The one that started it all, and the ideal starting point for newcomers. Narratively and mechanically, every subsequent entry in the Kingdom Hearts series is building upon the foundation laid by the original, but that's not to say the first game isn't worth revisiting. On the contrary, this game set the standard for the franchise going forward, and still contains arguably the most even blend of Disney and Final Fantasy elements.

Kingdom Hearts introduces us to the core cast of characters whom the story revolves around: protagonist Sora, his best friend Riku, and their friend Kairi. The trio live on the Destiny Islands, and spend their days building a raft in order to set sail to other worlds. However, their hopes are dashed when the island is attacked by mysterious dark creatures called Heartless. Sora discovers that he is able to wield a magical weapon called a Keyblade to fight back against the monsters, but the Destiny Islands are destroyed and the friends are separated. From there, Sora winds up in the central hub world of Traverse Town, where he first meets Donald Duck and Goofy, who hail from Disney Castle and are searching for their King, Mickey. The trio then sets off on an adventure to save the various worlds from the encroaching Heartless threat, and find their missing friends.

The original Kingdom Hearts has a fairly straightforward plot when compared to its follow-ups, but it still lays a lot of the groundwork for what is to come. Elements like the Keyblades (being able to wield a Keyblade makes you this universe's equivalent of a Jedi Knight, basically), the Heartless, and characters like the villainous Ansem become recurring elements throughout the series. Still, the main emphasis of Kingdom Hearts is on Sora, Donald, and Goofy's interactions with the various Disney and Final Fantasy characters they meet along the way. They'll fight against Cloud Strife in a Greek colosseum based on Disney's Hercules, meet a group of anti-Heartless freedom fighters made up of Final Fantasy mainstays (consisting of Squall [here called Leon], Yuffie, Cid, and Aerith), and explore other worlds based on Tarzan, Alice in Wonderland, Aladdin, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and more. It's a fun, fanservicey romp (the good kind of fanservice) that is delightful to both hardcore RPG nerds such as myself, and for Disney fans, which might explain the series' longevity and lasting appeal.

What's interesting about the original Kingdom Hearts is how much platforming is embedded in its DNA. The possible influence of Super Mario 64 is most evident in the first game, since each world is designed like a 3D platforming level. This turns some worlds, like Wonderland or Agrabah, into sprawling scavenger hunts for key items needed to progress. This aspect of the game hasn't aged all that well, mostly due to stiff controls and a truly awful camera that has been only slightly rectified in the HD ReMIXes. Still, there's a sense of place and of actually "exploring" these Disney worlds that has been sadly missing from more recent games in the series.

Kingdom Hearts also established the real-time action combat the series would become known for. Sora's basic attacks are executed by pressing X, and the player uses a Final Fantasy-style command menu to cycle through various other options, such as magic spells, items, and special commands. While cycling through the menu during battle can be a pain, the ability to map shortcuts to the left shoulder button helps players keep up with the frantic, fast-paced flow of combat. Sora also can equip different abilities obtained through levelling up and clearing certain story objectives: these range from basic functions like a dodge roll or block command, to special attacks or extensions for Sora's attack combo.

There are also the Gummi Ship levels, which serve as Sora and company's main method of travelling through the space between worlds. Basically, each Disney world is on its own little planet, and to get there the party has to fly a spaceship made out of what are essentially LEGO blocks through a brief shoot-em-up level. These are... underwhelming. Avoiding obstacles and shooting enemies during these sections isn't very difficult, and your ship's slow movement speed makes the whole experience feel lethargic. Customizing your ship is a lot of fun, though: you have a lot of different Gummi blocks you can mix and match to build your ship (again, like LEGOs), and I have fond memories of my roommate in college building a bizarre monstrosity of cubes and guns. Overall, the Gummi Ship segments are an interesting idea, one which would be better handled in subsequent entries (and are set to make a comeback in Kingdom Hearts III!), but their original incarnation leaves much to be desired.

While certain aspects of the original Kingdom Hearts haven't aged gracefully, there's a lot to appreciate about this first title. The presentation is phenomenal: the colorful environments and character models still look pretty sharp, lip flaps notwithstanding, and Yoko Shimomura's score is fantastic. The voice cast is also excellent: where possible, the original Disney voice actors reprise their roles, and the original cast is no slouch, either (this includes Haley Joel Osment as Sora, and Billy Zane delivering a truly memorable turn as the sinister Ansem). This is also the first time many classic Final Fantasy characters would be fully voiced, for better or for worse: Lance Bass as Sephiroth is certainly... a thing, but mainstays like Cloud's voice actor Steve Burton have stuck with the series. All in all, the first Kingdom Hearts is still well worth revisiting, and is easily the best starting point for series newcomers.

And it's all uphill from here... mostly.