Summary
Kingdom Heartshas many strong points. Being an action-based game, however, one of its strongest points is naturally itshack-and-slash style combat. InKingdom Hearts 1, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and their various Disney companions battle the forces of darkness with a slew of powerful skills and stylish combos.
Sora’s weapon of choice, the Keyblade, comes in a variety of forms depending on the equipped keychain. Each one, gained at various points inKingdom Hearts, comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. While the first game in the series had fewer weapon options than subsequent titles, some still proved to be immensely powerful.
Updated on Jul 31, 2025, by Justin Flynn:In Kingdom Hearts, players gain control of an unusual weapon known as the Keyblade, and with most of series' entries now available on Steam, even more gamers can try their hand at being a Keyblade wielder. In Kingdom Hearts 1, Sora gains access to a variety of different Keyblades throughout his journey. Some are naturally unlocked while progressing the story, but others require a little more effort on the player’s part. No matter how hard they are to get, each Keyblade comes with its own positives and negatives, with some being significantly better than others.
18Kingdom Key
A Default Weapon That Can Be Replaced The Moment The Next Keyblade Is Unlocked
Serving as Sora’s default weapon inKingdom Hearts 1, theKingdom Keyis one that is destined to be replaced the moment something else becomes available. Boasting a semi-decent +3 Strength, it proves to be especially useful during the early segments of the game, but that’s mainly because it’s the player’s only option until they reach and completeTarzan’s Deep Jungle World.
Considering how this is the first Keyblade Sora gains access to, it makes sense why it doesn’t offer the best stats. For those hoping to acquire the Unchanging Armor trophy/achievement, however, this weapon must remain equipped from the moment it is unlocked until the final boss ofKingdom Hearts 1has been defeated. Aside from that, players can feel free to replace it the moment they acquire the Jungle King.
17Jungle King
Offers A Useful Strength Boost That Players Can Rely On During The Early Game
TheJungle Kingwill be the second Keyblade players unlock during theirKingdom Hearts 1playthrough. As such, it offers slightly more Strength than the Kingdom Key to reward gamers for the progress they have made. Unlocked after sealing the Keyhole in Deep Jungle, the Jungle King serves as a great weapon for Sora to rely on until he reaches Agrabah and unlocks the Three Wishes Keyblade.
One downside to the Jungle King is that it lessens the likelihood of Sora dealing critical hits. Though this may sound like a pretty significant drawback, the weapon’s +5 Strength is more than able to make up the difference.
16Three Wishes
A Good Early Game Weapon That Increases Sora’s Chance Of Dealing Critical Hits
Sora obtains theThree WishesKeyblade after he defeatsGenie Jafar in Agrabah. It’s the third Keyblade he obtains on his quest to find Kairi, so its stats are understandably low. That said, it is the best Keyblade available at this point in the game.
The Three Wishes Keyblade has a 20% chance to deal a critical hit, just like the Kingdom Key. However, it is superior to Sora’s default weapon thanks to its +6 Strength. It’s a great Keyblade to obtain during this part of the game, but it’s destined to be replaced eventually.
15Wishing Star
A Handy Tool That Always Deals Critical Finishers
TheWishing StarKeyblade can be found in a chest in Geppetto’s House after completingthe story in Monstro. Unlike most Keyblades inKingdom Hearts 1, obtaining this one is completely optional, but it can be a big help for later worlds.
Though its +5 Strength seems like a downgrade at first, the Wishing Star Keyblade is always guaranteed to deal a powerful critical attack during its finishers. This ability makes it an extremely helpful weapon to own, especially when Sora is struggling to deal damage to his opponents.
14One-Winged Angel
A Relatively Strong Weapon That Sacrifices A Lot Of MP
To obtain theOne-Winged AngelKeyblade, Sora must enter the Platinum Match at the Olympus Coliseum and defeatFinal Fantasy 7’s Sephiroth. Since obtaining it requires Sora to defeat one of the game’smost challenging super bosses, most players will assume the One-Winged Angel to be the best Keyblade in all ofKingdom Hearts 1, but sadly, it falls slightly short of the mark.
The One-Winged Angel boasts an impressive +8 Strength, but its -2 Magic is a huge issue. If it was introduced earlier in the story, the player might have gotten some use out of it, but sadly, it will hold little benefit by the time it is unlocked. Though it may not be the best Keyblade in the game, it certainly is one of the coolest.
13Crabclaw
A Satisfying Weapon For Those Who Mix Melee And Magic
For many, Atlantica is a low point in theKingdom Heartsjourney. It’s confusing, annoying, and one of the morefrustrating “water levels"found in an RPG. But those who stick around through the level and eventually lock the Atlantica Keyhole will be rewarded with the Crabclaw, a keyblade that’s perfect for players who like a mixture of magic and physical attacking sprinkled throughout their combat.
The Crabclaw will raise players' max MP by one, strengthen their magical and summon spells, and also provide a decent boost to physical attacks. Those that sling spells while simultaneously getting up close and personal with their enemies will want to add this Keyblade to their collection.
12Fairy Harp
A Powerful Weapon That’s Let Down By Its Size
Though Sora wasn’t able to rescue Kairi during his visit to Neverland, he did manage to obtain one of the most charming Keyblades in the series, theFairy Harp. The Neverland Keyhole needs to be sealed for Sora to get the Fairy Harp. Though it can be challenging to do so, it’s worth it in the long run thanks to the Keyblade’s unique powers.
The Fairy Harp may not have the best reach, but it makes up for this shortcoming with its impressive +8 Strength. It can deal critical hits and can even enhance Sora’s magic and summon power. It’s a very good Keyblade to get beforejourneying to Hollow Bastion, and it will likely become the player’s primary weapon until they come across something better.
11Lady Luck
A Good Option For Those Who Rely Heavily On Magic
TheLady LuckKeyblade shares its theme with the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland. As such, players can find it after activating the White Trinity in Wonderland’s Lotus Forest. It has a decent amount of strength, but it shines even more as a magic-based weapon.
Since it raises MP by two gauges, Sora can cast even more magic without worrying about depleting it too quickly. Players should consider this weapon when entering a battle that requires a lot of spell use, such asthe Phantom in Neverland.
10Pumpkinhead
A Semi-Strong Keyblade With Great Reach
Many players will fondly remember their first trip to Halloween Town and the ensuing journey that has them battling against the dastardly Oogie Boogie with the help of Jack. Those that manage to make it through all of the pitfalls found in the area and successfully lock the Keyhole here will be rewarded with Pumpkinhead, a Keyblade with a sleek black design and a wrought-iron style.
The Pumpkinhead will make short work of enemies thanks to its ability to string together critical hits, as well as its impressively long reach that will keep players safe from harm while still allowing them to do some serious damage.
9Metal Chocobo
A Lengthy Weapon That Sacrifices MP For Raw Power
TheMetal Chocoboserves as a direct reference toFinal Fantasy 7. It closely resemblesCloud’s Buster Sword, which explains why Sora obtains it after defeating Cloud in Olympus Coliseum’s Hercules Cup. It has great power and reach, granting +9 to Sora’s Strength. However, it also depletes Sora’s MP by one bar and hardly ever deals critical hits.
This Keyblade is meant primarily for dealing raw physical damage with wide, hefty swings. Most of the combat in the first game focuses on this anyway, so it still makes for a useful weapon.
