Although the mini-games in the early Kingdom Hearts titles have become a staple of the series, Kingdom Hearts 4 is stepping out on the wrong foot after its predecessor stumbled with this aspect of the franchise. However, with Kingdom Hearts 4 bringing back older mechanics, it is possible that developer Square Enix could be looking back to older titles to best give the series' experience.
Looking specifically at the ways that mini-games have impacted the experience throughout the Kingdom Hearts series, it can be easy to see why some players initially saw Kingdom Hearts 3 as disappointing. While these mini-games likely aren't anyone's favorite moments in older titles, they are a textual variety within the experience that Kingdom Hearts 4 will need to excel with in order to make good on the presence of the series.
The History of Mini-Games in Kingdom Hearts
Not all mini-games in the Kingdom Hearts series are held up as being the most prominent aspects of each game. In fact, the Gummi Ship mini-game has been a consistent struggle for Square Enix, with even the best version of this world-to-world travel falling short for some fans. However, the big thing these mini-games often add is variety within the attack-spamming combat of early Kingdom Hearts games. They request different skills from players at different moments, sometimes for necessary progression and other times to access optional content.
The best examples of these mini-games include the Light Cycles and Hunny Slider from Kingdom Hearts 2. Although, there are a handful of notable mini-games from the first Kingdom Hearts, like Jungle Slider. Then there are the combat-specific mini-games in Kingdom Hearts' Olympus Colosseum that put the more general gameplay front and center. While not every single one of them knocks it out of the park, there are plenty that act as welcome additions to shake up the gameplay and keep the experience fresh throughout each game.
Kingdom Hearts 3's Failing Mini-Games
To say that Kingdom Hearts 3 necessarily "failed" when it comes to its mini-games might seem a bit harsh, but this comes from many feeling even more tacked on than in previous titles. The most notable negative mini-games would likely be Kingdom Hearts 3's Frozen Slider, an evolution of the Jungle Slider that didn't do quite enough to elevate the game's worst world. However, the real issue with the mini-games isn't related to the ones built into each world, but the ones that are completely disconnected from the rest of the game.
These disconnected mini-games come from a Game-and-Watch style set of games and Kingdom Hearts 3's version of the 100 Acre Wood, which offered a single mobile-style game with three difficulty settings. While the Game-and-Watch games were interesting to play a single time each or for the nostalgia trip alone, both of these groups of mini-games felt disjointed and shoved in right at the end.
Combining that with a lack of an Olympus Colosseum, it felt like the extra variety that other games in the series had been completely cut out of Kingdom Hearts 3. That being said, at least the Gummi Ships are the best in the series, and world-specific combat attempted to make up for this lack of variety.
How Kingdom Hearts 4 Should Integrate Mini-Games
The side content of an RPG like Kingdom Hearts 4 should go beyond a simple detour that players can interact with for a second before jumping right back into the basic gameplay loop. Heading into a place like 100 Acre Wood, as an example, should almost feel like booting up an entirely new game. These mini-games and the areas specifically dedicated to them don't have to be required for progress, but they should at least be able to draw players in through more than just the promise of reward or being a classic part of the series.
More than just the 100 Acre Wood type of world that can offer a host of different mini-games, Kingdom Hearts 4 needs a level that focuses on a single mechanic and elevates it as the game goes. With the success that Square Enix has had more recently with Theatrhythm and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, there could be an argument made for bringing back a musical stage like Kingdom Hearts 2's Atlantica. As poorly received as the first attempt for this type of world has been, the groundwork for a better musical stage has already been done in a spinoff, and could succeed in the next title.
Kingdom Hearts 4 is in development by Square Enix.