Kingdom Hearts 3 is never going to be released. But I'll tell you what can be.

One reason why people complain about all of these different non-numbered titles (and the series in general) is that they're so scattered throughout many different platforms (PS2, GBA, DS, 3DS, PSP, Possibly PS3/PSP2). Now, I own every single platform mentioned above (minus PS3/PSP2, I'm getting 3DS at launch), but to the majority of people out there, it's very difficult to cultivate every single platform just for a single IP. And frankly, the story is starting to get a bit confusing, what with multiple Xehanorts running around, and scattered hearts finding homes in confusing places, like inside other hearts (no joke; I'm pretty sure Master Eraqus's heart is currently residing inside Terra's heart, which is subsequently inside either Xehanort's or Riku's heart. Sound familiar? [read: Inception]).

I think a compilation of the Xehanort Saga should be made on a single future title either during or right before/after the release of Kingdom Hearts 3. This wouldn't be a smart thing to do right now, but it is a possibility for the future, and I'll tell you why.

All of these non-numbered games (the technical word, albeit a very cynical one, would be Spin-offs) that are slowly unraveling the Xehanort saga are just releasing. Everybody is currently purchasing them, and certainly wouldn't be willing to buy them again within a year, or even two. But let's take a look at what's realistic for the future of Kingdom Hearts down the road. The latest game is KH:3D for the 3DS, coming out presumably this year, 2011. Now BBS Vol2 could very well be released around 2011-2012, but Kingdom Hearts 3 isn't coming out until after VersusXIII is all said and done. This will be at the earliest 2012. So once Versus comes out, Kingdom Hearts 3 will take around 2 years to make (granted that they keep the same vision moving forward, unlike Versus, where they kicked around some game play and story ideas for 2-3 years before actually sticking to a single goal). So in reality, we won't get KH3 until around 2013-2015. Let's not forget Square Enix's infamous habit of perpetually stalling and changing release dates. Any other company would have the pressure of releasing their game within a timely manner, depending on how much they've overexposed the game to the public, but Squenix seems to be a bit unique at the moment.

What in the world will we do until 2014 and beyond? Well, we have BBS FM and Drop Distance this year, with perhaps BBSVol2 out in 2012. But unless Nomura keeps pumping out portable titles like he's giving birth to quadruplets, that seems like a considerable gap between then and when Kingdom Hearts 3 finally comes out. (Assuming that Versus comes out in 2012, and also assuming that KH3 takes two to three years to make)

Here's where the compilation comes into play. I'm talking about every KH game that's come out for anything on gaming's most powerful console; the PS3. The beauty of the Kingdom Hearts IP is that every game is important to the storyline, no matter the platform or the size. The Playstation games would be easy to port or slightly revamped for an HD collection, but the only problem would be the Nintendo-owned games (Days, Coded, and 3D). Unfortunately, unless Square Enix makes significant deals with the Big N, I don't see us getting pure ports onto a Playstation platform.

But what I can see across many different websites, reviewers, and comments, spanning weeks and months, is that there is general hate or dislike toward Re:Coded and 358 Day; considered hollow fillers to the masses, without substantial gameplay, other than a few cut scenes here and there that are good for the storyline, seemingly only the hardcore fan gets into these oddball titles. Even I failed to buy Coded, and resorted to KH13's dedicated video library to get the sense of the storyline. But that's what this HD collection could do. It could leave the gameplay to the main entries, and turn the Nintendo titles into movies. In other words, the sense of the two story lines can easily be met just by watching the online videos. So what Square Enix does is turn the Nintendo-owned games into 10 minute or so movies in between everything else, in chronological order. Then, there won't be any question about how to reformat the controls for those oddball titles. Furthermore, the people who complained about those will be happy because they won't have to trudge through every single handheld title just to find out the storyline of those titles.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind that either. In the long run, I would find having to trudge through 20-30 or so levels of Days/Coded just to see maybe 10-15 worthwhile cut scenes would be a bit daunting, granted that everyone has already beaten these games years ago (remember, the compilation would come out a couple of years after all of the non-numbered titles).

I think condensing the Nintendo titles into cut scenes would not only give the game itself a more smooth transition between the main entries (BBS Vol1-2, KH1-2), but also it would free up more space, time, and investment in the production to focus more on revamping the main entries, rather than cramming every single full-fledged title into one game.

I don't know about you, but I can hardly wait for Kingdom Hearts 3. The series itself may be a bit complicated (some would even say convoluted), but a condensed HD collection of what we've been through so far on a single platform would certainly help not only the newcomers and the people treading new waters, but also give the hardcore fan base a substantial, all-in-one package in preparation for the final chapter.