Okay, everyone knows what Kingdom Hearts is really about. No, not exploring stunning renditions of Disney worlds. No, not friendship, darkness, or convoluted lore (though it has those in buckets, too, and we mean that with the highest respect and adoration). We’re talking about those sweet, sweet Kingdom Hearts keyblades, baby. There’s nothing better than bonking some bad guys over the head with a ridiculously over-the-top giant key, then releasing their hearts to the sky and locking the door to other worlds like some epic dungeon master.
Luckily, there are heaps of Kingdom Hearts keyblades across the multitude of games, taking a huge variety of shapes, designs, and sizes – and not to mention, unlocking some pretty epic skills. So, in this guide, we take a look at every single keyblade you can lay your giant, cartoony mitts on in the HD Remix versions and Kingdom Hearts III, what they do, and how to go about getting them. Success may not be the key to happiness, but a massive collection of keyblades might be.
If you’re looking for more help as you dive headfirst into this magical universe, be sure to check out our super in-depth Kingdom Hearts characters guide. We also have some neat Kingdom Hearts wallpapers to deck your desktop and phone out in style, boasting your newfound title as a true Keyblade Master.
All Kingdom Hearts keyblades
Kingdom Hearts keyblades
| Keyblade | Effect | How to get |
| Kingdom Key | Strength +3. The key chain attached draws out the Keyblade’s true form and power | Speak to Riku while the Heartless are attacking Destiny Islands |
| Oathkeeper | Strength +9, MP +1. Enhances magic and summon power, and is capable of dealing a string of critical blows | Speak to Kairi in the Secret Waterway in Traverse Town after rescuing her |
| Oblivion | Strength +11, MP -1. Possesses colossal power, but reduces your max MP | Find in a chest in the Grand Hall in Hollow Bastion |
| Ultima Weapon | Strength +14, MP +2. The ultimate Keyblade, this one possesses maximum power and attributes | Item synthesis |
| Lady Luck | Strength +7, MP +2. Significantly enhances magic and summon power, and inflicts good physical damage | Use the white Trinity Mark in the Lotus Forest in Wonderland |
| Olympia | Strength +10. A powerful weapon that’s difficult to deflect, and capable of inflicting mighty critical blows | Found in a chest in the Olympus Coliseum Lobby after completing the Phil Cup, Pegasus Cup, and Hercules Cup |
| Jungle King | Strength +5. Has a long reach, but seldom deals critical blows | After locking the keyhole in Deep Jungle |
| Three Wishes | Strength +6. A powerful weapon that’s difficult to deflect | After locking the keyhole in Agrabah |
| Pumpkinhead | Strength +7. Has a long reach and the ability to deal a string of critical blows | After locking the keyhole in Halloween Town |
| Wishing Star | Strength +5. Has a short reach, but always finishes up a combo attack with a powerful critical blow | Found in a chest in Geppetto’s House |
| Crabclaw | Strength +6, MP +1. Enhances magic and summon power, and deals good physical damage | After locking the keyhole in Atlantica |
| Fairy Harp | Strength +8, MP +1. Enhances magic and summon power, and sometimes deals powerful critical blows | After locking the keyhole in Neverland |
| Divine Rose | Strength +13. A powerful weapon that is difficult to deflect, and is capable of dealing a string of critical blows | After sealing Hollow Bastion’s Keyhole, talk to Belle in the library |
| Spellbinder | Strength +4, MP +2. Significantly enhances magic and summon power | Speak to Merlin after acquiring all seven first-level magic spells |
| Metal Chocobo | Strength +9, MP -1. Possesses incredible power and reach, but reduces max MP and rarely deals critical blows | Defeat Cloud in the Hercules Cup |
| Lionheart | Strength +10, MP +1. Enhances magic and summon power, and deals great physical damage | Defeat Leon and Cloud in the Hades Cup |
| Diamond Dust | Strength +3, MP +3. Greatly enhances magic and summon power | Complete the Gold Match (an arena battle against the Ice Titan in Olympus Coliseum) |
| One-Winged Angel | Strength +8, MP -2. Has little power, but sometimes deals extremely powerful critical blows | Complete the Platinum Match in Olympus Coliseum (an arena battle against Sephiroth in Olympus Coliseum) |
Re:Chain of Memories keyblades
The keyblades in Re:Chain of Memories take the form of cards used in battle that come in a variety of numbers. You can either play them independently, or stock them to unleash a stronger attack. Here are all the different types you can find, and how to get them.
| Keyblade | Effect | How to get |
| Kingdom Key | Not very powerful, but reliable and easy to handle | Sora’s default weapon. |
| Soul Eater | Soul Eater reacts to dark power. Riku’s strength is higher when he wields darkness in battle | Riku’s default weapon |
| Oathkeeper | A well-balanced weapon with a very powerful thrust | Speak with Naminé after defeating the Darkside |
| Oblivion | A special attack card that can break through physical defences, and holds first-class strength | Speak with Naminé after defeating Larxene |
| Ultima Weapon | The strongest attack card you can find | Castle Oblivion bounty |
| Lady Luck | A balanced weapon that’s easy to handle | From Wonderland |
| Olympia | A powerful attack card that recovers quickly after card breaks | From Olympus Coliseum |
| Three Wishes | A fairly strong attack card with a fast swing | From Agrabah |
| Crabclaw | An easy to handle card with an impressive recovery time after card breaks | From Atlantica |
| Spellbinder | A special attack card with lightning-based attacks | From a chest in Tigger’s playground |
| Pumpkinhead | An easy to handle card with fast recovery time after card breaks | From Halloween Town |
| Wishing Star | Not very powerful, but very easy to handle | From Monstro |
| Fairy Harp | Not very powerful, but very easy to handle | From Neverland |
| Bond of Flame | A special attack card with fire-based attacks that delivers exceptionally powerful strikes | From Halloween Town (second reward) |
| Star Seeker | An attack card with a powerful combo finish and the shortest recovery time from card breaks | From Castle Oblivion (second reward) |
| Maverick Flare | An attack card with weak strikes but powerful combo finishes | Traverse Town Bounty (second reward) |
| Total Eclipse | A special attack card that can break through physical defences, but takes time to recover from card breaks | From Olympus Coliseum (second reward) |
| Midnight Roar | A well-balanced weapon with a powerful thrust and a short recovery time from card breaks | From Neverland (second reward) |
| Two Become One | A weapon with a powerful thrust and combo finish | From Destiny Islands (second reward) |
Kingdom Hearts II keyblades
| Keyblade | Effect | How to get |
| Kingdom Key | Strength +3, magic +1. With Defender keychain: increases defence at critical moments. With Damage Control keychain: halves damage taken in critical situations | Fight the ‘Mysterious Enemy’ at the Old Mansion |
| Oathkeeper | Strength +3, magic +3. Enhances magic and increases the duration of a Drive Form | Unlock the gate in Twilight Town |
| Oblivion | Strength +6, magic +2. Has great strength, and allows the Drive Gauge to restore quickly during MP Charge | Reunite with Riku in The World that Never Was |
| Ultima Weapon | Strength +6, magic +4. Increase MP restoration rate once all MP has been consumed | Item synthesis |
| Kingdom Key D | Fight as King Mickey until you revive Sora | Choose ‘I won’t give up!’ as a dialogue option when knocked out (only during certain boss battles) |
| Star Seeker | Strength +3, magic +1. Increases maximum combo by one when in midair | Speak to Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather in the Mysterious Tower |
| Hidden Dragon | Strength +2, magic +2. Restores MP relative to the amount of damage taken | Defeat Shan-Yu in The Land of Dragons |
| Rumbling Rose | Strength +5. Has great strength, allowing you to unleash successive finishing combo moves | Reunite with Beast in Beast’s Castle |
| Hero’s Crest | Strength +4. Increases the damage of the finishing move in the air relative to the number of hits in the combo | Defeat the Hydra in Olympus Coliseum |
| Monochrome | Strength +4. Increases the effect of restoration items used on the field | Complete Timeless River |
| Mysterious Abyss | Strength +3, magic +3. Enhances magic to increase damage dealt by blizzard-based attacks | Complete Ursula’s Revenge in Atlantica |
| Follow the Wind | Strength +3, magic +1. Draws in nearby orbs | Defeat Captain Barbossa in Port Royal |
| Wishing Lamp | Strength +4, magic +3. Increases the drop rate of munny, and HP and MP orbs | Defeat Jafar in Agrabah |
| Decisive Pumpkin | Strength +6, magic +1. The greater number of combos landed, the more damage is dealt, leading to a strong finishing move | Defeat the Experiment in Halloween Town |
| Circle of Life | Strength +4, magic +1. Has great strength, increasing MP restoration speed after MP is consumed | Talk to Simba in the Pride Lands Oasis |
| Sweet Memories | Although it does not enhance attack strength, it increases the drop rate of items | Complete the Expotition mini-game in the Hundred Acre Wood |
| Photon Debugger | Strength +2, magic +1. Increases damage done by thunder-based attacks | Defeat the Hostile Program in the Space Paranoids |
| Gull Wing | Strength +2, magic +3. Greatly increases the amount of experience gained when defeating an enemy at a critical moment | Speak with the Gullwings after the battle of the 1,000 Heartless in Hollow Bastion |
| Guardian Soul | Strength +5, magic +1. Has great strength, increasing the amount of damage dealt from Reaction Commands | Defeat Hades in the Underworld of Olympus Coliseum |
| Sleeping Lion | Strength +5, magic +3. Well-balanced with strength and magic, Sleeping Lion increases maximum ground-based combos by one | Talk to Leon before your second visit to Space Paranoids |
| Fenrir | Strength +7, magic +1. Has great range and strength, but the maximum ground and midair combos are decreased by one | Speak to Cloud after you defeat Sephiroth in Radiant Garden, then return to the Dark Depths and speak to Sephiroth |
| Bond of Flame | Strength +4, magic +4. Enhances magic to increase damage dealt by fire-based attacks | Defeat the Nobodies in Betwixt and Between |
| Two Become One | Strength +5, magic +4. Well-balanced with strength and magic, increasing maximum ground-based combos by one | Defeat Roxas in front of Memory’s Skyscraper |
| Fatal Crest | Strength +3, magic +5. Increases strength during MP Charge and allows unlimited chaining of combos. When equipped, the combo finishing move is disabled | Complete the Goddess of Fate Cup |
| Winner’s Proof | Strength +5, magic +7. A weapon of extraordinary magic and great strength, but disables the gaining of experience | Complete all of the Mushroom XIII minigames |
Birth by Sleep keyblades
As Birth by Sleep is split into three sections, where you play as Aqua, Terra, and Ventus, there are several keyblades that you can only wield with one character, and others that are universal. Here’s a list of all the Birth By Sleep keyblades, what they do, and which characters you can obtain them for.
| Keyblade | Effect | Who can wield | How to get |
| Brightcrest | Strength +4, magic +7. A Keyblade with long reach that provides an outstanding boost in magic. It also makes it easier to land critical hits, and deals higher damage when you do | Aqua | Start the Final Episode |
| Chaos Ripper | Strength +10, magic -2. A Keyblade with long reach that does little for your Magic, but provides an outstanding boost in Strength | Terra | Defeat Master Eraqus |
| Crown Unlimit/Royal Radiance | Strength +8, magic +7. Speeds up the Command Gauge when equipped | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Defeat No Heart at the Mirage Arena in Machinations unto Darkness |
| Darkgnaw | Strength +5, magic +2. A Keyblade that makes up for its poor reach and low critical hit ratio by providing an extra boost in strength | Terra | Complete the Dead Ringer battle |
| Destiny’s Embrace | Strength +3, magic +3. Makes it easier to land critical hits | Aqua | Meet Kairi at Radiant Garden |
| Earthshaker | Strength +3, magic +1. What it lacks in reach, it makes up for with a slight boost in strength | Terra | Terra’s default keyblade |
| Ends of the Earth | Strength +5, magic +3. Provides an extra boost to all your stats | Terra | Meet Riku on Destiny Islands |
| Fairy Stars | Strength +2, magic +3. Provides a balanced boost in strength and magic | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Finish Enchanted Domain |
| Frolic Flame | Strength +3, magic +3. Provides an extra boost to all of your stats | Ventus | Talk to Lea and Isa at Radiant Garden |
| Hyperdrive | Strength +4, magic +3. A keyblade with an above-average reach that provides a balanced boost in strength and magic | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Finish Deep Space |
| Lost Memory | Strength +6, magic +5. A keyblade with long reach that makes it easier to land critical hits, and deals higher damage when you do | Ventus | Meet Vanitus on Destiny Islands |
| Mark of a Hero | Strength +5, magic +1. Provides an extra boost in strength and deals higher damage when you land a critical hit | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Finish Olympus Coliseum |
| Master Keeper | Strength +7, magic +7 | Aqua | Start the Secret Episode |
| No Name | Strength +6, magic +7. A keyblade with a long reach that provides a huge boost in magic and makes it easier to land critical hits | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Defeat the Unknown |
| Pixie Petal | Strength +3, magic +6. A keyblade that makes up for its poor reach with an extra boost to magic. It also makes it easier to land critical hits, and deals higher damage when you do | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Finish Neverland |
| Rainfell | Strength +2, magic +2. What it lacks in reach it makes up for with a balanced boost of strength and magic | Aqua | Aqua’s default keyblade |
| Stormfall | Strength +5, magic +4. A well-balanced keyblade that provides an extra boost to all your stats | Aqua | Meet Sora and Riku on Destiny Island |
| Stroke of Midnight | Strength +2, magic +2. Makes it easier to land critical hits | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Finish Castle of Dreams |
| Sweetstack | Strength +6, magic +4. Provides an extra boost in strength and makes every strike a critical hit | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Make all seven types of ice cream |
| Treasure Trove | Strength +3, magic +2. A keyblade that makes up for its poor reach with a balanced boost in strength and magic | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Finish Dwarf Woodlands |
| Ultima Weapon | Strength +7, magic +6. The most powerful keyblade | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Defeat Iron Imprisoner IV at the Mirage Arena in Villains’ Vendetta |
| Victory Line | Strength +4, magic +2. Possesses above-average reach, making it easier to land critical hits | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Finish the Rumble Racing course |
| Void Gear | Strength +8, magic +4. A keyblade with a long reach that provides an outstanding boost in strength, and deals higher damage when you land a critical hit | Terra, Aqua, and Ventus | Defeat the Vanitas Remnant |
| Wayward Wind | Strength +3, magic +1. What it lacks in reach it makes up for with a slight boost in strength | Ventus | Ventus’ default keyblade |
Dream Drop Distance keyblades
| Keyblade | Effect | How to get |
| Kingdom Key | Strength +5, magic +4. Provides a balanced boost in strength and magic | Sora’s default keyblade |
| Way to the Dawn | Strength +5, magic +4. Provides a balanced boost in strength and magic | Riku’s default keyblade |
| Skull Noise | Strength +7, magic +7. Provides a balanced boost in strength and magic | Complete Traverse Town |
| Guardian Bell | Strength +7, magic +10. Has a long reach, and provides an extra boost in magic | Complete La Cité des Cloches |
| Dual Disc | Strength +10, magic +7. Provides an extra boost in strength, and makes it easier to land critical hits | Complete the Grid |
| Ferris Gear | Strength +8, magic +8. Triggers fewer Reality Shifts, but compensates with an extra boost in strength and magic | Complete Prankster’s Paradise (Sora only) |
| Ocean’s Rage | Strength +8, magic +10. Lands fewer critical hits, but compensates with a boost in magic and more frequent Reality Shifts | Complete Prankster’s Paradise (Riku only) |
| Knockout Punch | Strength +12, magic +10. Lands fewer critical hits, but compensates with a boost to strength and more frequent Reality Shifts | Second visit to Traverse Town |
| All for One | Strength +10, magic +12. Triggers fewer reality shifts, but compensates with a boost in magic and more frequent critical hits | Complete the Country of the Musketeers |
| Counterpoint | Strength +12, magic +14. Has a long reach, provides an extra boost in magic, and makes it easier to trigger Reality Shifts | Complete Symphony of Sorcery |
| Divewing | Strength +12, magic +15. Provides an extra boost in magic and makes it easier to land critical hits | Complete every dive with an A-rank |
| End of Pain | Strength +14, magic +16. Has high magical power and critical hit rate, but reduces the occurrence of Reality Shifts | Complete all Special Portals |
| Sweet Dreams | Strength +14, magic +12. Has a long reach, provides an extra boost in Strength, and makes it easier to land critical hits | Complete all Flick Rush cups |
| Unbound | Strength +18, magic +14. Boosts all stats, while making it easy to land critical hits and trigger Reality Shifts | Complete all Secret Portals |
| Ultima Weapon | Strength +16, magic +16. Boosts all stats, and makes it easy to land critical hits and trigger Reality Shifts | Beat Julius |
Kingdom Hearts III keyblades
| Keyblade | Effect | How to get |
| Kingdom Key | Strength +4, magic +3. Your first keyblade | Sora’s default keyblade |
| Hero’s Origin | Strength +5, magic +2. A keyblade with an emphasis on strength | Clear Olympus |
| Shooting Star | Strength +3, magic +5. A keyblade with an emphasis on magic | Clear Twilight Town |
| Favourite Deputy | Strength +6, magic +3. A keyblade with an emphasis on strength | Clear Toy Box |
| Ever After | Strength +2, magic +7. A keyblade with an emphasis on magic | Clear the Kingdom of Corona |
| Happy Gear | Strength +7, magic +3. A keyblade with an emphasis on strength | Clear Monstropolis |
| Crystal Snow | Strength +4, magic +7. A keyblade with an emphasis on magic | Clear Arendelle |
| Hunny Spout | Strength +6, magic +5. A well-balanced keyblade | Clear 100 Acre Wood |
| Wheel of Fate | Strength +8, magic +5. A keyblade with an emphasis on strength | Clear The Caribbean |
| Nano Gear | Strength +7, magic +5. A well-balanced keyblade | Clear San Fransokyo |
| Starlight | Strength +4, magic +4. A keyblade that survives from antiquity | Meet Ephemer in the Keyblade Graveyard |
| Grand Chef | Strength +5, magic +7. A keyblade with an emphasis on magic | Obtain a five-star rating at Le Grand Bistro |
| Classic Tone | Strength +11. Magic +14. A keyblade with an emphasis on magic | Get high scores in every Classic Kingdom game |
| Ultima Weapon | Strength +13, magic +13. The supreme keyblade | Synthesis |
And that’s it for our Kingdom Hearts keyblades guide – we hope this unlocks many doors for you. If you’re looking for more worlds to visit, check out our list of the best Switch adventure games and find something fresh to play today.
