The current year could end up being very good for Kingdom Hearts fans. The series up to Kingdom Hearts 3, as well as the rhythm spin-off Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, are available on all modern platforms, including PC for the first period in the series’ life. Kingdom Hearts: Missing-Link and Kingdom Hearts 4 have yet to meaningfully move the series past Kingdom Hearts 3, but news on one or both could turn up before 2025 is over. It’s an uncertain time, but one that is full of hope nonetheless.
Even though Missing-Link should help tide players over if it launches this year, that still leaves a lot of time before Kingdom Hearts 4’s rumored 2026 release. This window of inactivity is the perfect time to revisit older Kingdom Hearts titles, especially now that they’re easy to get on any given system. Plenty of fans are already enjoying the new modding opportunities that native PC versions of several KH titles have brought, though before 2025 is over, players may want to prioritize giving Kingdom Hearts 3 another shot.
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What Should a Potential Kingdom Hearts 3.5 Release Include?
A Kingdom Hearts 3.5 compilation would give Square Enix the opportunity to mix and match mainline games and mobile spin-offs in interesting ways.
Now’s A Great Time To Refresh Before Kingdom Hearts 4
Any Kingdom Hearts is worth replaying right now, but given that Kingdom Hearts 4 might be fast approaching, revisiting Kingdom Hearts 3 holds the most value. This game’s ending, epilogue, and DLC all lead directly into KH‘s future, and highlight several mysteries that Kingdom Hearts 4 should tackle. Even though Kingdom Hearts 4 will be the start of a new saga, it already looks to be making the series’ usual heavy use of past plot points, so it’s best for players to get ahead of the game and provide themselves with a thorough recap.
Modern Hardware Can Improve Kingdom Hearts 3’s Performance
2025 is also an ideal time to check back in with Kingdom Hearts 3 because it has more ways available to play it now. Whether existing Kingdom Hearts 3 owners upgrade to the next tier of PlayStation or Xbox, or they buy the game on PC, ways to smooth out the game’s rough resolution and framerate are now abundant. Playing on PC also has the added benefit of mods, of which there are many, ranging from KH3 randomizers to multiple casts worth of extra playable characters. There’s no wrong way to play Kingdom Hearts 3, but 2025’s extra options for doing so are appreciated.
Kingdom Hearts 3 Isn’t The Same Game As It Was At Launch
Getting a different experience out of Kingdom Hearts 3 and 2025 isn’t hard, but it’s not all because of external factors. Kingdom Hearts 3’s original PS4 and Xbox One release from January 2019 had ten patches after its launch, and that’s on top of the launch of the Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind DLC in January 2020. Most updates included a variety of bug fixes and quality of life improvements, like synthesized items being tracked better, but there were also some huge additions like a proper New Game+, photo storage being boosted to 200 pictures, and Sora got six more combo abilities for the postgame and DLC.
The Replay Value and Endgame Experience In KH3 Has Massively Improved
It’s a good thing those new abilities arrive when they do, because players will need them for Kingdom Hearts 3’s radically different endgame. Starting just three months after launch, KH3 gained a brutal Critical Mode that was meant to be played in NG+. That’s also around the time when players can unlock the powerful legacy Kingdom Hearts Keyblades, Oathkeeper and Oblivion. After that, ReMind’s PRO codes and boss rush will put everything players have earned to the test, though more casual fans can experiment with EZ codes or the DLC’s Data Greeting diorama mode instead. Kingdom Hearts 3 is in its peak form in the current year, and there may never be a better time to replay it.
- Released
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January 25, 2019
- ESRB
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E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence