Kingdom Hearts is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. It was released on September 17, 2002 in the United States for the Playstation 2. The game was remastered and included in the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix which was released in the US on March 14, 2013 for the Playstation 3. It was re-relased for the PS4 on March 28, 2017. On February 18, 2020 it was released for the Xbox One. A Windows release came on March 30, 2021 and for the Switch on February 10,2022.
Are you okay down there, little buddy?
Kingdom Hearts begins with a young boy named Sora, living on the peaceful Destiny Islands with his friends Riku and Kairi. The trio dreams of exploring other worlds beyond their own and is fascinated by the stars in the night sky. However, their idyllic life is shattered one fateful night when the Heartless, dark creatures that consume hearts and worlds, attack their island. The friends are separated as the darkness engulfs their home.
Sora awakens in a mysterious world called Traverse Town, where he comes into contact with Donald Duck and Goofy, two loyal servants of Disney’s King Mickey. They are on a mission to find the missing King and the Keyblade, a legendary weapon capable of sealing the heart of worlds. Believing Sora to be the Keyblade’s chosen wielder, they team up to travel through various Disney-themed worlds and restore order to the universe.
Get him!
Their journey takes them to a variety of iconic Disney locations, including Wonderland, Olympus Coliseum, Agrabah, Halloween Town, and more. In each world, they encounter famous Disney characters such as Alice, Hercules, Aladdin, Jack Skellington, and others, as well as battling the Heartless and thwarting the plans of the Disney villains who have aligned themselves with Maleficent.
As Sora, Donald, and Goofy collect pieces of the puzzle surrounding the Heartless and the Keyblade’s power, they also uncover the mysteries of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, a dark scientist studying the Heartless. Ansem seeks to unlock the heart of all worlds, Kingdom Hearts itself, to gain ultimate power.
Cloud is so mysterious, even Hercules doesn't know what's happening
Meanwhile, Riku, Sora’s childhood friend, falls under the influence of darkness and is manipulated by Maleficent and Ansem. Kairi, who had her heart stolen during the initial attack on Destiny Islands, becomes a comatose figure, and her destiny becomes a central part of Sora’s quest.
Sora learns about the power of his own heart, the bonds of friendship, and the importance of protecting the hearts of others. He also discovers that he is the rightful Keyblade wielder and that his heart is connected to those of Riku and Kairi. The trio’s interconnected destinies come to a head in a climactic showdown with Ansem, who intends to use the power of Kingdom Hearts to plunge the universe into darkness.
Do you see what I see, guys?
In the end, Sora and his friends confront Ansem in a battle that spans the realms of light and darkness. With the help of his Keyblade and the strength of his heart, Sora triumphs over Ansem and seals the door to Kingdom Hearts, sacrificing his own ability to return home to Destiny Islands in the process.
