Released in 2002 exclusively for the PlayStation 2, Kingdom Hearts did the impossible task of bringing Disney and Final Fantasy together in a video game that was not only good but arguably one of the greatest of all time. The original Kingdom Hearts has a charm that’s noticeably absent from the rest of the series. It sets the foundation for what’s to come, but not without its novelties.
Sora’s first adventure arguably features the best incorporation of Disney Worlds in the series, actually advancing the narrative through them instead of relegating plot to the end of the game. The original Kingdom Hearts feels like a proper journey, and that’s in large part due to the Worlds Sora visits.
Updated May 29th, 2021 by Renan Fontes: Above all else, what elevates the original Kingdom Hearts’ Worlds over its successors is the game’s commitment to sophisticated level design. Not only is each Disney World drenched in a unique atmosphere, they all have secrets to uncover – from hidden treasure chests to bonus bosses. Only Kingdom Hearts III compares to the original’s World design, but even then just barely.
14 Atlantica
Atlantica puts in no uncertain terms how distinct different Worlds can be. Taking place entirely underwater, Atlantica is an opportunity to add another layer to Kingdom Hearts, but it struggles from both a gameplay and story perspective.
Losing a good chunk of Sora’s tool kit simply isn’t fun and Atlantica’s level design is a bit on the confusing side. Narratively, as Atlantica is an optional World, there’s not much story progression that can be done. If nothing else, Triton acknowledges the Keyblade, the Keyhole, and other Worlds, showing that Disney characters aren’t just living in a bubble in the KH universe.
13 Wonderland
Wonderland is a fairly disappointing World in the grand scheme of things. The first World most players will end up visiting, Wonderland is small in scope and doesn’t exactly show off Kingdom Hearts’ strongest qualities. The story feels disjointed, the level design loops in on itself with just a few oddities to keep you entertained, and the Alice in Wonderland aesthetic ultimately feels underutilized.
12 Deep Jungle
Deep Jungle plays into Kingdom Hearts’ platforming sensibilities, something no other game in the series ever attempted with outside of the Flowmotion system (which in itself is nothing like traditional platforming). While Deep Jungle has an incredible aesthetic, memorable bosses, and a strong storyline, the actual level design feels unrefined. Getting lost in a Kingdom Hearts game is a fun novelty compared to what the series became, but Deep Jungle’s samey visuals wear thin faster than you’d imagine.
11 Monstro
Monstro’s strengths are also its weaknesses. The World is maze-like by design and deceptively confusing. This makes it one of the most complex areas in the game and truly dungeon-like by nature, but Monsto also errs on being frustrating.
Poison effects are never fun to deal with and the labyrinthine structure starts to lose its luster the moment you start cycling through rooms. If nothing else, Monstro is at least optional (but you do miss out on important character development for Riku).
10 100 Acre Wood
100 Acre Wood gets a lot of flack for being a mini-game World with no combat (and generally focusing on a story with no bearing on the main plot), but that ignores how nice of a palette cleanser it is. 100 Acre Wood is an opportunity to just indulge in some mindless fun.
Winnie the Pooh and company make for great companions, and Sora essentially taking Christopher Robin’s place in the 100 Acre Wood is a stroke of genius on Kingdom Hearts’ part. Thematically, this World emphasizes the importance of friendship, solidarity, and being together better than any other in the game.
9 Dive To The Heart
You never forget your first and Kingdom Hearts’ opening is nothing short of legendary. Simple and Clean’s transition into the Dive to the Heart is absolutely masterful.
The haunting Destati playing in the background underscores the nature of Sora’s journey brilliantly. Dive to the Heart is a basic tutorial at its core, but it’s one of the most memorable parts of the game and unforgettable part of Kingdom Hearts’ identity.
8 Destiny Islands
Destiny Islands is more or less the back half of Kingdom Hearts’ tutorial, picking up where Dive to the Heart left off. Where Dive to the Heart introduces audiences to the game’s core combat in a surreal sequence, Destiny Islands is an opportunity to acclimate yourself with the controls while indulging in an atmospheric area that’s only around for an hour tops. Permanently losing Destiny Islands as a World helps set the tone for Kingdom Hearts while establishing Sora’s relationship with Kairi and rivalry with Riku.
7 Agrabah
Agrabah is a fan favorite World and for good reason: it’s a solid video game level overall with a bunch of variety. The Bazaar is compact with plenty of exits and entrances; the Cave of Wonders is one of the few areas in Kingdom Hearts you can call a full dungeon, and all the boss fights are interesting.
Kurt Zisa ends up showing up in the last act of the game as Agrabah’s Superboss, which makes for a nice reason to revisit Aladdin near the end of the game. Agrabah’s become a overused throughout the franchise, but its first outing is admirable.
6 Neverland
Neverland is something of a turning point for Kingdom Hearts, placing Sora, Riku, and Kairi into a single World while heavily foreshadowing the endgame. It’s hard to believe Disney Worlds used to be so narratively relevant considering how poorly Dream Drop Distance and Kingdom Hearts III utilize them.
Neverland is a lot like Agrabah, though a bit smaller. There’s a lot of variety and Hook’s ship is very dungeon-esque in nature. Shadow Sora makes for a nice recurring villain, and both Captain and Hook and The Phantom serve as challenging story- and super-bosses respectively. Though The Phantom can be quite a struggle.
5 Traverse Town
A World for the lost, Traverse Town is one of the most iconic settings in Kingdom Hearts. Divided into three Districts, Traverse Town manages to maintain relevance for the entire game, almost serving as a central hub during the story’s transitionary moments. Sora, Donald, and Goofy will return to this World more than any other in the game.
Uncovering new parts of Traverse Town over the course of the story gives the World a sense of progressions others lack. Only Olympus Coliseum comes close, but Traverse Town is actually narratively relevant, with the story’s changing tides affecting the enemies fought and found within the world.
4 Olympus Coliseum
Every good RPG needs a tournament, and Kingdom Hearts choosing Disney’s Hercules as the representative is just genius. Olympus Coliseum is the most unconventional World in the game, only featuring combat during Cups. There’s nothing to explore and the World’s plot progresses gradually over the course of the plot. Not just that, it’s optional.
The Hades Cup alone elevates the Olympus Coliseum considerably. A 50 battle gauntlet against the game’s bosses, Heartless, and Final Fantasy characters, this is one of the best challenges in Kingdom Hearts. Olympus Coliseum is also home to two of the superbosses: Ice Titan and Sephiroth.
3 Halloween Town
Between its great aesthetic and fun boss fights, Halloween Town has some of the best level design in the game. Halloween Town is compact. It doesn’t branch out with empty open spaces. It’s easy to navigate and there are plenty of secrets to find. The original release had permanently missable content here, but Final Mix fixes things.
Halloween Town is completely optional and it shows, but its story’s lack of relevance isn’t a big deal. If anything, it’s nice to have a side story so close to the finale. Halloween Town is a reminder that adventures sometimes stray from the beaten path, and that’s not a bad thing.
2 Hollow Bastion
Hollow Bastion is the emotional climax of the game. Sora is left by Sora & Goofy, he has to confront his status as the Keyblade wielder, and he finally comes face to face with Riku to save Kairi. Gameplay-wise, Hollow Bastion is a massive dungeon filled with bosses galore and it’s all the better for it. Hollow Bastion is also notable for beings one of the few Worlds to feature actual puzzle solving – a rarity for Kingdom Hearts, but not at all unwelcome.
1 End Of The World
End of the World isn’t much different than Hollow Bastion, serving as arguably the longest World in the game. End of the World is pretty much all action too, featuring more than half a dozen different boss fights (not counting the half of a dozen bosses you’ll fight as the final boss). Hollow Bastion and End of the World work together to close Kingdom Hearts I on an absolute high, but it’s the latter that solidifies the original KH as one of the greatest RPGs ever made.
NEXT: Ranking Every Boss Fight In Kingdom Hearts III Re:Mind (From Weakest To Hardest)
