Summary
While you may playKingdom Heartsfor a variety of reasons, there is no denying that its music is just as big a part of its identity as keyblades and hearts. Of all the fantastic music in the series, its the main theme of the games, Dearly Beloved, that is the most memorable of all.
Classed by Yoko Shimomura herself as one of her favourite pieces of her own music, each Kingdom Hearts games gets a unique rendition all its own. The majority of these versions all pull from the same pool though some take quite a few liberties to personify the game. And here is our completely unbiased, true view of which of them is the very best.
An essential note to accompany this - every version of Dearly Beloved is perfection, and this is an entirely subjective, personal listing. None of them are bad.
13Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded
Kingdom Hearts Coded is often saddled with an unfair reputation for being an odd entry in the series. It’s definitely one of the more out-there games in the series for how bizarrely detached it feels, though one that should still be met on its own merits.
Humorously enough though, its version of Dearly Beloved is quite simple. It strips away much of the extra instruments and sections that gave a stronger identity to each version of the song and pulled it back to basics. It’s more more akin to the original Dearly Beloved in this regard. Which is great, but means this version doesn’t offer much new.
12Kingdom Hearts Chain Of Memories
Chain of Memories was the second game in the series, made exclusively for the Game Boy Advance. It functioned mostly as a recap game while also introducing the series-central Organization XIII and Castle Oblivion.
Seeing as you’re mostly trawling through Sora’s jumbled memories, this version of Dearly Beloved is quite similar to its predecessor. It introduces some synthesised elements to the background that would form the foundation of later versions, though doesn’t do too much by itself.
11Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover
You may be aware of the Kingdom Hearts mobile games that exist, though perhaps not how many of them exist. Due to how confusing all of that got (and how it ties into Kingdom Hearts 3), X Back Cover was created, a short movie to summarize the events of the mobile games thus far.
It of course came with a version of Dearly Beloved of its own that pulled from the previous mobile versions, though felt much more melancholic. It lacked much of the hope woven into the other versions, feeling like a softer song from a doomed period. It symbolizes the movie’s themes quite well.
10Kingdom Hearts Unchained X
The initial version of Kingdom Hearts as it came to mobile devices, Unchained X depicts a world long before the Keyblade War. Keybaldes were commonplace nor was darkness an overbearing scourge. It was a period in stark contrast to that depicted within the mainline games.
Alongside this very different setting came a very different rendition of Dearly Beloved. It is a fast, upbeat version with softer and lighter instruments. It removes much of the melancholy inherent to the song to create something very different.
9Kingdom Hearts Union X
tAfter a few years. Union X became the successor to Unchained X, bringing with it a bevy of changes to the pre-existing game, new story key among those. This game focuses much more heavily on the Master of Masters and the book of prophecies, a yet unfinished plot element.
The version of Dearly Beloved on display here feels like a graduation of the one heard in Unchained X. It holds more elements of the original alongside a strong violin presence. It feels more mature compared to Unchained’s, like it has grown with the game itself.
8Kingdom Hearts Missing Link
While Missing Link has yet to see a full release or even story synopsis, it promises to be another successor to the mobile Kingdom Hearts games, incorporatingreal-world GPS elementswith it’s own settings.
And even though it has not seen a full release, its version of Dearly Beloved has become incredibly widespread. It’s a drastically different version than those seen before, incorporating more vocals and different rhythms than others. It even takes some of the jazz influence from Melody of Memory.
Missing Link’s Dearly Beloved is also the first in the series not to be composed by Yoko Shimomura, created instead by Tomomichi Takeoka.
7Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance
For many fans of the series, Dream Drop Distance is when the series fully commits to the bit, going on a deep dive into time travel and the math of how exactly Xehanort’s master plan functions. It’s a lot to process, so it’s only fitting that the game feels like a fever dream.
Dream Drop Distance presents a version of Dearly Beloved that is much softer than the other versions seen so far. For the first half, it remains wistful and hopeful before quickly growing into a triumphant rhythm, all before slowing again.It’s a rollercoastermuch like the game itself.
6Kingdom Hearts Melody Of Memory
Melody of Memory was Kairi’s first starring role in the series. A whole game to herself, and it ended up being a recap game that she has very little agency over. She doesn’t even get to fight her own fears, ironically enough. It does properly introduce Quadratum though, which will be massively relevant going forward.
Being a rhythm game, Melody of Memory rightfully puts a large focus on music, and its Dearly Beloved is no different. At this point, it was the most radical departure thus far. All sorrow and melancholy is removed, removed with upbeat jazz that fills you with hope and joy. It’s nice to have something so thoroughly uplifting.
5Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Roxas' star outing, 358/2 Days lets you see the world from his perspective in the period building up to Kingdom Hearts 2. It’s not a game you’re able to play anymore, and the cutscenes do not give off the same vibe as playing it for yourself. Roxas is a tortured soul, and the drudgery of the gameplay ties into that feel incredibly.
The only joy Roxas has is the time he spends with his friends, a time that is cruelly pulled away from him. This is what his version of Dearly Beloved depicts. It is slow, with the whistle of a flute taking precedence over all over instruments. It feels sparse and lonely, like Roxas is himself.
4Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep
Birth by Sleep was the first time the series decided to go back in time, building a foundation for what the greater lore of the series represented. It showed us Keyblade Masters, worlds far from what Sora had seen and a general awareness that removed much of the mystery surrounding the original games.
Birth by Sleep introduced multiple new background elements to the track. Slight changes in rhythm, the plucking of strings, changes in pace. It feels so ambitious, yet so similar. It pulls so many recognizable elements but blends them with new pieces to create a track wholly unique to the game,
