Ever since its inception, theKingdom Heartsfranchise has consistently been released on handheld systems. Although the mainline entries in the series have primarily been made for home consoles, most of its spin-offs have been created specifically with handhelds in mind.Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, the secondKingdom Heartsgame ever made, for example, was initially released on the Game Boy Advance before later being ported to the PS2. Otherentries in the franchise, includingKingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep,Kingdom Hearts: Re:Coded,Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, and the confusingly-namedKingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days, were also developed exclusively for handhelds.
Recently,however,Kingdom Heartshasn’t been as present on handheld consoles as it once was. In the last decade, the only entry in the franchise that received a native port for a portable system was the rhythm gameKingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, which came out on the Nintendo Switch in 2020. Outside of that, there’s been a limited number ofKingdom Heartstitles on handhelds. Sure, there are mobile games likeKingdom Hearts Xandthe upcomingKingdom Hearts: Missing Link, but they don’t exactly provide the same experience that the series' offline-only, singleplayer spin-offs once offered. That’s why, when moreKingdom Heartsgames — spin-offs or otherwise — do come out, they should be launched on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Kingdom Hearts Will Probably Have a Presence On the Switch 2 in Some Form
The Switch 2 Will Be a Big Upgrade Over the Current Switch
As many may know by now,the Nintendo Switch 2 was finally announcedearlier this week. The Switch 2, as its name suggests, is basically just a bigger and better version of the original Switch. It has a larger screen, a few extra buttons and USB-C ports, some improved Joy-Con functionality, and, above all, significantly more powerful hardware under the hood. The console is considerably different from the kind of hardware Nintendo usually designs. Most of Nintendo’s systems have weird gimmicks that, in some cases, can make the user experience inconvenient, but the Switch 2 appears to be a surprisingly straight-forward upgrade, which makes it perfect for traditional console games.
Kingdom Hearts 4 and Future Kingdom Hearts Spin-Offs Could Come to the Switch 2
Since the Switch 2 is apparently quite powerful, it will likely get far better third-party support than its predecessor. Games that would never be playable on the original Switch will probably be able to run just fine on Nintendo’s new console, and that includes upcoming titles likeKingdom Hearts 4. Of course, Square Enix hasn’t confirmed what platformsthe next numbered entry in theKingdom Heartsfranchisewill be released on yet, but it seems likely that the Switch 2 will be listed among them.Kingdom Hearts 4may be a visually intensive game, but it doesn’t look too demanding that it wouldn’t be able to work on a next-generation handheld.
If Square Enix isn’t able to getKingdom Hearts 4running on the Switch 2, then at the very least, it should make some kind of spin-off for the console. Such a title shouldn’t just be aMelody of Memories-style rhythm game, though. It should instead have a heavier focus on narrative, much likeChain of MemoriesandDream Drop Distance.Melody of Memories, as good as it was, was basically just a recap ofthe entireKingdom Heartsseriesand barely contributed anything new to the franchise’s lore. A futureKingdom Heartsspin-off for the Switch 2 should try to avoid that and be a more integral part of the franchise’s overarching story.
Though They May Not Be Exclusive, Kingdom Hearts Games on the Switch 2 Seems Inevitable
Square Enix has repeatedly expressed that it wants tobecome a more multi-platform publisherin the future, so even if it does make aKingdom Heartsspin-off for the Switch 2, it’s unlikely that it’ll be permanently exclusive to the console. Nonetheless, releasing aKingdom Heartsgame of some kind on the platform seems inevitable. Whether it’s withKingdom Hearts 4, a newKingdom Heartsspin-off, or a nativeKingdom Hearts HD Collectionsport (something that the original Switch oddly didn’t get), it would be wise for Square Enix to capitalize on the success of the Nintendo Switch 2 with someKingdom Heartsreleases.
Kingdom Hearts
WHERE TO PLAY
KINGDOM HEARTS: Fear locks the light in darkness. Courage is the key.When a supernatural storm transports 14-year-old Sora to a distant land, he sets out to track down his missing friends. Teaming up with Court Wizard Donald and Captain Goofy, join Sora as he embarks on a valiant quest to find his friends and defeat the evil ‘Heartless’.Explore new and familiar worlds featuring over 100 Disney characters. Beware of the Disney villains and their devious intentions. Team up with Disney heroes as you battle evil. Experience stunning graphics and authentic voiceovers.
