Kingdom Hearts 2isone of the best action games ever made, and it was made even better by its enhanced Final Mix version. And now this amazing game is available on a vast collection of different consoles and systems, thanks to the recentSteamre-release ofKingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX.
But it’s important to keep in mind thatKingdom Hearts 2 Final Mixis an RPG, meaning thatSoraneeds to constantly raise his level in order to get stronger. Healso needs to level up his five different Drive Forms, which players can do by meeting specific requirements for each one of them. This list will compile some of the best grinding spots that are scattered throughout the game, both for regular Sora and for his Drive Forms.
7Peak
Pride Lands
Within thePride Lands(the world based on the Lion King) there’s a room called Peak. This is one of the best spots for players who are looking to quickly level up during the first half of the game. Upon entering, players may find a singleRapid ThrusterHeartless. But the player defeats it and then re-enters the area, a massive swarm of the same enemy may spawn instead.
This is a decent place to earn a lot of EXP without too much effort, by defeating this massive gathering of enemies. It’s important to keep in mind thatSora cannot use the Experience Boost ability efficientlyin the Peak, because the Rapid Thrusters drop HP orbs. This contraststhe original PS2 version of the game, in which dropped MP orbs that prevented Sora from automatically healing himself. Nevertheless, this spot is still useful for less experienced players.
6Cavern of Remembrance
Radiant Garden
TheCavern of Remembranceis one of the best additions in the Final Mix version of this game, with its impeccable level design and a collection of challenging optional bosses. But the best part is that it’s also one of the most useful places to level Sora up. It’s especially great for players who have already beaten the game and want to get stronger in order to facethe aforementioned Data Organization XIII.
TheTransport to Remembranceis the best room in this cave to grind Sora’s level. It’s filled with Nobodies who only drop MP orbs, so players can use the Experience Boost ability to its full extent. Keep in mind that these enemies are extremely powerful and challenging, so players should not go in unprepared. On the other hand, there are a few pillars scattered throughout the level that drop Drive Orbs when hit, which is also a solid way of leveling up Sora’s Master Form.
5The Cave of Wonders: Treasure Room
Agrabah
Valor Formis the first Drive Form that Sora has access to. It’s one of the most memorable ones too, since it lets the playersfight while wielding two Keyblades at the same time. Valor Form gains experience every time Sora hits an enemy with it, meaning that players will need an HP sponge enemy if they want to level it up fast.
TheTreasure Roomin Agrabah’sCave of Wondersis the best place to do this, since the fifth member of Mushroom XIII is here. Seeing as it constantly regenerates its own health when its mini-game is activated, Sora can hit it with Valor Form many times in order to level it up. Not to mention, this is also a great spot for leveling upLimit Form, by spamming its four Action Abilities as much as possible.
4Cornerstone Hill
Timeless River
Wisdom Formmay not be as popular as Valor Form, but leveling up is still important, because it gives Sora access to the convenient Quick Run ability. This magic-focused form earns experience every time it defeats a Heartless. In theory, this shouldn’t be hard, considering thatKingdom Hearts 2 Final Mixis riddled with these iconic enemies.
But the best spot to level up Wisdom Form is inTimeless River, specifically inCornerstone Hill.Here, Sora has access to four different doors that lead him to small rooms, which are full of Heartless that he can deal with quickly. While all of them are useful for this task,Mickey’s House is the best, since it spawns a lot of small Shadow Heartless that players can defeat with very few attacks. Also, the Drive Gauge will be instantly reset if the player returns to Disney Castle via the magic door. This is a great way to save on Drive Recovery items.
3Moon Chamber
Mysterious Tower
Master Formis one of the best Drive Forms in the game, seeing as it combines the best aspects of both Valor and Wisdom. As previously mentioned, it earns experience every time Sora collects a Drive Orb, so the Cavern of Remembrance is a good spot to level it up. However, there’s an even better place to do this: theMoon Chamberof the Mysterious Tower.
In this room,players can face a good number of Luxord’sGamblerNobodies. If the player beats these enemies at their own mini-game, Sora can earn a lot of munny. However, if the Drive Converter ability is activated, most of that munny will transform into Drive Orbs instead. Another helpful tip is to equip theFollow the WindKeyblade, which will help gather all those orbs even faster.
2The Great Maw
As mentioned above, Sora can level up hisLimit Formby using its four Action Abilities — Sonic Rave, Last Arcanum, Strike Raid and Infinity — on enemies. While players can do this in many different locations throughout the game, the best one is theBattle of the 1000 Heartlessof Radiant Garden,which takes place in a room known as The Great Maw.
It’s important to clarify that the Battle of the 1000 Heartless is a one-time event that can only occur once during the game’s storyline. However, if players go into this encounter prepared, they can easily raise the Limit Form by 3 or 4 levels in an instant, provided that they keep spamming the four different Action Abilities on the Heartless over and over.
The World That Never Was
Lastly, there’s theFinal Form, which is arguably the most powerful Drive Form in the game. This one earns experience every time the player defeats a Nobody. This means thatThe World That Never Wasis the best place to level it up, since this world is riddled with these enemies. But players who are looking for a specific place to grind should do it in the room known asNaught’s Skyway.
This large area hosts a lot of small Nobodies that Sora can defeat with very few attacks. Bear in mind, though, that there’s there’s also a good number of Berserkers at the top that should only be fought by the most experienced players. To make things even better, Naught’s Skyway is close to two different save points, where Sora can get out of the world before the Drive Gauge is emptied in order to reset it. To top it all off, Naught’s Skyway is also one of the best places to regularly grind Sora’s level by using the Experience Boost ability, since all of those Nobodies only drop MP orbs.
