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Kingdom Hearts: 5 Best Worlds of All Time, Ranked

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Kingdom Hearts is known for its ideal combination of Disney-themed worlds and thought-provoking story arcs. The former, which has introduced a slew of animated classics to the role-playing series, is arguably the reason for its immense popularity. Besides Donald, who, even to this day can't fight his way out of a paper bag, the timeline has enrolled a huge selection of booming personalities, all of whom have played a part in the flourishing tale.

Over the course of their journey, Sora, Goofy, and, you know—Donald—have encountered countless Disney and Pixar platforms, using their power as a trio to banish the darkness that binds to each. Though, to be fair, some of their stops have been a lot more memorable than others. And if asked, we would probably have to serve these five worlds up as the best in the franchise to date.

5. Destiny Islands (Kingdom Hearts)

Destiny Islands lay the foundations for the Kingdom Hearts network, acting as a centerpiece for Sora's earliest childhood memories. As players, it's where we took our very first steps, long before the worlds became scattered and devoured by darkness. And it was there, of course, that we first lay eyes on the original trio, Sora, Rikku, and Kairi, as they moved to embark on an unforgettable journey to distant lands.

Even years down the line, Destiny Islands is still brought up in conversation, remaining dormant as Sora fantasizes about returning home someday. And honestly, it's pretty easy to see why. With tropical beaches, treetop hideouts, and a whole lot of Paopu fruit to consume, it stands as one of the most visually stunning locations in all of Kingdom Hearts. Just you try and change our minds.

 

4. Halloween Town (Kingdom Hearts + Kingdom Hearts 2)

Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas is something of a cult-classic that only few can dare slate. Long after its release, the movie amassed a worldwide following, and inspired the likes of Square Enix to rustle up a world devoted entirely to its setting, Halloween Town. And boy, what a job they did at recreating its spooky atmosphere and seasonal décor.

From the instantly recognizable Guillotine Square, to the iconic spiralling tree, Halloween Town delivered one of the most memorable settings in all of Kingdom Hearts, made even better by Square's ability to bring it back time and time again in later entries. Bundled in with Christmas Town, the two stood hand-in-hand as the Yin and Yang of action-packed worlds. What more can we say? It's the best of both worlds.

 

3. Hollow Bastion (Kingdom Hearts + Kingdom Hearts 2)

For the duration of the first game, Sora, Donald and Goofy worked toward an end goal. A crescendo of sorts, in which the Heartless would finally meet their maker as the Keyblade master tapped into his greatest strengths and, in turn, discarded his weaknesses. This all sprung to life in Hollow Bastion, a place where two worlds collided for a prelude to the dramatic conclusion.

Hollow Bastion was later returned to its former glory, making an appearance as the central hub in Kingdom Hearts 2. Because of its prominence as a world, as well as the legendary series of events that untangled there, we're more than happy to include it as one of the best worlds to date. And anyway, the Battle of the 1000 Heartless took form in Hollow Bastion. That's your reason, right there.

 

2. Traverse Town (Kingdom Hearts)

Traverse Town is the home away from home of the Kingdom Hearts chain. It's warm and cosy, clean and kind, and remains an important part of Sora's journey as a Keyblade master. And of course, it's the location that put Donald and Goofy in the picture, effectively forming the soon-to-be trio that would dethrone an entire organization and rid the world of darkness.

From Merlin's Hut to the Dalmatian Home, the Bell Tower to the Gizmo Shop, and all the nooks and crannies laced between—Traverse Town had an abundance of noteworthy features that urged to be unveiled. Plus, it also housed the likes of Cid, Leon, and a whole bunch of Final Fantasy characters. So, kudos to Square Enix for that one. Ten points to Traverse Town.

 

1. Toy Box (Kingdom Hearts 3)

Involving Pixar was one of the greatest decisions Square Enix could've made when drafting Kingdom Hearts 3. Say what you will about the game itself, but there's no ignoring the fact that Toy Box, along with all its Toy Story components, was a move in the right direction for the series. And as far as open-world settings go, Toy Box is as close as you'll ever get with a Kingdom Hearts game. So, you know, there's that.

Even after peeling away the world, we still couldn't help but smile from ear to ear as the Pixar flick played out. Just being a small part of it, in a way, was compensation for the bulk of the motionless worlds that tied to the Kingdom Hearts 3 catalogAnd so, to give credit where it's due, we think Toy Box deserves a place near the peak of this list.

 

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Which Kingdom Hearts worlds would you have put up here? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.

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Jord is acting Team Leader at gaming.net. If he isn't blabbering on in his daily listicles, then he's probably out writing fantasy novels or scraping Game Pass of all its slept on indies.