I've got this stuck in my head today, and it's got me thinking back on my feelings about the game it's from and my relationship with it.
Long story short: KH3D has it's flaws, but I like and appreciate it's existence a bunch.
After Kingdom Hearts 2, I was satisfied honestly. The series could've ended there, or moved into being just a bunch of spin-offs (yeah I know it kinda did.)
And boy were there spin-offs. But I found myself loving them. Loving the gaps they filled with emotion, surprises, and context. I loved the different attempts to fill these side stories with fitting, serviceable content. I ended up loving the journey, more than I cared about wanting the inevitable Show Stopping Major Console WrestleMania destination that would become Kingdom Hearts 3: Teach That Old Man A Lesson.
And because the surprises at the start of Kingdom Hearts 2 were so memorable, I was excited to see what those side games would build up to in order to do something similar with 3.
So in comes the 3DS game— then the furthest point in the series timeline, full of potential and promise— and it's final hours where anything could happen. Those hours were certainly full of surpises ... that many people understandbly found a tad too nonsensical and goofy. But I was having a fairly good time! I love Kingdom Hearts and it's drama, I loved not knowing what was gonna happen next.
Sure, the bulk of the game might have been a bit lean, but TWEWY charaters, Flowmotion, and a playable Riku made up for it. Especially Riku, he really was a major draw and highlight here. And the final world being mostly boss fights for him was a treat, especially symbolically, as he sort of fights his past demons and manifests and is driven by his bond with Sora.
And even if don't care for the filling in the middle or the spin-off itself, the handheld intended design helps encourage breaking the thing down into more digestible chunks. Even if you're just playing it at home. Though the Drop system is not very helpful at all. Quite often the opposite, really.
But despite it's flaws, I ended up really liking the thing. Back then, the only thing that I wasn't the biggest fan of was the music. Which was still good, and I obviously like it nore now. It's just that I guess I was expecting it stand out and be as strong as it was in KH2.
And on that note, I hope I can look back on KH3 with as much fondness and a less critical, open mind. Not likely now though. I still feel like that's my least favorite in the series in a lot of ways. Which isn't bad, I love the series, the worst I can think about an entry is that it's mediocre. Which is what some would say about 3D and the other games. And that's fair. I don't need my personal feelings and tastes to be a universally shared fact.
I do, however, need a tattoo or something of the Spirit symbol that's on Riku's back and all the friendly Dream Eaters. Strength to protect what matters and all that.
Anyways the song is nice, returning to that level was a neat experience. Thanks for reading. See ya.