Why is this version more popular?

[Space Dust]

I've always wanted to get into Kingdom Hearts. I was thinking of starting with (what I thought) was the newest game, 3, but this one seems much more popular.

Why is that?

[J.P.]

Most games in one package, containing the most beloved games in the series etc.

[Vakuda]

Big appeal of kingdom hearts is becoming emotionally invested in the characters

Starting from the beginning helps with that

[Takfloyd]

It's a single story throughout all the games, so you're supposed to start with the first one.

Most fans also prefer 1 and 2 to 3, but that's just because of nostalgia.

[LazyTigerLLL]

ppl want to play the game from the beginning to understand the story.

[Sammich]

This particular bundle has the most bang for your buck. Four solid games loaded with 2000s nostalgia. Also, people like to start from the beginning.

[Boyfriend 1]

Starting with 3 is fine if you want to be somewhat confused on story and characters. KH I feel is pretty notorious for having a complicated story, that honestly only gets more confusing when you skip certain games. Especially with certain story beats in 3, you'll be asking yourself, "Who is this character, and how are they connected to the others?", or, "Why is character A interacting with character B in this way?"

If you don't really care much about story though, starting with KH3 is fine, even if it isn't the best feeling game in the series. KH 2 takes the cake in that department :)

[Drake Platinum THE WORLD]

Its a story series. On top of that one of the most confusing ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ series of all time. Makes metal gear storyline feel simple. Do not start on 3. Either you do release order or chronological order but don't just jump into 3.

[Babylon Came and WENT]

1.5-2.5 mix has a good chunk of the series. This is THE game to start on if you're trying to get into the series.

[Pabbles]

I haven't touched 3 yet (no PS4), but from what I know up to DDD, the story is super dense and convoluted. I'm not sure it's really deep, but there is a lot of stuff and people to keep track of. Even going from 1 to 2 is no good because the GBA card/action game they released in-between was actually important. Like "there's a bunch of characters in 2 who weren't in 1 but act as they already have been introduced" important. If you're a Marvel guy, imagine watching Captain America 3 right after Captain America 2. This is what I did. Didn't care to watch the Utron thing. The Utron thing's fallout was all over Captain America 3. This is what turned me off the Marvel train 5 years before everyone else. But not from the emotional J-Pop-fueled Final Fantasy Disney mashup. Go figure.

Anyway. This is one you are strongly recommended to start from the start. And don't skip the card games, either

As to why this one is more popular right now? I guess I'm not the only one who hasn't touched the series for half a decade, and since this is Steam Day 1, there's probably a bunch of us planning to work our way back up

[Mustachious]

1.5/2.5 has more games in it than the other packs, you get 4 really great games for the same price. Also, like said, the games are meant to be played in order to get the whole story. The story barely makes sense anyway, so starting with 3 it will be so confusing. A lot of people love the first few games the most, and a lot of people are looking to start from the beginning, so this one is the most popular for now.

[Gokuzu]

I've created a guide with the correct order to follow, so you can enjoy all the games without worrying about missing anything:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3267063835