Who would have thought that a Disney-related RPG with Donald and Goofy as sidekicks for the hero would spawn a successful franchise? Kingdom Heart’s first title hit shelves in September 2002 — let that sink in for a moment — and has generated tons of sequels, remixes and decimal-based titles (Kingdom Hearts 2.8….hmmm), but the essence of the game is its ability to speak to veteran and new gamers. Gen Xers and Millennials can enjoy the nostalgic ride of interacting with Simba in Pride Rock or finally entering Lion’s mouth in Agrabah. Younger players get to experience the classics of Disney (sorry Frozen). Kingdom Hearts will continue to entertain these two audiences with their planned upcoming sequel, Kingdom Hearts III, which is set to release next year. However, while fans anxiously await the newest installment, there is still a lot to discover in the many games of Kingdom Hearts. Disagree? Did you know that you can fly outside of Neverland? Have you ever been to the “Deleted” worlds? How would you feel to know that you can battle the spirit of a Keyblade Master? Even if you do know about these experiences, you are challenged step back into the Gummi Ship, dust off your Keyblade (you know you would own one if you had the chance), and join Sora, Donald, and Goofy in Traverse Town. Here are 25 awesome things you did not know you could do in Kingdom Hearts.

25 Travel To “Deleted” Worlds

Kingdom Hearts is a huge game with fourteen worlds and tons of side quests in each. It is only natural that the designers would have scrapped a world or two. In July 2016, a YouTuber discovered an un-textured 3D rendering of a ship in the game code. It is likely a world that developers decided not to use, but a fascinating part about this is the fact that it could be “Treasure Planet.” The video goes on to describe that in the code other worlds are identified as their lowercase initial. For example, Hollow Bastian is “hb,” and this world was named “tp” in the code. Even though the world is void of any activity, it would be nice to travel a “deleted” map. It can also be some foreshadowing of what is to come in the franchise.

24 Take Riku To School In A Scrapped Boss Arena

Imagine the battle of Pride Rock taking place on the Death Star or Aladdin’s finale with Jafar happening on the streets of New York. Granted, these concepts are a little out there, but it is cool to reimagine your favorite end battles happening in other places. In this matter, Kingdom Hearts is sure to deliver. In Kingdom Hearts I, the final battle between Riku and Sora takes place in Hollow Bastian, but this was not the original location of the fight. It was originally meant to happen in the dark and “crumbling” version of Destiny Islands, hence the name “Crumbling Islands.” With the help of a Gameshark, you can take on Riku in this area. Now, if we really can get Simba and Scar in space, we would be in business.

23 Take A Secret Ride In The Trees With Tarzan

As mentioned earlier, Kingdom Hearts I has been out a total of 15 years, but there are still secret places players are discovering. In August 2016, Youtuber, TheGamersJoint was playing through Kingdom Hearts in a live stream. While sliding through the vines in the Deep Jungle, he and many viewers were shocked to find out that a perfectly timed left turn took them through a secret area to a fruit-gathering mini-game with Tarzan. The highlight of the video is the incredulous emotion of the player and the comments below of others who shared his sentiment. The mini-game pays honorable homage to the Tarzan movie, with Sora traveling through waterfalls and streams within the roots with Tarzan right on his heel. It is surely worth another visit to the Deep Jungle.

22 Test Your Battle Skills Against A Keyblade Master

The lost soul of a Keyblade master, a battle set in a graveyard, and a case of mistaken identity, sounds like the makings of an epic battle. In Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, you can unlock the secret boss; The Lingering Will once you beat the game and unlock all worlds. He is the spirit of Terra, a Keyblade wielder, whose body was possessed by Master Xehanort. As a result, the “Lingering Will” of Terra animates his old armor to get revenge on Xehanort. However, you as Sora become caught in the crossfire by entering the Keyblade Graveyard. The Lingering Will mistakes Sora for the person who took his body and engages him in what some call one of the toughest battles in the series. It is optional, but honestly who wouldn’t want to fight the animated armor of a Keyblade master?

21 Decipher Clues About Kingdom Hearts III In Remix Cover Art

Did you purchase the Kingdom Hearts Remix titles? If you did, it is time to break them out, do a little studying and get a camera ready for some good ol’ fashion Youtube video game theory. Series creator, Tetsuya Nomura informed the Japanese magazine, Dengeki PlayStation that there are messages on the cover art that point to the plot of Kingdom Hearts III. Sora’s movements and the time of day on each cover leave clues as to the final journey of the Disney trio. If you are still a little lost, Sora’s name also means “Sky” in Japanese. Therefore, the activity in the sky can also fill in the gaps for Sora’s ultimate fate and help you put the puzzle pieces together. Maybe this list of theories can help get you started in crafting your own.

20 Walk In The Shoes Of The Enemy

While Sora can become an “Anti-Form” or “Shadow” version of himself when randomly activated whenever a Drive increases over level 2, there is also a way to make him turn into an actual heartless. You would need a code and a program like Gameshark to do this, but you could be hopping through the Olympic Collesium or Tarzan’s Jungle as a heartless. One of the best videos showing this is by a user, Davarker1713. He uses a few codes to facilitate the change that also causes some other adverse effects —doors missing, keyholes in the ground, and characters missing from their designated areas—but he accomplishes the feat of turning Sora into the enemy heartless. So, not only do you get to lurk around maps as one of those dark trolls, but you can also walk through invisible doors.

19 Turn KH II Into The “House Of The Mouse”

In Kingdom Hearts II, a major hallmark of the game is visiting the set of Beauty and the Beast. It is awe-inspiring as you walk up the grand staircase and meet Beast. Soon, the wonder fades away as you face your first boss. It might even turn to anger as you die, but an unexpected message comes to your rescue that allows you to give it one more try as a hooded Mickey Mouse. If you do not know how much of a warrior Mickey is in the game, it may seem lame, but Mickey repeatedly shows whose “house” it is by quickly taking care of enemies. Many wish they could harness this power beyond the few times it is offered at Sora’s death. Well, some dedicated fans figured out a code to play as Mickey in other parts of the game. This one also requires a Gameshark.

18 Did You Know There Were Secret Messages In Kingdom Hearts II Songs?

If you are a fan of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath or Prince, you know a lot about backward messaging in songs. While they can be pretty creepy, they can also reveal some valuable knowledge about the singer or the song. An unlikely user of this technique is Kingdom Hearts. In Kingdom Hearts II and a few other titles, the opening song is Sanctuary. As stated earlier, Nomura likes to insert clues in the most unlikely of places. When you play Sanctuary backward, you can hear messages that point to many of the obstacles the characters face in the game. Lines like “I need more affection than you know,” “So many ups and downs,” and “I need true emotions,” can be heard in a reverse play of the song. While those are the lyrics people can agree on that were backmasked there are others left to your interpretation.

17 Does Sora Need A Diet?

Sora looks like a pretty fit fellow, but an easter egg in the original Kingdom Hearts lets you determine that for yourself. In the first District in Traverse Town at Huey, Luey, and Duey’s shop, between the purchase counter and lower entrance, there is a small weight scale for Sora to see how much damage all that ice cream has done. Switch to the first-person mode to take a look at the results. Unfortunately, the scale does not work with Donald and Goofy, but it is a nice little extra to add realism to Sora’s character. Also, it is finally nice to see that us humans are not the only ones who are reminded of our girth, video game characters are not safe from a weigh-in.

16 Take Sora Soaring

Glitches can range from insane to downright horrifying , but the designers of Kingdom Hearts did a good job of keeping the outrageous glitches to a minimum. In early U.S. versions of Kingdom Hearts I, players can exploit a glitch that allows Sora to fly in Destiny Islands. If you climb on the wood platform closest to the large boulder toward the sea and jump repeatedly, Sora and his friends, Donald and Goofy will become “stuck” in the air. Once that happens, the player can continue to jump for Sora to eventually make it up to the sky. At that point, he and his companions can run, roll and glide through the treetops. After visiting Neverland, Sora obtains the ability to glide, and through leveling up can accomplish this for longer periods of time. However, this glitch allows Sora to soar without all the extra work.

15 Pick Up Goodies From Neverland Clock Tower

Kingdom Hearts does a fantastic job of making players feel immersed into each world they visit. Neverland is one of the best examples of this. You can join Peter Pan and Tinkerbell in fighting Captain Hook, avoid flying battle ships and fly up to the top of Big Ben. It evokes the whimsical spirit of the Disney movies. However, let’s not kid ourselves, while you may be nostalgic, you also care about leveling up and getting the items you need to move forward. Fly up to Neverland Clock Tower on an exact hour. If you navigate to the glowing back door, you can pick up a prize item. It may not seem like much of a big deal, but if you are low on health, it can be an excellent way to prepare for the next stage.

14 Take On Enemies As Cloud In The Hercules Cup

Kingdom Hearts fans are relentless in finding ways to play as other characters in the game. In Kingdom Hearts I, rumor has it that you can play as Cloud from Final Fantasy, but there are a few limitations to his appearance. According to Youtuber, LeonX480, Cloud is only accessible in the Hercules Cup, cannot run, and does not have the capability to equip high jump. However, all of this is made up for by the fact that Cloud can fly, and battle enemies in mid-air. You will need a “cheat system” to activate the code that allows you to play as Cloud, but the results look kind of cool. Maybe Nomura should take a few of these “creative” alterations to heart and insert some playable Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts III.

13  Fight A Crab Named After A Fan

In the original Kingdom Hearts, there lives a six-armed sickle-wielding crab who is ready for his moment to strike beneath the sands of Agrabah. He is a secret boss that is a pretty formidable foe, but surprisingly that is not what makes him standout. It is his name that makes players take a double take. A man in Medford, New York won a contest to have his name used for a secret boss in Kingdom Hearts I. This man’s name is Kurt Zisa. The wild and exotic crab has the name of someone who sounds like they may own an accounting firm. Nevertheless, players can traverse the Agrabah desert to beat up a crab named Kurt. If you do encounter him, you may want to see if he can do your taxes for you.

12 A Pinocchio-Sized Plot-Hole

A game as elaborate as Kingdom Hearts is bound to have its imperfections. From the glitches spoken about earlier to the fact that Toy Story was missing from Kingdom Hearts I (they are making up for this in Kingdom Hearts III), a game of this size will have its mistakes. One of them was pointed out by a few Reddit users and others elsewhere online. It is believed that in Kingdom Hearts I, Sora, Goofy, and Donald encounter Pinocchio for the first time in Monstro, but if the player visits Cid’s shop after unlocking Agrabah, everyone’s favorite “real boy” can be seen cowering in Traverse Town. This is a problem because his big introduction was set for Monstro. How did Pinocchio get to another world by himself, and why was he in Traverse Town in the first place?

11 Can Ms. Wonderland Get More Screen Time?

Have you ever heard of the Butterfly Effect? It is a belief that killing one butterfly can change the weather in another country at some appointed time in the future? Or do you only know about this through watching the Ashton Kutcher movie? Either way, small actions can have big ramifications. In this case, it is less serious and way cooler. After you complete the events in Deep Jungle in Kingdom Hearts I, there is a scene with a few of the icons of Disney mischief. They are discussing Sora’s connection to the Keyblade and the threat he poses. The dialogue is pretty pivotal to showing the villains as powerful enemies instead of showpieces. At the end of the scene, typically Snow White is shown, but if you instead unlock Wonderland before these events, Ms. Alice appears.

10 Summon Disney Legends

Mulan would have had a difficult time owning the enemy army without Mushu, Peter Pan would not have been the same without Tinker Bell, and everyone knows Aladdin needed that carpet to woo Jasmine. Disney is serious when it comes to its hero and sidekick formula. Kingdom Hearts allows you to do this when you collect certain gems and talk to various characters in the game. Bambi, Dumbo, Genie, Mushu, Simba and Tinker Bell are all available to be summoned for battle during different times throughout the game. Not only do the skills of these allies help in combat it can also be a blast to fight alongside some of Disney’s most popular characters who the game may not have had time to adequately spotlight.

9 Sit Back, Relax And Enjoy A “Movie”

We live in a culture of instant gratification with any show we want being accessible “on demand.” What if you could do the same with any video game cut scene? Most of the time, cut scenes are meant to be watched one time and then bypassed once you get the just of the story. However, Square Enix’s cutscenes are not only informative; they are visually stunning. Add in an endearing line from Goofy or Donald, and you have cut scenes that can be watched repeatedly. In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, once you beat the game you can unlock theatre mode which allows you to re-watch any cut scene from the game. So, grab some popcorn, relax and enjoy the charm of Kingdom Hearts.

8 Brush Up On Your Astrology

Aquarius? Taurus? Capricorn? Do you know all twelve of the zodiac signs? You probably should in preparation for a secret battle in Kingdom Hearts 2.8. Various locations in the game house Zodiac chests which are shards you can collect to transport you to a mirror that will take you to one of Kingdom Heart’s most “heartless” enemies. Rush, the gargantuan heartless with a hole the shape of a heart meets you for another epic battle. You have to be ready to exploit all his vulnerabilities to taste victory. There are so many layers to this fight that include battling minion heartless throughout the castle halls, and fighting on water. It may be hard, and you might get frustrated, but at least you can enjoy the beautiful scenery while you rage throw your controller.

7 Become A “GhostBuster”

Alright, so we have covered a lot of secret boss battles in this franchise, and many of them are difficult. However, this one may take the cake. In Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, after you lock the Hollow Bastian keyhole, take a trip back to the Clock Tower in Neverland to meet the Phantom. There are two aspects of Phantom’s attack that makes him one of the most frustrating bosses to face. He can “sentence” your teammates to become inactive, and if you do not cast a spell to fight the penalty in time, the character will be kicked out for the rest of the match. You also have to pay attention to an orb that is attached to his cloak because the color of the sphere signifies his vulnerability. It is an understatement that you have a lot to pay attention to. You will need more than Dan Akroyd and a catchy song to “bust this ghost.”

6 Take All The Time In The World To Beat The Son Of Zeus

In the Disney world, Hercules can often be an overlooked character, so his inclusion in the Kingdom Hearts universe is exciting to see. However, battling him at the end of the Hercules Cup can prove taxing. You have to watch out for his invincibility signals, grab barrels, avoid him until the barrels reappear, and let’s not even mention the other enemies you have to face before you get to him. It can be a lot to plan for and think through. This presents a ripe opportunity to benefit from a little glitch. At the beginning of the Hercules Cup, press the start button and then restart the match. Once the game begins again, the clock will freeze allowing you to take all the time you need to bask in hero-dom.