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35[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kingdom_hearts_2_hd_remix.png]]
36[[caption-width-right:350:Keys to the Kingdom.[[note]]From left to right:\
37Top: [[PowerOfTheVoid Xemnas]], [[BigBad Master Xehanort]], [[EvilSorcerer Ansem, Seeker of Darkness]].\
38Middle: [[TheGoodKing King Mickey]], [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold Ventus]], [[BrokenAce Aqua]], [[{{Determinator}} Terra]], [[ArtificialHuman Data-Sora]], [[MrExposition Data-Riku]].\
39Bottom: [[QuestForIdentity Roxas]], [[AllLovingHero Sora]], [[SimplemindedWisdom Goofy]], [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Donald Duck]][[/note]]]]
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44->''"There are many worlds,\
45but they share the same sky--\
46one sky, one destiny."''
47-->-- '''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII Kairi's Letter]]/[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI Opening Credits]]'''
48
49[-''For the first game in the series titled the same as the franchise, see ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI''''.-]
50
51So, a Squaresoft developer and a Disney executive [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_pitch walk into an elevator]]...
52
53''Kingdom Hearts'' is a series of fantasy {{Action|RPG}} [[EasternRPG JRPG]] games, co-produced by Creator/SquareEnix and Creator/{{Disney}}, directed by ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' character designer Creator/TetsuyaNomura, and featuring characters from both companies. It's basically the [[RunningGag darkness-lightingly popular]] ''[[JustForFun/XMeetsY Final Fantasy]]'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY series meets Disney]] (along with some other Square Enix properties later on). The series is well-known for its incredibly bizarre premise and [[KudzuPlot increasingly complicated plot]], not to mention its [[OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo increasingly absurd sequel subtitles]] and [[SequelNumberSnarl equally confusing numbering conventions]].
54
55Sora is a young boy living a peaceful but boring life on an island with [[ThePowerOfFriendship his best friends Riku and Kairi]]. This is until the day his world is engulfed by TheHeartless, an [[EldritchAbomination eldritch species]] that [[TheVirus feed on the hearts of innocent people]] and literally consume entire worlds. Sora is sucked through a portal and winds up in Traverse Town, a crossroads world that has become the refuge of those who have lost their worlds to the Heartless. As he begins to search for his missing friends, [[TheChosenOne Sora is granted the mysterious Keyblade]]: [[ClingyMacGuffin the only thing capable of closing the gaps that the Heartless are using to invade the worlds]].
56
57With the aid of Donald Duck and Goofy, two royal knights searching for their missing king, Sora must travel to all of the different worlds and use the Keyblade to lock them safely away from the Heartless and those who plot to use the Heartless to further their own ends. Meanwhile Riku, having ended up in another world, [[TheRival becomes obsessed with rescuing Kairi at all costs]] and [[TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget is tempted by the same power of darkness]] that Sora is trying to seal, [[RivalTurnedEvil setting up the two best friends for a fateful confrontation]].
58
59As Sora and Riku grapple with their newfound powers and responsibilities, as well as Kairi being pulled into conflicts for reasons far beyond her understanding, an ever-expanding mythology begins to unfold around [[MacGuffinLocation the legendary Kingdom Hearts]]: the source of all hearts across all known worlds and the primary goal of many antagonists...
60
61[[foldercontrol]]
62
63[[folder:Phase One: The Dark Seeker Saga]]
64[[index]]
65The first phase of games detail Sora and friends' struggle against a man known as Xehanort, who wishes to unlock the secrets of Kingdom Hearts and use it for his own nefarious purposes. Detailed below is the order the games are released in, and should be played in.\
66\
67The first three games, released from 2002-2005, tell a trilogy in which Sora discovers his ability to wield the Keyblade and searches for his missing friends, battling the forces of darkness and exploring the Disney worlds along the way. It would not be until the third game, ''Kingdom Hearts II'', that it was made clear the source of the evils plaguing the worlds was Xehanort, a dark Keyblade Master who was eventually established as the BigBad of the Dark Seeker Saga.\
68\
69The next three games, released between 2008 and 2010, would see the series branch out into handheld consoles as it primarily focused on other characters besides Sora who could wield the Keyblade, and eventually had Sora learn of his connection to these new characters. The origins of Xehanort would also be detailed in this handheld trilogy.\
70\
71The final set of games in the Dark Seeker Saga, released between 2012 and 2019, gradually returned to consoles as it saw Sora, Riku, and their friends learn of the true scope of Xehanort's ambitions for Kingdom Hearts, and thus the heroes prepared for a climactic final battle foretold in ancient times as they mustered any hero of light they could against Xehanort and his XIII Seekers of Darkness. This final set of games also gave players a deep dive into the ancient lore of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' universe as it planted seeds for the future of the series.\
72
73* ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI Kingdom Hearts]]'' (2002, Platform/PlayStation2): The first game in the series, following Sora, Donald and Goofy as they search for their missing friends and fight off the darkness invading the worlds.
74* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'' (2004, Platform/GameBoyAdvance): A direct sequel to ''Kingdom Hearts''. Unbeknownst to each other, Sora and Riku separately arrive at the mysterious Castle Oblivion and come into conflict with an Organization of hostile, black-hooded figures.
75* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' (2005, [=PlayStation 2=]): The third game in the series, set roughly a year after ''Chain of Memories''. Sora, Donald and Goofy once again travel the worlds in search of Riku and King Mickey while fending off a new threat, but find themselves waylaid by the remaining members of Organization XIII and the mysteries behind a boy named Roxas.
76* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsCoded'' (2008-2010, [[MobilePhoneGame mobile phones]]): A mobile phone game taking place immediately after ''II'', following King Mickey as he attempts to decode a mysterious message left in Jiminy Cricket's journal.
77* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'' (2009, Platform/NintendoDS): An {{Interquel}} set between ''I'' and ''II'' about Roxas, his friends Axel and Xion, and their bittersweet experiences as members of Organization XIII.
78* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'' (2010, Platform/PlayStationPortable): A prequel set ten years before the first game. Follows three Keyblade wielders, Terra, Ventus, and Aqua, as they contend with the first schemes of series antagonist Xehanort.
79* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'' (2012, Platform/Nintendo3DS): A sequel to ''Kingdom Hearts II''. Sora and Riku undergo a trial to become Keyblade Masters in time for the final battle as sinister forces attempt to undermine their efforts.
80* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts02BirthBySleepAFragmentaryPassage'' (2017, Platform/PlayStation4 and 2020, Platform/XboxOne): A shorter installment included in the ''Kingdom Hearts Ⅱ.8 Final Chapter Prologue'' compilation. This sequel to ''Birth By Sleep'' explores the decade Aqua spends in the realm of darkness leading up to the end of ''I''.
81* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' (2019, Platform/PlayStation4 and Platform/XboxOne; 2021, [[Platform/EpicGamesStore PC]]; 2022, Platform/NintendoSwitch (Cloud version)): The GrandFinale of the Dark Seeker Saga. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, and Mickey explore the worlds to assemble a team of Keyblade wielders and end [[BigBad Xehanort's]] schemes once and for all.
82** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIIIReMind'' (2020, Platform/PlayStation4 and Platform/XboxOne): An expansion pack containing three stories set during and after the climax of ''III''. Sora tries to undo some of the tragic events of the Keyblade War and learns the consequences of changing fate.
83[[/index]]
84[[/folder]]
85
86[[folder:Phase Two: The Lost Master Arc]]
87[[index]]
88The second phase of games of the series began in 2020. After the events of ''III'', the heroes pick up the pieces and search for answers about the questions they've been left with as the schemes of an ancient master with a mysterious agenda come to light.
89* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsMelodyOfMemory'' (2020, Platform/PlayStation4, Platform/XboxOne, and Platform/NintendoSwitch and 2021, [[Platform/EpicGamesStore PC]]): A rhythm game in which Kairi searches through the memories of her and her friends’ past looking for clues to the future.
90* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIV'' (TBD): The fourth numbered game of the series, Sora continues to fight against the darkness while both he and his friends attempt to find a way to get him out of the mysterious realm of Quadratum.
91[[/index]]
92[[/folder]]
93
94[[folder: χ series]]
95[[index]]
96A series of games release for mobile phone (and PC for the original KHχ), that act as a prequel for the franchise as a whole and are not considered part of either of the two major arcs, though elements of them start to become relevant in the transition between the two arcs.
97* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsX [chi]'' (2013-2016, PC and 2015-2021, [[MobilePhoneGame mobile phones]]): A WebGame set during the era of the Foretellers, the original Keyblade Masters, and the [[GreatOffscreenWar Keyblade War that ended it]]. The game follows a player-created VirtualPaperDoll Keyblade wielder--a series first--[[SupportingProtagonist experiencing the consequences]] of the Foretellers' attempts to follow the cryptic instructions left by their vanished leader.
98** ''Kingdom Hearts Union χ [cross]'' (2017): The "second season" of ''Unchained χ [chi]'', the mobile version of the game, following a new generation of Keyblade Masters attempting to pick up the pieces after the Keyblade War.
99** ''Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road'' (2020): A sub-game in ''Union χ'' that explores Xehanort's StartOfDarkness. Though a story about Xehanort released after the end of the Dark Seeker Saga, it is not considered a part of said saga since it does not feature him as an antagonistic force being battled by the heroes of the series.
100* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsMissingLink'' (2024, [[MobilePhoneGame mobile phones]]): A new fully-3D game set between the events of ''Union χ'' and ''Dark Road'' revolving around Scala ad Caelum.
101[[/index]]
102[[/folder]]
103
104[[folder:Remakes and re-releases]]
105Several games of the series have received updated releases including additional content, and as the series has gone on and across several different platforms, the 2010's saw cohesive efforts to bring all of the games together into organized collections.
106
107* ''Kingdom Hearts Final Mix'' (2002, [=PlayStation 2=]): The first game's UpdatedRerelease, featuring rebalanced gameplay and a host of new content on top of what had already been added to the initial international release. Only released in Japan.
108* ''Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories'' (2007, [=PlayStation 2=]): A 3D [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of ''Chain of Memories''. Released as part of the ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+'' bundle in Japan and as a standalone title in North America in 2008. Features little new content other than the 3D overhaul, although the Japanese version can give/receive minor {{Old Save Bonus}}es to/from ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix''.
109* ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'' (2007, [=PlayStation 2=]): An UpdatedRerelease of ''II''. Similarly to ''I Final Mix'', rebalances gameplay and adds new content, along with a new difficulty level. Only released in Japan. This game and ''Re:Chain of Memories'' were also released as the Japan-only bundle ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+''.
110* ''Kingdom Hearts Re:coded'' (2010, Platform/NintendoDS): A remake of ''coded'', [[RemadeForTheExport created for international audiences]]. Uses a new battle system based on the Deck Command system of ''Birth by Sleep''.
111* ''Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' (2011, [=PlayStation Portable=]): An UpdatedRerelease of ''Birth by Sleep'', containing new content along with what had been added to the international release. Only released in Japan.
112* ''Kingdom Hearts HD Ⅰ.5 [=ReMIX=]'' (2013, Platform/PlayStation3): A bundle containing ''Kingdom Hearts Final Mix'', '' Re:Chain of Memories'', and a movie using cutscenes from ''358/2 Days'', all remastered in HD. Released in all territories.
113* ''Kingdom Hearts HD Ⅱ.5 [=ReMIX=]'' (2014, [=PlayStation=] 3): A bundle containing HD remasters of ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'', ''Birth by Sleep Final Mix'', and a movie using cutscenes from ''Re:coded''. Released in all territories.
114* ''Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ [chi]'' (2015, [[MobilePhoneGame mobile phones]]): A tweaked mobile port of ''χ [chi]'', retelling its story [[RemadeForTheExport for international audiences]].
115* ''Kingdom Hearts HD Ⅱ.8 Final Chapter Prologue'' (2017, Platform/PlayStation4; 2020, Platform/XboxOne; 2021, [[Platform/EpicGamesStore PC]]; 2022, Platform/NintendoSwitch[[note]]Cloud version[[/note]]): A bundle containing an UpdatedRerelease of ''3D: Dream Drop Distance'', the new ''0.2 Birth By Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage-'', and ''Kingdom Hearts χ [chi] Back Cover'', an original movie following the plot of ''χ [chi]'' from the Foretellers' perspective.
116* ''Kingdom Hearts HD Ⅰ.5 + Ⅱ.5 [=ReMIX=]'' (2017, [=PlayStation=] 4; 2020, Xbox One; 2021, PC; 2022, Nintendo Switch [[note]]Cloud version[[/note]]): A bundle containing all the remasters previously released on the [=PlayStation=] 3 with further technical improvements.
117* ''Kingdom Hearts - The Story So Far -'' (2018, [=PlayStation=] 4): A bundle combining the contents of ''Ⅰ.5 + Ⅱ.5 [=ReMIX=]'' and ''Ⅱ.8''.
118* ''Kingdom Hearts: All In One'' (2020, [=PlayStation=] 4): A bundle containing the contents of ''The Story So Far'' and ''III''. Does not include the ''Re:MIND'' DLC.
119* ''Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece'' (2022, Nintendo Switch[[note]]via Platform/CloudGaming[[/note]]): A bundle containing the contents of ''The Story So Far'' and ''III'', ''including'' the ''Re:MIND'' DLC.
120[[/folder]]
121
122
123[[folder:Adaptations]]
124The franchise has had several manga and novels published.
125
126The first four games and ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' have been adapted to manga by Shiro Amano. While the manga itself does have some [[{{Dramedy}} dramatic moments]], it is mainly an abridged adaptation of the games with a lot of humor, typical of Japanese comedy in other manga.
127
128The novel adaptations are written by Tomoco Kanemaki, with illustrations by Amano. They were translated and licensed for release and by Creator/YenPress.
129
130In 2019, Creator/GamesWorkshop released Kingdom Hearts themed version of their board game ''{{TabletopGame/Talisman}}''.
131
132[[index]]
133* Comic Books:
134** ''ComicBook/TheSceptreAndTheKingdom''
135* Manga:
136** ''Manga/KingdomHeartsI''
137** ''Manga/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories''
138** ''Manga/KingdomHeartsII''
139** ''Manga/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2''
140** ''Manga/KingdomHeartsIII''
141* Light Novels
142** ''Kingdom Hearts X: Your Keyblade, Your Story The Novel''
143* Literature:
144** ''[[Literature/KingdomHeartsI Kingdom Hearts]]''
145** ''Literature/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories''
146** ''Literature/KingdomHeartsII''
147** ''Literature/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2''
148** ''Literature/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep''
149** ''Literature/KingdomHeartsCoded''
150** ''Literature/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance''
151** ''Kingdom Hearts X''
152** ''Kingdom Hearts III''
153* Tabletop Games:
154** ''TabletopGame/KingdomHeartsTradingCardGame'' (2006)
155** ''[[{{TabletopGame/Talisman}} Talisman: Kingdom Hearts]]'' (2019)
156* Video Games:
157** ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' (2021) [[note]]Sora is the final playable character in the second Fighter's Pass, and the final DLC character overall. Aside from the Mickey Mouse insignia on his keychain, all other elements tied to the Disney part of the equation are AdaptedOut. Characters original to the series, including Riku, Kairi, Roxas, Xion, Terra, Ventus, Aqua, Naminé, Axel, Master Xehanort, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, Xemnas, Saïx, and Vanitas appear as background cameos or Spirits.[[/note]]
158[[/index]]
159[[/folder]]
160
161The series contains appearances by characters and locations from the following games, films and franchises.
162
163[[folder:Disney]]
164!!Featured
165* ''WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians''[[note]]a CollectionSidequest in ''I'' involves finding the 99 puppies for Pongo and Perdita; a ''x'' costume depicts Cruella[[/note]]
166* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}''[[note]]basis of the world Agrabah, which appears in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', ''II'', ''coded'', ''358/2 Days'' and ''x''[[/note]]
167** ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar''[[note]]the Agrabah story in ''II'' loosely adapts this sequel[[/note]]
168* ''WesternAnimation/AliceInWonderland''[[note]]basis of the world Wonderland, which appears in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', ''coded'', ''358/2 Days'', and ''x''; the Mad Tea Party ride appears as an Attraction Flow in ''III''[[/note]]
169* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}}''[[note]]Bambi is a summon appearing in ''I'' and ''Chain of Memories,'' ''x'' depicts costumes of the title character, Faline, Thumper, and Miss Bunny [[/note]]
170* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast''[[note]]the Beast and Belle appear in ''I'' and ''Chain of Memories''; the world Beast's Castle appears in ''II'', ''358/2 Days'', and ''x''[[/note]]
171* ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6''[[note]]basis of the world San Fransokyo, which appears in ''III''[[/note]]
172* ''WesternAnimation/ChickenLittle''[[note]]Chicken Little is a summon appearing in ''II''[[/note]]
173* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}''[[note]]Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother appear in ''I''; the world Castle of Dreams appears in ''Birth by Sleep'', ''x'', and ''0.2''; the Fairy Godmother returns in ''Re Mind'' and ''Melody of Memory''[[/note]]
174* WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts[[note]]many characters from the classic shorts appear throughout the series, most notably WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, and WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}, who appear prominently in every game, and WesternAnimation/{{Pete}}, who debuts as an antagonist in ''II'' and has appeared in nearly every game since; their home world, Disney Castle/Disney Town, appears in ''II'' and ''Birth by Sleep'', and in non-interactive form in ''I'', ''Re:coded'', and ''3D''; Timeless River, a world based on the very oldest black-and-white shorts, appears in ''II''; minigames based on various shorts appear in ''III'' and ''x''[[/note]]
175** ''WesternAnimation/SteamboatWillie''[[note]]the primary short explored in Timeless River[[/note]]
176** ''WesternAnimation/TheBandConcert''[[note]]the courtyard of Disney Castle is styled after this short[[/note]]
177** ''WesternAnimation/RunawayBrain''[[note]]Julius appears as a {{Superboss}} in ''3D''[[/note]]
178* Ride/DisneyThemeParks[[note]]''III'' features Attraction Flow, a game mechanic based on assorted theme park rides, and implements the Parks' famous "Hidden Mickey" EasterEggs as "[[GottaCatchEmAll Lucky Emblems]]"[[/note]]
179** Ride/BigThunderMountainRailroad[[note]]a Big Thunder Mining Company train appears as the Mountain Coaster Attraction Flow in ''III''[[/note]]
180* ''WesternAnimation/{{DuckTales|1987}}''[[note]]this series' incarnation of Scrooge [=McDuck=] appears in ''II'', ''Birth by Sleep'', and ''III''[[/note]]
181* ''WesternAnimation/{{Dumbo}}''[[note]]Dumbo is a summon appearing in ''I'' and ''Chain of Memories''; ''x'' depicts a costume of Timothy Q. Mouse and accessories of the title character and a Pink Elephant.[[/note]]
182* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}}''[[note]]''I'' features several ''Fantasia'' elements, such as the enchanted brooms from ''The Sorcerer's Apprentice'' and Chernabog from ''Night on Bald Mountain''; Yen Sid the sorcerer debuts in ''II'' and has since ascended to the role of BigGood, appearing in that capacity in every game from ''Birth By Sleep'' onward; a world based on all of the film's segments, Symphony of Sorcery, appears in ''3D''[[/note]]
183* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}''[[note]]basis of Arendelle, a world in ''III''[[/note]]
184* ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}''[[note]]basis of the world Olympus Coliseum, which appears in every game except ''3D'' (and only mentioned in ''0.2'') and returns in ''III'' as Olympus[[/note]]
185* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}''[[note]]basis of the world La Cité des Cloches, which appears in ''3D''; an encounter at the Notre Dame cathedral in that game is brought up in ''III''[[/note]]
186* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch''[[note]]Stitch is a summon appearing in ''II'' and ''III''; basis of the world Deep Space, which appears in ''Birth by Sleep''[[/note]]
187** ''WesternAnimation/StitchTheMovie''[[note]]Experiment 221 appears in ''Birth by Sleep'' as a boss[[/note]]
188* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994''[[note]]Simba is a summon appearing in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', and ''III''; the world Pride Lands appears in ''II''[[/note]]
189* ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989''[[note]]basis of the world Atlantica, which appears in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', and ''II''; Ursula makes a surprise appearance in ''3D''; Ariel is a summon in ''III''[[/note]]
190* ''WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers''[[note]]basis of the world Country of the Musketeers, which appears in ''3D''[[/note]]
191* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc''[[note]]basis of Monstropolis, a world in ''III''[[/note]]
192* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}''[[note]]Mushu is a summon appearing in ''I'' and ''Chain of Memories''; basis of the world The Land of Dragons, which appears in ''II''[[/note]]
193* ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas''[[note]]basis of the world Halloween Town, which appears in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', ''II'', and ''358/2 Days''[[/note]]
194* ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan''[[note]]basis of the world Never Land, which appears in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', ''358/2 Days'', and ''Birth by Sleep''; Peter and Tinker Bell appear as a summon in ''II''[[/note]]
195* ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}''[[note]]Jiminy Cricket is a prominent companion and chronicler throughout the series; basis of the WombLevel "world" Monstro, which appears in ''I'' and ''Chain of Memories''; the film's actual world, Prankster's Paradise, appears in ''3D''; Monstro is a {{Superboss}} in ''Birth by Sleep Final Mix''[[/note]]
196* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl''[[note]]basis of the world Port Royal, which appears in ''II''[[/note]]
197** ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest''[[note]]The plot threads of this film are summarized and recapped in the The Caribbean. [[/note]]
198** ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd''[[note]]basis of the world The Caribbean, which appears in ''III''[[/note]]
199* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ratatouille}}''[[note]]Rémy appears in ''III''[[/note]]
200* ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty''[[note]]Maleficent is a recurring antagonist, appearing in every game except for ''358/2 Days'' and ''0.2''; Aurora also appears in ''I'', and Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather in ''II''; the world Enchanted Dominion appears in ''Birth by Sleep'', ''x'', and ''0.2''[[/note]]
201* ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''[[note]]Snow White appears in ''I''; the world Dwarf Woodlands appears in ''Birth by Sleep'', ''x'', and ''0.2''[[/note]]
202* ''WesternAnimation/TheSwordInTheStone''[[note]]Merlin appears in ''I'', ''II'', ''Birth by Sleep'', and ''III'', and is mentioned in ''3D'' and ''0.2''[[/note]]
203* ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}''[[note]]basis of the world Kingdom of Corona, which appears in ''III''[[/note]]
204* ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}''[[note]]basis of the world Deep Jungle, which appears in ''I''; ''Tarzan'' material has disappeared from future games for copyright reasons[[/note]]
205* ''Franchise/ToyStory''[[note]]basis of the world Toy Box in ''III''[[/note]]
206** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2''[[note]]the ''Toy Story'' world has the second film's status quo, given the state of the Davis household and presence of the Alien trio; a medal in ''x'' depicts Jessie in addition to characters featured in ''III''[[/note]]
207** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStoryThatTimeForgot''[[note]]the Battlesaurs can be seen on the shelves of Galaxy Toys[[/note]]
208* ''Film/{{TRON}}''[[note]]basis of the world Space Paranoids, which appears in ''II''[[/note]]
209** ''VideoGame/TronTwoPointOh''[[note]]elements from this game are used in Space Paranoids, namely the game grid's light cycle design resembling the super light cycle[[/note]]
210** ''Film/TronLegacy''[[note]]basis of the world The Grid, which appears in ''3D''[[/note]]
211* ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh''[[note]]basis of the world The Hundred-Acre Wood, which appears in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', ''II'', ''Birth by Sleep'', and ''III''[[/note]]
212** ''[[WesternAnimation/PoohsGrandAdventure Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin]]''[[note]]areas in ''II'' are adapted from this film's locations, namely Skull and the butterfly valley[[/note]]
213** ''WesternAnimation/PoohsHeffalumpMovie''[[note]]Lumpy appears in ''III''[[/note]]
214* ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' [[note]]basis of the world Game Central Station in ''x'', with sub-worlds based on the film's other video games; Ralph appears in ''III'' as a summon[[/note]]
215
216!!Cameos only
217* ''WesternAnimation/TheAristocats''[[note]]a ''x'' costume and accessory depicts Marie, accessories also depict Berlioz and Toulouse[[/note]]
218* ''Film/BeautyAndTheBeast2017''[[note]]''x'' costumes of this film's Belle and Beast were released to promote the film[[/note]]
219* ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}''[[note]]''x'' features medals and costumes depicting Miguel and Héctor, Dante is also depicted as a medal[[/note]]
220* ''Franchise/DisneyFairies''[[note]]a ''x'' costume depicts Terence[[/note]]
221* ''VideoGame/DisneyTsumTsum''[[note]]''x'' features medals and cosmetics depict various Tsums and a boss that is a stack of Heartless Tsums[[/note]]
222* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' [[note]]''x'' medals depict this show's versions of Scrooge [=McDuck=], Huey, Dewey, Louie, Webby, and Launchpad [=McQuack=][[/note]]
223* ''WesternAnimation/Incredibles2''[[note]]medals in ''x'' depict Bob, Helen, Dash, Violet, and Jack-Jack[[/note]]
224* ''WesternAnimation/TheJungleBook1967''[[note]]''x'' medals depict Mowgli, Baloo, and Louie[[/note]]
225* ''WesternAnimation/LadyAndTheTramp''[[note]]a fountain depicting the signature [[Main/SpaghettiKiss spaghetti kiss]] is in Traverse Town and can be seen in ''I'', ''Re:Chain of Memories'', ''Re:coded'' and ''3D,'' ''x'' depicts humanoid costumes inspired by the title characters. [[/note]]
226* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries''[[note]]''x'' depicts an Angel costume[[/note]]
227* ''WesternAnimation/LuxoJr''[[note]]the Luxo Ball can be found in Toy Box in ''III''[[/note]]
228* ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales''[[note]]''x'' costumes of this film's Jack Sparrow and Carina Smyth were released to promote the film. [[/note]]
229* ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}''[[note]]''x'' medals depict Moana and Maui, a costume also depicts Moana [[/note]]
230* ''WesternAnimation/{{Onward}}''[[note]]''x'' medals depict Ian and Barley[[/note]]
231* ''WesternAnimation/{{The Rescuers}}''[[note]]''x'' costumes and accessories depict Bernard and Bianca[[/note]]
232* ''WesternAnimation/{{Two Chips and a Miss}}''[[note]]''x'' includes accessories depicting Clarice[[/note]]
233* ''WesternAnimation/{{Soul}}''[[note]]''x'' medals depict Joe, 22 and Mr. Mittens[[/note]]
234* ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}''[[note]]''x'' medals, costumes, and accessories depict Judy and Nick, additional accessories include Fennick and Flash[[/note]]
235[[/folder]]
236
237[[folder:Square Enix]]
238* ''VideoGame/TheBouncer''[[note]]Sora's design is heavily reminiscent of Sion; as a direct ShoutOut, Pence's shirt reads "Dog Street"[[/note]]
239* ''VideoGame/BravelyDefault''[[note]]''x'' costumes exclusive to the Japanese version[[/note]]
240* ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' [[note]] Avatars for Warrior of Light, Garland, Firion, Onion Knight, Paladin Cecil, Bartz, Terra, Cloud, Squall, Zidane, Tidus, and Shantotto in their designs from this game are in ''Re:Coded'' [[/note]]
241** ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy2015''[[note]]an advertisement for the game, scale models of Bahamut, Ifrit, and Odin, and boxes for models of Ramuh, Leviathan, and Alexander can be found on display in Galaxy Toys in ''III'' [[/note]]
242* ''VideoGame/{{Einhander}}''[[note]]Schwarzgeist appears as a {{Superboss}} and both it and Endymion appear as Gummi Ship blueprints in ''III''[[/note]]
243* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''[[note]]Moogles appear in every game in the series, while many other staples of the franchise appear as components in design and gameplay[[/note]]
244* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''[[note]]Setzer appears in ''II''[[/note]]
245* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''[[note]]Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid appear in Traverse Town, and Cloud in Olympus Coliseum, in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', and ''coded'', and all of them in Hollow Bastion in ''II'', which also introduces Tifa; Sephiroth is a {{Superboss}} in ''I'' and ''II''; Zack appears in Olympus Coliseum in ''Birth by Sleep''; Cloud makes another Olympus appearance in ''x'' and has a cameo as an Olympus statue in ''III''; Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid return in ''Re Mind''[[/note]]
246** ''VideoGame/CrisisCore''[[note]]Zack's appearance in ''Birth by Sleep'' is based on this game[[/note]]
247** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake''[[note]]''x'' medals depict its incarnations of Cloud, Tifa, Aerith and Sephiroth[[/note]]
248* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII''[[note]]Selphie appears on Destiny Islands, and Squall in Traverse Town then Hollow Bastion, in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', ''II'', and ''coded''; Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin appear in Twilight Town in ''II''; Squall returns in ''Re Mind''[[/note]]
249* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX''[[note]]Vivi appears in ''II''[[/note]]
250* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX''[[note]]Tidus and Wakka appear on Destiny Islands in ''I'', ''Chain of Memories'', and ''coded'', and are mentioned in ''II''; Auron appears in Olympus Coliseum, and Yuna and Rikku in Hollow Bastion, in ''II''; Auron makes a cameo as an Olympus statue in ''III''[[/note]]
251** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2''[[note]]Yuna and Rikku are in their Gullwings attire and accompanied by Paine in ''II''[[/note]]
252* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' [[note]] Avatars for Lightning, Snow, Serah, Sazh, and Vanille, are in ''Re:Coded'' [[/note]]
253* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyRecordKeeper''[[note]]as part of a [[{{Crossover}} crossover event]], ''x'' features medals depicting Tyro, Dr. Mog, Elarra, and a whole series of past ''Final Fantasy'' characters in ''Record Keeper''[='=]s pixel art style, as well as enemies and music based on Gilgamesh from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' and Kefka from ''FFVI''[[/note]]
254* ''[[https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Imaginary_Range Imaginary Range]]''[[note]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg6bcpqOrF8 a music theme]] from this obscure [=iOS=] interactive graphic novel was remixed into the track "Zero Hour -The Rescue-" in ''III''[[/note]]
255* ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''[[note]]Neku, Joshua, Shiki, Beat, and Rhyme appear in Traverse Town in ''3D'', names of other characters from the game appear in one of the Flick Rush tournaments[[/note]]
256* ''VideoGame/WorldOfFinalFantasy''[[note]]''x'' features medals depicting Lann, Reyn, and Tama, plus a whole series of the game's [[SuperDeformed Lilikin]] characters, including Sora himself who was a TemporaryOnlineContent summon in ''World of Final Fantasy''[[/note]]
257[[/folder]]
258
259!!Due to lengthy periods between releases and the prevalence of {{Late Arrival Spoiler}}s, spoilers from installments before 2010 are unmarked. Read at your own risk.
260
261----
262
263!!''Kingdom Hearts'' as a whole provides examples of:
264
265[[foldercontrol]]
266
267[[folder:Tropes #]]
268* EleventhHourSuperpower:
269** In all three numbered titles (as of writing) the Glide ability is this, with you getting it around the moment the story hits its climax and you fight through the second to last worlds (End of Neverland/ start of Hollow Bastion in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'', The start of The World That Never Was in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', and the start of the Second Keyblade War/Forging of the X-Blade in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'') and cut down [[ClimaxBoss climax bosses]] like tissues
270** The Final Form transformation in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''. Granted, it's available for a while before the final boss, but it's hard to unlock quickly. It's really, really broken too, seeing as how it automatically attacks with every movement, including flying or drinking potions.
271** Plus, for the final battle of the prologue section of Kingdom Hearts II, Roxas gets to dual wield keyblades for the final showdown with Axel. It plays like Sora's drive version, except there isn't a gauge, so it's basically unlimited.
272** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'', Aqua gets the game's best Keyblade in [[spoiler:the Final Episode, the semi-hidden true conclusion to the game's storyline.]] It also forces you to use it in the secret episode added in the final mix version.
273** Upon entering the final world in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'', Sora is given an ability called "Trinity Limit" which gives you the ability to decimate any enemies on the screen provided you obtain one Goofy and Donald card during the battle.
274** ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'': Roxas gains the ability to [[DualWielding dual wield the Oathkeeper and Oblivion Keyblades]] during the first part of Day 358 (the last mission). His attacking speed and power increase dramatically, letting him quickly kill the Neoshadows that spawn with only one or two hits.
275** Most of the games feature Ultima Weapon, but the incarnation in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' allows Sora to enter Ultimate Form, effectively the game's successor to Final Form.
276* ThirteenIsUnlucky:
277** Organization XIII consists of thirteen members who like to walk around in {{Black Cloak}}s and do nasty things, which is ambiguously justifiable in that they lost their hearts and are trying to reclaim them. The means of trying to reclaim their hearts, however, involves the distortion of the heart of all worlds. [[spoiler: ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'' reveals that the Organization's true purpose is to serve as vessels to [[BigBad Xehanort]], who seeks to reforge the χ-blade by pitting thirteen darknesses against seven lights (the [[BarrierMaiden Princesses of Heart]]). But with [[TheHero Sora]] foiling his goals, Xehanort is trying again with a second Organization.]]
278** Sora is described in [[Film/TronLegacy the Grid]] as Combatant 13, [[spoiler: {{Foreshadowing}} Xehanort's plan to use him as his thirteenth vessel.]]
279** Castle Oblivion, which is used as a base by members of the aforementioned Organization, has thirteen floors.
280[[/folder]]
281[[index]]
282* KingdomHearts/TropesAToD
283* KingdomHearts/TropesEToH
284* KingdomHearts/TropesIToO
285* KingdomHearts/TropesPToZ
286[[/index]]
287----
288->''--But don't be afraid.\
289You hold the mightiest weapon of all.\
290So don't forget:\

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