Why Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded Deserves a Second Chance

[@SyllaAria]

This was my very first kingdom hearts game- while it’s not amazing, it has a special place in my heart.

[@smugaru]

I still stand by this being a good, fun game to play, but I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to get into the story lol😂 I applaud you for sticking with it 👏👏👏

[@newagehero9605]

@@smugaruit actually raised more questions for the story for me it was my first official kh game and I had no idea who were the seasalt trio and bbs trio

[@smugaru]

@newagehero9605 Yeah! It's really mysterious and adds a lot of intrigue. I think the stories making you ask questions and trying to figure things out is a part of what makes them really fun

[@PseudoFanboy]

THANK YOU i'm so tired of the fanbase collectively putting ReC down, like it's the easiest joke to get validated for and it just doesn't hold up to scrutiny outside the (admittedly lackluster) plot the keyblade and clock systems give ReC more gameplay depth than 3D and nobody wants to admit it

[@smugaru]

Right!! Like now that it's been reduced to just the cutscenes, it has become a lot less valuable and easier to just skip ironically lol. The story isn't the best, but it is at least compelling enough with the gameplay breaking things up for that initial playthrough!😂 Plus, the gameplay is just so cool. I'm still hoping they add in recoded features in the future, or we get a sequel 👀

[@GoldPrince2468]

Like I always say: 358/2 Days is great story, bad gameplay. Re:Coded is useless story, great overall game. On the exact same system with similar assets. Re:Days should play like Re:Coded.

[@BrennySpain]

I love the levelling up system in this game so much more with the command deck than in bbs even though I still enjoy how they did it for that one. Command melding I mean.

[@smugaru]

Yeah, I like it, too. Giving the commands levels and being able to raise levels through melding felt intuitive, and like there was always a thread of progression.

[@yourcollegedebt8384]

I can confirm. I played it recently after StickmanSham did a playthrough and found out for himself how surprisingly good it was. The reason I didn't touch it for a decade was admittedly fear from the Eliminators, being like a horror game monster. To me, it was unkillable, followed you between rooms, and would easily kill you. They were terrifying.

[@smugaru]

@yourcollegedebt8384 The eliminators being as cracked as they are for a simple pallette swap, is one of the wildest things. They're low key one of the scariest non boss heartless to deal with, lmao😭😂

[@killerblodychuky6]

I’d kill for a remake, I think most of the minor gameplay jank and issues could be fixed and that the good aspects easily justify it getting remade

[@smugaru]

Right!? Exactly!

[@BrennySpain]

I love this version of dearly beloved! It’s so beautiful I think. Almost very similar to kh1 in some aspects.

[@gaelg.c3256]

Recoded only needed this: MORE POST GAME CONTENT.

[@smugaru]

@gaelg.c3256 Yeah, I would agree with that for sure. Something other than bending over backwards for trophies lol. Also, some actual multiplayer 👀😂

[@sh4d0wfl4re]

KH3’s form changes were a downgraded iteration of recoded’s overclock drives. I hope KH4 adds some mechanics from recoded’s combat back into the mix

[@smugaru]

That would be the dream! I do like form changes, but I would love if we could see the overclock drive mechanic come back. Or improve upon how the keyblades worked in recoded because it's still so good!

[@Jaylobeans]

This Was Such A Good Video. I Can't Describe How Nostalgic This Game Is For Me Personally As It Was The First KH Game I Played. The Gameplay Is So Well Designed & Implemented On The DS. I Love The Chip Deck That They Use For Upgrades & Abilitys. If I Could Describe The Combat In One Word It Would Be Flow, All Commands String Together So Nicely. Sora's Movement Is So Free & I Love How You Can Upgrade His Running & Dodge Roll Speed. And On The Topic Of Movement, This Game Would Be Perfect If This Had Flowmotion Along With What I Already Mentioned. I Could Go On For A Hour Talking About This Game.

[@smugaru]

Exxxaactly, it was one of those things that genuinely surprised me. This game had much more of an impact on me than I originally thought. I feel like in spite of the story being boring, it is still so much fun! I can see myself keeping up with my emulator save even though I'm done with the video 🤣 I also finally figured out how the "multi-player " actually works while putting this together, definitely a nice bonus

[@BrennySpain]

Personally I like recoded a lot more than dream drop distance given how ridiculously hard the endgame story bosses were. How does everyone else feel about this?

[@smugaru]

I like certain aspects of DDD for sure (flowmotion and the dream eaters), but yeah, I remember I was a bit bamboozled by what was going in with the bosses by the end lmao 🤪

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru young xehanort is the main villain of that game yet the final boss is armoured Ventus. It’s way too exhausting for my liking. Those 2, ansem, xemnas and that cloaked dark figure was certainly a mouthful lol

[@axinhedgelion8417]

@@BrennySpainyoung Xehanort can restart the battle… which I find to be absolute BULLSHIT!

[@BrennySpain]

@@axinhedgelion8417 yeah definitely! That’s why it’s so frustrating!

[@ng6635]

Square should SERIOUSLY let h.a.n.d cook again

[@smugaru]

They really do! I hope Square considers working with them again during this new KH era 👀

[@deathk7690]

was my first kh game and first off let me just say, thank God it was because the actual gameplay is just so enjoyable unlike days which on multiple occasions almost put me to sleep, It feels so much tighter

[@smugaru]

Oh absolutely! Out of the two DS games this would be the one I'd actually have no issue to keep playing on my DS. It deserves a remake purely for being a fun game to play lol.😁

[@Vampiric_Kai]

Recoded was my first kh game. I was so disappointed that it wasn't remasterd for the 1.5/2.5 games.

[@smugaru]

Right!! I get it would be "another game you'd have to play" in the collection, but it's a fun game. Cutscenes only doesn't do it justice lol 🙈

[@BrennySpain]

It’s so weird to think this used to be a mobile game. They just kept adding onto coded every time. A secret ending in recoded on the ds and another one in the 2.5 HD remix collection.

[@Clyburn9057hi]

I remember getting my copy from GameStop. I actually loved this game as much as people might claim it's the worst. The combat is absolutely excellent say for the small gameplay changing.

[@smugaru]

It really is like, surprisingly, so much fun. Having it reduced to cutscenes sucked out just about all of its good qualities, lol

[@MrRobeStern64]

Ah this game has so much meaning to my heart and this game and birth by sleep was unfortunately the last gift I ever got from my grandfather. I still have my physical copy of the ds box and the cartridge all the way from 2011

[@smugaru]

Aww, omg, that is so sweet! 🥹

[@Mal-go5dl]

Peak gameplay and leveling, they should use this as a base for KH4. Was surprised just how much i enjoyed this one

[@smugaru]

Absolutely, that would be awesome. Recoded has so many different ideas and features that I've been wanting and could still work for a mainline Kingdom Hearts game. I'll keep on holding out hope 😂

[@WileyRyley]

😤 It's all fun and games until you fight Data Roxas in a secret System Sector in Hollow Bastion

[@smugaru]

Right!? The fact that that's even a thing is really cool, but why does it have to be at the end of such an annoying system sector😭😂

[@issacthompson330]

Recoded has a special place in my heart solely due to the fact that it is the first KH game I played myself. I admit, the story is a lackluster slog meant to tide players over until DDD released but that doesn't change the fact that it is a fun game. That said, it is probably also the least confusing entry point into the series that isn't just the first game.

[@smugaru]

The story is compelling enough when you actually have the game to play, and it's not just boiled down to the cutscenes lol. It is imitating a lot of the first game and that does make it pretty suitable of an entry point. I just wish it could have gotten remade because it's still a lot of fun to play. More people have probably been exposed to the least appealing aspect of the game now lol.

[@mobgabriel1767]

KH3: a bunch of people hate me for not being KH2... Re:coded:ITS WAY PAST TIME YOU LEARNED WHAT REAL HURT FEELS LIKE!

[@BrennySpain]

If I’m being honest, before the hd remixes started coming out on ps3 and ps4, kh2 for ps2 was my least favourite out of all the accessible games at the time. Post game was beyond bare bones and I’m glad the final mix version fixed it.

[@smugaru]

I get that. KH2, ironically, is the one I've played the least, lol. I had it on PS2, but I barely remember it. It's so funny hearing people praise KH2 final mix, only to be reminded how bare the original version was😂

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru yeah for sure. KH1 was not like that at all. There’s not that many differences between the original and final mix. Final mix adds new bosses, more abilities for sora to utilise and only 4-5 more cutscenes but there’s no sound coming out of the characters at all. It feels so cheap lol

[@smugaru]

@Brendan Spain Right, I always saw it as like the final mix version came to be to one up the superior international version we originally got 😂

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru yeah true but 1 and bbs final mix aren’t that different to me personally. Kh2 final mix on the other hand is a whole other level! Lol

[@mobgabriel1767]

data sora would have passed the mark of mastery exam and no one can change my mind about it

[@smugaru]

@mobgabriel1767 You're probably on to something. He's basically like a programmable best boy, lmao 🤣

[@BrennySpain]

The post game for recoded is truly amazing I think. A lot more replayable than 358/2 days which didn’t have a secret ending at all am I right?

[@smugaru]

Yeah, Days didn't have a secret ending. Most of the post game relied on the mission mode, which honestly became pretty frustrating to me. I also didn't have friends to play it with, so unlocking all of the extra characters was for not 😭😂🙈

[@rubenescobar7569]

Little kid me getting this as my one game a year for my ds because I’d love to watch my cousins play kh but didn’t have a PlayStation, played this on the road and that memory will always stick with me. Sad it gets so much hate

[@smugaru]

@rubenescobar7569 Aww, that is so sweet, though, haha🥹💛 And yeah, it doesn't deserve all the hate. It just should have actually been playable in the collection 🙈

[@angelb.823]

I think it was the third KH game I played (right after KH 1 and KH 2), and the first I got for the Nintendo DS back in 2010. I remember the time I used to play the game during summer time (the Destiny Islands' setting helped me familiarize the parallels between the game and the country house I used to play the game, several feet away from the beach). I was invested in the story and the challenges, to the point I completed most of the challenges and achievements to win the 20th trophy challenge to unlock the secret cutscene. Even further, the Hollow Bastion Secret System Sector and the Avatar System Sector got me hooked in defeating challenging bosses, including System Sector Data-Roxas and Data-Riku. Despite being a repetitive version of the first game for the most part, I liked the fact that it had several new elements to the story, including the second half of Hollow Bastion and the newly unlocked Castle Oblivion world by the end of the game. The final fight with Roxas got me a special place in my heart, including the music arrangement of the fight. This game got me hooked in and anticipated for the release of KH 3D: Dream Drom Distance in 2012. The cliffhanger was amazing at the secret cutscene.

[@ChocoboCloud]

I LOVE this game, it was so unique and it was the first game I ever got day 1. I used my Christmas money to buy it. I have great memories of this game

[@smugaru]

Oohhh that is so sweet! This was like still peak DS time for me as well. It is certainly still nostalgic for me. But it's also just a solid game. Other KH games can definitely learn from it lol 😂

[@JuanCMelo]

Came back from your short. Let's see these arguments 🤧

[@smugaru]

I'll be on the lookout as well 😂

[@MARSENEX]

this was my first kh game since it never got released on wii like it should've. dropped ball there tbh

[@smugaru]

Ooohh, imagine if it had a wii port, you know they'd have advertised keyblade motion controls. That would have been sick 😍 Omg they really did sleep on that, lmao🤣

[@TheAzulmagia]

Re:Coded has a lot of fun stuff going for it, but we really did not need another KH1 rehash. Let alone a KH1 rehash that has two KH1 rehashes at the end of the game.

[@smugaru]

@TheAzulmagia I definitely agree with that. The story and locations will always stay the weakest elements. It was already a little tiresome back at CoM. The system sectors were really the only new addition. They're cool, but even they became kinda samey lol.

[@Faceless_time_traveler]

Recoded is the best command game in the series. It baffles me that it was on the DS while 3ds and PSP games of the same system were so inferior

[@smugaru]

I think it's funny. BBS was the first, so it's expected it would be a little iffy, but then they pretty much nail it with Recoded, and it ends up being the one that gets screwed over lol. 3D tried to be different which I respect (I still need to replay it) but I don't think Recoded has nearly the respect or even acknowledgement of either BBS or 3D.

[@newagehero9605]

I suggest if you guys want to get into this game to play it on an emulator on a phone with a backbone like controller . It’s really fun though

[@smugaru]

Absolutely, it's definitely worth actually playing.

[@vitormartins4282]

This game definitely runs circles around BBS’ combat with the less cryptic command melding, more reliable sets of commands since they’re all a lot easier to combo with and the keyblade/clock system but with how inconsistent the general gameplay, the mostly inconsequential plot and rehashed soundtrack it’s a lot harder to say it’s a better KH game than BBS. I hope it gets remade by the same developers one day though.

[@smugaru]

Yeah, the plot, story, and rehashed locations just about make it a skip honestly. When boiled down to just cutscenes with no actual game to play it really does become a skip though lmao 💀😂

[@RememberPluto]

I just beat recoded on the DS and I am pretty sure this video just made me realize I was playing the game wrong.

[@smugaru]

@@RememberPluto Oh really? Why do you say that?! 😂🙈

[@RememberPluto]

@smugaru because I only really used slow and stop and cure much like other kh games and it made fight incredibly difficult

[@smugaru]

@RememberPluto Oh gosh. I mean, how were you supposed to know, though? lol. That's what I like about this game; you feel rewarded for experimenting with commands and keyblades. A lot of the commands stay pretty viable too. But hey, now you know if you ever decide to revisit it 😂

[@CFLaughs]

It's surprising KH 3 dropped the command deck system but in a way it made the game more accessible for newcomers.

[@smugaru]

I actually appreciate the handheld games using the command deck system as their special thing. I would have preferred that KH3 had kept other elements from recoded though; like leveling up the keyblades to get new abilities, adjustable difficulty, more sidequests etc. There's still a lot that the rest of the series could learn from this game lol.

[@CFLaughs]

@@smugaru no doubt about it! I hope KH 4 brings in the best gameplay yet and don't make it super easy on proud mode! KH 3 was way too easy on proud mode and I was happy that critical mode gave me a challenge. Don't you agree critical mode was Nomura's way of saying "you wanna die during your playthrough? Be my guest." Lol

[@smugaru]

@@CFLaughs Proud mode was surprisingly easy yeah, but I felt like critical was a chore honestly lol. I hope the KH4 difficulties are just more balanced lol

[@CFLaughs]

@@smugaru yeah they literally went from super easy to punishingly difficult. I died on critical mode even against the non-boss encounters!

[@smugaru]

@103peanut Right, same! I remember getting wrecked by tutorial darkside haha💀. It felt like it was thrown together and not much thought put into it. It was just something to make us shut up for complaining it wasn’t there in the beginning, lol

[@denshiakono]

Yo your going to be a big youtuber one day mark my words

[@smugaru]

So kind of you to say! I've got my fingers crossed ☺🤞💛

[@AlejandroMartinez-fw3gt]

I need a Coded version for PS that is actually playable

[@smugaru]

Agreed, I hope Square Enix decides to make it happen. Having it only be the cutscenes really blows and honestly makes it more of a skip in the collection 😅😅

[@darienb1127]

Honestly, describing Re:Coded as the "Best-Worst" KH game might be an apt take. But I also feel like that can apply to most of the games. KH as a franchise has always been weird and experimental for it's combat systems, and I really appreciate that! (Even if the large majority dosen't). Every game feels distinct from each other in combat mechanics, speed, and even physics! I Remember seeing the stat matrix as a kid and thinking "Oh shit, they basically put the Sphere Grid from FF10 into this game!" I do appreciate it when an Action RPG actually has RPG elements that matter (Unlike 2). Overall, when this game is bad, it DRAGS. But when it's good, it's REALLY good! Much like the rest of this franchise.

[@smugaru]

So true. That's something that I've come to appreciate going back playing the games and even more so discussing them with y'all. It has helped me better understand why I still hold KH1 in such high regards haha. I always loved the theming and functionality of the stat matrix but had a lot of resentment for the panel system in 358/2 Days when I talked about it. While I still don't necessarily love it, due to comments I have now come around to at least appreciate it for being its unique element lol.

[@HeyShotgun]

358/2 days had leveling system for your keys . Just separate keyblade levels.

[@smugaru]

That's a good point! That must have been a concept that h.a.n.d. really wanted to figure out. It really does further connect both of the DS games together. I'm glad they got to try it again because I do feel like they were more successful with recoded. I do still hope mainline devs take some inspiration from these games hahaha.

[@HeyShotgun]

@@smugaru I also can’t stand coded because it’s not 358/2 days 2

[@smugaru]

@@HeyShotgun Yeah it's more of like a KH 1 redo hah! Maybe we can get a "Days 2" in this new phase of KH? (definitely wishful thinking lol) 👀

[@CucasNerdyCorner]

Every single word you said in this video is 100% accurate to my own opinion 😅

[@smugaru]

The truth had to be said 😌👌

[@underscore55]

I’m just now seeing your video . I agree with you and others about Re.Coded . The story sucks, but the gameplay is amazing . Also might I add to tell you with my recent play through . I started doing some of the avatar system sectors before finishing destiny islands . I did it to get a few commands and some level ups . That’s what made the game more fun for me . Trust me it was a pain since I didn’t have all of the tools, but it was worth it . I only wanted to do 30 system sectors out of 100 of them before fighting Darkside . I didn’t go past 30 because like I said I didn’t have all of the tools . I’m actually surprised you didn’t talk about the avatar menu with this game .

[@smugaru]

@underscore55 I can't remember if I might have mentioned it in a version of the script and cut it for time lol. Considering it was intended for multiplayer (and I didn't realize you could technically get pieces solo🙈), I wasn't too sure how appealing talking about the non-simultaneous multiplayer would be for a game that most people want to ignore hahaha. It is cool though, it's like street pass that was ahead of its time, and I donlike the thought of mission/stage creator for a KH game. I'm not opposed to that coming back!

[@underscore55]

@@smugaru what are you talking about ? There’s no multiplayer in Re.Coded . Oh wait a minute , multiplayer was intended for that game ?

[@smugaru]

@underscore55 Oh, I'm provably misremembering what the avatar system sector is, my bad lol. I was thinking of like, the user created challenge sectors that you could share through a feature similar to the 3DS street pass lol

[@underscore55]

@@smugaru oh I see . But yeah, it’s a pain doing the avatar system sectors in the beginning of the game if you don’t have maturity of the tools . And you’re kind of right with the challenges . Because others will send you their challenges of sectors to do . As long as you send them some challenges as well .

[@smugaru]

@@underscore55 Yeah this game was just too ahead of its time lol. Another reason why it should have been remade so we could actually take advantage of all of these ideas lol😂 But it really is a good game. Having it reduced to cutscenes did it a huge disservice and only showed off its worst aspect imo.

[@ReariseGaming]

Great video! I just subscribed.

[@smugaru]

Hey, thank you so much! So kind of you! 💛💛

[@KISando]

Yes! This was my very first Kingdom Hearts game! More Hearts!

[@smugaru]

And more people need to give this game a chance, which is why it deserves a remake haha

[@HeyShotgun]

I played it to the extent where I was doing the after game 100 levels and got to data riku fight only to have the boss clap my character non stop like lingering will on a ds

[@smugaru]

Sometimes it be like that hahaha. That is impressive though, getting to level 100, I haven't even gotten to that 👀👀

[@XxbiohazardxX223]

recorded has one of the best gameplay of all of the spin offs

[@smugaru]

It definitely feels the most consistent. Whenever I feel nostalgic for KH1, the gameplay of recoded is probably what I'm really remembering 😂

[@BrennySpain]

I wasn’t a fan of the stats in 358/2 days either! Pain in the ass lol

[@smugaru]

I briefly started it up for this video, and it actually triggered me. I had forgotten how annoying the stat panels were: reserving spots for guard and rolling, individual magic casts, only being able to equip one ring! And you can't adjust any of this while on a mission🙈

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru that’s torture honestly! But I think it was the point to make it feel like you were working an actual 9-5 job. You know what I mean? Lol

[@smugaru]

@Brendan Spain Lmao, I guess that's one to view it. It's pretty interesting seeing how many ideas are shared between Days and Recoded, though.

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru recoded definitely felt like it improved on a lot of the faults 358/2 days had despite still being an amazing game overall.

[@bowz_of_oshu]

Objectively, Re Coded is actually the best command deck game. I personally stand by saying Re Coded is at least top 3 KH games as far as gameplay is concerned. It's by far the most irrelevant story wise though

[@smugaru]

@@bowz_of_oshu Pretty much exactly how I feel now. This game deserved a proper second chance in the collection 🙈

[@RenoKyrie]

Re:Coded is deffinitly overhated because of story alone(It wasnt even as bad as Dream Drop Distance) When in reality gameplay wise, its EASILY the best Command game unlike BBS or Dream Drop, hell im confident enough to say its the 2nd best KH Game right under KH2 Idk who are involved on making Re:Coded but WOW they managed to make a KH1 game that feels like KH2

[@smugaru]

@RenoKyrie What's so interesting is that it's the same developers who made 358/2 Days. Which I don't think aged nearly as well gameplay wise. They basically nailed combat flow the second time around. Like you said, it's like if KH1 felt more like KH2, lol. It's definitely up there as one of my favorites to just play!

[@RenoKyrie]

​@@smugaruNow that is hilarious I weirdly never hear enough people complain about 358/2 Days, i guess people just like Roxas story for VERY good reasons, cant blame them on that But yeah 358/2 Days aged like milk, it was filled with soo many confusing design choicest Like how some things in it are completely redundant, and my god spaming Fire(Just Fire, not Fira or Firaga) is as brainrot as Balloonra

[@smugaru]

@@RenoKyrie Hahaha, yeah, I definitely feel like it's a bit of a hot take for sure. Days served its purpose (being the first 3D handheld KH game), but it was clunky and got switched up for BBS which then got vastly improved with recoded (and DDD is just kinda doin its own thing idk lol) The magic and panel system always annoyed me, mainly having limited casts of magic. I did get some comments that have changed my mind on the panels slightly as being one of the "unique" aspects of the game 😂😂

[@coldandstinky]

I would not say that Re:Coded’s story is a complete nothing burger. I genuinely believe this game had something to ad. Mainly because of the concept of making data worlds out of text that is in a book. That is a concept reused in Union x, because the worlds we see in Union X are data projections in the book of prophecies. And it gave a reason why in DDD Sora almost fell to darkness. In Re: Coded they showed that Data Sora felt the negative emotions that Data Roxas felt. And in DDD as Sora encountered Xion, Roxas, and Ventus, he felt their negative emotions and almost got possessed by Xehanort. So I do not think it added nothing. It added something, just not a whole lot.

[@smugaru]

Those are really good points. The datascape i thought was really cool while playing KHUX, and then to remember that this concept started here. I think the story complaints really have to do with there being no gameplay to break things up. I remember being compelled enough by the story when I originally played it on my DS. But having the cutscenes isolated feels like more of a slog. Thus recoded needs a re-remake 😂

[@DragonautMK]

I really liked re:coded. far more than days and ddd. Fun game, fast combat e funny level sistem. It's underrated from square enix and forgotten.

[@smugaru]

@DragonautMK So true. And it sucks because by reducing the game to cutscenes for the collection, it honestly becomes a skip because the story on its own isn't very good. The game is definitely worth playing, and having actual gameplay makes the story at least somewhat compelling initially.

[@RoleOfQuarters]

glad i am not the only 1 who thought this was the worst (before the mobiles) and still Loved for there is no bad kingdom hearts game

[@smugaru]

@RoleOfQuarters Hahaha, I would only consider this one "bad" because there's no gameplay to break up the story💀 Having the game condensed to just the cutscenes made it feel pretty dry. Which sucks because it's so fun to actually play, lol 😆 KHUX and DR have somewhat interesting stories. It's just that the gameplay isn't very compelling, which isn't a great mix either, lol

[@RoleOfQuarters]

@@smugaru for me the coded digital rooms (i cant remember what actually called) got too repetitive, witch for me is saying something because i love being repetitive especially with listening to 1 song over and over and over i enjoyed going threw the story and loved the replaying bosses thingy, still haven't beat hollow bastion Roxas, and i agree the 3 games they moviefied need to be remade on the subject of khux i theorize the book of pooh is the book of prophecies with the same kind of spell that turned land of departure into castle oblivion

[@smugaru]

@RoleOfQuarters Do you mean the system sectors? (the dungeons basically) I feel that, though, they all look the same and do get difficult to navigate 🙈 The Winnie The Pooh storybook being an enchanted book of prophecy would be hilarious, I love that idea 😂👏👏

[@RoleOfQuarters]

@@smugaru yes the system sectors, they not hard for me they just got irritatingly repetitive something as simple as having their own unique version of the area music might have helped (dont get me wrong i Love the music in there but it gets old with how many time i been in the sectors) and so many sectors feel like the same sector in a different world both books are called "the book of" both use the letters p o h, sealing magic transforms the appearance of things does exist and is a tactic used by keyblade masters to protect certain things, merlin drops the book and doesn't recognise it, maybe it was a different book that he was looking for that got changed by a spell possibly 1 that activates after its discovered or maybe a certain keyblade weilder from the past notice someone with a book that they dont want scene in this era either way THE BOOK OF POOHROPHICEIS is a theory i stand by (feel free to make a video about my theory if you want, in my video i just get a brain fart and start repeating myself and couldn't think of the facts to back it up i am Lazy so if i ever decided try to redo the video it could be way in the future) who knows maybe you'll find evidence that i completely over looked

[@HalvoDraws]

the gameplay is entertaining but the story is pretty useless, there's almost no point in it if recoded was never a thing the overall plot would be pretty much completely unchanged

[@smugaru]

@HalvoDraws Yeah, pretty much, lol. The story really only has any appeal when there's a game to play with it. Having this game reduced to just cutscenes is pretty bad 😂

[@newagehero9605]

The story is not boring it just doesn’t connect to the overall story in a huge way

[@smugaru]

It's interesting while you're going through it, but by the end, it felt purely like a filler arc to me. It does have connections to the rest of the series, but I wouldn't feel compelled to ever revisit this game for its story, only the gameplay.

[@newagehero9605]

@@smugaru the story at heart is a kingdom hearts story, to the writing and lines. Again it’s just no super important to the overall plot but it did give Mickey, riku. Sora and kairi incentive that lead to DDD and kh3. People mostly look at the surface level of the story but its main thing is about hurt and realizing the other characters need to be saved

[@newagehero9605]

@@smugaru the story at heart is a kingdom hearts story, to the writing and lines. Again it’s just no super important to the overall plot but it did give Mickey, riku. Sora and kairi incentive that lead to DDD and kh3. People mostly look at the surface level of the story but its main thing is about hurt and realizing the other characters need to be saved

[@smugaru]

@newagehero9605 For sure, I just feel as though all of the juicy, relevant parts are literally at the end. I do like that it explains Mickey's letter from the end of KH2 and pushes the narrative onward to 3D. I also really liked Data Sora (I hope they can return) Goofy Donald and Mickey as their own trio of sorts is also nice. If I had things my way, we would have had the whole game remade for the collection and not just the narrative. I don't think it's strong enough on its own. The gameplay really helps it.

[@ma_junia]

0:36 gameplay nerds like stickman think sso too 😂

[@smugaru]

Only cause it's truuuee. Stickman be spittin facts on this one😆

[@DragonMasterZFighter]

This guy is cooking

[@smugaru]

Now I do like cooking lol 😆

[@DragonMasterZFighter]

@@smugaru Well you did say KH 1 is your favorite from the main series if I remember correctly, so I definitely don't doubt that 😂

[@smugaru]

@Xandrid I did say that (and it's still mostly true), lol 😆

[@qrowthebird7496]

This game has some of the best combat in the series

[@smugaru]

Truuuuee!! It has all these great concepts that have just been ignored 💀

[@The_13th_Voyager]

I've recently been playing Re:Coded on an emulator and it's actually not that bad.

[@smugaru]

Yep, the game is just surprisingly good, plays well and is genuinely fun. But the fact that it got boiled down to just cutscenes for the collection, which I will argue is the least interesting part of the game is a huge disservice to it lol 🙈🙈

[@The_13th_Voyager]

@@smugaru agreed. Still wish 358 got a remake with slightly better gameplay though.

[@smugaru]

@@The_13th_Voyager Truuuuee. I still hope that becomes a reality 🙏

[@The_13th_Voyager]

@@smugaru personally, I think they should keep the panel system, but tweak it and have a more traditional leveling system to keep things balanced. So more like the stat matrix in Re:Coded, but the panels can be used to customize Roxas's keyblade and the other Organization members' weapons (for the joke weapons in the case of the other Org members)

[@smugaru]

@@The_13th_Voyager Yeah haha, I like the sound of that! I was definitely annoyed by the panel system and suggested it be converted into a more traditional system, but I have been convinced that it should probably stay. It is one of the aspects of Days that helps make it unique .

[@BrennySpain]

Do you ever plan on taking about birth by sleep someday at all? I love the story behind it all and like how each of the 3 main protagonists have different combat styles and abilities too.

[@smugaru]

I have thought about it, but it would probably just turn into like a full BBS hot takes video, which I think I saw someone has already done lmao 🤣

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru hmm yeah perhaps then. But one thing I love about the game is that the final boss in the final episode is just perfect. 2 rounds and that’s it. Nothing crazy or over the top like kh1 or kh2 with ansem or xemnas. Personally I enjoy the game so much more on psp than the final mix hd version on ps3 and ps4. Just my personal opinion.

[@smugaru]

@Brendan Spain That's fair. It is still relatively newer for me (first time playing it in 2017/2018), and a lot of my playthrough was "Trauma" lol😂 I think I have played BBS twice, and it does have stuff about it I like. But might need more time away from it, hahah. I really need to revisit DDD as well.

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru hmm yeah all right then sounds good 😀

[@jonathanplooij3666]

i used to play this game on the ds but never got far, because i did not understand english.

[@smugaru]

Oh wow! That's cool you were able to make some progress at least. I'd be too nervous to start a game in a language I didn't know 😅

[@zachpassey4196]

I think BBS and Dream Drop are superior for different reasons, but I will say that this is FAR BETTER than 358/2 days from a gameplay standpoint. It feels more fluid and I just generally like the direction more, its a more fun game.

[@smugaru]

Oh, absolutely, these devs really turned things around with this game. Days was rough, but recoded feels very legit and very fun. That's why I really wish it could have gotten remade for consoles 🙈

[@BrennySpain]

The cutscenes do not do this game justice. It definitely drags out the story of the game which the ds did it a lot better overall.

[@smugaru]

I could definitely feel the story dragging on while playing for the video. At least here, you got a game to entertain you and can skip the cutscenes😂

[@BrennySpain]

@@smugaru for sure! But the idea was meant to be a recap so it’s fine.

[@CFLaughs]

This is definitely fast paced for a DS game and is much more fun overall than days!

[@smugaru]

It's just a much smoother and more consistent game too. And it's so much fun. I would just randomly grind on it while I was working on the video lol. BBS got the handheld concept right, and recoded improved it (and then 3D did...well I'll have to get back to you on that one lol)

[@CFLaughs]

@@smugaru yes please talk about DDD because I am a huge fan of your opinions on this series! Loving the content 👍

[@smugaru]

@@CFLaughs That is so kind of you, thank you! 3D I don't know when I'd talk about it for a video. I've only played it once so far lol. I mostly liked it, but it had a pretty crazy difficulty spike from what I remember. And I did not like how the story was told. It's the only KH game that had me completely stumped to what was going on it lol Maybe I could eventually compare all 3 of the command deck games as their own little "trilogy", but I just need to play it again first haha.

[@CFLaughs]

@@smugaru I've only played DDD once as well and that's because of the HD remixes. I never played it on the original hardware and omg you ain't kidding about the difficulty spike! The final bosses as Riku gave me such a hard time and I thought it was unbelievable how at one point the game cuts you off from traveling and makes it literally impossible to grind for a higher level which means I was forced to beat the last parts of the story feeling under leveled! I also didn't fully understand the story either but I appreciated the different worlds unlike coded.

[@smugaru]

@@CFLaughs I can't even remember what all happened, it sort of blurred together for me lol. I did appreciate having new worlds though yeah. I loved flowmotion too, and the dreameaters omg. I definitely hope they consider bringing them back lol

[@luizfma3244]

yeah recoded gets alot of flak for existing even when it has the best command style gameplay. Don't get me wrong, the story kinda sucks but i would rather complete recoded three times than complete bbs once

[@smugaru]

Oop, not the BBS shade (but I agree 👀 😂)

[@diceLibrarian]

I grew up on the game :D

[@smugaru]

Not a bad place to start honestly, haha! 😍

[@Giggles_iJest]

Tears of the Kingdom has lackluster story (that seriously messes with some key preestablished lore aspects) and that gets gluckgluckglucked to hell by everybody

[@smugaru]

Not the Gluck Gluck omg💀🤣 (I hear you though lol) Unfortunately, this game got dinged for its story and mostly remained underrated. But I have seen some more respect come its way recently.

[@Giggles_iJest]

It really is filler. To the T. But good filler, like in Bleach

[@smugaru]

@@Giggles_iJest Oh, absolutely you're right! It's hard to deny. Recoded is literally the filler arc that just so happens to be really fun to play 😂

[@dmas7749]

3:43 hey uhh you mispelled worst

[@smugaru]

@dmas7749 Lmao. Which one did you like the most? I actually liked the turn based bit! It was a nice change of pace to me and more consistent than the other gameplay styles 😂 I'm probably just biased because I'd low-key be down for a proper turn based KH game, hahaha

[@dmas7749]

​@@smugaru - limits are pure RNG instead of using the clock system in any way - literally impossible at Critical Level 1 because perfect blocks don't exist - simplistic (i'm a SMT fan so this can be interpreted as a me problem) as for favorite uhh the normal game? if i had to pick something else, maybe the sidescrolling one, the shooter isn't bad but drags a bit longer imo and you have to do it twice.

[@smugaru]

@dmas7749 Ahh, that would explain a bit. I never played through on critical. But I can imagine the mechanic falling a part under scrutiny, lol. I will definitely take your word on that one (also agree, waaay too simplistic.) And yeah, I mainly meant like your favorite of the change ups. I liked the side scrolling too. It might be my second fave. The shooting one I also don't mind, but agree that they're a bit too long and tiresome (even if you only do it twice 😂)

[@jpk9902]

It can't be as bad as Chain of Memories and that got remade

[@smugaru]

Recoded is really fun, and definitely not as frustrating to get into. It's a game I can see myself revisiting for fun. I do like the chain of memories though. That doesn't stop it from being a pain at times, lol 😂😂