What Kingdom Hearts games do I need to play before Kingdom Hearts III? For a first playthrough focused on understanding III, use this release-order route: Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Birth by Sleep Final Mix, Dream Drop Distance HD, and 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A fragmentary passage –. Then play Kingdom Hearts III.
358/2 Days, Re:coded, and χ Back Cover add context, but the collections present them as cinematics or a movie rather than full playable games. Square Enix describes the arc from the original game through Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind as the Dark Seeker Saga, while the specific order below is an editorial route for newcomers rather than an order officially published for first-time players.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Kingdom Hearts All in One Package (PlayStation 4) | $53.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (PlayStation PS4) | $10.28 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
KINGDOM HEARTS - HD 1.5+2.5 Remix - PS4 | $60.07 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Kingdom Hearts All-in-One Package - PlayStation 4 | $63.98 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The recommended order before Kingdom Hearts III
The sequence follows the major playable releases and places each story where its information is most useful. It also avoids asking a newcomer to jump between eras simply because the fictional chronology is non-linear.
1. Kingdom Hearts Final Mix
Begin with Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, the expanded version included in the HD 1.5+2.5 collection. It establishes Sora, Donald, Goofy, the worlds connected by the Gummi routes, and the central conflict that later entries repeatedly revisit. Starting here gives every recurring character and major concept its original introduction instead of presenting it as a flashback or a reference.
#1 Best Overall
- The compilation includes the following games: KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days (HD Remastered cinematics) KINGDOM HEARTS II FINAL MIX KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep Final MIX KINGDOM HEARTS Re:coded (HD Remastered cinematics)
- KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 FINAL CHAPTER PROLOGUE KINGDOM HEARTS Dream Drop Distance HD KINGDOM HEARTS 0.2 Birth by Sleep –A fragmentary passage– KINGDOM HEARTS χ Back Cover (movie)
- KINGDOM HEARTS III
Use the Final Mix edition supplied by the collection rather than looking for a separate modern release. The collection is the practical way to obtain this version on supported platforms.
2. Re:Chain of Memories
Play Re:Chain of Memories next. Its position between the first game and Kingdom Hearts II matters: it deals with the immediate aftermath of the original adventure and introduces developments that explain why the next game begins with a very different status quo.
This is a full playable entry in HD 1.5+2.5, not one of the cinematic recaps. Its card-based combat can feel unlike the other console games. If the system takes time to learn, adjust the deck and use the tutorial rather than skipping the story; the narrative bridge is the reason it belongs here.
3. Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix
Continue with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. It builds directly on the first two games, expands the cast and organization conflicts, and pays off information that Re:Chain of Memories deliberately leaves in transition. The Final Mix edition is included in HD 1.5+2.5.
Do not treat this as a substitute for the first game. Its opening assumes that the player recognizes people, places and unresolved questions from the earlier entries, so beginning with II makes later explanations feel like spoilers or compressed summaries.
4. Birth by Sleep Final Mix
After II, play Birth by Sleep Final Mix. It is a prequel in the series timeline, but release-order placement gives it the intended dramatic context: you already understand the consequences that its characters and events will eventually have. The Final Mix version is part of HD 1.5+2.5.
The game uses three linked protagonists. Completing their routes as a set is important; stopping after one route leaves the prequel’s central connections incomplete. This is still a main playable chapter, not optional background material.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Rank #2
- Brand New, Factory Sealed
- Genre: Strategy & Role-Playing
- Subgenre: Action RPG
- Brand: Square Enix
- Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue PS4
5. Dream Drop Distance HD
Next choose Dream Drop Distance HD, included in HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue. It moves the saga toward the preparation for the conflict in III and introduces the situation that the next two releases address.
Its two-character structure and Dream Eater mechanics are different from the numbered games, so allow time to learn the new systems. The payoff is narrative positioning: III makes more sense when you know why its heroes are training and what has changed since Birth by Sleep.
6. 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A fragmentary passage –
Play 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A fragmentary passage – immediately before III. It is also in HD 2.8 and functions as the short bridge into the next chapter, connecting the older prequel material with the opening circumstances of III.
Moving it earlier can weaken that bridge. Keep it as the final preparation game, even if you have already watched the optional films.
7. Kingdom Hearts III
Finish the route with Kingdom Hearts III. The PS4 All-In-One listing identifies it as the final installment in the Xehanort saga, and Square Enix’s Dark Seeker Saga framing runs from the original Kingdom Hearts through III and its Re Mind downloadable content.
Play Re Mind after completing the main III campaign if your edition includes it. It is an expansion to III, not a prerequisite game that should be inserted before the main story.
Which entries are optional movies or cinematics?
The collections use the word “collection” broadly. Three named entries are presented as viewing experiences rather than complete playable games, so check the format before assuming they add another full campaign.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
The HD 1.5+2.5 package contains HD-remastered cinematics for 358/2 Days, not the original playable Nintendo DS game. Watch them after Kingdom Hearts II if you want additional character context and a fuller account of events surrounding that period. They are valuable background, but they are not required to operate the recommended playable route.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Kingdom Hearts Re:coded
Re:coded is likewise represented by HD-remastered cinematics in the package. Treat it as supplemental context rather than another required playable step. Watching it after the core entries in the first collection can clarify what the series is carrying forward without interrupting the main route with a different game format.
Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover
χ Back Cover appears in HD 2.8 as a movie. It supplies wider historical context for the series, but it is not a playable game in that collection and does not need to be inserted between the six playable pre-III steps. Watch it when you want broader lore, or leave it until after the main saga route if you prefer to keep the focus on Sora’s immediate story.
Why release order is the safer first-time choice
Kingdom Hearts deliberately tells its story across prequels, parallel viewpoints and retrospective films. A chronological run would place Birth by Sleep before the original game and move other material around the order in which players first learned it. That can reveal identities, relationships and outcomes that the later games expect you to discover gradually.
Release order also matches the way the collections group the principal playable chapters: HD 1.5+2.5 supplies the original game, its direct follow-up, II and Birth by Sleep; HD 2.8 supplies Dream Drop Distance and 0.2; III then follows as the saga endpoint. This grouping is not proof of an official newcomer mandate, but it is a coherent way to preserve escalation and avoid unnecessary backtracking.
If you have already completed the series, a chronological replay can be an interesting alternate project. It is not the route to choose when the goal is understanding III with the fewest avoidable spoilers.
Collections and buying routes
There are two package families to distinguish, plus the individual collection names inside them. Contents and platform support can change, so confirm the store page for your region and edition immediately before buying.
Rank #4
- Includes 10 Magical KINGDOM HEARTS experiences – A perfect way to begin the legendary KINGDOM HEARTS series
- Travel to beloved Disney and Pixar worlds to defend them from the evil heartless
- Unlock the power of the Keyblade and team up with Final Fantasy, Disney, and Pixar characters in the ultimate battle against darkness
- Test your battle skills with multiple combat possibilities, including powerful spells and team-up attacks
- Uncover the Dark Seeker Saga and learn about the legendary Keyblade Masters
| Package or collection | Platform information in the cited listing | Included material | Playable or viewing-only | Format notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX | Platform not specified in the cited collection summary | Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Birth by Sleep Final Mix, plus 358/2 Days and Re:coded cinematics | Four playable games; two cinematic recaps | Provides the first four steps of the recommended route |
| HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue | Platform not specified in the cited collection summary | Dream Drop Distance HD, 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A fragmentary passage –, and χ Back Cover | Two playable games; one movie | Provides the fifth and sixth steps plus optional context |
| KINGDOM HEARTS All-In-One Package | PS4, according to Square Enix’s 2025 European announcement and the PlayStation Store listing | HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and Kingdom Hearts III | Includes the complete playable route and the cinematic/movie material above | The older listing names III; verify whether Re Mind is included separately |
| KINGDOM HEARTS Collection [I~III] | PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2, according to the Square Enix Store listing | HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind DLC | Includes all playable entries and the collection’s films/cinematics | The physical version requires an internet connection and an additional data download |
How to choose a route for your situation
You want only the required playable story
Obtain the two HD collections, complete their four-plus-two playable games in the order above, and then play III. You can skip the three viewing-only entries on a first pass without changing the core sequence. Return to them later if you want supplementary history or character material.
You want the fullest context without replaying older hardware versions
Use every item in the collections, but keep the playable order intact. Watch 358/2 Days after II, treat Re:coded as an optional recap after the first collection’s main games, and view χ Back Cover when you are ready for wider lore. Because these are cinematic presentations, they do not replace the playable chapters they accompany.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →You already own the PS4 All-In-One Package
Check the disc or digital library for all three components, then follow the seven-step route. The package is designed to cover the saga’s principal releases, but the cited PS4 listing and the newer Square Enix Store listing do not describe their III downloadable-content entitlement identically. Confirm the presence of Re Mind before assuming it is bundled.
You are choosing the newer PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2 package
The Square Enix Store identifies KINGDOM HEARTS Collection [I~III] for PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 and explicitly includes III plus Re Mind. For a physical copy, plan for the required internet connection and extra data download. Digital and physical availability can differ by territory, so the current regional listing is the deciding source.
Checks to make before starting
- Confirm the edition: the route calls for the Final Mix versions where named, not an older release with different content or naming.
- Separate playable games from videos: 358/2 Days, Re:coded and χ Back Cover do not add another standard playable campaign in these packages.
- Check the platform and region: package names are similar, but the cited listings cover PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 in different products.
- Check III’s DLC: the newer Collection [I~III] listing explicitly includes Re Mind; the older PS4 All-In-One listing identifies III without making that same claim.
- Plan for installation requirements: the physical PS5/Switch 2 collection listing says an internet connection and additional data download are required.
- Use the current store description: prices, stock, platform support and edition contents are volatile and should not be inferred from an older package name.
What the saga label means
Square Enix’s publisher framing calls the run from the original game through Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind the “Dark Seeker Saga.” That label explains why III is treated as the endpoint for this guide even though the franchise contains side stories, mobile-era material and films outside the seven-step playable path.
Square Enix Ltd.’s 17 April 2025 package announcement reported more than 38 million Kingdom Hearts units shipped worldwide and more than seven million Kingdom Hearts III units globally, with the latter figure including physical and digital shipments. Those are figures dated to that announcement, not live sales totals, but they show the scale of the saga that the collections are intended to assemble.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe short decision
For a new player, finish Final Mix, Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Birth by Sleep Final Mix, Dream Drop Distance HD and 0.2 Birth by Sleep in that order, then start III. Add the three collection films or cinematic recaps when you want extra context, and verify whether your edition includes Re Mind before buying.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
