Review: Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] Lets Switch 2 Owners Catch Up

Given we saw compilations like Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix and HD 2.5 Remix debuton the PS3, you’d hope the Switch 2 releases of such games would be pitch-perfect and good to go. Fortunately, that absolutely is the case for all the Switch 2 versions of the games in the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III]. Everything tends to look and run quite well on the system, and I found it an especially great way to run through the titles again in Handheld mode.

Going over the story for the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] Switch 2 compilation is a bit difficult since it does cover absolutely everything. It kicks off with the original Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, which begins Sora’s journey, Riku’s own troubled adventure, and Kairi’s destiny. From there, every major mainline prequel and sequel comes up leading to Kingdom Hearts 3 and the Re Mind epilogue that sets things up for the fourth installment’s adventures. And because this also covers the additional spin-offs, we’re also seeing Aqua, Terra, Ventus, Roxas, Axel, and Xion’s full chronicles so far too.

In short, here’s the full list of everything this covers:

• Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix
  • Kingdom Hearts Final Mix
  • Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories
  • Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
  • Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix
  • Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix
  • Kingdom Hearts Re:coded 
• 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 x Back Cover
• Kingdom Hearts 3 and Re Mind DLC

Clearly, it’s all of the Kingdom Hearts. Every one of ‘em. 

The first thing that struck me about the Switch 2 Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] games is how quick and easy it is to jump in and start enjoying them. The control schemes are pitch-perfect and on-point, likely as a result of this being one of many ports of the titles. Even ones that featured more unconventional combat systems with decks or the PSP in mind originally, like Re:Chain of Memories and Birth by Sleep, are great here. All the accommodations are present too, allowing for things like the easiest Beginner mode and more challenging Proud/Critical Mode ones. Since this does include all Kingdom Hearts 3 add-ons, this means the optional easy EZ and challenging Pro Codes can be enabled from the start. 

I also was very pleased by how fast and smooth performance of the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] games is at the start. For full disclosure, since this is a collection with nine games, I only put about 3-4 hours into most games present here (Fragmentary Passage being the exception due to it naturally being so short), then a minimum of 10 into Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix, and Kingdom Hearts 3. (The ability to skip cutscenes was a huge help in this case.) Loading times are minimal or insignificant in most cases. (This is a godsend in games with multiple smaller areas due to starting out as portable titles like Birth by Sleep.) Character models and textures tend to look great across the board. The frame rates seemed pretty stable at 60fps in the earlier games such as Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts 2, Birth by Sleep, and Re:Chain of Memories. However, I will say that with Kingdom Hearts 3, it did feel like that tended to vary and not maintain 60fps. (Which is understandable!) 

Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] controls well on the Switch 2 as well. The accommodations Square Enix made over the years for handheld entries like Birth by Sleep and Dream Drop Distance both ensure that the titles that previously relied on different inputs or presenting additional information via dual screens work well here. It feels at home on the system, and the fact that they aren’t reduced to relying on cloud-based technology is a boon.

As always, getting so many games in the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] compilation is great since it allowed me to re-experience the series’ highs and lows. Like after dabbling in the JRPG series again, the collection does a wonderful job of showcasing the most important “staple” entries Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, 2 Final Mix, Birth by Sleep, and 3. (I also still have a soft spot for 358/2 Days’ additional insights and consider 2 Final Remix my favorite game in the series.) You also still will never be able to convince me Re:coded was a good idea, even when it’s presence is just reduced to cutscenes. And, as usual, the versatility of the Switch 2

The Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] Switch 2 compilation is a great way to play and experience the events of 10 games in the series. It also feels especially great to dive into ahead of Kingdom Hearts 4 next year. The performance on all the titles selected is generally great, with them tending to perform well on the system. I will note that Kingdom Hearts 3 does feel like sometimes it does run at lower frame rates than the other installments during certain sections. But as a whole, this is a very worthwhile selection of games.

Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] will come to the Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on October 8, 2026.