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"play" is a generous way to put it

I'm getting it on the Switch. (That's the only console i have lol TwT)

With the release of Melody of Memory somewhere on the 2020 horizon, I got to thinking about the sensational music of the Kingdom Hearts series once again. Yoko Shimomura is one of the great video game composers of our time, and I would like to honor her work through a list: The Top 50 Songs in Kingdom Hearts. Full disclosure, I am far from a music scholar, as you will probably be able to tell from the writing that will follow. However, I do listen to a lot of different styles and have some perspective on when a composition is working … I hope. No matter, here is my list of the very best Kingdom Hearts music. Note: Until the OST is released, titles that originated in Kingdom Hearts III will be given placeholder titles. I will edit the list to match the actual track titles when that information becomes available. 40. “Riku” (Kingdom Hearts II) Riku is a conflicted fella. That’s why we love him. His theme, like so many others, brings on a nice mix of emotions. There’s a hopeful wave of piano and strings offset by an equally sad backing track that seems to suggest that underneath Riku’s determined attitude is a teenager wrestling with his demons and past. Again, Shimomura’s understanding of the characters is exceptionally nuanced, and truthfully is the perfect complement to Nomura’s unpredictable writing. We know that, no matter what, these themes are the constant that clearly mark a distinct identity. 39. The Caribbean Battle (Kingdom Hearts III) Any time a Kingdom Hearts song employs a chorus, you know these are getting serious. That immediate call and response is incredibly powerful and appropriately sets the tone for an epic track that sounds like it could fit as a final boss theme. There’s a great weight to the song because of this, and it makes a harmless trip on the high seas feel like a battle for the soul of the universe. I also really appreciate that it keeps you guessing on where the song will go next. Just as you expect the loop to restart, Shimomura switches up the sound and breaks things down with a stripped down version of the larger song. Extremely creative stuff on a song that is way more ambitious than it has any right to be. 38. “Fragments of Sorrow” (Kingdom Hearts) This is the evil half of “Dive into the Heart,” a track you’ll hear more about a little later down the list. When set to the imagery of the fleshy End of the World, the terror hits an all-time high. There’s the solo horn bits that add a little extra quirkiness to the song. It’s an incredibly mystical, ominous sound that is sure to strike up some Linked Worlds PTSD in any fan. I dare you to play through End of the World standing up and not to march along to the song. Far from a simple tune, there’s a rush of noise coming from each layer of “Fragments of Sorrow” and each one adds a little something to the piece. By the way, how cool is the title? 37. Anti-Aqua (Kingdom Hearts III) I always thought that, out of the main characters, Aqua got the short end of the stick in the theme music category. The poor girl had to fall to darkness in order to make my list. The fate of the world and Aqua’s life are crashing together in a seminal moment from Kingdom Hearts III, and this is the result of that lofty plot point. This may be the greatest use of the infamous “one woman wail” trope. Generally I get immediately turned off by the hamminess of a lady essentially crying out for my help, but in this case … It’s kind of perfect, isn’t it? 36. “PIrate’s Gigue” (Kingdom Hearts) I don’t care what anyone says; Sora learning to fly is some extremely cool stuff. There’s an awesome adrenaline rush that hits me in every playthrough when I get to soar above Captain Hook’s pirate ship with this little jig playing in the background. You just know the guy who got to slam the cymbals in the studio was just loving his life when they laid this one down. It’s a little menacing, but there’s an element of fun that pervades the song on a grander scale. Hanging out with pirates? Flying? Mr. Smee impressions? Man, Neverland is such a grand ole time. It’s like this little spark of Disney magic right before things get really serious, all wrapped up into this one song. 35. “The Encounter” (Kingdom Hearts II) “That’s right, away ya go!” “Is that the best a user can do?” I love knowing exactly what battle quotes go along with a boss theme. “The Encounter” takes that pure hype sound from “Vim and Vigor” and leans even further into epic territory. I think what really gets me is the funky little riff that stays intact through the whole song, other than during the breakdown. In that case, there’s a double fake-out that gives the song just a moment to breathe before it goes back into fury mode. This is like a Nirvana song that found its way into Kingdom Hearts. A little bit a softness to keep things steady and interesting, but the heavy stuff is what we all remember and anticipate. 34. “Link to All” (Dream Drop Distance) Kind of a second Sora theme song, “Link to All” stands on its own as a charming piece worthy of recognition. Though it appears near the end of Dream Drop Distance, it gets me in the mood to go on a brand new adventure. That’s probably the point. DDD leads into Kingdom Hearts III, so in some way the end of the story does indeed serve as a new beginning. I don’t believe there is anything so incredible musically in this one. The impact of the track lies in what it represents: a larger universe and the folks who bind it together. 33. “Fate of the Unknown” (Kingdom Hearts II) Another great title. It is only right that the fate of the unknown (at that time, Terra, Aqua and Ventus) is partially revealed during the song’s first appearance. This is film score level stuff in that it is inherently tied to the imagery that it complements. Again, Shimomura is to thank for making this happen. Finding just the right spot for every single note is essential in a cinematic sequence such as the Kingdom Hearts II Secret Ending, and Shimomura knocked it out of the park with this one. I would be remiss to not mention the unreal blast of sound that closes this one out. It’s incredibly powerful in or out of context. 32. “Kairi” (Kingdom Hearts) It is rather odd that Kairi gets the first character theme in the series, but it is a great start and it’s filled with emotion. Each reprise of this gem gives us a little bit of insight into Kairi’s playfulness (trying to hop on the raft without Riku) or past (her grandmother’s story). It served as the first time we were introduced to the technique of having the characters being tied closely to their theme. In any case, “Kairi” is a sweet sounding ballad that is unmistakably bright. It’s a song that suits a princess. 31. “Terra” (Birth by Sleep) Sticking with character themes that play into the mental state of the character that they share a name with, this is a manic expression of the tragic hero Terra. So aggressive. It’s there when he turns Ventus away. It’s there when he strikes down his Master, Eraqus. It’s there when he gets his redemption. No character’s arc is more inseparable from their theme. The strings stand out, of course, as both the thrashing riff and the streaking overtone. “Terra” is a feisty track that is much darker than the other themes of its kind. For 50-41: https://www.kh13.com/forums/topic/123504-the-top-50-songs-in-kingdom-hearts-50-41/ For 30-21: https://www.kh13.com/forums/topic/123521-the-top-50-songs-in-kingdom-hearts-30-21/

I like Urd's design. We need more girls with long anime hair.

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I have to go with Sark. Mainly because I love his screams every time I hit him in Kingdom Hearts 2. Lmao! But in the films I go with Rinzler mainly because he's cooler, and I love his redemption in Legacy when he said "I fight for the users!"

Ahhh Surprised recoded even got a novel:bizDolan:

Damned in my Kingdom Hearts? I won't accept it. It's almost as bad as Maleficent yelling out Hell.

Same.

yes, love that one

I want to work on a lot of these characte files, but I'm not sure whether I should go the strict Wiki esque writing route, or maybe go a little off beat and add some humour which I guess would make things stand out a little from similar sites. Maybe I'll write an example for people to see

I agree with a lot of this, it's a pretty fair and accurate review. Though I wasn't expecting a lot to begin with, It feels like an accessory to KHUX right now more than a full fledged game. Hopefully it will expand and improve with future updates, but until then the characters and story are the only really intriguing parts for me. I really want to find more positive things to say about it but, I'm kind of at a loss for now.

Yeah definitely agree, if I had to choose just one it would have probably been Nutcracker Suite too.

same here it was an amazing world voted for nucracker suite cuase those dancing thistle are awesome

As much as I try not to cop out and say "all of the above" on these polls, this is one of those ones where I *have* to say all of it. Symphony of Sorcery is probably my favorite Disney world from KH3D, and I've said it before but there's just something so oddly satisfying about bashing enemies to the sound of classical music pieces in the background.

Nah, most people are agreeing that this is pretty grindy and boring. Although this is partially such a long topic because it's cross-posting with Discord which results in a lot of short messages.

Wish I saw this earlier, but I'm sorry to hear this. I can only imagine how hard that must be especially with COVID-19 placing restrictions on things. I hope you and your family are holding up okay. ----- Little update for me....last week there was a case in my office. I've been working from home since March, so I'm definitely safe, but there are a few of my colleagues that opted to work in office once stuff started re-opening, so that's pretty scary. It's one thing to hear about it on the news or what have you, but when it happens so close to you it becomes all the more real.

Really liked the list! I'll be sure to check out your other videos!

Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Episode 1, "Unexpected Departure" has launched with a total of five story cutscenes! You can view all five story cutscenes below, courtesy of KH_Damo. As a quick note, the final cutscene will be marked in spoiler brackets due to the nature of its contents. View at your own discretion. What are your thoughts on the story of Kingdom Hearts Dark Road so far? Let us know in the comments below! View full article

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that Xehanort, Eraqus and the others are 14, so that

I guess it's an explanation of sorts but I really dislike how recent the war seems to be

I don't really care for playing this one, I just want to see the stuff happen in it storywise

depends what your reference is but there are good mobile games

One more hour until it's done for the rest of the world

The English Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Twitter account has recently tweeted out English versions of the character introductions that were previously only uploaded from the Japanese Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Twitter account. You can view translations of the Japanese uploads courtesy of AitaiKimochi, here. You can view the official English translations of the Kingdom Hearts Dark Road cast's character introductions via our gallery below. Have you grown more exhilarated for the release of Kingdom Hearts Dark Road in two days? Let us know how you feel in the comments below! View full article

With the release of Melody of Memory somewhere on the 2020 horizon, I got to thinking about the sensational music of the Kingdom Hearts series once again. Yoko Shimomura is one of the great video game composers of our time, and I would like to honor her work through a list: The Top 50 Songs in Kingdom Hearts. Full disclosure, I am far from a music scholar, as you will probably be able to tell from the writing that will follow. However, I do listen to a lot of different styles and have some perspective on when a composition is working … I hope. No matter, here is my list of the very best Kingdom Hearts music. Note: Until the OST is released, titles that originated in Kingdom Hearts III will be given placeholder titles. I will edit the list to match the actual track titles when that information becomes available. 20. Light of the Past (Kingdom Hearts III) When I first heard it, I was beyond floored. We’re getting into the absolute elite territory of Kingdom Hearts songs. Just to recap, this was the song behind the name-in-game contest’s payoff. Every time it comes on I feel the urge to go walk around in the sun. It simply cannot keep me in one place. Some songs move you emotionally, and others can move you physically. Of note is the subtle “Dearly Beloved” progression that guides the whole song forward. Talk about taking what is otherwise a simple theme and giving it a completely different scope and sound. The core of the song is still in there, and the results in the case of this track are brilliant. 19. Scala Ad Caelum (Kingdom Hearts III) If a Kingdom Hearts song were to come on in the club, it’d be the Scala Ad Caelum battle theme. One of the biggest disappointments in history was only getting to hear it for a criminally small amount of time in Kingdom Hearts III. Luckily, Re:Mind came in with a steel chair and an explorable Scala, meaning we got to hear this awesome track each time combat called. I think the fan outrage at its lack of usage is a good sign at telling you how hard it slaps. On a musical level, there’s a slight Caribbean (the real one, not the world) flare that we haven’t really heard in any other song from the series. Style points for being among Shimomura’s most unique works. 18. “Night of Fate” (Kingdom Hearts) A song that sounds like the world is caving in. I find it to be very unsettling, probably because it's mostly just the same seven notes over and over again until you find the cutscene. Is there value in being repetitive? I suppose it depends. I think “Night of Fate” makes it work because it never is just plopped into a random cutscene. There’s always pressure when it is deployed, whether it be the original night of fate on Destiny Islands or the fight between Invi and Aced in Daybreak Town. In that regard, I think there’s a “Jaws” (dun-dun … dun-dun) quality to it. Just seven notes can create all of that tension. 17. “Hollow Bastion” (Kingdom Hearts) I get big Bach vibes from this one. The combination of small winds and hyper piano works very well, creating in tandem something a bit chaotic musically but also extremely tight from a production standpoint. That first landing in the Rising Falls just wouldn’t be the same without it. Coming off of Neverland, the music of “Hollow Bastion” is an indicator that the Disney stuff is nowhere to be found. And unlike the jazz lounge Traverse Town and beach day Destiny Islands themes, this one has some urgency, as if time is running out. Up to that point in the game, there really isn’t anything that sounds like this one. You can tell the end is near. 16. “Eternal Moments” (Birth by Sleep) Played during the scene in which Ventus meets Lea and Isa in Radiant Garden, this is one of the absolute best transcendent tracks in the series. More specifically, this is a twist on the original 382/2 Days song called “At Dusk, I Will Think of You.” That song is always used during tender moments between Roxas and Axel on the clock tower. So, when it was switched up a bit and brought back for Birth by Sleep, it was a great way to connect the two games. In the lore of Kingdom Hearts, BBS and Days are two of the farthest away from each other, so having a song to tie them together in what I think is one of the best scenes in the series is special. 15. “Wave of Darkness” (Birth by Sleep 0.2) Drums! This one very quickly rose up the ranks of Kingdom Hearts music to snag a top 15 spot on my list. Like all of the best boss themes, “Wave of Darkness” is a great mix of doom and epic. It slows down a bit but never loses the tenacity that makes it so impactful on a first listen. The Devil’s Wave fight in 0.2 is extremely cinematic, so the film score sensibilities that carry some of the cutscene songs needed to be used to capture the tone of the battle. I can only imagine this fusion made the track one of the more difficult to conceptualize and write. In any case, this is actually the second highest post-2010 track on the list, so the impression that it’s made has been swift and powerful. 14. “Rage Awakened” (Kingdom Hearts II) I will never be able to separate this song from the E3 2015 re-reveal trailer for Kingdom Hearts III. Someone at Square must have said, “Let’s get these people hype. What’s the most epic song we have in our arsenal?” The answer was “Rage Awakened.” The elongated string lines in this song are similar to those in “Terra,” so it is only right that this is the battle music for the Lingering Will fight in Kingdom Hearts II. With the E3 trailer and Lingering Will, it has close ties to two of the massive water cooler talking points in the series. For iconic purposes alone, “Rage Awakened” simply could not have reasonably been left off of the list. 13. “Sora” (Kingdom Hearts II) The main character of the Kingdom Hearts series can lay claim to what I think is the best character theme out there. While so many of the other songs of this variety have an unsure quality of darkness hanging beneath the light, Sora’s is a jolt of fresh air. How appropriate. Not the most technically intense, “Sora” makes up for a relative lack of complexity by being a whimsical little ditty. In context, it gets me ready for an epic Kingdom Hearts II adventure. It doubles as both a representation of the character’s mood and his thirst for excitement. In other words, it’s the perfect character theme. 12. “Traverse Town” (Kingdom Hearts) Welcome to a brand new world. The trauma of Destiny Islands falling apart may lead a first time player to think what comes next will be more doom and gloom. Instead they’re greeted by a yellow dog and … Starbucks music? It’s a very interesting choice of world and music that hits just right. Whenever I hear “Traverse Town,” I feel cozy, emphasizing the world’s status as the only true hub in the series. With a different backing track to set the mellow mood, perhaps returning to Traverse Town after every subsequent world would feel like a less safe prospect. With this theme, however, you know you can always count on it to feel like home. 11. “Working Together” (Kingdom Hearts II) Again, context matters. “Working Together” is a fine pop tune that makes me smile every time I hear it. But consider it as the partial follow-up music to the super existential prologue to Kingdom Hearts II. After hearing all about how the Dusks have come for their liege, you might really be in the mood to jam out to a xylophone. Climbing up Master Yen Sid’s tower would not have been the same without it. “Working Together” is emblematic of what makes Shimomura’s music so essential. Considering another composer’s stamp on each world or setting feels like heresy. Her work is an irreplaceable fixture of the series that is inseparable from the feeling of each game. For 30-21: https://www.kh13.com/forums/topic/123521-the-top-50-songs-in-kingdom-hearts-30-21/ For 10-1: https://www.kh13.com/forums/topic/123536-the-top-50-songs-in-kingdom-hearts-10-1/

This is a bit of a hard choice for me. I have both a PS4 and a Nintendo Switch. On one hand, if I got the PS4 version then I'd have all the console games so far available to play on my tv, though I'm not sure how different the controls would be on the PS4 version compared to the Switch version. On the other hand, with the Switch version, I could play it wherever I want to, plus with playing both Theatrhythm Final Fantasy and TFF Curtain Call on my Nintendo 3DS, I kinda feel that I'd have a better/easier time playing a KH rhythm game on a handheld console.

Dammit I gotta find someone equally shitpost worthy

@-Justin- is already on my team, Archives team hahahaha.

It killed me that I was stuck with the moral dilemma of posting in there knowing this would happen or refraining so it would be fair for others LOL Also

Hermod, because he's hot

Look on the bright side now last post wins finally has a winner! In all seriousness though Rest In Pepperonis. And hey, if we see an influx in Random threads later down the line, maybe it will be enough to warrant bringing back the forum again. Same goes for any other archived forums.

I love rhythm games and I really enjoyed the small amount of theatrhythm I played, but this just really disappoints me. It's one thing to add lore to a rhythm game, but IMPORTANT lore? Like, Re:coded just told us that we would be saving TAV, which DDD also told us so I'm not too fussed about it. It's a great side game because it explores another part of KH and isn't too worried about extreme connectivity. But this just bites. I don't wanna keep having to deal with big important lore being put in the weirdest of places. At least we get a rhythm game though.... and I hope it's at least a little like theatrhythm with the use of battle/field/event music. And did we really need KH1 Sora back again

Gangan Online have posted Chapter 10 for the Kingdom Hearts III manga. You can check out the manga either on their site or in the gallery below. Chapter 11 will be available in late July to early August, You can also check out the articles for the previous chapters by clicking on the links below! Chapter 0 Prologue (Japanese) Chapter 0 Prologue (English) Chapter 1 A New Journey (Japanese) Chapter 1 A New Journey (English) Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum [1] (Japanese) Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum [1] (English) Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum [2] (Japanese) Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum [2] (English) Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum [3] (Japanese) Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum [3] (English) Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum [4] (Japanese) Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum [4] (English) Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum [5] (Japanese) Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum [5] (English) Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum [6] (Japanese) Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum [6] (English) Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum [7] (Japanese) Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum [7] (English) Chapter 9 World of Darkness (Japanese) Chapter 9 World of Darkness (English) View full article

Hahaha we're talking about Kingdom Hearts, do you really think they can do Kairi justice? JK I actually have hope for this game, it looks quite interesting.

Yep! For me, the Kairi stuff is an added bonus, I hope they do her justice.

the hooded figure is her grandma

But just to close out my thoughts on all of this I just wanna say I’m excited for whatever the hell new story stuff we get out of this, I got hype from it just feeling like a continuation of 3 by seeing UE4 cutscenes alone, it just pains me that for what it’s worth, as what feels like it’s gonna be a “Kairi” game when they could do so much right? It just feels like having the gameplay be so detached from what the story is gonna be is on par with how Ux handles stuff with how we just play some nonsense and then get a cutscene or two of other characters doing stuff. I just don’t like the idea behind gameplay and story being so segmented where it just feels like the gameplay is a pointless vessel to get to the next cutscene, regardless of if it’s fun or not, playing in a dream/data world of any sort while the real characters are out doing real stuff is just like oh ok I guess I just hope this game is thrown together to set up stuff for the next, actual big bridge game to be more fulfilling

This better be a thing

Its honestly kinda shocking that Kingdom Hearts hasn't had a rhythm game before now. Im excited but regardless of how you feel, I think we can all agree it was long over due at this point

The first KH game on the Switch and it's not a port.

If this game has anything to do with memories, then I believe the key player: Ventus. Why?, easy, because maybe while they are trying to bring Sora's back, Ventus' memories of his life in Daybreak Town (during Union X) will awake and a bigger plot will be discovered.

Is this the new blue/gold dress? I see pink and white.

Does anyone else wonder if we'll get to see a young Yen Sid in this game? He was an old friend of Eraqus and Xehanort and a former keyblade master after all so it would be great if he made an appearance as a keyblade wielder here. I even wonder if he could actually be Hermod with an alias name (probably not). Disney might not allow that though.

Is it okay to say I disliked Kingdom Hearts 3 even with Re:mind? I tried to force myself to like it and even was in denial about not liking it. I know part of it was my high expectations, but I still have these bitter feelings that I can't explain for it that damaged my faith in future KH titles. This is all been the reason why my visits to KH13 have been few and far between.

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Thanks for sharing this with us, Aquaberry! This only makes my love for Xion grow, as she's such a good character. You could tell that she was conflicted about leaving Roxas and Axel behind versus disappearing so that Xemnas wouldn't have his way. The feels are real!