The Kingdom Hearts series comes to Nintendo Switch in February… but only via cloud streaming

The whole Kingdom Hearts series is coming to Nintendo Switch on 10th February 2022, with the huge caveat that these are a streamed ‘cloud version’ of all the games.

The cloud versions of Kingdom Hearts will (obviously) only be playable with an active and stable internet connection, meaning that you will not be able to take the saga with you on the go (unless you have a good mobile internet solution).

This makes a degree of sense of Kingdom Hearts 3, which was designed for and first released on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but makes less sense for Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX or Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue. The 1.5 and 2.5 ReMIX remasters first released on PlayStation 3, which the Nintendo Switch should certainly be able to match when playing at 720p.

Kingdom Hearts originally released for the PS2, but the 1.5 ReMIX remaster debuted on PS3. You need the cloud to play it on Nintendo Switch.

Another bone of contention will be the pricing. Square Enix is charging $40-50 for each release individually, or $90 for the Integrum Masterpiece bundle that includes all three.

Despite the games being cloud-based, Square Enix is charging between $39.99 and $49.99 for each of the three releases, with a bundle pack called Integrum Masterpiece costing $89.99.

Cloud gaming on Nintendo Switch has become a popular niche for developers and publishers of major AAA games. It’s allowed games like Resident Evil Village and Hitman 3 to come to the system when their demands are in excess of what the Switch is able to do (even when there are a number of ‘miracle’ ports to the plucky handheld). However, there are valid concerns that cloud-based gaming is less permanent than purchasing a game that is playable locally. What happens in a few years time when a company decides that the server upkeep isn’t worthwhile anymore?

After almost countless spin-offs and remastered, Square Enix finally wrapped up the series with the release of Kingdom Hearts 3 in 2019 and the DLC that followed. In our Kingdom Hearts 3 review, Jim said

“Kingdom Hearts III doesn’t go in the direction some RPG fans will no doubt have been hoping for. It’s unashamedly over the top in just about every way, from its barmy story and stunning presentation to its huge cinematic battles. There’s plenty of depth here too, though you’ll need to find your bearings first.”

Source: https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2022/01/18/the-kingdom-hearts-series-comes-to-nintendo-switch-in-february-but-only-via-cloud-streaming/

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