Difficulty Level

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The Difficulty Level of a game in the Kingdom Hearts series determines enemy strength and limitations the player will be presented with during gameplay. Players can choose a difficulty level to clear the game on when they first start a new game, but they cannot change difficulty levels once they have started. The most difficult difficulty is Critical mode, followed by Proud Mode, then Standard Mode, then Beginner Mode. Critical Mode is available in Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded. The first time Proud Mode became available was in Kingdom Hearts II and has been in all games since.

List of difficulties in each game

Kingdom Hearts

• Normal Mode
• Expert Mode

Kingdom Hearts II

• Beginner Mode
• Standard Mode
• Proud Mode
• Critical Mode^{[KH II FM]}

Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

• Beginner Mode
• Standard Mode
• Proud Mode

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

• Beginner Mode
• Standard Mode
• Proud Mode

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

• Beginner Mode
• Standard Mode
• Proud Mode
• Critical Mode(Only in NA/EU versions and Final Mix)

Kingdom Hearts coded and Re:coded

• Beginner Mode
• Standard Mode
• Proud Mode
• Critical Mode

Critical Mode

Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+

• Compared To Standard and Proud, enemies inflict twice the damage, except for the Mushroom XIII who inflict 1.25× the damage.
• Several abilities are granted on the third day (Reaction Boost, Finishing Plus, Draw, 2x Lucky Lucky, MP Hastera and EXP Zero).
• Roxas's initial AP is 50.
• AP increases by increments of 3 instead of 2.
• Compared to Standard and Proud, HP and MP quantities from Bonus Levels are halved (You only get 60 HP instead of 120 HP).
• Compared to Standard and Proud, EXP gained is three-quarters of the normal amount.
• Save file displays "Critical Mode".
• Unlocking the "Birth by sleep" video just requires you to win the Gold Crown.
• In the Playstation 2 Browser screen, there is a symbol attached to the save data file on the memory card.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

• Compared To Standard and Proud, the player deals half the damage.
• Compared To Standard and Proud, enemies inflict twice the damage.
• Compared to Standard and Proud, HP and MP quantities from Bonus Levels are halved.
• Game begins with five command slots.
• EXP Zero is available as an ability.
• Unlocking the "Blank Points" video requires you to complete the Final Episode.

Trivia

• Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep's NA/EU release was the first time Critical Mode was implemented outside Japan.
• Kingdom Hearts Re:coded allows interchangeable difficulty levels within the Status Matrix