At first glance, it may seem like theKingdom Heartsfranchise has nothing in common withAnimal Crossing. After all, both games fall into very different genres, withKingdom Heartsfor the most part following into the fantasy-adventure RPG camp andAnimal Crossingbeing one of the most iconic simulation video game franchises of all time. Yet, oneAnimal Crossingcould have a good lesson to teachKingdom Hearts.
Kingdom Heartsnotoriously has an incredibly intricate plotthat jumps back and forth in time across platforms and the franchise’s thirteen titles. However, titles under theKingdom Heartsumbrella are difficult to access or have ceased access entirely. While fans of the franchise have collaborated to make the story of these discontinued titles accessible to players that want to understand the entire plot ofKingdom Hearts, Square Enix needs to make these games more accessible to players on their own time.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete Keeps Its Playerbase
Fortunately,Animal Crossinghas a solution toKingdom Hearts’ issue.Animal Crossing: Pocket Campwas a mobile titlelaunched in 2017. In addition to a change in platform, players were tasked with running a campsite rather than a village or an island. The game was released prior to the Nintendo Switch and the franchise-defining release ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizon. In addition to being overshadowed byNew Horizon,Pocket Camphad less of a playerbase due to it being a mobile game.
Nevertheless,Animal Crossing: Pocket Campwas successful enoughthat many players were heartbroken when Nintendo announced it would stop servicing the mobile game in November 2024. But Nintendo reassured players that they needn’t worry, for a newAnimal Crossing: Pocket Campedition would take its predecessors’ place.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Completeis practically the samePocket Campthat fans know and love gameplay wise. There are a few notable changes, such asPocket Camp Complete’s initial pay wall, a lack of premium currency, and most importantly its lack of online connection. Unlike its predecessor,Pocket Camp Completeis completely offline. Players that downloaded the originalPocket Campwere able to download their save data and contacts to transfer toPocket Camp Completefor a limited time. Visiting other players’ islands and villages, or in this case campsites, is one of the most fun aspects ofAnimal Crossing. Thankfully, Nintendo announced a new system for campsite visitation despite the game’s lack of connection, so thatPocket Campcould maintain its community.
Kingdom Hearts X Deserves to Stay
SomeKingdom Heartsplayers may considerthe franchise’s mobile games to be inconsequential to the overarching narrative of the entire series. But those in the know have a deep fondness or nostalgia for theKingdom Hearts Xgames. While this prequel series was available for web browsers in Japan upon release, North American fans are more aware of the series’ mobile release for the continent in April 2016.
Unfortunately,service forKingdom Hearts X, which had been rebranded toKingdom Hearts Union X Dark Road, began to shut down in February 2021. The process began similarly toAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp’s transition, from an online service to an offline app, beginning withUnion Xin May 2021 and laterDark Roadin August 2022. However, both games were delisted from all app stores in August 2024, shutting out players who would like to experience this aspect ofKingdom Heartslore first hand rather than watching cutscenes.
The numbers behind theKingdom Hearts Xseries were good, at least at first, with the mobile version of the game downloaded over two million times a month after release. The game scored fairly average reviews, but regardless of critical response, it remains acrucial aspect ofKingdom Hearts’ lore. Square Enix pulled the plug on this offline versionof Kingdom Hearts Union X Dark Road,out of nowhere, without an official announcement. Though the series may seem unimportant, even to its developer, perhaps Square Enix should exploreAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete’s success and reinstate these important titles inKingdom Hearts’ history.
