One of the biggest whiplashes I had during the Switch 1’s era was when it was announced that the Kingdom Hearts series was coming to the platform…but it was going to be cloud-based versions. Now, with the improved power of Nintendo’s Switch 2, that dream of having the HD collections (and Kingdom Hearts 3) natively in a handheld form factor has been realized with the KINGDOM HEARTS Collection [I～III] release. I’ve had a few days to drop into these new ports and, by and large, I’ve had a really good time with it. That said, with its heftier price tag of $75 for the set, here are some things to consider when deciding if this latest port is for you or not.
Might Be For You
I mentioned this at the start, but for all the folks who were disappointed in Kingdom Hearts only receiving Cloud Edition ports back on the Switch 1, this collection is for you. Our time has come! Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 plays like an absolute dream, and while technically, if you have a handheld PC device like a Steam Deck, you could play while on the go, these Switch 2 versions feel like the first real time these masterpieces can be taken with you.
This is also a great package if you want to get all caught up with the series before next year’s big Kingdom Hearts 4 release (fingers crossed no delays). A year to play these titles is a far easier task when you can play it while lying in bed, during your lunch at work, or while riding in the car. Considering you can get nearly all of the stories of the series in one single purchase makes it a great option to introduce the series to the next generation, too. Hopefully, we will get an official Switch 2 version of Melody of Memory at some point, but that’s been available on the Switch since release, and the Switch 2’s boost mode helps.
Lastly, you can still piece-meal this collection if not everything is for you. Instead of dropping the munny for the full collection, you can still buy just the 1.5+2.5 collection, 2.8, or Kingdom Hearts 3 + Re DLC bundle individually.
Might Want to Pass
If the prospect of playing Kingdom Hearts on the go isn’t much of an interest for you, and you have other consoles or a PC available to you, there may be better, or at least cheaper, options to pick from to get your Sora, Donald, and Goofy fix. With the exception of Kingdom Hearts III, which released last gen, the games included in this box have been ported more than just a few times now. Even KH3 has already been included in other packages, too, and if fidelity is what you’re after, then the PlayStation 5 version of KINGDOM HEARTS Collection [I～III] may be worth your money instead.
Something else to note is that if the main draw for these new Switch 2 ports and the collection as a whole is Kingdom Hearts 3 and its Re DLC (along with the .2 prequel short featuring Aqua), they don’t run as well as the other titles. The visuals are a bit blurrier, with a good bit more jaggies showing up, such as around Sora’s hair or around finer details in the environment, and it runs at a lower framerate. This isn’t particularly surprising as it is the most “recent” release (recent still being seven years ago at this point), and it is certainly playable and a fine option, but the Switch 2 version of three is far from what I would consider the best way to experience it.
Overall Thoughts
Coming as someone who has bought these games a total of (counts of fingers) – let’s just say a lot of times already – the Switch 2 version of KINGDOM HEARTS Collection [I～III] is really what I’ve been waiting for since that initial disappointment wave of the Cloud versions washed over me. Mainline Kingdom Hearts games on the go? Smoother and crisper versions of Dream Drop Distance and Birth By Sleep with me on my next plane ride? Yes, please. A hundred times over. The fact that a vast majority of the games feel smooth as Sea Salt Ice Cream makes it even better.
Even with the collection’s overall loftier price tag (reminder, you can buy the games separately), I still find these a great value and more worthwhile than a couple of the other Switch 2 ports Square Enix has released lately, specifically Final Fantasy X / X-2 and Dragon Quest XI, due to Kingdom Hearts not being available natively on the previous system. I do hope that through patches, maybe we see some improvement to Kingdom Hearts 3, where it can at least get to a reliable and locked 30fps.
With the current plan being that fans will be able to go on their next adventure with Sora and the gang sometime in the next 14 months, this releasing on what I would consider the “easiest to play on system” has me eager to dive in and try to replay the series. Trying to fit that in, in between all the other amazing games, raising a child, a full-time job, and other responsibilities, will be a tougher task than taking down Xehanort, but thanks to the flexibility the new Switch 2 collection provides, it may just be possible.
We were provided a Switch 2 code for use in testing, for this feature.
