Kingdom Hearts is a mess. Let’s just be honest about that right out of the gate. If you’ve ever tried to explain the plot of this series to a "normal" person, you know the exact moment their eyes glaze over—usually right around the time you mention "Organization XIII" or the fact that there are three different versions of the main character running around. But nothing in the franchise is quite as polarizing or genuinely confusing as the card-based combat system in Sora’s first handheld adventure. Most people looking for a Re Chain of Memories walkthrough are actually looking for a way to stop getting their teeth kicked in by Repliku or Larxene.
It’s a weird game.
Originally a Game Boy Advance title, the "Re" version brought everything into the 3D space of the PlayStation 2, and eventually, the HD collections we play today. It didn't just port the graphics; it ported the mechanics. That’s where the trouble starts. You’re playing an action RPG, but your brain has to work like a professional poker player. If you try to mash the X button like it’s Kingdom Hearts II, you’re going to see the "Game Over" screen more often than you see Mickey Mouse.
The game demands a specific kind of mental gymnastics. You aren't just swinging a Keyblade; you're managing a deck of cards with numerical values from 0 to 9. If your number is higher than the enemy's, you hit them. If it's lower, you get "broken" and lose your turn. It’s a math game disguised as a Disney fever dream.
Stop Building Your Deck Like a Casual
The biggest mistake I see in almost every Re Chain of Memories walkthrough is the advice to just "put your strongest cards in the deck." That is terrible advice. Total garbage. If you just stack high-value cards randomly, you’ll run out of steam during boss fights.
You need to think about Sleights.
Sleights are special moves triggered by stacking three cards together. For example, "Sonic Blade" is a god-tier move for most of the mid-game. To pull it off, you need three cards that add up to a value between 20 and 23. But here’s the kicker: the first card in every Sleight you use disappears for the rest of the battle (unless you use a rare Item card). If you just spam your best cards as the "first" card in a Sleight, you’re basically disarming yourself.
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A smart player organizes their deck in "triplets." You want to set up your deck so that you can just mash the triangle button and automatically trigger powerful Sleights one after another. Put a 7, a 5, and an 8 together. Boom. That’s a Sleight. Then the next three. If you organize it correctly, you don't even have to look at the numbers while you're fighting. You just watch the action.
The Magic of the 0 Card
Let's talk about the 0 card for a second. In any other game, a zero is useless. In Chain of Memories, the 0 is the most powerful card in the entire deck. Why? Because a 0 card breaks anything. If Marluxia is about to hit you with a massive, screen-clearing ultimate attack that has a value of 27, and you play a 0 after he starts his animation, you win. You cancel his entire move.
But there’s a catch. If you play a 0 card first, it can be broken by literally any other card. It’s a reactive tool, not an offensive one. You should always keep two or three 0 cards at the very end of your deck. When you see a boss wind up for a big move, scroll quickly to your 0s and shut them down. It feels like cheating, but it’s actually the only way to survive the late-game difficulty spikes.
Traversing the Room Synthesis Nightmare
Every floor of Castle Oblivion is a floor you've seen before—Traverse Town, Wonderland, Olympus Coliseum. It’s nostalgia bait, sure, but the way you move through these worlds is through "Room Synthesis." You use Map Cards to unlock doors.
Some people get really stressed about which cards to use. Don't. Unless you are hunting for specific treasures or trying to grind experience, just use what you have to get to the "Key to Truth" or "Key to Rewards" rooms. However, keep an eye out for the "Teeming Darkness" or "Looming Darkness" cards. These rooms are packed with heartless, which sounds bad, but it’s the fastest way to level up Sora.
And you must level up.
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When you level up, you get three choices: HP, CP (Card Points), or a New Sleight.
Never pick HP. Okay, maybe pick it once every five levels if you're really struggling, but CP is the king of stats. Higher CP means you can put more powerful cards in your deck. More powerful cards mean better Sleights. Better Sleights mean you don't take damage in the first place. HP is just a cushion for failure; CP is the engine of victory.
The Riku Paradox: Reverse/Rebirth
Once you finish Sora's story, the game doesn't end. You unlock "Reverse/Rebirth," which is Riku’s campaign. It’s a completely different beast.
With Sora, you spend hours obsessing over deck construction. With Riku, your deck is fixed. You can't change it. You’re stuck with whatever the game gives you for that specific world. This is where a lot of players quit because they can't rely on their "broken" Sora builds anymore.
Riku’s gameplay is faster and relies on the "Duel" system. When you and an enemy play a card with the same value, you can trigger a duel. You then have a few seconds to win a "war" of cards by breaking the enemy's cards. If you win, Riku performs a massive AOE (Area of Effect) attack. It’s frantic. It’s stressful. It’s honestly way more fun than Sora’s gameplay once you find the rhythm.
Riku also has "Dark Mode." You build up a meter by breaking enemy cards, and once it hits 30, Riku transforms. In Dark Mode, his Sleights are absurdly powerful. "Dark Break" and "Dark Aura" can clear entire rooms in seconds. The trick is staying in Dark Mode by not getting your own cards broken.
Boss Strategies That Actually Work
If you’re looking for a Re Chain of Memories walkthrough because you're stuck on a boss, you're probably stuck on Vexen or the final Marluxia fight.
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Vexen is a nightmare because he has a shield. You can't hit him from the front. Most players try to dodge around him, but the easiest way to beat him is to use the "Lethal Frame" Sleight. This is arguably the most broken move in the game. It stops time for the boss and lets Sora land a flurry of hits. If you stack a deck with 4 or 5 "Lethal Frame" setups, Vexen won't even be able to move. He’ll just stand there and take it.
For Marluxia’s final form, it’s all about deck cycling. You need a mix of high-value Attack cards and at least four 0 cards. The 0 cards are for his "Doom" attack. If you don't break "Doom," you just die. There’s no dodging it. There’s no "toughing it out." You break it or you restart.
The Grind for the Platinum Trophy (Or Just Sanity)
If you’re a completionist, I’m sorry. Re Chain of Memories has one of the most tedious grinds in gaming history. To get Sora to level 99, you’ll be running in circles in the "Castle Oblivion" floor for hours.
The most efficient way to do this is using the "Mega Flare" Sleight (Mushû + Fire + Fire). It wipes out every enemy on the screen instantly. You enter a room, cast Mega Flare, the fight ends in two seconds, you walk out, you come back in. Repeat. It’s soul-crushing, but it works.
Also, don't forget the Enemy Cards. These are rare drops that give you passive buffs. The "Maleficent" card increases your attack power, while the "Jafar" card makes it so your cards can't be broken for twenty turns. These are literal game-changers. If you’re struggling with a boss, check if you have the Jafar card. It makes the fight 50% easier.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
Don't just wander aimlessly through the halls of Castle Oblivion. Follow these specific steps to ensure you don't hit a wall:
- Focus on Sleights early: As soon as "Sonic Blade" becomes available (Level 27), get it. It will carry you through 80% of the game.
- Prioritize CP over HP: You want your deck capacity to be at least 1000 by the time you reach the upper floors.
- Farm the "Key to Rewards" rooms: These rooms contain the best cards in the game, including the specialized magic and character cards like Cloud or Lionheart. You need a specific gold card to open them, which drops randomly from enemies.
- Organize your deck logically: Put your "triplets" for Sleights at the beginning, your healing cards (Cure) in the middle, and your 0 cards at the very end.
- Learn the "Shortcut" feature: You can set a shortcut to a specific card in your deck. Always set this to your first "Cure" card or a "0" card so you can jump to it in an emergency.
Re Chain of Memories isn't a bad game, it's just a misunderstood one. It's a deck-builder masquerading as an action game. Once you stop trying to play it like Kingdom Hearts 1 and start playing it like a strategic card game, the whole thing clicks. You’ll stop feeling frustrated and start feeling like a tactical genius.
The real secret isn't in your reflexes; it's in the menu screen before the fight even starts. Optimize your deck, respect the 0 cards, and stop picking HP on the level-up screen. You've got this.