# Kingdom Hearts games in order, and where to start

**October 10, 2026 · Perthro**

Square Enix released the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] on October 8 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch 2, with the PC versions added to the Microsoft Store. It bundles the main games from the 2002 original to Kingdom Hearts III and its Re Mind expansion, running natively on current consoles, for $74.99 in the US. For a lot of people, it's the first easy way into a series that has always been hard to start.

The short answer: play the Kingdom Hearts games in release order, starting with Kingdom Hearts Final Mix inside HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX. Two of the handheld games are included only as cutscene movies, so you'll watch those rather than play them. Don't start with Kingdom Hearts III, which is the finale of a story that began 17 years earlier. And there's no rush: Kingdom Hearts IV is due in late 2027.

## What's in the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III]?

The Collection is three existing bundles in one box. You can also buy each one separately, digitally.

| Bundle | Playable games | Included as movies |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX | Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Birth by Sleep Final Mix | 358/2 Days, Re:coded (HD cutscene compilations) |
| HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue | Dream Drop Distance HD, 0.2 A Fragmentary Passage (a short episode) | χ Back Cover |
| III + Re Mind | Kingdom Hearts III, with the Re Mind expansion | None |

A few details worth knowing before you buy:

- **Physical copies** exist only for the full Collection, on PS5 and Switch 2. The Switch 2 version is a game-key card: the [Target listing](https://www.target.com/p/-/A-1012070917) notes a 128 GB download.
- **Upgrade discounts.** Owners of the digital PS4, Xbox One or Switch cloud versions get 50% off the new versions, according to [Square Enix's launch announcement](https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/swipe-right/pressreleases/kingdom-hearts-collection-i-iii-available-now-on-nintendo-switch-2-playstation-5-xbox-series-x-s-and-pc-3471477). Only Switch cloud players can carry their saves over.
- **Switch cloud versions are going away.** They stopped selling on June 9, 2026, and the service shuts down on June 9, 2027.
- **Original Switch owners** get HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX as a native, digital-only release. The rest of the Collection needs a Switch 2.
- **On PC**, the same three bundles have been on [Steam since June 2024](https://www.rpgsite.net/news/15844-the-kingdom-hearts-series-finally-coming-to-steam-on-june-13) and on the Epic Games Store since 2021, at $39.99 each on Steam.
- **Not included:** Melody of Memory, the 2020 rhythm game. More on that below.

![Kingdom Hearts Final Mix screenshot: Sora, Donald and Goofy in the Queen of Hearts' courtroom in Wonderland](https://perthro.io/assets/blog/509019e43f343b0a.jpg)

## Kingdom Hearts games in release order

This is every Kingdom Hearts game with a story, in the order it came out, and where you can play it today. Years are the first release anywhere; a few games reached North America a year after Japan.

| # | Game | Released | Original platform | Where to play it now |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Kingdom Hearts | 2002 | PS2 | HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX (as Final Mix) |
| 2 | Chain of Memories | 2004 | Game Boy Advance | HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX (as the 2007 remake, Re:Chain of Memories) |
| 3 | Kingdom Hearts II | 2005 (2006 in North America) | PS2 | HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX (as Final Mix) |
| 4 | 358/2 Days | 2009 | Nintendo DS | HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX (movie only) |
| 5 | Birth by Sleep | 2010 | PSP | HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX (as Final Mix) |
| 6 | Re:coded | 2010 (2011 in North America) | Nintendo DS | HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX (movie only) |
| 7 | Dream Drop Distance | 2012 | 3DS | HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue |
| 8 | Kingdom Hearts χ | 2013 | Browser, later mobile | Pulled from app stores in 2024 |
| 9 | χ Back Cover and 0.2 A Fragmentary Passage | 2017 | PS4 | HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue |
| 10 | Kingdom Hearts III | 2019 | PS4, Xbox One | III + Re Mind |
| 11 | Re Mind (expansion) | 2020 | PS4, Xbox One | III + Re Mind |
| 12 | Dark Road | 2020 | Mobile | Pulled from app stores in 2024 |
| 13 | Melody of Memory | 2020 | PS4, Xbox One, Switch | Same, plus PC on the Epic Games Store |
| 14 | Kingdom Hearts IV | Late 2027 | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC | Not out yet |

The three bundles are on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2 and PC. Re:coded began life as a Japan-only mobile game in 2008 before its DS remake.

## Kingdom Hearts chronological order (story order)

The story order is quite different, because several games are prequels or happen alongside each other. Here's how the events line up, following [Wikipedia's series timeline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Hearts):

1. **Kingdom Hearts χ and χ Back Cover**: set centuries before everything else.
2. **Dark Road**: the origins of the series' main villain, Xehanort.
3. **Birth by Sleep**: ten years before the first game, starring Terra, Aqua and Ventus.
4. **0.2 A Fragmentary Passage**: mostly Aqua's time in the Realm of Darkness. Its ending leads into III.
5. **Kingdom Hearts**: Sora, Donald and Goofy's first adventure.
6. **Chain of Memories**: the bridge between the first two numbered games.
7. **358/2 Days**: runs alongside the end of the first game and Chain of Memories, and leads straight into II.
8. **Kingdom Hearts II**
9. **Re:coded**: set after II.
10. **Dream Drop Distance**: Sora and Riku's Mark of Mastery exam.
11. **Kingdom Hearts III and Re Mind**
12. **Melody of Memory**: set after Re Mind.
13. **Kingdom Hearts IV**

Square Enix itself has published [two recommended routes](https://gonintendo.com/contents/37876-square-enix-offers-advice-on-what-order-to-play-the-kingdom-hearts-games-in), one by story and one by release, so neither choice is wrong.

## Should you play in release order or story order?

Release order, for a first time through. Birth by Sleep is a prequel, but it was written for people who had already played the first two games. Its biggest moments are reveals about characters you only recognise if you've met them. Played first, it's a strange, sad story about strangers. Played fifth, it reframes everything before it.

Release order also matches how the bundles are packaged, so you never have to jump between collections. And the combat tends to get smoother with each entry, so you aren't going back to an older game after a newer one.

Story order makes more sense on a replay, once you know who everyone is.

![Birth by Sleep Final Mix screenshot: Aqua fighting Maleficent's dragon form](https://perthro.io/assets/blog/ee842a5d859f814d.jpg)

## Where to start with Kingdom Hearts

**Start with Kingdom Hearts Final Mix**, the first game in HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX. It's the simplest story, it introduces the cast, and it's mostly Disney worlds and boss fights. If you're not sure you'll like the series, buy HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX on its own first; it holds four full games and two movies.

**Don't start with Kingdom Hearts III.** It's the finale of the story arc Square Enix calls the Dark Seeker Saga, and it assumes you know nearly every game before it. It's the best-looking game in the Collection and the worst place to begin.

**Push through Chain of Memories, or watch it.** It mixes action with a collectible card game, which makes it the odd one out. Its story matters, because Kingdom Hearts II picks up directly from it. If the card battles aren't for you, watching its cutscenes is a reasonable shortcut.

For another long series with the same "start from the beginning" problem, see our guide to [where to start the Trails series](/blog/2026-09-16-trails-series-where-to-start).

## Which Kingdom Hearts games can you skip or watch?

- **358/2 Days and Re:coded**: the Collection already turns them into movies. Watch them in release order.
- **χ Back Cover**: a movie, about the series' distant past. Watch it before 0.2.
- **Union χ and Dark Road**: the mobile games were pulled from app stores in August 2024, so you can't download them now.
- **Melody of Memory**: a rhythm game that mostly retells the series through its music. But it's set after Re Mind, and Kingdom Hearts IV picks up from there. It's on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and on PC through the Epic Games Store, but not in the Collection.

Don't skip the main six: Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Birth by Sleep, Dream Drop Distance, 0.2 A Fragmentary Passage and Kingdom Hearts III.

![Kingdom Hearts III screenshot: Sora with Woody and Buzz in the Toy Box world](https://perthro.io/assets/blog/5d2b6c737de2cf29.jpg)

## Kingdom Hearts IV: what's confirmed as of October 2026

Here's what has been officially announced, and nothing more:

- **Announced** on April 10, 2022, at the series' [20th anniversary event](https://rpgsite.net/news/12629-square-enix-reveals-kingdom-hearts-iv-and-kingdom-hearts-missing-link) in Tokyo.
- **Platforms:** PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2 and PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store, [confirmed on June 9, 2026](https://gematsu.com/2026/06/kingdom-hearts-iv-confirmed-for-ps5-xbox-series-switch-2-and-pc).
- **Release window:** late 2027, revealed at Disney's D23 event in August with a trailer showing [a world based on Coco](https://gameinformer.com/2026/08/17/kingdom-hearts-iv-gets-2027-launch-window-coco-world-reveal-kingdom-hearts-anime). There's no exact date yet.
- **Story:** Sora wakes up in an unfamiliar, realistic city called Quadratum while Donald and Goofy look for him, per the [Steam page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3216600/), which is already open for wishlists.
- **Also announced:** a Kingdom Hearts anime series in development for Disney Channel and Disney+.

That leaves a little over a year to get through the Collection. It's a big series, so if you play other things too, starting now is about right. Our piece on [whether video games are too long](/blog/2026-09-10-are-video-games-too-long) has some practical ways to get through big games without burning out.

## Keep track of where you are

With movies mixed in with games and three separate bundles, it's easy to lose your place. In [Perthro](https://apps.apple.com/app/perthro/id6764673686), you can make a list of the series in the order you want to play it, log each game with your hours and platform when you finish, and put Kingdom Hearts IV on your Interested list so it shows up in your release calendar. The [backlog tracker](/backlog-tracker) keeps the rest of the Collection waiting where you can see it.

### Sources

- [Square Enix: Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] launch announcement (October 8, 2026)](https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/swipe-right/pressreleases/kingdom-hearts-collection-i-iii-available-now-on-nintendo-switch-2-playstation-5-xbox-series-x-s-and-pc-3471477)
- [Square Enix: Kingdom Hearts Collection official site](https://www.square-enix.com/kingdomhearts/collection/en-us/)
- [Gematsu: Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] announced](https://www.gematsu.com/2026/06/kingdom-hearts-collection-i-iii-announced-for-ps5-xbox-series-and-switch-2)
- [RPG Site: Kingdom Hearts series coming to Switch 2, PS5 and Xbox Series on October 8](https://www.rpgsite.net/news/20608-the-kingdom-hearts-series-is-coming-to-nintendo-switch-2-ps5-and-xbox-series-on-october-8-update)
- [The Outer Haven: Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] review (US price)](https://www.theouterhaven.net/kingdom-hearts-collection-i-iii-review-finally-on-nintendo-switch-2/)
- [Target: Kingdom Hearts Collection (Switch 2 game-key card listing)](https://www.target.com/p/-/A-1012070917)
- [RPG Site: Kingdom Hearts coming to Steam on June 13](https://www.rpgsite.net/news/15844-the-kingdom-hearts-series-finally-coming-to-steam-on-june-13)
- [Steam: Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2552430/)
- [Wikipedia: Kingdom Hearts (series)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Hearts)
- [Wikipedia: Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Hearts_HD_2.8_Final_Chapter_Prologue)
- [Wikipedia: Kingdom Hearts χ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Hearts_%CF%87)
- [Wikipedia: Kingdom Hearts Dark Road](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Hearts_Dark_Road)
- [Wikipedia: Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Hearts:_Melody_of_Memory)
- [GoNintendo: Square Enix's recommended Kingdom Hearts play orders](https://gonintendo.com/contents/37876-square-enix-offers-advice-on-what-order-to-play-the-kingdom-hearts-games-in)
- [RPG Site: Square Enix reveals Kingdom Hearts IV (April 10, 2022)](https://rpgsite.net/news/12629-square-enix-reveals-kingdom-hearts-iv-and-kingdom-hearts-missing-link)
- [Gematsu: Kingdom Hearts IV confirmed for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2 and PC](https://gematsu.com/2026/06/kingdom-hearts-iv-confirmed-for-ps5-xbox-series-switch-2-and-pc)
- [RPG Site: Kingdom Hearts IV confirmed for late 2027](https://www.rpgsite.net/news/21114-kingdom-hearts-iv-confirmed-for-late-2027-release-new-trailer-shared-at-d23-2026-showcase)
- [Game Informer: Kingdom Hearts IV gets 2027 launch window, Coco world and anime](https://gameinformer.com/2026/08/17/kingdom-hearts-iv-gets-2027-launch-window-coco-world-reveal-kingdom-hearts-anime)
- [Steam: Kingdom Hearts IV](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3216600/)