We need Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure 2 and Sora needs to be in it skating on a Keyblade...forget smash, I'll die on this hill! (Love the vid btw)

[@onlyacomentarynothingspeci2419]

but he can actually skate on a skate board

[@Iam__Dan]

Cynical In His Private Moments Showing Some Real Love To KH ❤

[@sansfangirl4life439]

a friend of mine gave me an awesome gift: A cardboard stand of KH2's cover art......FROM WHEN THE GAME CAME OUT. it's fantastic

[@puck1883]

Might be an unpopular opinion but I liked the bbs final mix artwork, not as much as the original one but still loved it, Ventus looks awesome in the middle glowing while the others in the dark behind him making cool posses with their keyblades

[@ORIGINALFBI]

"You see the Fortellers and the Master of Masters" Luxu: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@twiphe4375]

Isn't he also one of the foretellers?

[@ORIGINALFBI]

@@twiphe4375 I'm pretty sure he's considered to be on his own. I'm fairly sure that the Union Leaders are the Fortellers

[@isaaclopez4477]

First one here “I didn’t see you there”😂😂

[@kevinwillis2804]

This may just be my imagination stretching a bit, but I’ve always thought the KH3 box art and the original KH box art were connected by being in the same location just a different perspective. You can kind of see the silhouette of the clock tower down on the left side of the original box and the gargoyle dude on the right. It’s obviously a much more “traverse town” warped world feel, where as the KH3 town is more “real world” feeling. Makes me think of the journey Sora and gang are on regarding “is any of this for real, or not?”

[@Sjono]

“All the trios are back” Namine gets triggered

[@aryaa9900]

I actually thought it as quiet sad that Namine doesn't have anybody to be alongside with

[@KBlade1]

@@aryaa9900 It is what it is lol

[@dimitriosgladio059]

Kh2 will always be my favorite, in game and cover art

[@NxTTxT]

Fun fact: It's a general understanding amongst Disney animators and artists that Mickey Mouse must always be depicted with both ears! Even if he's portrayed in a profile position (being depicted looking to the side), both his ears still need to show. So while he does indeed look funny in the OG KH2 cover art with both his ears despite his pose, well there is an actual precedent for that, that was on purpose!

[@FlareBattle]

I guess it doesn’t really count as box art, but I got chills when I booted up Dark Road on my phone and saw Ephemer on the left and Xehanort on the right of the logo. It was as if Union Cross was Daybreak Town, The logo symbolized “Break” since it was between the two groups, between time periods. Then Dark Road Crew represented Scala Ad Caelum. Like that machine in Re:Mind.

[@Sjono]

Gotta love how after getting disregarded on KH1’s cover, Mickey snuck onto Chain of Memories’ box art and ever since then has been on every KH box art since

[@linhhong6804]

I really miss the old art style. The line was sharp and clean (simple) comparing to recently art work (from 2.8 up till now)

[@AzureKyle]

I'm just imagining Cynical as an old man shouting "Baste my turkey nipples with a freaking toaster! Why isn't there a goddamn piece of Kingdom Hearts artwork in the Louvre!?"

[@TheOneTrueOtaku1]

Re:mind mentioned that Roxas and Xion were having their memories studied in Twilight Town, so maybe a Days remake is entirely out of the realm of possibility.

[@millie173p9]

Can you make a video ranking all the dearlu beloved??

[@TheTwizted]

Honestly what game me into Kingdom Hearts was when I was a kid I was walking in Walmart and Saw the cover for Kingdom Hearts 1 and saw it had Donald and Goofy and luckily got it since my b-day was soon lmao

[@Fxbox920]

Totally agree with number 1, i was 6 years old at a best buy one night in 05 when i saw KH1 and was immediately hooked not knowing what it was about just cuz i saw flipping donald duck and goofy thinking oh man this must be hella good and begged my grandparents to buy it for me and been in love since

[@Intellyellthismyoldchannel]

So everything goes in S+? And you kissing the KH2 box art goes into S++?

[@TheGamersJoint]

Yes exactly Apart from BBS FM. That goes in F.

[@cadallac1780]

KH3 cover is so beautiful it's my wallpaper for my second monitor for work!! Really loving the consistent uploads!

[@maesflowers338]

I agree with this whole list. Nice choices 👌

[@nathanxthy5350]

Try rating all cinematic op

[@kaitourobin840]

What coincident! Two days ago, I just went and save all the Kingdom Hearts cover art because I wanted to compare them and to see their evolution.

[@ty4ler416]

Kh2’s box art , menu , dearly beloved are all beautiful

[@marcoterranova9844]

Also the poses that Sora, Riku, Donald, Goofy and Lea make in the 2.8 cover are identical to those of the FF15's characters in one of the artworks

[@xenghuong]

358/2 Days is DEFINITELY the side game that needs a remake/remaster the most. It's my favorite narrative from the side games as well.

[@williamjackson8782]

This man said possessed potato 🥔 He’s a baked potato now cuz he just got roasted!

[@ScarredPhoenix]

*sees the Days art* My Brain: Haha remember that ending? Memory Echoing: "Who will I eat ice cream with?" Me: 😥

[@bayardkyyako7427]

I remember the ending, Roxas and Axel ate ice cream and NOBODY else was there.

[@cedricmeisser1208]

How long till you rate all main menus?👀

[@zachtemoro2116]

The Mickey ears are intentionally not drawn in perspective. Its a call back to old Disney cartoons and somewhat recent, his ears not dealing with perspective is a staple of the character. Walt Disney wanted this because it made him a lot easier to market to people and that he was as easy as drawing 3 circles. When people see three circles, a big one and two smaller ones, they think of Mickey, and that was Walt Disney’s intention with him. Nomura simply payed tribute or homage to this design feature of Mickey. Its somewhat weird but its iconic for Mickey Mouse

[@zhenbinlam8467]

Who the hell rank KH art? All is beautiful, rank is not enough to describe them

[@Nick-4K]

I think Kingdom Hearts 2 with the holographic background is amazing

[@richie543ify]

I remember seeing the case of Kingdom Hearts 1, and noticing Donald and goofy on the cover. The entire cover had me intrigued, but the fact that the game had Disney characters in it, sold me.

[@godawful5600]

my favorites: 1. KH1 2. 2.5 3. Melody of Memory 4. 358/2 Days 5. DDD

[@pumpkinking5397]

Kingdom Hearts 3 has the best cover art of any video game I've ever seen in my opinion. So much so that I'm getting a tattoo of it. But honestly, most of those cover arts are good so I can't hate anyone for like one better than the other

[@romajimamulo]

Wait, the full thing? In full color?

[@krusenator123]

I still like 2 the most just cuz it's shiny silver

[@christianfigaratto5860]

you really have mastered the art of spending the longest amount of time to say the most basic things to pad out your videos

[@israelgajardo3928]

I like BBS FM cover because it kinda shows the ending of the game in a similar way that DDD does. Also the physical version has a holographic background that has an effect that depending on the perspective you look you can see only ventus, or terra and aqua, it's a cool detail.

[@easter_god]

I love nomura as an artist. His work, especially KH, has so much style

[@aryaa9900]

Fun fact: the only one of these that doesn't have Mickey Mouse in it is the OG KH1 box art. I believe it being due to Disney not wanting to take risks with it's most iconic character quiet yet

[@vbbrothers]

Can you maybe rank the secret/post game bosses?

[@KingdomheartL0V3R]

To tell a quick story about how I was introduced to KH... So it was lil me.. 2003... (yes i know it was released prior in 2002...) I was 8 years old.. My mom had taken my sisters and I to toys-r-us in january and we had just gotten our first ps2 for christmas and each were allowed to pick out a game from the clearance section.. My older sister found some mech game, my little sister had found harry potter chamber of secrets (also enjoyable).. And I had found a scrappy looking kh1 game in the mess at the bottom of the rack.. Needless to say.. It was the most played video game of the three that were chosen that day. I immediately fell in love with the music, the characters etc.. EVERY SINGLE SAVE FILE on my little ps2 cartridge was kh1... I remember crying when I had to make room for the kh2 save files because I was so worried i was going to delete my favorite ones.. But yeah.. So happy about being introduced to this franchise going on 17 years ago.. Still an avid fan.. I'm not great at video games, but I like to be somewhat a completionist when it comes to the games finer points... I am finishing up kh3 with all it's goodies and working through those really hard DLC boss fights.. FINALLY got Ultima and defeated that stupid sour cherry flan @-@.... It has been a roller coaster friends... But glad I can be here!!

[@twiphe4375]

Don't KHDR's and KHUX's main menu arts count as cover arts too?

[@math001]

KH1's box art was special despite it looking so different from the rest of the games. There's just this vibe of mysteriousness with it that you wouldn't expect when seeing the familiar characters Donald and Goofy. Seeing that as a kid, I knew I had to play this game.

[@catiedubya]

Cynical, have you read the Sleeping Realm kh theory? If you have, what are your thoughts?

[@sentinelwolf9833]

Awesome! Now re-rank the top 5 bosses. Top 5 hardest, top 5 best, top 5 hardest storywise.

[@curtisbender9042]

Anyone else ever notice that the gargoyle in three’s cover is a darkling from UX?

[@ctswag4204]

358/2 Days is one of my favorite KH games. It was my first KH game and Roxas is my favorite character. It needs a remake badly. Also, glad to see you back Cynical, stay beastin

[@moricanon4126]

Hi to Cynical scrolling through the comments

[@ichibantezOG]

I dead ass cried when I got KH3 just looking at the box art

[@Stuttsis]

Tbh I feel like I´m the only one who didn´t like the cover for KH3. It looks flat and I don´t like the art style of the characters, they look even more unproportionated and chibi? Big heads and small bodies. I prefered the old style from KH1 and KH2. There isn´t that much of dynamic either compared to the cover of 1 and 2, also final mix of 1. But I gotta applaud for the colour theme.

[@timekeeper2538]

That's called "having nostalgia goggles".

[@dreamstate2847]

why does riku look so dang sexy in the kh3 box art, i mean,, JUST LOOK AT THAT DANG BICEP DUDE!!!!!

[@Kaylersick]

had to pause and see if my non greatest hits version of re:chain of memories is shiny, it is.

[@mgmanzanillo]

Bro still waiting for your review of kh3 and remind. Waiting to hear your thoughts on it. But in any case, IMHO KH3 has the best artwork with KH a close second.

[@onewingedangel1518]

the only game with Kingdom Hearts Heart on the front is KH1 but you literally NEVER see the title of the game in the first game, you never actually see Kingdom Hearts until Kingdom Hearts 2 which i find crazy

[@thejaidynator4946]

Oooh you should make a similar video ranking the ending screens

[@zled6677]

NEVER BEEN THIS EARLY AYEE!!!

[@Mew_Stor]

KH 1.5 and KH3 are my favorites

[@TheMainAntagonist]

Honestly chain of memories is one of my least favorite games but I didn't realise that cover art is godlike its probably my number 2 now after Kh2

[@eddiepabon8020]

Personally would have put kh3 over one but that's just me

[@Kralamelo]

i agree with you with the ranking 100%

[@josephallen3978]

You should do a video for the title screen art!

[@orangedye5524]

2:19 That scoff killed me 🤣

[@krusenator123]

I'll always remember driving home from target looking at the shiny silver cover of KH2 a few days after its original release 😭 I want to go back

[@Unstable_45_degree_angle]

I love that your making more video's mate. More power to you my dude

[@LevelZeroSage1]

1. Kingdom Hearts 2. Chain Of Memories 3. Kingdom Hearts II 4. Kingdom Hearts 1.5 2.5 HD ReMix 5. Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix

[@noah_2597]

Do a ranking of the Dearly Beloved

[@the_jones528]

I went to Disney before the release of KH3 to play the demo, and I was hit with so many feelings when I saw the giant KH3 cover-art on the wall. Like "Holy fuck this is actually happening and this art is 10/10."

[@KirbyProductions]

I’m sad because KH MoM might not get a physical copy for Xbox One, so I may not get to have that BEAUTIFUL case :,(

[@tjskeyblade]

I really enjoyed your details about the kingdom hearts cover Art Ranked

[@LpDodo]

will the title screens come neeeext?

[@SoraKingdom3]

Joke aside, but you are disappointed by the fact KH III boxart isn't holographic? I mean true I am too, but what disappoint me the most is the behind cover which... Well I don't know how it is in the US version, but in the PAL version where I leave, and contrary to the Japanese version, we just have a random rander of Sora with a few screenshot of the game instead of the traditional CGI rander of Sora like in 1 and 2! Seriously Square, I love KH III but what the fuck!? Fire your marketing team!

[@SunriseGamer123]

Hey man, do you think you can do a YOZORA prediction on who he is? As well as the master of masters? I have some theories of my own but it would be great to hear yours as well! LOVE YOUR CHANNEL!

[@TaliesinMyrddin]

"Today I thought we'd rank all 16 of the Kingdom Hearts box arts, from Kingdom Hearts 1 right through to Kingdom Hearts 3"

[@roxasora225]

KH1’s back cover is what got in into the whole franchise. Seeing as The Nightmare Before Christmas is my absolute favorite movie, and then seeing Jack Skellington on the back-I was automatically hooked!

[@theultimatefrozenfan]

Yes! Please yes! My Boy speaks the truth! 358/2 Days needs a remake! It has been the only game to this day where we can play as my favorite character Roxas throughout the entire game!!!

[@lunareclipsed5071]

Little missed detail on the KH3 cover art: The clock on the skyscraper actually has 13 numbers ranging from I-XIII. I adore this little detail so much on the cover.

[@daieonwoolfork4548]

I expected and unexpected to see that coming(the first part of the video). Like you but you're funny crazy. Especially your boss battle against the organization 13. 😁😁

[@PrincessofKeys]

I want to buy all the game boxes just to have the art lol I used to have Birth by Sleep but sold it after I finished playing it....honestly wish I didn't know I don't know what I was thinking! I even sold my PSP too!

[@axels3188]

1, Kingdom hearts 3 2, Kingdom hearts 1 3, Kingdom hearts 2 4, Kingdom hearts Melody of Memories 5, Kingdom hearts 1 Final Mix 6, Kingdom hearts 358/2 Days 7, Kingdom hearts 2 Final mix 8, Kingdom heart 2.5 Remix 9, Kingdom hearts 1.5 remix 10, Kingdom hearts Dream Drop Distance 11, Kingdom hearts 2.8 Final remix 12, Kingdom hearts Chain of Memories 13, Kingdom hearts Birth by Sleep 14, Kingdom hearts Re Chain of Memories 15, Kingdom hearts Recoded 16, Kingdom hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix.

[@theultimatefrozenfan]

I knew the cover art of KH1 would be number 1!!! That one is just so iconic! It's the one that started it all! It's the only one that takes place completely at night!

[@jordandeadley360]

My Ranking: 16 Birth By Sleep Final Mix 15 Re:Coded 14 Birth By Sleep 13 Dream Drop Distance 12 1.5 HD Remix 11 KH1 Final Mix 10 Chain Of Memories 9 358/2 Days 8 Re:Chain Of Memories 7 KH2 Final Mix 6 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue 5 Kingdom Hearts II 4 Kingdom Hearts: Melody Of Memory 3 2.5 HD Remix 2 Kingdom Hearts III 1 Kingdom Hearts 1

[@jorubrun]

I think the number in the titles could resemble Sora and the enemies he faces. Kingdom Hearts I is when Sora first wields the keyblade and fights Ansem. Kingdom Hearts II is when Sora uses combos and drive forms (sometimes wielding 2 keyblades) and fights Xemnas. Kingdom Hearts II is when he has to refresh his combat skills, but he does use formchanges and fights Xehanort. So IV could be Sora using the new 'build' command and fights a new enemy. Could be the Master of Masters. And as for the HD remix boxes, they hold a little secret. 1.5 has Sora sitting on the throne while the time is sunset going to night. II.5 is Sora standing at nighttime and II.8 is Sora walking at dawn. I thought for III it would be Sora running at daytime, but III is the classic Kingdom Hearts I art, but with Sora and all the cast.

[@mollyclark6828]

Kingdom Hearts at the Louvre 😂😂😂

[@KingArthur7777xbox]

Hey cynical, that pod that they are sitting on is the sleep pod that Rojas enters and sora leaves. You see multiple sleep pods throughout KH2 as well in twilight town’s mansion basement (where goofy and Donald sleep) and you also see a crap ton of them in Chain of Memories. It literally looked like the box art was saying “this is where chain of memories ends and KH2 begins”. At least for me. Glad you’re back and hope to see more KH content from you...oh and still loving your reaction after defeating Yozora. “WHAT!?! THATS LUXORD!!!” Keep it up Cynical! -May your heart be your guiding key

[@tommybarron9307]

“I can’t wait to sniff the life force out of this box”