The Kingdom Hearts series has a long and storied history with Nintendo handhelds dating back all the way to the GBA, though (debatably) there have never been any mainline titles developed for them. The ultimate monkey’s paw then curled with the Switch, when Square Enix answered fan wishes to port over remastered collections, but they were delivered as icky cloud games.

Luckily the company has since seen the error of its ways, and it’s now released native versions for Switch 2 that deliver the full and proper experience, starting strong with Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMix.

The first Kingdom Hearts is rather rough around the edges due to it being the debut release, but don’t mistake this as being a skippable entry. There’s a menacing darkness and mysterious atmosphere to this one that later games never replicated as they gradually leaned more into the Disney whimsy. Moreover, it’s arguably the most coherent entry in the whole franchise due to the simpler story it tells; the laborious, meme-worthy lore developed over the next several entries was mostly absent here.

Kingdom Hearts: Re Chain of Memories is a remake of the first game released for Nintendo platforms and it’s certainly the most experimental one. Due to its origins on the 32-bit GBA, the combat system was designed around a unique deckbuilding mechanic in which playable cards are rapidly triggered as attacks. Though I don’t think this system translated well to a full 3D game when it was remade, it’s nonetheless a very unique and memorable adventure that initiated the series convention of experimenting with new mechanics and progression systems in each successive entry.

Kingdom Hearts 2 is the peak of the series, dialing up the action, spectacle, and storytelling to make for a true all-timer action RPG. Drive forms and reaction commands meaningfully add some spice to combat encounters, while overhauled Gummi Ship missions add addictive and exciting Star Fox-esque levels that collectively act as their own ‘game within a game’. It’s a comprehensive and heart-wrenching adventure that delivers one of the most satisfying and conclusive endings in the whole series.

Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep is the most significant spinoff title, introducing a new trio of keyblade-wielding protagonists and the first major appearance of the primary antagonist of the overarching series plot. Not only does this entry execute a fascinating braided narrative that combines three parallel and occasionally intersecting stories, but it features some of the best gameplay in the series with its tweaks to the combat system and character progression. As the honorary ‘Kingdom Hearts 0’, this feels like the most content-complete and narratively relevant side game in the series.

In addition to these playable games, Square Enix also made a collection of remastered cutscenes that cover the main story beats of the two DS games, 358/2 Days and Re: Coded. Both did and still do deserve the proper remaster treatment, but it’s nice that Square at least put in the effort to ensure that fans who didn’t play these games have the chance to understand how they contributed to the ongoing story.

All these games perform wonderfully in both docked and handheld mode, running at a crisp and smooth 1080p/60 FPS with no noticeable hitches in handheld and what appears to be 4K/60 FPS when docked. Considering the age and relative simplicity of the graphics, this isn’t all that surprising, but it’s nonetheless a relief after the messy implementation with the Switch cloud versions.

Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMix is one of the best value RPG collections you can buy for your library today—the four playable games here represent some of the finest action RPG gameplay in the genre and they collectively tell a sincere narrative that’ll stick with you long after seeing the credits roll. Out of the three releases Square Enix just released for this series this week, this is the one that I’d say is unmissable and absolutely deserves a spot in your library.