After many years as a PlayStation console exclusive, Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix is now available on another platform. Not just Final Mix, but all Kingdom Hearts Remastered Collections are available on the Epic Game Store alongside Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory.
Since this will be the first time for many players to experience the sometimes convoluted story of Kingdom Hearts, it will be a chance to start at the beginning with the original Kingdom Hearts which released 19 years ago. More specifically, fans will have a chance to play Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix, an updated version of the original title that remained a Japanese exclusive until the release of Kingdom Hearts 1.5 Remix.
One of the biggest ways Square Enix changed the game with the Final Mix version was including the Proud Mode difficulty. Similar to how Kingdom Hearts 3 introduced Critical Mode post-launch, Proud Mode was an entirely new way to play the game. With new fans now getting the chance to play Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix for the first time, here are some important tips to remember for those willing to try Proud Mode.
The original Kingdom Hearts opens with a truly memorable sequence as players are thrust into a strange yet intriguing tutorial that teaches the basic gameplay elements. Before Kingdom Hearts shows players the basics of combat, they are thrown in the deep end with a surprising decision. At the start, players are tasked with selecting between three weapons: Sword, Shield, and Staff. Players must choose to keep one and discard another.
For a Proud Mode playthrough, players should choose to keep the Shield and discard the Staff. There are two very specific reasons for doing so, as keeping the Shield provides the two most valuable abilities early on. With the Dream Shield, players will get Leaf Bracer and Second Chance much earlier than the other two options. This will also provide players with the highest starting Defense and item slots.
The next choice is to discard the Staff, as doing so will only negatively impact how much AP Sora starts with. After choosing the weapons, players should also answer the next three questions with the first options provided. Players should select the answers: “Getting Old,” “To See Rare Sights,” and finally “Being Number One” as these will help get levels faster in the early game.
Every now and then when casting Aero, Sora has the habit of screaming “Defense!” This enthusiastic shout pretty much cements why Aero is an important tool to have throughout Proud Mode. Aero adds a layer of defense that will halve all incoming damage for at least 18 seconds. The spell itself will cost two MP to cast but for best results, Sora should always be surrounded by wind.
While Aero alone is incredibly useful, its next levels give it an extra sting. Aerora provides a barrier that will inflict damage to any enemy touched by the wind circle. Aeroga takes it further by upping the power of the damage and adding a deflect ability. Considering how strong both of these upgrades are, they will require more effort to obtain. Aerora is found in Neverland by using the Yellow Trinity in the Ship’s Cabin. To get to the final stage of the spell, players must collect all 99 missing Dalmatians for Aeroga. The spell is given to Sora by Pongo and Perdita in Traverse Town upon returning with all puppies found.
Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix continues the Final Fantasy tradition of spell levels with the majority of upgraded magic coming with the additional suffixes of “-ra” and “-ga.” As mentioned under the explanation of Aero’s spell benefits, sometimes these spells are not simply granted to the player and must be earned through additional actions. Since Proud Mode will be dishing out some very heavy hits, the most important spell will be Cure as well as Cura and Curaga.
While Cure and Cura are given to the player, Curaga can easily be missed if players are not on the lookout. Curaga can only be obtained near the very end of the game by talking to Aerith three times in the Hollow Bastion Library, right below the save point. Considering how vital Curaga is against Kingdom Hearts’ tough extra bosses, talking to Aerith is a quick detour that is a necessity for the late game.
It is a well-known joke within the Kingdom Hearts community that Donald is a terrible healer. Starting from the very first Kingdom Hearts, Donald has always been overzealous in healing at the worst of times. So since Donald is a pretty bad healer and Goofy can’t be trusted with items, it is always best to focus on Sora alone. Don’t worry about other party members as most of the time they will be knocked out.
On a special note for summons, Tinker Bell is one that will be a literal lifesaver late game. Unlike other summons, Tinker Bell doesn’t require the removal of Donald or Goofy but they must both be alive in order to summon her. She drops loads of health orbs and will resurrect Sora should he be taken out. It is only upon Sora’s resurrection that she is removed from battle, or if players opt to dismiss her.
These are just some of the major tips to make Proud Mode a bit easier for new Kingdom Hearts players. While there are other little tricks to combat, Kingdom Hearts allows for a lot of experimentation when it comes to equipment and abilities. Mixing up specific finishers and combos is a great way to get into the game, and this is especially true when trying to beat the “Emblem Heartless” and extra bosses.
Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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