What it is
Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories is not a new 2026 remake. It is the 3D remake of the Game Boy Advance game, first released on PlayStation 2 and later included in Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX. On 8 October 2026, that HD version arrives on current Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox hardware as part of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX. It is a story-led bridge between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, built around an unusual card-based combat system.
- UK release
- 8 October 2026
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S; already available on Windows PC via HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX
- Developer
- Square Enix
- Publisher
- Square Enix
- UK price
- £32.99 digital for HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX; £64.99 for Kingdom Hearts Collection [I–III]
- PEGI
- PEGI 12
- Genre
- Action RPG
- Players
- Single player
- Online mode
- No — single-player only
Story and setting
The story begins immediately after the first Kingdom Hearts. Sora, Donald Duck and Goofy follow a mysterious path to Castle Oblivion, a white, flower-decorated fortress controlled by Marluxia and other members of Organization XIII. Inside, the castle’s power gradually strips away their memories, while each floor is shaped by a world card drawn from Sora’s past.
That means revisiting memory-based versions of Disney and Square Enix worlds from the original game, including familiar characters whose recollections of Sora do not always match reality. The story’s central ideas are memory, identity and the difference between what happened and what someone believes happened. Twilight Town also appears as a new world created from memories on the other side of Sora’s heart. Completing Sora’s campaign unlocks Reverse/Rebirth, a separate story in which Riku climbs through the lower floors of Castle Oblivion.
How it plays
Re:Chain of Memories keeps Kingdom Hearts’ real-time, third-person action but replaces the first game’s conventional command menus with a deck of cards. Attack, magic, item, friend and enemy cards are selected during battles, with their numerical values affecting which attacks succeed. Cards can be combined into sleights, powerful moves that reward careful deck construction rather than simply attacking with the Keyblade.
Cards also control exploration. World cards decide which remembered setting appears on the next floor, while map cards determine the layout and purpose of individual rooms, including enemy encounters, treasure, save points and shops. The system gives you considerable control over the shape of each dungeon, although it is much less immediately straightforward than the combat in the numbered Kingdom Hearts games.
What the 2026 release includes
The 9 June 2026 Nintendo Direct and the same-day PlayStation announcement trailer confirmed Kingdom Hearts Collection [I–III], a bundle made up of HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and Kingdom Hearts III with Re Mind. HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX can also be bought separately and contains Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Re:Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Birth by Sleep Final Mix, plus HD cutscene compilations of 358/2 Days and Re:coded.
The trailer material announced the collection and its 8 October release date rather than presenting a new Re:Chain of Memories remake. No new story content or major redesign has been announced. The HD collection is already available on Windows PC, where it launched in 2024, so the October release is a new native-console launch rather than the game’s first modern release.
Platforms, editions and UK price
The UK release date is Thursday, 8 October 2026. Re:Chain of Memories will be included in HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Switch version is a native download rather than the old cloud edition, and Nintendo says there is currently no upgrade path from the Switch version to the Switch 2 version. Save data can move from Switch to Switch 2, but not back again.
The confirmed UK digital price is £32.99 for HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, which contains Re:Chain of Memories and five other experiences. Kingdom Hearts Collection [I–III] costs £64.99 digitally and includes all three collections. The physical release is the larger collection on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2; no standalone physical edition of Re:Chain of Memories has been announced. PlayStation and Xbox listings also promise 48 hours of early access for qualifying pre-orders, but no UK launch time has been published.
What remains unconfirmed
Square Enix has not published detailed technical specifications for the 2026 console versions, including resolution, frame-rate targets, loading improvements or whether the existing HD presentation has received further visual changes. A standalone 2026 release, deluxe edition, collector’s edition and separate physical copy of Re:Chain of Memories have not been announced.
There is also no confirmed inclusion in PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass for the 2026 versions. The game is best understood as one component of HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX rather than a newly developed standalone title. If you only want Re:Chain of Memories, the £32.99 collection is the relevant purchase, but it still includes the other five entries and story presentations.
Not yet confirmed
- No standalone 2026 release of Re:Chain of Memories has been announced; it is being released as part of HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX.
- Resolution, frame-rate targets, loading improvements and other technical enhancements for the 2026 console versions have not been confirmed.
- No standalone physical edition, deluxe edition or collector’s edition has been announced.
- PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass inclusion for the 2026 versions has not been announced.
- No UK launch time has been published.
Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories: your questions
Is Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories a new remake?
No. It is the existing 3D remake of the Game Boy Advance game, later remastered in HD 1.5 ReMIX. The October 2026 release brings that version to new console editions of HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX.
Is Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories coming to Nintendo Switch?
Yes. A native Nintendo Switch version and a separate Nintendo Switch 2 version launch on 8 October 2026. Nintendo says there is no upgrade path from Switch to Switch 2, although save data can transfer from Switch to Switch 2.
What order should I play Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories in?
Play Kingdom Hearts Final Mix first, then Re:Chain of Memories, followed by the 358/2 Days cutscene compilation and Kingdom Hearts II. Re:Chain of Memories directly follows the first game and explains important developments before Kingdom Hearts II.
Does Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories have online multiplayer?
No. It is a single-player game, and the modern store listings describe offline, one-player play.
Is Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories included with PS Plus or Game Pass?
No inclusion has been announced for the 2026 versions. The confirmed purchase options are the standalone HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX collection or the larger Kingdom Hearts Collection [I–III].
