Correct order to play the games for first timers

[David Buchwald 20]

Hello Kingdom Hearts experts,

 

I am very much looking forward to this bundle of 1.5+2.5 for PS4 as I absolutely loved KH1 and KH2, but never played the other games because I didn't have the handheld consoles. And since it's been such a long time, I pretty much forgot a lot of the story (I only played each game once when they first came out). I'm excited to finally be able to play through the entire saga and better understand the story, as I own a PS4 and can get this bundle.

 

I have a question for you pros though. I have tried asking this question and have gotten a few different responses. As someone experiencing a lot of the story for the first time, is it best to play these games in story/chronological order? Or would it be better to play these games in the order in which they were released? Or is there some completely different order that is ideal for playing these games to their full extent?

 

I feel playing in chronological order will give me a better grasp of the story/plot, but wanted to hear some opinions. I am a very linear thinking type person, which is why I probably lean towards the chronological order. However, I had also heard that it might be better to play in release order, as certain games hint towards certain things you aren't supposed to necessarily find out until later about the overall story.

 

When I get 2.8 in January, will there be any part of it I can experience?! Or will I need to wait until the other games come out in March in order to play in the correct order? I hope I can at the very least watch Back Cover in January, as I'm currently playing through Unchained X anyway.

 

Thanks in advance for the help! Appreciate it!

[DoDo4869 301]

Sooo... i think the best way to play them is

 

KH 1
KH Chain of Memories
Then either KH II or 358/2 Days (I recommend Days though, since its the last game of 1.5)

KH Birth by sleep

KH Re:coded

 

Sooo now to 2.8.... for KH Dream Drop Distance you have to play every other game before i guess, because it is currently the latest game in the series chronologically.. I think that you can play 0.2 (as long as you've played Birth by sleep) and watch X-Back cover.

 

 

That'd by my way of playing things

[Zimomo 143]

Release order without a doubt. That's how the story was created and that's how it should be enjoyed IMO. So KH1, CoM, either KH2 or 358/2 days (I would play 2 before watching days), BBS, Coded, DDD, 0.2 and then X Back cover. Oh, and try Unchained X too after everything else, or at least follow its story, because I'm pretty sure that X Back Cover will not explain everything about the X series.

[Felixx 6,646]

I would play them in the order they were released. Mostly because like you said certain things/scenes hint towards other things, and when you play in chronological order that kinda ruins the secrets and mysteries.

Also I think when you play in chronological order, you are supposed to know more of the story to fully grasp it. And since you forgot a lot of it, best to play in release date order.

 

So I would use this order: KH1, CoM, KH2, Days, BBS, Coded, DDD.

 

About 2.8: To play 0.2 you have to know the story of BBS at least. Not sure if any other story is necessary. But I personally would wait until you played/watched all of the other games first.

 

I think watching Back Cover should be fine though, when you know the story of Unchained X. You probably get the best experience when you know all of thr other games, but I don't think it makes too much of a difference with Back Cover.

 

Hope that helped a bit

[Guest]

The collection has been cleverly designed to be in chronological order. Here is how you should play them for everything to make sense.

 

Kingdom Hearts 1.5 ReMix

Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Cinematic

 

Kingdom Hearts 2.5 ReMix

Kingdom Hearts 2

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

Kingdom Hearts Coded Cinematic

 

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep: A Fragmentary Passage

Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover

[Yuya Sakaki 5,212]

Honestly just play 1.5 from left to right. Then 2.5 from left to right. Then 2.8 from left to right. And you're ready for KH3. No need to over-complicate things, it's THAT simple really.

 

Peace!

[Master Eraqus 1,340]

I think you should play them in the order they released. They were released that way and I think that's how one can best enjoy it. Playing them in a different order can have spoilers and there are some things that the story wouldn't explain cause it would expect you to know them.

 

So, I think the best order is:

 

1. Kingdom Hearts Final Mix (From 1.5)
2. Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories (From 1.5)
3. Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix (From 2.5)
4. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (From 1.5)
5. Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Final Mix (From 2.5)
6. Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded (From 2.5)
7. Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance (From 2.8)
8. Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth By Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage (From 2.8)
9. Kingdom Hearts Chi Back Cover (From 2.8)
10. Kingdom Hearts 3

Now there's also the case of Chi/Unchained Chi. I suggest also playing Unchained Chi after Dream Drop Distance. But if you're not really interested in its gameplay and more into the story, then I suggest watching Everglow's translated playthrough of Chi on YouTube and his playthrough of Unchained Chi, which continues from Chi.

[neil98 313]

1FM-Re:CoM-2FM-358/2 Days-BBS-Re:Coded-DDD-X (watch cutscenes for the browser game on youtube-Unchained X-BC)-0.2 BBS:AFP-3

[Sorarocks93 678]

The collection has been cleverly designed to be in chronological order. Here is how you should play them for everything to make sense.

 

Kingdom Hearts 1.5 ReMix

Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Cinematic

 

Kingdom Hearts 2.5 ReMix

Kingdom Hearts 2

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

Kingdom Hearts Coded Cinematic

 

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep: A Fragmentary Passage

Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover

Honestly I think they put Days in 1.5 instead of KH2 because first, they didn't have time to release both KH1 and KH2 in one collection and second, they didn't want to release a collection with only 1 game and 2 movies while the other collection would have 2 major games and one less major game.

 

But yeah, follow that order. You can swap Days with KH2 if you want but it's not that big of a deal.

[Awesome Sauce 634]

I think that you'll be just fine playing them in the order they are presented in the Remixes. I also agree with others that playing them in order of releases works too.

 

No matter what, I wouldn't recommend starting with BBS.

[KingdomHearts3 2,591]

I would play in chronological order. The reason why is this. If you understand the beginning of the series (BbS) the rest is easy to grasp.

[Hero of Light XIV 2,381]

Hello Kingdom Hearts experts,

 

I am very much looking forward to this bundle of 1.5+2.5 for PS4 as I absolutely loved KH1 and KH2, but never played the other games because I didn't have the handheld consoles. And since it's been such a long time, I pretty much forgot a lot of the story (I only played each game once when they first came out). I'm excited to finally be able to play through the entire saga and better understand the story, as I own a PS4 and can get this bundle.

 

I have a question for you pros though. I have tried asking this question and have gotten a few different responses. As someone experiencing a lot of the story for the first time, is it best to play these games in story/chronological order? Or would it be better to play these games in the order in which they were released? Or is there some completely different order that is ideal for playing these games to their full extent?

 

I feel playing in chronological order will give me a better grasp of the story/plot, but wanted to hear some opinions. I am a very linear thinking type person, which is why I probably lean towards the chronological order. However, I had also heard that it might be better to play in release order, as certain games hint towards certain things you aren't supposed to necessarily find out until later about the overall story.

 

When I get 2.8 in January, will there be any part of it I can experience?! Or will I need to wait until the other games come out in March in order to play in the correct order? I hope I can at the very least watch Back Cover in January, as I'm currently playing through Unchained X anyway.

 

Thanks in advance for the help! Appreciate it!

Well for me, I would typically recommend release order, as plot wise, that's how you lead into the other stories of the other games. Like you said, each game gives various hints that lead into the next game released after it, like how KH2 and 358/2 Days hint towards Birth by Sleep, even though chronologically it took place before all of them. So the order I would most recommend would be:

 

Kingdom Hearts (Final Mix)

Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

Kingdom Hearts II (Final Mix)

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (Final Mix)

Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded

Kingdom Hearts 3D:Dream Drop Distance

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X

 

Now if say you started doing this now, odds are by the time you finish Re:Coded it'll probably be January. I should also point out that for 358/2 Days and Re:Coded that I highly recommend both watching the HD movies AND playing the original games, if you have them that is. I feel like it just makes for a wholer and better experience.

 

Another order you could follow in that is slightly different is the HD ReMIX order, as in the order that I.5 and II.5 packaged their games in. It's mostly the same as release order, just with a few titles switched around for the sake of packaging.

 

KH1 (FM)

KH Re:CoM

KH Days

KH2 (FM)

KH BbS (FM)

KH Re:Coded

KH 3D

KH X

 

Those are the orders I most recommend, with original release order being my top recommendation. It's best to kind of think of it like an anime. Sometimes they have big plot arcs, other times they have "filler" arcs that serve as backstory, and other times they have prequel arcs that explain origins as well as hint towards the future. They don't release the prequel arcs first because they want to get you investing in the main action in the present day story first, that way you actually become more invested in the story when it goes back in time to explain things. I mean think of it this way, you could play Days before KH2, but I would argue that playing Days AFTER KH2 will give you a bit deeper of an experience. You suddenly feel more towards Roxas when you know what's waiting for him at the end of the game, making the tragedy of the title all the more impactful.

 

I guess a fair anime comparison would be Bleach. It occasionally takes breaks from it's main arc by having side arcs that either explain some past event that is relevant to the main arc in some way (backstory to some characters) or side arcs that are just "fun". Usually when they do that there is a flow and a pace to it, though I think KH makes it feel a bit more natural since it feels more like there's periods of time between each title instead of just continuously moving forward, which makes it feel less like it's being interrupted.

 

You could do chronological order too if you wanted to, but the problem with that right now is that you would technically have to start with Unchained X, and that isn't even near being completed yet. Not only that, but I would imagine it would be kind of jarring jumping from a slightly more advanced system like BbS all the way back to basics with KH1, it would just kind of throw me off personally. But it's up to your discretion I guess.

[PrinceNoctis 1,011]

I think the best order is 

Kingdom Hearts 

Chain Of Memories

Kingdom Hearts 2

358/2 Days

Re:Coded

Birth By Sleep

Dream Drop Distance

0.2 Birth By Sleep

X/Unchained X/Back Cover

 

For me, putting Re:coded before BBS, keeps me from going backwards in the timeline for two games which I dislike. I like to see what's going on in the current timeline and when it's REALLY necessary, go back to see what happened before. Re:Coded doesn't have a lot of story elements anyway, so putting it before BBS is like "foreshadowing" BBS a little. Anyway, that how i like it..but that's just my opinion. Honestly, the release order is best for first timers I think. We don'

Edited November 12, 2016 by PrinceNoctis

[MythrilMagician 6,963]

Like everyone else said, first timers in release order. If you want to play the series a second time, go for story order, so basically:

Kingdom Hearts Chi: Back Cover

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep

Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage-

Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days

Kingdom Hearts II

Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance

 

And of course end it with Kingdom Hearts III, but that isn't in these collections

[Iggy 76]

Just play them in the order of when they were released.

 

358/2 Days especially makes no f*cking sense if you didn't play KH2, yet they bundled that one with 1.5.

[Headphone Jack 1,147]

it makes the most sense to play them in the order they were released, because that's more or less the order Nomura wrote them in.

 

playing them in chronological order will most likely confuse you more than playing them in release order will. 

[Movies798 1,357]

In my opinion, I would've play it in this order.

1.) Kingdom Hearts

2.) Re:Chain of Memories

3.) 358/2 Days

4.) Kingdom Hearts 2

5.) Birth by Sleep

6.) Re:Coded

7.) Dream Drop Distance

8.) 0.2 Birth by Sleep A Fragmentary Passage

9.) x Back Cover

[The 13th Kenpachi 4,279]

Well for me, I would typically recommend release order, as plot wise, that's how you lead into the other stories of the other games. Like you said, each game gives various hints that lead into the next game released after it, like how KH2 and 358/2 Days hint towards Birth by Sleep, even though chronologically it took place before all of them. So the order I would most recommend would be:

 

Kingdom Hearts (Final Mix)

Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

Kingdom Hearts II (Final Mix)

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (Final Mix)

Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded

Kingdom Hearts 3D:Dream Drop Distance

Kingdom Hearts Unchained X

 

Now if say you started doing this now, odds are by the time you finish Re:Coded it'll probably be January. I should also point out that for 358/2 Days and Re:Coded that I highly recommend both watching the HD movies AND playing the original games, if you have them that is. I feel like it just makes for a wholer and better experience.

 

Another order you could follow in that is slightly different is the HD ReMIX order, as in the order that I.5 and II.5 packaged their games in. It's mostly the same as release order, just with a few titles switched around for the sake of packaging.

 

KH1 (FM)

KH Re:CoM

KH Days

KH2 (FM)

KH BbS (FM)

KH Re:Coded

KH 3D

KH X

 

Those are the orders I most recommend, with original release order being my top recommendation. It's best to kind of think of it like an anime. Sometimes they have big plot arcs, other times they have "filler" arcs that serve as backstory, and other times they have prequel arcs that explain origins as well as hint towards the future. They don't release the prequel arcs first because they want to get you investing in the main action in the present day story first, that way you actually become more invested in the story when it goes back in time to explain things. I mean think of it this way, you could play Days before KH2, but I would argue that playing Days AFTER KH2 will give you a bit deeper of an experience. You suddenly feel more towards Roxas when you know what's waiting for him at the end of the game, making the tragedy of the title all the more impactful.

 

I guess a fair anime comparison would be Bleach. It occasionally takes breaks from it's main arc by having side arcs that either explain some past event that is relevant to the main arc in some way (backstory to some characters) or side arcs that are just "fun". Usually when they do that there is a flow and a pace to it, though I think KH makes it feel a bit more natural since it feels more like there's periods of time between each title instead of just continuously moving forward, which makes it feel less like it's being interrupted.

 

You could do chronological order too if you wanted to, but the problem with that right now is that you would technically have to start with Unchained X, and that isn't even near being completed yet. Not only that, but I would imagine it would be kind of jarring jumping from a slightly more advanced system like BbS all the way back to basics with KH1, it would just kind of throw me off personally. But it's up to your discretion I guess.

Quoted because you mentioned Bleach.

 

 

 

I'd play them left to right in the order they come in the collections. So 1,RE:COM, watch days cutscenes, 2, BBS, you can skip coded cutscenes if you want-there's not that much there. But if you want some extra KH content then go for it, it has 2 extra cutscenes that are canon and tie into the KH3 and Chi.

 

Then play DDD, 0.2 and watch Back Cover. As for Unchained Chi-you can watch the story cutscenes on YouTube or just read up on it on the wiki. I'd watch UX before Back Cover.

Edited November 13, 2016 by Barry Bacon Allen

[David Buchwald 20]

Hey guys, thanks so much for all the great responses!  I can't tell you how helpful this is.  I have decided to play in release order, basically going left to right from 1.5 to 2.5.  I am still deciding between whether to play KH2 or watch Days first, as that seems to be the biggest debate right now, but I can decide later.  I can't believe I have to wait until March to get started on this though!     I am getting the entire collection on PS4, as I said before I don't have access to the other versions and I prefer to play in HD on my PS4 anyway.  

 

One follow up question though to all this.  I am currently playing Unchained X on my iPhone.  I don't really think it's ruining anything for me.  I did play KH and KH2 when they first came out, and even though I don't remember much at all, I have at least a basic understanding of the premise.  So I know Unchained X is an overall prologue taking place many years even before the events of Birth By Sleep, and before the Keyblade War.  I am very much enjoying the game, and currently on story quest 223.  I am just seeing the story as an overall introduction to the Kingdom Hearts Universe as a whole, and an explanation of how the universe got to the state it was in by the time Sora started his adventures.  I understand certain things may have more meaning if I had played all the other games, but I don't think anything is being ruined.  Anyway, my question is this.  Because I need to wait until March to start my KH Marathon on PS4... how bad would it be for me to watch Back Cover when it comes out in January?! After all, I don't see how it can ruin much as it focuses on the main prologue.  If anything, I could re-watch it after I play everything.  But I always thought it was just an extension of what I'm experiencing in Unchained X.

 

Thanks again everyone!

[The Transcendent Key 12,109]

Well human, you've got all these stories at your fingertips, and ultimately, it's up to you to decide how you want the stories to unfold! I would go with heading out with things chronologically, but doing things in order of release is your best bet! That's how Transcendent went about it, anyway! And by going with order of release, there'll be lots of mysteries left hanging, and you'll be eager to see where these loose plot threads come from! That's how you discover the rest of the story along the way! So yes, order of release it is! 

Edited November 13, 2016 by The Transcendent Key

[Hero of Light XIV 2,381]

Quoted because you mentioned Bleach.

 

 

 

I'd play them left to right in the order they come in the collections. So 1,RE:COM, watch days cutscenes, 2, BBS, you can skip coded cutscenes if you want-there's not that much there. But if you want some extra KH content then go for it, it has 2 extra cutscenes that are canon and tie into the KH3 and Chi.

 

Then play DDD, 0.2 and watch Back Cover. As for Unchained Chi-you can watch the story cutscenes on YouTube or just read up on it on the wiki. I'd watch UX before Back Cover.

Well nice to know I'm good for something, lol

 

Anyway, I'd still highly recommend release order, since it follows how the plot has been revealed over time, but it still mostly fits in that mold with the Collection order, so that can still work I guess.

 

I also wouldn't recommend skipping Re:Coded in any regard. I understand that it doesn't feel like it's doing much for the overall story, but it actually does to an extent. Plus, it's a decently enjoyable story in it's own right, and in the end it's a Kingdom Hearts story, I feel like as a fan we kind of owe it the watch. Really depends on the kind of fan you are I guess, I really love every part of the series so I couldn't imagine skipping anything, but you're free to experience it however you want. I'm getting the impression that you're going to watch it anyway since you're coming in as a first timer, so if that's the case, give it a chance if you feel up to it.