WALKTHROUGH INTRODUCTION

Important differences of Normal and Expert mode:

The first thing that is going to happen when you start the game is choosing to play either Expert or Normal mode. Don't be tricked into thinking that because this is a Disney game, it is going to be easy. This game is pretty challenging on its own and in some places you will get royally stuck, so play it on Normal mode before you attempt to try Expert (unless, that is, you like a hard challenge.) This particular walkthrough is going to be based on playing on Expert mode because that will make it easier for people who are trying to play on Normal mode and will also apply to those who are attempting expert mode. The main differences between the two modes are the amount of damage you receive from enemies (i.e., raised difficulty of beating bosses), and the amount of items you get out of the enemies once you beat them - this doesn't apply to experience or Tech Points.

QUICK INTRODUCTION VOCABULARY

These terms will be used throughout the walkthrough. Get acquainted with them, if you're not familiar with RPG (Role Playing Game) terms. As more terms and such come along, they will be noted in the walkthrough.
HP - Health (Hit) Points - You use HP as your life gauge. When you're out of HP, you're dead.
MP - Magic Points - You use MP to cast magic. In KH, it's also the power meter of the summons.
EXP - Experience Points - EXP is to help you gain levels. You get stronger, faster, and have more HP/MP when you gain levels.
Tech Points - Kingdom Hearts specific term for EXP earned during battle by counter attacks or attacking specific parts of an enemy.
Munny - Kingdom Hearts specific term for "money" or Gold. Used to buy Accessories, Items, and Weapons.

SIMPLE AND CLEAN - CG ANIMATION SEQUENCE

This is one of the two (official) full out CG sequences. The other is the ending sequence, so enjoy it while you can.

DIVE TO THE HEART - GAME BASICS TUTORIALS

Here is a place for you to learn how to play the game. It's not incredibly difficult, but for those of you who want help and tips on how we start the game, here you go.

Snow White Platform: To go on to the next platform all you have to do is walk or run to the center of the platform. Then three different stands will appear. On each stand is a different item: a sword, a staff or a shield. You are now given the option to choose which of these powers do you want. You will have a boost in one power, while sacrificing power in another. Your choice affects how your beginning stats will result and the way your stats rise throughout the game. Here's a quick rundown of which power is for which weapon:
Sword (Warrior): A strong offensive, choosing this as primary will give you more in your Strength stat. It will affect your attack power against enemies, but be reminded that if you have a strong offensive, it means you'll have to give up one of the other two in its place.
Shield (Guardian): Choosing this as primary gives you a strong Defense stat, making you likely harder to kill. Giving up either of the mainly offensive (Sword or Staff) options will make killing enemies a little harder.
Staff (Mystic): This option as primary is one of the toughest options for playing the game. You will have lots of Magic Points, but you will not gain attacking abilities very fast. Taking the Staff and giving up the Sword/Shield will set you in for a game that really involves some strategy of beating the more powerful enemies... including enemies that prevent you from using magic. Choosing this as primary would be, in our opinion, one of the hardest secondary options of game play.
Just as a note, if you actually get to level 100, these stats differences sort of become insignificant. ^_^ The way you choose amongst these three also influence which Abilities you will acquire first. If you choose the Sword, you're going to gain attack abilities faster and depending on which you're going to give up will determine which abilities will likely take longer to acquire. If you choose Shield, you'll get more defensive, and some Abilities that improve your luck. If you choose Staff, you'll have MP Abilities quicker than most attack abilities. (The web authors of this site habitually choose Sword as the main, and Staff as the weak, but it is up to you and your preferences.) Either way, in the game Sora will still use the Keyblade as his weapon, while Donald has the Staff and Goofy has the Shield.

Cinderella Platform: You will gain the use of the weapon you choose and be told how to fight. Figure out that X (on the PS2 controller) is the main attack button and get a practice swing. Little bugs will then appear from the ground and you're going to have to defeat them. Here you'll notice that after you kill them something green and round is going to burst out of their bodies. Those little balls of green goop recover your HP.

A note on the battle system: Each battle in Kingdom Hearts takes place in Real Time - there is no waiting for the enemy to attack and you attack after it. These are not turn-based battles, so if you don't fight, you're going to get slaughtered. This also means that choosing which spell you want to use during a battle will take place in Real Time, and if you don't choose quickly, you'll get hit while you're choosing. Moving the menu cursor off the Attack option means you can't attack your enemies. However, you can run around to dodge attacks. You can also have your spell interrupted during the battle (in the American version, and in Final Mix (until you get a special ability in that game)). So say you're casting Cure on yourself, and before it gets to you, you get hit by a Heartless. Well, you're out of luck - you'll have to cast it again. If you're low on HP and you get hit really hard, it's Game Over.

Alice Platform: You're going to be sent to the Alice platform next, where you're going to see a door appear. Go up to it and Sora will indicate that he can't open it. A treasure box will then appear. Open it by following the instructions. You will gain a Potion and a portion of the door will open. Next a box will appear which you are supposed to push. Just go up to it and push against it for a while and it will cause another part of the door to appear. Smash the crate by attacking it, and you gain an Item - a Potion. Potions recover your HP. A barrel will then appear and you're supposed to toss it, then smash it. Then the door will be whole and you can walk through it.

Destiny Islands: By going through the door you will be transported here and be faced with three rather familiar Square characters. Each of them will ask you a question and according to your answer will determine how your rate of leveling up is going to work. There are three results of how your day will start: Dawn, Midday, and Dead of Night. These three options correspond with how your party levels up: Fast, Normal, and Slow respectively. It's more fun if you truthfully answer the questions, if only to see what rate things are going to go for you. If you're the kind of person who wants to reach level 100 for the game for all characters, the best thing for you is if the game decides that your quest starts at Dead of Night, which means that you level up slowly at the beginning and fast at the end of the game. Dawn is the opposite pace, where the beginning of the game is slow leveling, and then quickened towards the end. Midday is a steady, average pace. Choose how you like. There are many possible combinations. Once you've chosen, you get whisked away back to the platforms.

Sleeping Beauty Platform: You will find yourself on the next platform that consist of a single Save Point. Stand on it and save your game. Save points are important in that they allow you to change party members as well as transport you to your ship when you later gain your gummi ship. A new path will appear afterwards. Also they have the power to recover all your HP and MP, so you should always step on them, even if you don't intend to save. Follow the path to the next platform. Once you go along this path, you cannot go back because the path disappears behind you.

Belle Platform: Here you're going to end up battling this huge monster. The formal name of this enemy boss is called Darkside. Don't worry too much about it - and especially don't be intimidated by the size of it.

BOSS - DARKSIDE

Boss Battle - Darkside: HP: 240, EXP: 18.
All you have to do is lock onto an arm and whack at it. If you're low on HP just kill the little bugs (these are called Shadows, by the way) and they will give you HP balls; enough so you can finish the beating the boss. If you are wanting a challenge, try running up the Darkside's arm and hitting its head for some Tech Points. Warning though - it's a bit challenging to control Sora running along such a narrow strip, so you might as well leave the extra Tech Points for later battles. If your battle goes on long enough, you will notice this boss's attack pattern. Basically, the Darkside will charge up and slam its hand into the floor. Be sure to jump to avoid the shockwave. Then, you can run up and attack the arm. Shadows will appear and attack you, and the Darkside will shoot bolts out of its middle. After a few seconds, the Darkside lifts up its hand out of your reach, turns to face you, gets on its knees and shoots more bolts that seek you out and hit you. It shoots 3 waves of bolts - 3, 3, then 5. To avoid these, just run around to the back of the boss and wait in between its legs. It will get up and then repeat the whole process over. Not hard at all. After this battle, you'll fall through the platform and find yourself in Destiny Islands.

End: Introduction.