The Kingdom Hearts series has seen its fair share of Disney and Square Enix worlds incorporated into the ever-growing franchise. From the godly splendor of Hercules’ Olympus Coliseum to the colorful pages of Winnie the Pooh’s 100 Acre Wood, there have been over 45 worlds throughout the series, which will grow once Kingdom Hearts 4 comes around in the next few years. Many of the well-established Disney/Pixar and Square Enix franchises have graced the action-RPG series, and a few stand out as shining examples of the Kingdom Hearts franchise’s ode to the beloved IPs. Of course, with so many worlds, a few popular choices didn’t quite capture the series’ best interests (for better or worse).
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While we won’t tackle every world, we have compiled a list of the five best and worst worlds in the history of Kingdom Hearts. This list is a mix of Disney and Square Enix worlds, coming from all of the Kingdom Hearts games. With that being said, let’s look at the best (and worst) worlds in the Kingdom Hearts series.
5) Deep Jungle (Worst)
We get it – tracking down gorillas in the jungle is hard, but why does that have to apply to the endless maze of Tarzan’s Deep Jungle world? Traversing through the vines and trees like Tarzan sounds like a fantastic gameplay experience, but the problem lies with its backtracking, which had players swinging on vines to swinging at the TV in frustration. Not to mention the lack of direction when figuring out where to go for your objective. While I enjoyed the creativity, the level design detracted from the experience, leaving me as confused as Jane was listening to Tarzan speak for the first time.
4) Monstro (Worst)
Getting stuck inside a whale is a nightmarish scenario, but that fear stems from the dreadful Monstro world in Kingdom Hearts. While the nonstop fight against Heartless continued, the real challenge was with the confusing maze of doors and pathways. One second you’re going the right way, the next you’re back to where you started. Some levels don’t overstay their welcome, but Pinocchio’s Monstro tried its hardest to keep players in a world filled with arcade-styled carpet decorum. I’m probably not the only one who contemplated not saving Pinocchio solely because I couldn’t figure out which doors to go through. If Pinocchio says it’s bad, then it’s obvious that he’s telling the truth.
3) Disney Town (Worst)
Unlike Disney’s colorful entertainment resume, this world missed the mark on bringing the splendor of the company. With only a few NPCs scattered across the level, it’s eerie to traverse a town that is supposed to celebrate the quirkiness of Disney and not see anyone around. The mini-games weren’t enjoyable to play, especially Ventus’ Ice Cream Blast, reliving the terrors of rhythm-based gameplay that we hoped to leave under the sea. Not to mention the insanity of Pete’s Rec Room’s pinball machine puzzle, which had terrible controls and camera angles. For a game like Birth of Sleep, this world felt like a backdrop filler rather than an actual place for story development
2) Arendelle (Worst)
Hoping not to walk on thin ice, but Arendelle was an unsuccessful attempt to bring one of Disney’s best films to Kingdom Hearts. Sure, it was nice hearing the cast back as their respective characters, but for the love of all that is holy, there’s no need for the “Let it Go” sequence to be in this game. It just feels off-putting seeing Sora, Donald, and Goofy being sprinkled into it, as the world feels like they’re only there for Frozen and not Kingdom Hearts. The level design was barren, as it was mostly forestry areas and snow-capped mountains, which didn’t add anything cool to this never-ending winter. It doesn’t help that there’s no exploration aspect, making this already lackluster world even more so.
1) Atlantica (Worst)
No hate towards Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, but anyone who’s played Kingdom Hearts 2 knows the sheer pain of the rhythm-based gameplay sequences from The Little Mermaid’s Atlantica. Again, no disrespect to the developers for bringing this world back, but there’s a huge disconnect by featuring no Heartless and having the world be solely a chance to take advantage of the musical aspect of the original movie. With Swim This Way still playing during my nightmares, trying to hit every note perfectly was a nuisance and didn’t make much sense with the narrative. There’s a reason why this world is optional in Kingdom Hearts 2.
5) Toy Box (Best)
Longtime Kingdom Hearts fans had been asking for several Disney franchises to join the series by the time Kingdom Hearts 3 rolled around, with one of the most prominent being Pixar’s Toy Story. With Andy nowhere in sight, Woody, Buzz, and several others from the movie series have made their debuts in KH3 in Toy Box. As the Kingdom Hearts franchise has been known to have a charming presence, the nostalgic feeling of the critically acclaimed Pixar franchise is present, capturing the hearts of many Disney fans. The narrative for this story is out of the box, as it feels central to the world itself, besides the addition of Young Xehanort and Yozora near the end. The gameplay experience during this world was interesting as the perspective has shifted, as you are toy-sized.
4) The Caribbean (Best)
Where some of the previous entries sank into the ocean of poor level design, Pirates of the Caribbean’s The Caribbean level sailed the seas with flying colors. The adventure franchise has been in KH2 and KH3, with Kingdom Hearts 3 taking things up a level with its engaging ship-based combat and open-world concept. Having set up Sora’s story within the franchise, this particular world felt tied together better, as there was an established rapport with Captain Jack Sparrow and Will Turner. A turning point in learning the mindset of Sora, it’s a vital level that nails the emotional aspects of our Keyblade wielder’s morals. With the narrative front and center, the world is visually stunning, as if it were taken straight from the movies.
3) Halloween Town (Best)
Out of all the Disney movies, Tim Burton’s 1993 A Nightmare Before Christmas hits the nail on the head (or coffin) when bringing the best gameplay experience in Kingdom Hearts. Halloween Town brought the right amount of gothic flair that made the film a classic while still shifting the story to match Kingdom Hearts’ narrative, which tackled the nature of the Heartless. There was progress within this world that didn’t show up just to be in the game, but was a part of it to serve a purpose. The gameplay design was fantastic, as Jack was a great temporary member on the team. Not to mention the fun boss battle against Oogie Boogie, which is a definite highlight of the world. All in all, this world is visually and tonally faithful to the film, but crafts a great story to build depth within the Kingdom Hearts lore.
2) Twilight Town (Best)
Kingdom Hearts 2’s Twilight Town is one of the most underrated worlds in the series, which many take advantage of being so early in the game. Twilight Town is an original to the Kingdom Hearts franchise and primarily focuses on Roxas during the gameplay experience. The level design is visually stunning and unique, with multiple places to explore during your time there. There’s a lot to do in the town, whether hitting a garbage bin up the hill for munny or rolling down the street doing tricks on a skateboard. There’s a lot of mystery around this town, which is why this world is high on this list. While we were able to revisit Twilight Town in Kingdom Hearts 3, there’s nothing like living your summer vacation with Hayner, Pence, and Olette in Kingdom Hearts 2.
1) Hollow Bastion (Best)
As the final world for Kingdom Hearts, Hollow Bastion is filled with franchise lore and Disney characters. Once you enter, there is a shift in tone that can be felt through the score and narrative. This world is crucial to the Kingdom Hearts franchise, which lives up to its expectations in delivery. Climbing up the castle and defeating different bosses has a different feel, especially since the difficulty level is higher than usual. What makes this world special is its story, which tackles the dynamic between Kairi, Riku (Ansem), and Sora. A beautiful yet tragic world matched with a similar narrative makes Hollow Bastion the best.
Which of these world rankings do you agree with? Are there any you would’ve liked to see in this list? Let us know in the comments section below!
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