Kingdom Hearts Play Order: How to Play Every Game in the Right Order

The best Kingdom Hearts play order for most people is release order, with one tweak: Kingdom Hearts, Re:Chain of Memories, 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts II, Birth by Sleep, Re:coded, Dream Drop Distance, 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage, χ Back Cover and then Kingdom Hearts III with Re Mind. That is also the order in which the games appear across the three modern compilations, so you can simply work through them one by one.

The series is famous for its confusing structure, with spin-offs on handhelds, movies that replace full games and prologues that only make sense later. This guide explains which order to choose, what you can play today and the mistakes that trip up most newcomers. Platform and package details reflect official Square Enix and store information checked in October 2026.

Kingdom Hearts play order: release order with one tweak (recommended)

Release order is how Square Enix told the story, so plot twists land the way they were meant to. The list below follows release order except for 358/2 Days, explained right after it. Here is the full sequence, with the package that contains each entry today:

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1. Kingdom Hearts Final Mix (2002 original) – in HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX.

2. Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories (2004 original) – in HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX.

3. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (2009 original) – HD cutscene movie in HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX.

4. Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix (2005 original) – in HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX.

5. Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix (2010 original) – in HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX.

6. Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (2010 original) – HD cutscene movie in HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX.

7. Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD (2012 original) – in HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue.

8. Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage (2017) – in HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue.

9. Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover (2017 movie) – in HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue.

10. Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind (2019 game, 2020 DLC) – sold as one package.

One small exception: 358/2 Days came out after Kingdom Hearts II, but most fans watch its movie right before II, because it explains the events of II's opening hours. Putting it there does not spoil anything and makes II's prologue far easier to follow.

Kingdom Hearts in chronological order

If you have already finished the series, or you simply want the timeline, the story order looks different:

χ Back Cover (the distant past), Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts, Re:Chain of Memories, 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts II, Re:coded, Dream Drop Distance, 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage (its ending leads straight into III), Kingdom Hearts III and Re Mind.

We do not recommend this order for a first playthrough. Birth by Sleep and χ Back Cover reveal answers to mysteries that the first two numbered games build up for hours, and the gameplay jump from Birth by Sleep back to the original Kingdom Hearts can feel rough.

Where to play every Kingdom Hearts game

The simplest option is Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III], which bundles HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, and on PC through the Microsoft Store. Our news story on the Kingdom Hearts Collection launch, early access and reviews covers prices and platform bonuses.

The three packages are also sold separately. On PC, they are available on Steam and the Epic Games Store, and the Steam versions list the same content as the console releases, according to their official Steam store pages.

What is not included in the main collections

A few entries live outside the three packages. Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory, a 2020 rhythm game that works as an epilogue to Kingdom Hearts III, is sold separately. Mobile entries tied to the χ storyline are not part of the console packages either; χ Back Cover covers the essential story from that era. Kingdom Hearts IV has been announced but is not out yet, so the numbered story currently ends with Kingdom Hearts III and Re Mind.

Common mistakes to avoid

Skipping the movies. 358/2 Days, Re:coded and χ Back Cover are presented as cutscene compilations, but their story matters. Watching them is not optional if you want Kingdom Hearts III to make sense.

Starting with Kingdom Hearts III. It is the most modern-feeling game, but it is a finale, not a starting point. Without the earlier games, most of its emotional moments will fall flat.

Ignoring 0.2. It is only a few hours long, but it sets up the opening of Kingdom Hearts III directly.

Kingdom Hearts play order FAQ

Do I need to play Re:Chain of Memories?

Yes. It introduces Organization XIII and characters who become central in Kingdom Hearts II. It is a card-based combat spin-off, so if the system does not click, watching its story scenes is better than skipping it entirely.

Which version should I play on Switch 2?

Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] runs natively on Switch 2. Early reviews say the older games run very well, with occasional frame rate dips in Kingdom Hearts III and 0.2.

How should I start if I have limited time?

Play Kingdom Hearts Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, watch the 358/2 Days movie in between, and use the remaining entries' story scenes to catch up before Kingdom Hearts III.