24 Years Ago, Square Enix Released The Most Unexpected Video Game Crossover In History

Square Enix has always been known as the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest developer. Releasing back-to-back iconic games across both series in the 90s and early 2000s, it was March 2002 when one of the most popular game series was born, featuring Square Enix's biggest franchise and another massive entertainment juggernaut coming together.

Today, March 28, 2026, marks the 24th anniversary of the Japanese release of the original Kingdom Hearts on the PlayStation 2. The then-new IP from Square Enix would feature characters, locations, stories, and other elements from both the Final Fantasy franchise and classic Disney films coming together for an unforgettable role-playing adventure.

Players took on the role of Sora, a new, original teenage character, as he set off to explore new worlds after his home world, Destiny Islands, was swallowed by darkness. Soon, players found themselves teaming up with Donald Duck and Goofy from Disney as their party members, and set off to find Sora's missing friends and restore other worlds.

Almost all of the worlds visited in the game are based on a Disney IP. Olympus Colosseum from Hercules, Wonderland from Alice in Wonderland, Deep Jungle from Tarzan, the notorious Atlantica from The Little Mermaid, and several more. The game also had a few original worlds, such as Traverse Town and Hollow Bastion.

In each of the worlds, players would find a storyline loosely based on the corresponding Disney film, a gameplay theme, as well as a guest party member from almost all of the worlds in the game that could join the party. For example, when visiting Never Land, Peter Pan becomes a party member, and players would learn the glide ability, which would later become a series staple.

Additionally, Kingdom Hearts paid homage to the Final Fantasy series with guest appearances from major FF characters, such as Squall Leonhart from Final Fantasy 8 (who goes by Leon in Kingdom Hearts), Yuffie from Final Fantasy 7, and Cloud from Final Fantasy 7.

On Metacritic, the original Kingdom Hearts PlayStation 2 release is sitting at an impressive 85 metascore. Critics and fans praised the unique combination of Final Fantasy and Disney, the core combat mechanics, soundtrack, art style, and the general creativity of the title.

Since the first game, the Kingdom Hearts series has grown into an entertainment empire. The series currently has a total of 18 titles (including remasters and ports), with the 19th title being the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 4, which was originally announced back in 2022. Sora also appeared in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as the final DLC character for the game.

Since the KH4 announcement, Square Enix has been virtually silent on the game, which isn't atypical; historically, Square Enix announces games early in development.

Still, with Disney now owning massive IPs, like Star Wars and Marvel, combined with the now-seven-year wait since Kingdom Hearts 3, it's easy to see why some fans are getting antsy for news about the game. Hopefully, there will be news in the near future about what's coming next for such a beloved series.