Sacred Symbols+, The Thread: Kingdom Hearts Anniversary Retrospective

Hello Dustin and Brad! Ever since Sora's inclusion in Smash Bros., I've been pondering on the idea of a Kingdom Hearts fighting game, and the possibilities it presents. If you had the opportunity to oversee its development, which characters would you include, and what would be their ultimates? Would you consider adding guest characters from other franchises? I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on this matter. Best regards, Jayjay

Jayjayjavon

Hey Sacred Crew, Kingdom Hearts is oftentimes made fun of, but what are some things about the series that you love? I’ve been a fan of KH since the beginning and would to hear some positive things about it every once in awhile.

Kienan DeLaney

Hey SS+ crew, Did you find any of the bosses in the game Soulsborne difficult? Not so much the main bosses but the bosses that were secret or DLC, like Organization XIII data fights or Yozora in KHIII? Keep up the great work gang!

Barrett Boswell

Hey Dustin and Resident Weebs! Don’t have a question really but I just wanted to say I got the 20th anniversary vinyl collection and I’m obsessed with listening to it. Such iconic music and this franchise really doesn’t deserve the music to be this memorable and magical.

Who Keeps Sucking All Of My Yaks Dry

Hope you don't mind if I weigh in here but aside from 2 DS games and a mobile visual novel, the entire series is on PS4, Xbox One and PC at 1080p (or more on PC) 60fps, and the only changes from the original versions are additional content or minor aesthetic things, KH3 is 30fps oN PS4 and XBONE but it runs at 60 via back compat on PS5 and X|S

Macro

Greetings Dustin and mystery guest that I can only assume is Tetsuya Nomura himself, Kingdom Hearts 2 aside, because its the most common answer, what is your favourite Kingdom Hearts game? And a cheeky bonus question, would you like to see more storylines with different playable characters like Riku, Kairi and others in the future? Thanks for throwing us Kingdom Hearts fans a bone, can't wait for you to force Colin to go through the series with you one day

Macro

Hey Dustin and friend, There are very very few instances where I’ve added songs from video games into my music playlists, but two exceptions are Simple and Clean and Sanctuary. I think the latter is one of the best songs to ever grace gaming. In addition to these song, music across the series has always resonated with me, particularly the menu themes and Organization XIII theme. Has any of the music throughout the series particularly stuck out to you like it has for me? Thanks! Also wanted to mention how bad the Skrillex song in KH3 is lol. I don’t even mind recent Skrillex but that song is so 2012

Reon Williams

Dustin & company, I got a simple question for you. What does any of it mean?

I'd say yes, play it again. I didn't love the story but there are very fun moments. The gameplay is what hooked me. Once I mastered it, I was almost untouchable. Using team attacks, attractions, and Keyblade transformations to cancel enemy attacks reminded me of Chain of Memories when I would stack my deck with "0" cards to cancel boss attacks. Very fun. Only KH game I completely 100%.

Nevets

Fellow Kingdom Farts fans, Do you have a game that you think has the best battle system? I love KH2 with multiple attack buttons and the Drive Forms. I really liked KH3 battles, but I thought the attractions were a bit much and made the battles really easy, but loved that it had lots of systems from the portable games included. What systems would you like brought to or combined in Kingdom Hearts 4? They can be systems from the KH series or different series like Elden Ring or something. Now go enjoy some Sea Salt Ice Cream on top of a clocktower!

Nevets

Hello Dustin and Mystery Person, Kingdom Hearts has always been one of my favorite series and that all started back when I was 12 years old playing kingdom hearts on kiosk at my Walmart. What was your introduction to Kingdom Hearts? Thank you and continue to fight the darkness. Your Pal-Robbie C

Robbie Cooper

Hey Dustin and guest, Could you give us a quick ranking of the games you’ve played of the series from worst to best? Also, who is your favorite character and what is your favorite keyblade design? Thanks so much for doing this! I adore this series much like Dustin (and yes, it is overrated but who cares!)

Hi Dustin and guest, What's your fondest memory of the series? I'll always remember the day Santa brought me Kingdom Hearts. It was my first PS2 game and I felt a little disappointed when I saw the cover with all those Disney characters... I'm 30 now and I remember feeling "too old" to play a game with Donald and Goofy back then. I went ahead and played Men in Black II instead lol. I ended up loving the series and even played an imported copy of Kingdom Hearts II in black and white before it came out in europe. Gerard

Gerard

Hey Dustin and the best guest, Kingdom Hearts 2 has always been my favourite, I've beaten both 1 and 2 and watched or played at least some of the supplemental (but essential) material, but couldn't get through KH 3. Should I give it another go? Does the story get better or any more cohesive, and will it be necessary for KH 4? Thanks for the retrospective! Kyle

Kyle Todd

Hey Dustin and guest, A lot of my friends swear by Kingdom Hearts but I never got into it myself. I always thought it seemed cringe from a distance but I don’t know where to really start. Dustin being the retro tech master, which game has aged the best and what system is the best place to play it on? Here’s hoping this podcast will get me to fall down the Sora rabbit hole. - Joey :)

Joey Hornreich

Hey, Dustin and the mystery guest! Which stage has the best background music in the Kingdom Hearts series? My favorite is “Lazy Afternoons” from Twilight Town. Thanks!

Ember's Arcade

A Kingdom Hearts episode? Really? Y'all trying to make me even more depressed...

Matthew Cooper

Hey guys, What are your top 3 KH games in the series, ranked?

Shadi Haddad

Hello my fellow Keyblade wielders, My question is simple. How dedicated are you guys in keeping up with new Kingdom Hearts releases? In my case, I'll pick up and play something like Melody of Memory, but I can't bring myself to play through something like Dark Road. Do you play these mobile releases, or maybe just watch recaps and the cutscenes?

William Simone

Hello Dustin and Mystery Guest, My question to you both is why do you think KH gets so much shit for having a convoluted narrative when something like Metal Gear doesn't seem to get as much flack? Both have clones of main characters, insane plots that require some side games to get the most of it and games that jump around its timeline. I could be wrong but it seems like KH takes the full brunt while MGS skates by. This isn't to say MGS doesn't get shit on, just not nearly as much as KH in my opinion. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for all you guys do and have a great weekend.

Q

Kingdom Hearts 2 is the GOAT

Walker Simmons

Hey ya'll, Always loved the Kingdom Hearts series, and while the crossovers between Square properties waned a bit in the latter half of the franchise, I'm curious what other series you'd like to see and/or reasonably expect would be coming with this next era starting with Kingdom Hearts 4 when it releases in 2047. Are we getting more Disney series? Will we see Zack Fair team up with Sora to do battle in the world of Octopath Traveler? Will Tatooine be a world we visit (please God, no), or will Thanos be the villain you think it the final boss before it is revealed that Monty Burns is secretly behind the curtain? There's a lot of properties under the Disney umbrella now. Should Squeenix focus on traditional Disney properties, pull from the expanded universe, or would it be best to focus on a new plot line with original characters?

Jeff

Hey guys! Do you think the Final Fantasy characters will make a comeback in 4, or will Square try to replace them with TWEWY characters like they did in DDD? Thanks as always!

CombatSneeze

Hey bid d and mystery guest, I can't believe it has been 21 yrs since KH was released. I can still close my eyes and remember the first time I arrived at traverse town and when that beautiful intro song "simple and clean" first pierced my ears. What are some of your favorite standout moments over the years that you would love experience again for the first time? Thanks for everything last stand media does and give the chicken a kiss every once and a while

Hey Dustin and Co. FTLT, curious to know which moments from the game meant the most to you guys as KIDS? I distinctly remember when I was only about 7-8 Olympus Coliseum in KH1 and that being my introduction to Cloud and just how riveting of a character he was, only for him to be more fleshed out in KH2. I’m not sure why but the “edge-lord” has forever remained a seminal character in video game history to me and influenced my “gold-standard” as far as character design in games goes. Anything from the series that’s lasted on you guys since the first time you picked up the game(s)?

GaminGoob

Hello Dustin and your Nobody, What Disney worlds you wished were in kh3? I personally found it a disservice that Hunchback and Fantasia were stuck on 3ds.

RK128

My guess is Kara Lynn for the guest. Isn't she a fan?

brody_low

Not relevant to KH but to SS+: will sacred league ever return?

Griffin Karr

You should get Matty. It will a reunion from the time you did Persona 5 Royal

Deathspank

Dustbin <3 --spoilers ahead-- Quadratum... Quad... Square Unreality... Fiction... Fantasy. (Connected via the Final world) Everything Yozora vs Noctis. Are you excited about the next big arc of KH where disney characters explore FF worlds finally?

Robert Foxgrover

Hey there Dustin and mystery guest, Never grew up with the franchise but always saw the commercials growing up and heard friends express their love for it. Thought it looked cool and decided to play through the series a year ago. Literally the only thing that kept me around past the first game was seeing the FF and Disney characters, as well as the music. Never could get into the combat or the nonsense story. This is what ultimately led me to dislike KH3 as much as a did, with its severe lack of FF representation. Do you guys consider this to be one of KH3’s biggest downfalls like I did or is it just another issue to add to the pile? Think they’ll remedy this in future iterations? - Mr.Moobz

Hey tiny d and guest, No-one needs this. Love larry

larry Seitz

Hey guys, I've been replaying Kingdom Hearts with my kids recently as they are really into Disney. My question is, would you want to see KH explore worlds from Star Wars or Marvel, or do you think they should stick with Disney proper?

Turd Ferguson

Hey Dustin and “Special Guest”. Did you pick up the anniversary Vinyl set?

Michael Mashpotato

Hey guys! Kingdom Hearts is right up there as one of my favorite video game franchises of all time. The moment I played the first game, I was instantly hooked. From the characters to the combat, this game is stunning example of what a magnificent video game can be….. I do not agree on the notion that the story is difficult to understand. Most of the game story can be played on one console. The extra story from the mobile games can be easily accessed via a short summary or a YouTube video…. My question: Why does Kingdom Hearts get bashed for the “difficulty” to understand the story when other game series get a pass? Best, Sean M.

Sean Mason

Hey Dustin and special guest, As a series that I started at the beginning it feels there is no way to recommend this series to anyone. Even tho I somehow still love even with its ridiculously story and amount of buy in that is required it simply feels like a huge ask for some to try this series I love. With the Kingdom Hearts story in all its convoluted glory seemingly going to continue for the foreseeable future is there any point where you guys feel you'll quit on the series?

Howdy folks, Do you think we'll ever get to find out who the Master of Masters really is, what his plan is, and what he has in that magic box? I personally believe at least some of those mysterious need to be kept secret to align to the absurdity that is this most wonderful franchise. Cheers, Robert

Robert

What is your favorite world from the series so far? I think mine is still TRON from Kingdom Hearts 2.

Ray

The magical door of light that appears and brings Sora and Riku home to Destiny Islands at the end of KH2 always felt like an unexplained Deus Ex Machina. Riku and Sora should've been left stranded on that beach, and the next game should've been about Kairi using her newly acquired keyblade to save Sora and Riku. Instead Kairi basically never does anything for the rest of the series. What aspect of Kingdom Hearts would you rewrite if given the chance?

Otrant

I hope the special guest is Brad Ellis… I really want the two of you to do a show together

Connor Reese

Hey Dustin & Special Guest, An aspect of Kingdom Hearts that I feel is often overlooked is the music. Everyone critiques the convoluted story and cheesy moments, but I hardly see praise for the fantastic score and theme songs by Hikaru Utada. The inclusion of a remix version of One-Winged Angel for the Sephiroth fights is also great. Therefore, what are some of your favorite tracks from the various games? Personally, I’m partial to Dearly Beloved and Kairi I, but you cannot go wrong with any choice. P.S. Dustin they have a Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Vinyl LP Box for sale up on the Square Enix Store website if you are interested.

Nadesticker

Hey my fellow masochists, can we be honest here? Kingdom Hearts only has one great game-2. Growing up, KH was one of my all time favorite series, and I always felt like 2 was the crown jewel. The story still felt followable, the forms Sora could take were so cool (shoutout Anti form), and the combat felt just right. Am I crazy for feeling like KH never quite hit the same level of quality? I know we should be positive on the anniversary, but a decade plus of spin-offs waiting for KH3 made me stop being a fan. Thanks y’all.

Dylan Michael

Dustin and, Holly? Is the series worth starting at this point? Is there enough good content to justify the time investment with no nostalgic attachment?

Every time I try to go through the series, I get stuck with the terrible card game nonsense in chain of memories! should i persevere through it, give up on the whole series, or fight against my completionist tendencies and skip that game?

towtansua

I respect it but the drop mechanic ruined it for me. Hated being in a good groove then getting booted to the next character

Q

Hey Dustin and guest, As someone who's consumed every ounce of what this franchise has offered outside the manga, I felt an obligation to contribute to this episode. I'll keep it simple. Over the course of the series, there have been a handful of Final Fantasy characters. Sometimes they're inconsequential while other times they're integral to the story. Who's been your favorite to appear thus far and who do you hope will appear in the future? Whether it be just a cameo or in a big way.

Kaleb

Hey Dustin and (probably) Matty, Dream Drop Distance is peak Kingdom Hearts - prove me wrong. Best, Heartless

GameSimp

Hey Dustin and special guest! I am so happy to hear you guys are doing this! I personally like when you talked about how much you love but hate the series cause I feel the same! It’s one of the most confusing but loving franchises of all time! But how they did it after KH1,COM and KH2 was wack! Dustin and guest I want to know! You both are the directors now after KH2 what do you do from there leading to the conclusion of KH3 as we know it now! How many in between’s/ spin-offs would you do or would you do any at all an just lead to 3? Would it be this popular if it was only KH-KH3? Thank you all and looking forward to this episode! 🙏

MonstaPontes93 (Ricky Pontes)

Kingdom Hearts is one of my favorite series of all time and was extremely important to me during my early teens and even into my twenties. However, at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3, it felt complete—almost like closing that chapter of my life. As a result, I have no excitement for Kingdom Hearts 4 or the future of the series at all. What is your all’s current gut check on KH4 and the future of the series?

Hello Heartless! Quick and easy question for you both, what is your favorite world from the Kingdom Hearts games?! Mine has to be Nightmare Before Christmas! And where do you hope they go in KH4? (Also if you say Little Mermaid’s world from KH, I’m turning off the podcast! Lol) thank you!

Parks n Wrekd

Hello Boyos, Back in 2006 when KH2 released, I adored that game and I was so excited for a KH3 release which didn't happen for another 13 years. In that time span I went from teenager a husband/father with a full time job. I never ended up playing KH3. Did Square Enix make a mistake by releasing KH3 so late with all the VERY IMPORTANT spin offs in the middle? What would KH3 look like if it released in 2010?

Dylan Manuszak

Hello Sacred gang! While its true that over the years, the story of Kingdom Hearts has become more and more convoluted and hard to follow, I've never stopped loving the franchise. This is mostly due to the strong and addictive combat loop as well as the sense of wonder and magic I get when visiting some of my favorite Disney worlds. The unique combination of Final Fantasy and Disney characters (particularly strong in the first two games) was also a big draw for me. It was even more powerful back then when we were still feeling the strenght of the PS1 Final Fantasy days, with Cloud and Squall being quite popular at the time. Do you think one of the reasons KH3 was less than well received was because of that lack of FF/Disney crossover we had come to expect and love from the earlier games? Is it simply the complex story that lost people? Would you want Square to bring Clive, Cloud and Noctis into KH4 to try and recreate that connection, or should they Let it Go (pun intended) and focus only on the Disney worlds and characters? Very excited to hear this particular episode of Sacred. All the best to you both!

Vagicarp, I choose you