Summary
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, an underrated Nintendo DS entry in the long-running Square Enix RPG series, gets an impressive unofficial remaster on PC. The originalKingdom Hearts 358/2 Daysacted as an interquelthat connected the firstKingdom Hearts,Chain of Memories, andKingdom Hearts 2together, with the game being told from the perspective of Organization 13 member Roxas. The game was first released in 2009 as an exclusive on the Nintendo DS. While358/2 Dayswas received positively on launch, it was criticized for a number of reasons, with most of them focused on the gameplay and the DS' limited controls.
Despite all theKingdom Heartsgames getting HD remasters and re-releases through theRemixcollections, the DS spin-offs are notably not playable in the collections.Kingdom Hearts 358/2 DaysandKingdom Hearts Re:codedwere redone as three hour HD cinematic movies, cutting out the gameplay entirely. Some fans argue the emotional impact of358/2 Daysis lost when presented as a collection of cutscenes instead of a game. Now thanks to the efforts of dedicated fans, gamers can play an unofficial PC port of358/2 Days.
This project is known asKingdom Hearts 358/2 Days - Melon Mix, led by vitor251093. Melon Mix aims to turnthe original358/2 Daysinto a playable PC game, with a single screen and controls that are compatible with a more standard controller. It uses a modified version of the melonDS emulator, bringing almost every single UI element that was on the DS' bottom screen into something more akin toKingdom Hearts 2, such as the mini-map now in the top-right corner. Some of the gameplay of this ambitious project was shared by YouTuber TheGamersJoint.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Melon Mix - An Unofficial PC Remaster
The controls of358/2 Dayshave been greatly improved thanks to the Melon Mix version. The camera can be controlled using the right analog stick instead of theNintendo DS' touch screenor shoulder buttons, and the command menu can be cycled through using the D-pad instead of the X-button. These changes make358/2 Daysplay more like the mainline consoleKingdom Heartsgames.
The GitHub page for 358/2 Days Melon Mix details everything players need to know in order to install the emulator and run the game properly, even on Steam Deck. Some fans are hoping thatKingdom Hearts Re:codedcould also get reworked for a single screen like Melon Mix. For now, many fans have declared this to be the definitive way to play theunderrated Square Enix DS game, and praised vitor for their work in making358/2 Daysplayable in this way.
