Operation Backlog Completion 2026

Let’s Talk About the EXTENDED Kingdom Hearts IV Coco World Trailer

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Aug 172026
 

After the surprise Kingdom Hearts IV trailer released Friday evening, which revealed the Coco world, I wondered if they would announce more during the Kingdom Hearts panel the next day.

Well, they didn’t reveal another world… but they did have something to share.

It turns out that trailer was the shortened version. During the panel, they followed up by showing the full nearly 4-minute version, and it’s even more exciting.

Note: The trailer and my discussion of it will touch on some Kingdom Hearts 3 spoilers, so if you haven’t played Kingdom Hearts 3 yet, continue on at your own risk!

The extended version starts out the same with the introduction to the Coco world, but then we get to see a longer scene with Sora, Strelitzia, and the character now confirmed to be Vali. After a slightly longer look at gameplay in the Coco world, it then goes to an extended version of the scene with Mickey… and reveals gameplay.

Yes, Kingdom Hearts IV has sections where you will play as Mickey exploring the pages of a book, and it looks like this could be a really inventive part of the game. On top of that, we also see a gameplay section where the player is controlling Donald and Goofy, seemingly able to switch between them. I never counted on these characters getting their own playable sections.

Later on in the trailer, there’s also a new scene of Young Xehanort (although it could be Master Xehanort with his younger self’s appearance) being confronted by a hooded figure who is clearly Luxu/Xigbar. Keeping his face hidden feels suspicious, but it could just be for in-universe reasons.

Finally, Riku’s arrival in Quadratum is revealed at the very end.

This was an exciting trailer, and arguably more exciting was their adamancy that Kingdom Hearts IV will not be delayed past its late 2027 release window. Nomura said outright it will not be delayed, and co-director Tai Yasue doubled down on it by saying it’s not 80% or 90% but “a 100% thing.” That’s a lot of confidence, so it’s good to hear.

Now, I have a decision to make… will I continue to watch Kingdom Hearts IV trailers despite Square Enix’s tendency to include spoilers I’d rather not see ahead of time, or is this the point where I decide I’ve seen enough and stop watching? I’ll need to decide.

What are your thoughts on the full Kingdom Hearts IV trailer?

(And in sad news, it was revealed today that Hayden Panettiere tragically passed away. Since she was the original voice of Kairi, that’s cast a somber shadow over the otherwise upbeat Kingdom Hearts news.)

Coco World Confirmed for Kingdom Hearts IV (and a 2027 Release Window is Confirmed)

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Aug 152026
 

I held off on my blog post earlier today to see if we’d get Kingdom Hearts IV news out of D23… and we did!

The Kingdom Hearts panel hasn’t even happened yet, but there was a Disney panel tonight that fans hoped there might be some news at.

Indeed, the first Disney world for Kingdom Hearts IV was officially revealed!

It’s Coco, which I haven’t seen (actually, considering I haven’t watched most newer Disney movies, this might increasingly become a problem), and it looks beautiful in the trailer.

The trailer also confirms a late 2027 release window, so that’s exciting!

It’s a great trailer, although Sora’s character model looks a little jarring in the Coco world to me.

Anyway, I’m especially intrigued by the end of the trailer and Sora’s reaction. There’s a lot to pore over here, and that’s not even the end of it. A Kingdom Hearts anime was also announced, although it’s not clear so far what it will focus on. (Some people are hoping it might cover the Missing Link story.)

And who knows? We might still get more news tomorrow. Either way, it’s an exciting time!

What are your thoughts on the new Kingdom Hearts trailer?

Pocket Card Jockey: Ride-On! is Just as Addictive as the Original

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Aug 122026
 

Why did it take me so long to write about Pocket Card Jockey: Ride-On?

Actually, I know why. It’s because my Pocket Card Jockey playthrough isn’t “finished” yet.

I played it obsessively when it came out and considered writing this review (same post title and all), but I decided to wait until I had finished the game. Then I took a break from it and forgot.

But recently I ended up playing it again on a whim, and I found myself just as addicted as I was before.

Pocket Card Jockey is one of those weird genre mash-ups that sounds like a fake game when you describe it. It’s a horse-racing game from Game Freak in which you play solitaire to help your horse win each race.

Strange combination? Yes. Insanely addicting? Also yes.

I was hooked on the original when it came out for the 3DS, and when the Apple Arcade remake finally came to the Switch, I was thrilled. Pocket Card Jockey: Ride-On! is largely the same as the original, with some differences like 3D graphics for the races and some UI changes. (Some of the dialogue must also be new, since I saw, for example, an Elden Ring reference.)

The “story” barely exists and is mainly an excuse for you to race horses, but the nearly nonsensical dialogue in between races is entertaining to read nevertheless as you learn about the ridiculous lives of the horses’ owners.

You’ll try to strategically line up your horse to get a good round of cards, play solitaire, run races, and eventually breed your horses to get horses with better stats and repeat the process all over again in pursuit of those race trophies. It’s a simple gameplay loop, but it’s so easy to keep telling yourself you’ll just do one more race.

Pocket Card Jockey: Ride-On! has once again been put on the backburner in favor of other games for me, but I know when I pick it up again, I’ll be just as obsessed as I was this time.

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