After learning about the upcoming Kingdom Hearts Heroes of Light EP, I almost immediately got nostalgic about the series’ soundtracks. The Kingdom Hearts OST was the very first video game soundtrack I purchased, and I had to import it at that. It may be the most expensive collection I own (based upon what I paid at the time), but it’s been worth it. I’ve bought every KH soundtrack ever since, and they’re still some of my favorites.
However, since this EP is only centered around the main heroes of the story, it’s missing out on a ton of great extended play music. I came up with a list of what I would want on a Greatest Hits album of sorts, ran it by some other KH nuts I know and work with, and whittled it down to a dirty dozen. I could not cut it down to ten. It was becoming Sophie’s Choice at that point.
Without further ado, here are the best Kingdom Hearts tunes that have released thus far in no specific order. I hope I’ll have some Kingdom Hearts III tracks to add to the list next year!
Did I forget any of your favorites? Sound off below!
Essential Reading:
- Life, Death, and Morality in Video Games
- The Significance and Brilliance of Naughty Dog’s Game Environments
- From Fun to F@*% This Game: When a Game No Longer Makes You Happy
Best Kingdom Hearts Music
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Dearly Beloved
"Dearly Beloved" and its numerous variations always greet players in the Kingdom Hearts title screens. It's soft. It's inviting. It's definitely inspired by the title screen prelude from the Final Fantasy series.
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Simple and Clean
It's not a Kingdom Hearts title without an opening cutscene featuring music from the one, the only Utada Hikaru. The cutscenes themselves make little sense, even after completing the games, but you don't care, because you're too busy jamming to her music.
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Traverse Town
Traverse Town is the central hub for most of the Kingdom Hearts series. The melancholy saxophone is both calming and yet sad. It becomes even sadder after learning why Traverse Town exists, but I still felt "at home" each time I graced its streets and alleys.
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A Day in Agrabah
Without fail, every time I roam through this Disney desert, I'll find myself shaking my hips to the music while sitting on the couch. I dare you to listen to this and not do the same.
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Dive into the Heart
Here's another core staple to the Kingdom Hearts universe: diving into the heart sequences. They're a tutorial of sorts, yet it's very possible to die, especially if you go in super cocky (don't laugh, I'm not alone). While it sucks to do all of the trivial stuff over again, you get to listen to "Dive into the Heart" again. I want to believe that Halo copied their Gregorian chants intros from this piece.
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Aqua's Theme
Birth by Sleep is, by far, the saddest game of the series thus far. Three different protagonists, and yet none of them had a happy ending. Aqua's theme fully encapsulates this sentiment, and I feel tears welling up every time I hear it.
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Hollow Bastion
It could be because I spent more time in Hollow Bastion than I did any other world in Kingdom Hearts, but this theme has always stuck with me. It's half the reason I imported the CD soundtrack back in the day in the first place. Between the violins, the harp, and the oboe, it's such a lovely amalgamation of the strings and woodwinds sections. Crap, now I want to play the game again just for this music. Listening to the OST ain't gonna do it justice.
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Destiny Islands
I love this theme song so much, it's been my ringtone for nearly ten years now. I'm always so happy when I hear it. I've been known to delay answering my phone because I'm too busy jamming to the percussion, particularly the bells.
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Deep Jungle
"Deep Jungle" is another piece that captures me with its percussion. It has this fantastic beat with a wonderful reset of an intro to bring you gently back from the combat music.
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This is Halloween
The tunes of Halloween Town are so perfect, I could play them on a loop for a Halloween party. Everything about the organ and woodwinds screams spooky, haunting, and, well, Halloween.
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Riku
Riku is such a tortured character with way too many emo traits for his own good. It's part of the reason why he is beloved by so many who aren't me. Despite my feelings on the character, I can't deny how perfectly his theme represents everything about Riku.
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Roxas
It's hard to not like Roxas, especially after meeting Ventus in Birth by Sleep. Maybe like isn't the proper word; feel something for Roxas is probably more accurate. Naturally, his theme is meant to sock you in the feels, even just for a tiny bit.
