You're running through Hollow Bastion—or Radiant Garden, if you're being technical—and you see it. A black, wobbling coat with a heartless emblem where a face should be. It’s a Great Maw of frustration. If you played the original Kingdom Hearts 2 back on the PS2, these guys weren't there. They are the Mushroom 13, a specialized group of Heartless added specifically for the KH2 Final Mix version to test if you actually understand the game's mechanics or if you’ve just been mashing the X button for forty hours.
Honestly, some of these are fun. Others? They feel like a personal insult from Tetsuya Nomura himself. To get that gold crown—the ultimate bragging right in the Kingdom Hearts community—you have to satisfy all thirteen of them. It isn't just about high levels. You can be Level 99 with the Ultima Weapon and still fail miserably because you didn't realize a specific Limit or Draw ability was the secret sauce.
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Why the Mushroom 13 in KH2 Final Mix are the Ultimate Skill Check
Most people think Kingdom Hearts is just "Disney fun," but the Mushroom 13 challenges prove it’s a high-ceiling action RPG. Each mushroom represents a specific mechanic: air combos, revenge value, reaction commands, or magic depletion. They don't want you to kill them. They want you to play a mini-game.
Take No. 1 in front of Memory’s Skyscraper. You need 70 hits in 30 seconds. If you just swing your blade, you’ll hit 20 and he’ll vanish. You've gotta use Wisdom Form. You've gotta use Quick Run. It forces you to look at Sora’s kit and realize that "useless" abilities like Horizontal Slash are actually the only way to survive the endgame grind.
The rewards are legitimate, too. Beyond the satisfaction of the Proof of Peace, these fungi drop some of the best synthesis materials in the game, specifically the Rare Shards and Stones needed for the highest-tier gear. But let's be real: we're doing it for the crown.
Breaking Down the Worst Offenders
Not all mushrooms are created equal. Some, like No. 7 in Twilight Town, are basically just "hit him until he dies" while avoiding his aggressive charge. Others require a PhD in frame data.
The Nightmare of No. 8 (The Tower)
This is the one everyone hates. It’s located outside Yen Sid’s Tower. The goal? Keep the mushroom in the air for 85 hits. It sounds easy until you realize the physics in KH2 Final Mix are designed to push enemies away from you.
The trick isn't just "hitting fast." Most experts, like the speedrunning community at KH13 or various Platinum trophy guides, suggest using Master Form or even going into Berserk Charge. If you deplete your MP, your combo never ends. You just keep swinging. It’s chaotic. It’s stressful. You will likely drop the combo at 84 hits at least once.
No. 9: The Spinning Top
In Hollow Bastion’s Castle Perimeter, there’s a mushroom that just wants to spin. You need 75 hits. If he stops spinning, you lose. This is a "rhythm" check. If you use a full combo, the finisher might knock him too far away. You have to "short hop" or use Fatal Crest to keep the hits consistent without the knockback.
The Gear You Actually Need
Stop trying these at Level 30. Just stop. While you can clear some early, the Mushroom 13 are balanced for the post-game. You need specific Keyblades for their passive abilities, not their raw strength.
- Rumbling Rose: Essential for the Finishing Plus ability.
- Fatal Crest: If you need Berserk Charge to keep a combo going indefinitely while your MP is charging.
- Bond of Flame: For the Fire Boost, which is mandatory for Mushroom No. 10.
- Fenrir: Equipping this with Negative Combo allows you to spam finishers, which is the only way to clear some of the time-based challenges.
Don't forget your armor and accessories. Equipping full "Draw" abilities is basically mandatory for the mushrooms that drop orbs, like No. 3 in Beast’s Castle. If you aren't vacuuming up those orbs instantly, you won't hit the score requirement. Period.
Form Changes and Limits: The Secret Language
Wisdom Form is your best friend for mobility and rapid-fire magic. Final Form is great for raw hit count because the floating Keyblades count as extra strikes. But the real "pro tip" most players overlook is the use of Limits.
Donald’s Comet or Goofy’s Tornado can keep a mushroom locked in a specific animation state, preventing them from flying out of bounds or ending the mini-game. For No. 4 in The Land of Dragons, where you have to defeat 85 clones without being hit once, Wisdom Form’s shot is the only way to stay safe while clearing the field.
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Strategy for the Final Mushroom
Once you beat the first 12, the final one appears in the Great Maw. This is No. 13. It doesn't have a mini-game. It’s the culmination. If you’ve satisfied the others, he gives you the Proof of Peace.
If you're struggling with the score requirements, check your "Critical Mode" perks if you’re on that difficulty. The extra damage and abilities actually make some of these easier than on Standard mode, surprisingly.
Actionable Next Steps for Completionists
To actually wrap this up and get your crown, follow this sequence:
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- Level up all Drive Forms to Max. You cannot clear the mobility-based mushrooms (like No. 6 in Olympus) without Max Level Quick Run and Aerial Dodge.
- Synthesize 3-4 Draw Rings. Every "orb" mushroom becomes 50% easier when you have a massive magnetic radius.
- Go to the Cavern of Remembrance. Get your build finalized here first. If you can't survive the Nobodies in the Mineshaft, you aren't ready for the high-tier mushroom requirements.
- Target No. 11 first. It’s in Timeless River. It’s a hit-count challenge that is very forgiving and lets you practice the "Berserk Charge" strategy which you'll need for the harder ones later.
- Save No. 8 for last. Save your sanity. Do it when you have Fenrir and are comfortable with Sora's physics.
The Mushroom 13 are a testament to why KH2 Final Mix remains the gold standard for the series. They aren't just filler; they are a celebration of a combat system that, even decades later, feels deeper than almost anything else in the genre.