Enter the 36 Cards (Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories)

Let's Plays Completed Let's Plays
, , , ,
#1

800×330

Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories is a 2007/2008 remake of the Gameboy Advance title of the same name (sans Re:). The game was originally released in Japan in 2004, while Re:CoM came alongside a re-release of Kingdom Hearts II in Japan and in the US as a stand-alone title. Developed by Square-Enix, it is a action card strategy game that does neither well, slipping into both genres like a clown with a pie on his face who’s continually slipping on a banana peel. Meant as a direct sequel to the previous game, this story continues the adventures of Sora, Donald and Goofo, introducing them to a new set of villains and also a ton of recycled content. Both the remake and the GBA version received positive reviews, although the most of the acclaim was in regards to the GBA version’s presentation, with many finding its combat system unwieldy. The game sold 1.55 million copies worldwide.

Hi, my name is FutureFriend and I fucking am eh about this game but yet love the dumb series that is continuing with this. Along with me, my buddies ChorpSaway, killeremcee and a_raving_loon will be going along this crazy adventure designed for people who think a royal flush is just a bit too out there for them. ChorpSaway played bits and pieces of it, while killeremcee and a_raving_loon are pretty much blind to it. I’m the only one who’s finished this game and I’m the poorer for it. We’ll be providing cut and uncut versions if you want to experience the voiced cutscenes by yourself.

For this LP, we’ll be playing the PS2 remake, of which there is a upscaled version on the KH1.5 HD Remix Collection. Don’t worry, it’s not that much different from the GBA one besides moving to a 3D plane!

Hey, didn’t you do a LP of the first game, ya bozo?
That’s right! I highly recommend checking that out if you haven’t already, because we’ll sure to reference back to it or our opinions on it.

Are you going to show off all the cards or sleights?
There are too many cards, I do not like this game, I refuse.


1. No Spoilers! If we haven’t seen it yet, don’t talk about it. The previous thread went kinda wild with it, so I’d like to keep it on the downlow this time. Don’t do that vague wink wink shit either!
2. Don’t talk about other games (besides Kingdom Hearts 1!) Basicly a extension of the first rule, but I’d still like this thread to be accessible to blind folks! Talking about Kingdom Hearts 1 is fine, though, especially as a relating point to this game.
3. No Yu-Gi-Oh jokes. Everyone has heard your Heart of the Cards joke buddy, I ain’t wanna hear it again.


















10 Likes
#2

Thanks to this LP, I started playing the PS2 version of this game after having only played the GBA version. The card system makes the enemy Heartless feel inconsequential with how you can just break all of their attacks no matter what.

#3

Alright!, I’ve been waiting for this LP to be brought over.
I played the GBA port about 4 years ago all the way through, it’s pretty great how busted the game’s system is and how bosses cannot do anything if you brought nothing but 9 numbered cards.

#4

Big Goofy fan here, I almost chose that as my name but decided against it, looking forward to more from you.

1 Like
#5

thank you flex bulldog you are the hero lets play needs

2 Likes
#6

The first time I saw Goofy being used as a battering ram was magical and mystical and nothing in the series has yet to recreate the amount of whimsy that gave me.

#7

My favorite thing is a toss up between summons missing completely and Donald hitting bosses with their own element.

Maybe Donald because it happens every goddamn time.

1 Like
#8

Due to off LP Zone based adventures, I’ve been roped into playing through all the KH games myself for the internet eventually. Watching this has been good practice, and a good reminder of everything I love about the series.

Also everything I hate. Good lord Chain of Memories…

#9

My favourite Donald incident was during my first fight against Axel. I summoned Donald, he shot fire at Axel which healed him, then shot a Blizzard at him, which took off the rest of Axel’s health, ending the fight. Needless to say, I felt very conflicted.

2 Likes
#10

There’s something special about how every attack in the entire game from either party either seems like a devastating combo that renders the earth asunder with the power of my mythic rare cards, or an impotent lack of doing anything because it’s about to be broken half a moment later. It’s a shame that two parties can’t attack at once, because at least that may have made the combat feel more alive rather than twiddling thumbs.

Either way Future Friend you have far more patience for 3rd dimensional key boiz and I appreciate your suffering to bring this forward.

#11

I’m looking foward to the rest of this lp. I played both the GBA an PS2 versions of the game and yeah, it’s not a good game. A lot of sleights are useless, repetitive rooms and the battles become a chore with the hole deck building aspect of it.
Anyways, here waiting for the next episode.

#12

Been watching this since the beginning and have been loving it—totally look forward to every update.

I’ve got to ask, are the levels as same-y layout-wise as they look? I know you’re nixing a lot of the repetitive stuff, but between the similar “jump-up-boxes” intro rooms and the long ladder climb after every boss, some of the stages look like they’re damn-near re-skins. Which, if so, all the more kudos on finding this gem!

Just curious after about a dozen stages!

#13

If I remember right yeah they are, they just pick 1 out of the different types of rooms they can make and just change the art design of them.

#14

every floor has its own layout of “what room will have doors to what direction” but otherwise its mostly the same, randomly generated by what cards are used. so yea p much tbh

#15

This (as in the remake) didn’t come to Europe until the HD re-releases and I just couldn’t wrap my head around the whole card based combat. :confused:
Gonna catch up on this, I’m looking forward to the whole thing.

EDIT: Caught up, loving it so far. I think the image of Donald and Sora using Goofy as a battering ram has completely justified this series.

#16

new update’s up, wherein we figure out that namine business! and fight an old friend! its riku again

1 Like
#17

So, I’ve gotta ask. Has anyone ever actually played the GBA version of this? Because…let’s be blunt here. Re: Chain of Memories is BAD, but is it an improvement or NOT? I know the story will be mostly the same in Re:Chain but I have to imagine it’s more tolerable in the GBA, yeah?

#18

I played the GBA version many years ago. It was really hard, mostly because of poor design decisions. I’ve never played Re:CoM, but from what I can tell from FutureFriend’s LP, it’s a definite improvement over the original, but still fairly bad.

1 Like
#19

Re: Chain of Memories added Lethal Frame, which makes the game good better.

#20

I forgot that Sora takes offense at the idea of Thinking

Edit: I’m pretty sure that one thing re:chain does better than the gba version is that you can actually save in-between Riku 4 and Laraxene 2. Lose to Laraxene in the gba version? Have fun fighting Riku again.