No other game is really all that similar to Kingdom Hearts 3. Frankly, the original Kingdom Hearts is quite a different beast from Kingdom Hearts 3. Square Enix and Disney’s collaboration is undeniably unique. No matter what you think, the game itself is fun, and the series proves time and again to bring fans back with the love they have for it.
This article will focus on action RPGs that offer a combination of fast-paced combat, fantastical storylines, and some degree of exploration. Not all these ingredients will be present in each entry, but they should scratch the itch left by Kingdom Hearts 3.
Updated April 13, 2023 by Jerel Levy: Sora has finally made his way into Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and while this list originally didn't think he would make the plunge, we've decided to update it to keep up with all of Sora's adventures and add a few entries for more games like Kingdom Hearts 3 to try. With new fans joining the series all the time and Sora being as popular as ever, we are here to help satiate the feeling you once had by giving you even more games to play like Kingdom Hearts 3.
18 Epic Mickey
Frankly, Kingdom Hearts wishes it could have the unique blend of Mickey Mouse and dark fantasy that Epic Mickey presents. It's a game that takes a nostalgic and simultaneously somber look at the world-famous Mouse's origins. Maneuvering through abandoned Disney IPs, from characters to locales, evokes nostalgic tears in a way few other titles can.
However, the game is still more than satisfactorily enjoyable for players who aren't familiar with early-20th-century Disney cartoons. Considering this game was launched in 2010, that's likely the majority of Epic Mickey's player base.
17 Final Fantasy Type-0 HD
While the Final Fantasy 7 remake is a worthwhile recommendation for Kingdom Hearts 3 fans, the remaster of Type-0 should not be overlooked. Originally launched on the PSP before receiving an HD version for consoles, Type-0 features 14 playable characters, with three being chosen for each mission.
Each character boasts a unique fighting style that will take some time to master. The combat is overall fast-paced and delightful. Final Fantasy Type-0 HD looks like the remaster of a PSP game that it is and thus does not come close to matching Kingdom Hearts 3’s beauty, but it tells a surprisingly effective story and is incredibly fun to play.
16 Bloodborne
In terms of gameplay, the Souls games are closer to the original Kingdom Hearts than the more frantic later entries. Both series feature combat that prioritizes reading an enemy’s moves and executing well-timed dodges and counter-attacks, with customization playing an important role.
Bloodborne takes the Souls formula and ramps up the intensity in battle, crafting a gothic experience that is punishing, tight, and rewarding. While it is a far more difficult game than Kingdom Hearts 3, Bloodborne should still be given a try.
15 Okami
Originally launched in 2006 and eventually made available on consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One, Okami is Clover Studio’s masterpiece. Featuring gorgeous cel-shaded visuals that look right out of a painting, Okami blends exploration, puzzles, and combat into a magnificent and long adventure.
The story is based on Japanese mythology and centers around Amaterasu, a goddess who manifests as a white wolf. Okami is a must-play for anyone interested in action-adventure titles, and fans of Kingdom Hearts are no exception.
14 Bayonetta 2
PlatinumGames has spent a long time perfecting the art of visceral hack-n-slash combat. 2009’s Bayonetta set a high bar for action games in general, one that would be surpassed by PlatinumGames’ own sequel. Launched in 2014, Bayonetta 2 is a tongue-in-cheek epic about stylishly destroying angels and demons using perfectly timed dodges, an array of satisfying weapons, and the occasional torture session.
Unlike Kingdom Hearts 3, the titular Umbra Witch’s move set takes a while to reach its full potential, a reward granted to committed gamers who are willing to master all of Bayonetta 2’s complexities.
13 Trials Of Mana
In 2020, a 3D remake of Trials of Mana hit shelves to the delight of JRPG fans everywhere. Xeen’s remake sticks close to the blueprint set by 1995's original launch, a game that had been limited to Japan until 2019. Featuring six playable characters with their own origins, specialties, and upgrade paths, three of these warriors are picked for each playthrough.
Combining melee, magic, and ranged attacks, Trials of Mana’s real-time combat is skill-based and responsive, even if it takes until the campaign’s second half to truly open up.
12 Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
While Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is the better game, its sequel’s revamped combat is a better fit for Kingdom Hearts 3. Revenant Kingdom’s story follows the young heir to the throne of Ding Dong Bell, Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, who is forced into hiding after an assassination plot takes out the king.
With three active party members at a time, the combat focuses heavily on melee attacks. Although, there is also a decent magical system and unique creatures that can be taken into battles called Higgledies. Exploration arrives in the form of a world map that is packed with towns and dungeons to visit. Similar to Kingdom Hearts 3, Revenant Kingdom’s enemies barely put up much of a fight at launch, but a later patch raised the difficulty considerably.
11 Tales Of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
Quite a number of the more recent “Tales of” games were in contention for a spot on this list, with Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition ultimately winning out. Tales of Vesperia’s Evolved Flex-Range Linear Motion Battle System offers a substantial amount of customization and tactical options.
Along with permitting an active team of up to four characters, new weapons, armor, and Artes (attacks that range from basic strikes to explosive magical attacks) can be equipped to all the playable characters. Tales of Vesperia’s battle system seems deceptively simple but grows into something truly special after a dozen or so hours.
10 Final Fantasy 15
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Arguably the most obvious entry on this list. And that's for more than simply because both games were made by Square Enix, went through development hell, and feature somewhat messy storylines. An argument can be made that Final Fantasy 15’s battle system was partially inspired by Kingdom Hearts 2’s system. The Active Cross Battle system is quite simplistic, limiting Noctis to basic attacks, parrying, warping, and items.
Like Kingdom Hearts 3, Final Fantasy 15’s battle system is only as complex as the player wants it to be, as depth can be found by mastering special moves like Blindside and finding the right items to create special Elemancy items. Cooperative attacks, magic techniques, and a variety of weapons further improve combat.
Final Fantasy 15 lets the player enjoy the open world during the first half of the campaign, permitting Noctis and the gang to freely cook, explore, and discover everything this universe has to offer.
9 Devil May Cry 5
Although DmC: Devil May Cry is an option, Capcom's 2019 entry takes the cake for simply being one of the best action games of the past decade. Devil May Cry 5 features three playable characters, 21 main missions, a robust hack-n-slash battle system with various unlockable moves, and enough style to fuel a Paris fashion exhibition.
While the missions themselves are quite linear, Devil May Cry 5's combat is all about experimenting with the different ways to execute effective but stylish combos. Compared to Kingdom Hearts III, DMC 5 is fairly difficult and comes with a learning curve.
8 NieR: Automata
Published by Square Enix and developed by PlatinumGames, NieR: Automata’s philosophical narrative could not be further removed from Kingdom Hearts 3’s Disneytastic adventure. Directed by Yoko Taro, NieR: Automata’s themes and characters are defined by ambiguity, which is also reflected by the gorgeous but largely desolate setting. It is completely unlike Kingdom Hearts’ earnest nature.
After all that, why is NieR: Automata recommended to fans of Kingdom Hearts 3? Well, it all comes down to the gameplay. PlatinumGames brought its trademark hack-and-slash combat to this post-apocalyptic universe, and it is a match made in heaven. Automata is somewhat less forgiving than Kingdom Hearts 3, as mastering dodging is paramount to overcoming the action RPG’s many challenges and boss fights. The progression system is also comparable, allowing for chips to be implemented to unlock new abilities and benefits.
7 Ys 8: Lacrimosa Of Dana
Ys is a long-running action-RPG series that has always been known for fantastic combat and, typically, outdated visuals. Launched in 2016, Lacrimosa of Dana is the most recent version to be published in Western countries and comfortably ranks among the series's greatest achievements.
After a shipwreck leaves Adol and a group of survivors stranded on the Isle of Seiren, they must come together to solve the mysteries of this strange location while fighting off various huge and dangerous monsters. All of Lacrimosa of Dana's six playable characters have their own combat styles, along with upgradeable weapons and armor pieces. With plenty of side-quests and a decent open world to explore, Ys 8 is closer to a traditional JRPG than Kingdom Hearts 3, but the splendid real-time combat should hit the spot.
6 Dark Cloud 2
Taking a trip back in time to the PlayStation 2 era, Dark Cloud 2 is among the best JRPGs available on that console, a claim that is not made lightly. Turn-based combat was still popular during the sixth generation of gaming, but Level-5 colorful adventure boasts real-time combat that – similar to Kingdom Hearts 3 – is reminiscent of hack-and-slash titles.
Admittedly, the gameplay is relatively simplistic, but further depth is added through an engaging weapon upgrade system that enables items to be attached to grant specific benefits. Although only two characters are playable, certain NPCs can accompany the protagonists, with each having their own special abilities.
5 The World Ends With You
Here's a game that actually relates to Kingdom Hearts in that the main characters made an appearance in the popular 3DS title Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance. Developed by Square Enix and Jupiter, The World Ends with You was originally launched on the Nintendo DS, but a Switch version was published in 2018. Taking place in a district in Tokyo, The World Ends with You centers around the Reapers' Game, a competition that pits the deceased against each other to determine who could come back to life or transcend to a higher plane.
The combat is brilliant but quite unique, and the story is considerably darker than Kingdom Hearts 3. Despite all these similarities, both titles deliver a sense of wonder absent in most games.
4 Fable 2
Lionhead Studios' Fable 2 is a predominantly comedic adventure that fine-tunes its predecessor's rough-around-the-edges gameplay and streamlines some of its less successful ideas. Kingdom Hearts 3 opted for fewer but larger worlds, an element reflected by Fable 2's quality-over-quantity approach to world-building.
Albion is a lively kingdom packed with expansive and detailed areas to explore, many of which are quite different from each other. Fable 2's morality system is somewhat rudimentary, but the combat and progression systems are a highlight.
3 Hyrule Warriors
Musou games are their own subgenre, as the screen is packed with potentially hundreds of fodder enemies who are just waiting to be blasted off into oblivion.
Kingdom Hearts 3's explosive combat reduces most enemies to little more than moving targets, even if they put up more of a challenge than the average opponent in Hyrule Warriors. Still, for those looking to just feel like a powerhouse while delivering flashy moves, Hyrule Warriors is the game for you.
2 Persona 5 Strikers
What makes Persona 5 Strikers perfect for Kingdom Hearts fans is that it blends the complex world and rich storytelling of Persona 5 with the action-packed enemy hack-n-slash gameplay of similar titles like Hyrule Warriors or, of course, Kingdom Hearts.
Persona 5 Strikers has been lauded by many as the best of the Dynasty Warriors collaboration games (Other titles being Fire Emblem Warriors and Dragon Quest Heroes), and it's no surprise why. It blends the classic Dynasty Warriors gameplay with the one-of-a-kind art style and fluid motion of Persona 5 in a way that feels like a match made in heaven.
1 Final Fantasy 7 Remake
If you really want that Kingdom Hearts 3 feeling, the next best game to play is the spiritual predecessor with characters who have found themselves as parts of the Kingdom Hearts series. You'll be familiar with the gameplay if you're coming from Kingdom Hearts 3, as the UI is similar enough to recognize. It's also a great starting point for the series; you can now find out where Cloud and Aerith come from.
You have your button-mashing, scrolling through spells and skills, and items; the only difference is FF7 has an ATB bar that you need to fill before you can use any selectable actions. With an epic story told in parts, friends separated trying to find each other and help save the world, an amazing soundtrack, and exciting gameplay, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is the natural next title to play after Kingdom Hearts 3.