When Kingdom Hearts was first announced, we’re sure many of you out there (who were alive back in the early 2000s) were confused about what they were seeing. For this was an RPG collaboration between Square Enix and Disney to make a totally unique adventure. One that would feature a young boy named Sora as he went on a quest to save his friend Kairi. And naturally, the story that burgeoned from there is one of the most unique, complex, convoluted, and yet beloved video game tales of all time.
And now, Kingdom Hearts has officially crossed the 20 year mark in terms of when the game first launched in Japan. March 28th, 2022 was when that happened, and fans are celebrating in their own ways during this time, including certain gaming sites talking about the anniversary date.
It's March 28 in Japan. 20 years ago today, Kingdom Hearts launched for PlayStation 2. pic.twitter.com/2JpPWdrcu2
— Gematsu (@gematsu) March 27, 2022
The saga has certainly come a long way. It started out on the PS2, then had a sequel on the Game Boy Advance via Chain of Memories, came back to PS2 for its third entry, then went on a series of “side missions” if you will to flesh out the story more, and only in 2020 did Kingdom Hearts III finally come out to help “finish the story…even though we know it’s not the end because more games came out after that!
But even if you’re not a major fan of the franchise, you have to admit its influence is quite grand. Video games, crossovers, cosplays and more have all happened because of the love this series has gotten. Not the least of which was Sora being the final character DLC in Super Smash Bros Ultimate, which literally set the internet on fire.
A special event is set to celebrate the anniversary of the franchise on April 10th, so stay tuned for more on that!
Source: Gematsu