Meant to bridge the gap between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, Chain of Memories begins exactly where the first left off, with Sora, Donald and Goofy wandering through a field. This cinematic, much like several other key cutscenes in the game, was rendered using the graphical engine of the PlayStation 2 iteration, then encoded for the Game Boy Advance. In other words, the cinematics look just as good as the first Kingdom Hearts did, albeit on a much smaller screen.

Despite the differences in the hardware of the Game Boy Advance and the PlayStation 2, Chain of Memories plays remarkably similar to the first. The biggest change would be the addition of cards, which play an integral part in all aspects of the game. And though it may sound scary at first, it's really not that complicated.

In order to progress through a dungeon, you'll need to use a card to build the next room. Depending on the card, this room could be filled with treasures, strong enemies, weak enemies, a save point - it all depends on the card used. These cards, each acquired at the end of a battle, are assigned a numerical value, ranging from 0-9. Each gate has a requirement that limits the cards you can use, usually by dictating that your card must be higher than a certain number. But some gates later in the game require a specific number, which can be problematic if you don't have that card. Thus you're left fighting battle after battle, hoping to get that elusive card. Sometimes it can take five minutes, sometimes it can take two hours. It's definitely frustrating, but this occurs so rarely that it's somewhat bearable.

As for combat, each card has a numerical value ranging from 0 to 9, just like before. If your opponent plays either a card higher than yours, the effects of your card are cancelled. Zero cards will cancel any attack, but are easily countered as they have the lowest numerical value. The trick is to build a deck of high-numbering cards, with a few zeros tossed in for good measure. As long as you keep the deck updated with new cards throughout the game, combat rarely strays from the "tap the attack button until everything is dead" mentality of the first. It's worth noting that your key and combat cards aren't shared, that is, you won't have to worry about losing your strongest attack in order to progress.

Due to the storyline, Sora and crew are only able to visit locations they've previously explored, which means that you'll revisit each and every world from the first game. This also means you won't encounter a large cast of new characters. Since the few original dungeons don't show up until the last quarter of the game, about the same time the story picks up, veterans of the original Kingdom Hearts may find themselves questioning if Chain of Memories is worth fighting through.

The answer is a definite yes. After you finish the game, a second quest is unlocked. Complete with a different main character, this bonus quest features an original storyline that not only explains events from the previous quest, but the first game as well. It also plays a little differently, limiting the player to a set deck instead of a customizable one. The streamlined dungeons, new bosses, remixed battle system and alternate world order create an experience different enough to warrant a playthrough.

Perhaps the nicest aspect of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is that it appeals to both those that played the first and those that've never heard of it. With enjoyable combat and a surprising amount of replay value, it's a must play for action RPG fans on the go.