Kingdom Hearts (series)

Kingdom Hearts (キングダムハーツ, Kingudamu Hātsu) is a series of action role-playing games (RPG) developed and published by Square Enix. It is the result of a collaboration between Square and Disney Interactive Studios and is under the direction of Tetsuya Nomura, a longtime Square character designer. Kingdom Hearts is a crossover of various Disney settings based in a universe made specifically for the series. In addition, it has an all-star voice cast which includes many of the Disney characters' official voice actors. Characters from Square Enix's Final Fantasy series make appearances and interact with the player and Disney characters. The series centers around the main character Sora's search for his friends and his encounters with Disney and Final Fantasy characters on their worlds.

The Kingdom Hearts series currently consists of four games across different video game platforms, and future titles are planned. Most of the games in the series have been both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, though each installment has seen varying levels of success. As of December 2006, the Kingdom Hearts series has shipped over ten million copies worldwide, with 2.0 million copies in PAL regions, 3.0 million copies in Japan, and 5.6 million copies in North America. There have been several types of merchandise released along with the games, such as soundtracks, figurines, and companion books. In addition, the games have also been adapted into a manga (now at Chain of Memories 1/2) series and novels.

Overview
Further information: Characters of Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts features a mixture of familiar Disney and Final Fantasy characters, as well as several new characters designed and created by Nomura. Though the series features locations unique to the Kingdom Hearts franchise, worlds from Disney films are heavily explored. Sora must visit these worlds and interact with popular Disney characters to protect them from enemies. Often, Sora's actions in these worlds follow closely to the storylines featured in their accompanying Disney films. In one of the dialogues, Donald Duck tells Sora not to interfere with the worlds too much, since such interference would cause problems. Moogles, small creatures from Final Fantasy, are another common element in the games. They provide the player with synthesis shops in order to create items for use in the game.

Creation and Influence
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The Kingdom Hearts series is directed by Tetsuya Nomura, who also works as the character designer of the games. Nomura has stated that unlike working with Final Fantasy characters, keeping the main character Sora alive and interesting over multiple games is a challenge. He has also stated that though many of the Disney characters are not normally dark and serious, there were not many challenges making them so for the story, and despite this, their personalities shine because they maintain their own characteristics. Though Disney gave Nomura freedom in the characters and worlds used for the games, he and his staff tried to stay within the established roles of characters and boundaries of the worlds. When deciding which worlds to include in the game, the development staff tried to take into account worlds with Disney characters that would be interesting.

The inclusion of specific Final Fantasy characters was based on the opinions of fans and the development staff. Another criteria for inclusion was whether the staff felt the characters would fit into the storyline and in the Kingdom Hearts universe. Initially, Nomura was hesitant to use characters he did not design, because he was unfamiliar with the background work of such characters. For Kingdom Hearts II, he changed his mind after receiving pressure from his staff. Throughout the development of the games, Nomura has often left certain events and connections between characters unexplained until the release of future games. Nomura did this because he feels that games should have room for fans to speculate and use their imagination. He stated that with speculation, even though a game gets old, people can still be happy with it.

Gameplay
The Kingdom Hearts series contains both 3rd-person fighting and role-playing game elements. The games are driven by a linear progression to the next story event, usually told in the form of a cutscene, though there are numerous side quests available that provide bonus benefits to the characters. Furthermore, there are allies to aid the main character, Sora. The allies in play rely fully on A.I controls, though players could later modify and customize their ability usage frequency. The combat system takes on real-time, meaning Sora could engage the enemy directly; various actions, such as attack and magic, are executable, during or after the battle.

In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, the combat system was altered slightly, Sora is no longer aided with his friends, all of his combat commands, are only executable via Cards. The real-time combat system was also taken away, where the scene flashes whenever Sora engages an enemy, taking them to a wider combat field.

The Gummi Ship is another common theme in the series, where it serves as a means of transportation for Sora and company to travel towards other worlds. Players can modify and customize these ships via blueprints and selected parts. In the release of Final Mix, the first game contained Gummi Ship side quests. However, due to the criticism regarding the complexity of the Gummi Ship customization, the third game's Gummi Ship was toned down, providing easier and wider modifications, allowing players to customize it into either a small classed battle ship, or a grand carrier.

Another recurring element of the Kingdom Hearts series is Jiminy's Journal, which functions as a bestiary and provides hints and simple character information. The journal also records Sora's mini-game results, as well as unfinished side quests, allowing players to have easier resolutions to track the game.

In Kingdom Hearts II, the battle system introduced a new gameplay element: Drive Forms, which allow Sora to gain access to new abilities via his combat garment, and wielding two Keyblades for a limited time. (However, not every form possess this ability). Magics are simpler to execute, and Sora's MP gauge will recharge automatically one it is used up. Another gameplay element introduced in the third series of the franchise is the Reaction Command, various combat abilities only executable via several situations.

The games are influenced by their parent franchise, Final Fantasy, and carry its gameplay elements over into their own action-based, hack-and-slash system. Like many traditional role-playing games, Kingdom Hearts features an experience point system which determines character development. As enemies are defeated, the player gains experience which culminate in a "level-up", where the characters grow stronger and gain access to new abilities. The amount of experience is shared with all party members and each character grows stronger as experience is gained.

Story
The three main games in Kingdom Hearts series focus on the adventures of Sora and his search for his friends, Kairi and Riku. The first game shows how Sora is separated from his friends when their world is invaded by an army of corrupted hearts known as the Heartless. During the invasion, he obtains a special weapon known as a Keyblade. Soon after, Sora meets Donald Duck, the Disney Castle court magician, and Goofy, the Disney Castle captain of the Royal Guards. Donald and Goofy are searching for the "key" per instructions from King Mickey. The three band together and travel to different Disney-themed worlds, sealing the hearts of the worlds to prevent more Heartless invasions. Along the way they encounter a group of Disney villains, led by Maleficent, who are controlling the Heartless. The three eventually discover that a man named Ansem is the true antagonist. Ansem's plan is to open the door to Kingdom Hearts. Sora, Donald, and Goofy defeat Ansem, and seal the door with the help of Riku and King Mickey on the other side of the door.

After sealing the door to Kingdom Hearts, the three begin searching for Riku and King Mickey. They encounter a mysterious fortress called Castle Oblivion. Upon entering the fortress, they begin to lose their memories. The three encounter a group of dark hooded villains referred to as the Organization. After defeating the Organization members in the castle, Sora learns his memories have been manipulated by a girl named Naminé who is controlled by the Organization. To allow them to regain their memories, Naminé puts Sora, Donald, and Goofy to sleep for a year. While the three are ascending to the top floor of the castle, Riku and King Mickey arrive in the basement and begin traveling to the top as well. Riku fights the darkness in his heart and learns to accept his dual nature between light and dark.

A year later, Sora, Donald, and Goofy awaken and continue their search for Riku and King Mickey. They learn of the Nobodies and their leaders, Organization XIII. Afterwards, Maleficent is resurrected and joins with Pete, another Disney villain, to continue her quest for power. Sora once again travels to many Disney-themed worlds and resolves the troubles caused by Organization XIII, the Heartless, Maleficent and Pete, and local villains. Meanwhile, Kairi is kidnapped by the Organization. They meet King Mickey, who reveals the true nature of Ansem, the antagonist of Kingdom Hearts. The Ansem who Sora defeated was actually the Heartless of Xehanort, a student of Ansem the Wise. Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, reveals himself to be the Nobody of Xehanort. The three arrive at the headquarters of Organization XIII, with Kingdom Hearts looming overhead. Ansem the Wise uses a device that dissipates some of Kingdom Hearts' power, but a system overload causes the machine to explode and kill Ansem. At the top of Organization XIII's castle, Sora and his friends battle Xemnas, who uses the remnants of Kingdom Hearts to fight them. After Xemnas' death, Sora and Riku are reunited with their friends at Destiny Islands, their home.

Timeline
The series is mostly in sequential order. The first game in the timeline is Birth by Sleep, which tells the story of three Keyblade wielders (Terra, Ven, and Aqua) during the Keyblade War. 10 years later is where the first Kingdom Hearts picks up, revolving around the first adventure of Sora. Next is Chain of Memories, taking place in between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. It also takes place during parts of 358/2 Days. Kingdom Hearts II follows Chain of Memories & 358/2 Days, and takes place one year after Kingdom Hearts though it is more so a sequel to Kingdom Hearts rather than the Gameboy Advance game. Finally, there is Coded, which takes place right where Kingdom Hearts II left off.

358/2 Days doesn't have a real spot in the timeline, for it takes place from the exact time Sora turned into a Heartless, to right before the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II, which is 358 days. So from when Sora sacrifices himself to when he wakes up is just a little more than a year, if you still count the time between the events of Hollow Bastion and the ending of Kingdom Hearts. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 is also a sequel to Chain of Memories, since the GBA game mentioned "the other side of Sora's heart," and it takes place right after Riku's story, telling what happened from when Riku joined DiZ to his disappearance and search for Roxas.

This is the order of the games released in chronological order within the series:
 * Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP)
 * Kingdom Hearts (PS2)
 * Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (GBA)
 * Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (NDS)
 * Kingdom Hearts II (PS2)
 * Kingdom Hearts coded (Mobile Phones)

Final Mixes and Remakes
Two games in the series have been re-released with bonus content, and one game was remade completely.
 * Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix (Japanese release only)
 * Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ (Japanese release only)
 * Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories 3D remake of Chain of Memories (Japanese and US releases)

Trivia

 * There is also an unknown 10th game, Nomura has brought up that will tie in Coded, 358/2 Days, and Birth by Sleep "sooner or later".