In Kingdom Hearts 1, there are a ton of different items to find and collect. You will need to buy up potions, elixirs, tents, and all sorts of other things. Some items can only be found in one location, from one enemy or vendor.

One of the more annoying items to get in KH1 is the Lightning Stones. They are only available from the KH Heartless Black Ballade, an enemy that not only shows up in one location, but it also forces you to play a challenging version of the cup-and-ball game.

A collage of Sora alongside cutscenes from different Kingdom Hearts games: Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts 1, 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts 3.
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Where to Go to Get Lightning Stones in KH1

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In order for you to get the ability to get Lightning Stones, you need to be in the Deep Jungle world. After the selfless hero Sora saves the guerrillas from the Heartless in this area, it will unlock the ability for the Black Ballade to spawn. In order to get there, head to the Camp fast travel save point then head into the Bamboo Thicket. Now that the Black Ballade is unlocked, you just need to complete its cup-and-ball game. The Heartless will split into five versions of itself, then one will hop up. Keep your eye on the one that hopped up as they shuffle themselves around, then choose that one when they all stop.

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Tricks to Winning the Black Ballade's Game in Kingdom Hearts 1

Sora, Donald, and Goofy standing around a bunch of heartless

Regardless of if you choose easy, normal, or Proud mode in Kingdom Hearts 1, the speed of this game will remain the same. There are a handful of methods you can use to make it a little bit easier on yourself.

  • Use the Select button in Kingdom Hearts 1 to go into first-person view to keep Donald and Goofy from blocking your view.
  • A user on Reddit recommended that you use a smartphone to record the Black Ballade moving around, then play back the video at half speed to help you see where the real one goes.
  • Equip Lucky Strike, and you can get Lightning Stones during every single one of the rounds. If you are only able to get the first two speeds correct, you can use Lucky Strike to up your chances of getting all the Stones you need.
  • If you mess up enough times, the Heartless will despawn. In order to get him to respawn, you will need to leave the whole area and come back.
  • This game doesn't change between Kingdom Hearts 1 and Kingdom Hearts 1 Final Remix.
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Kingdom Hearts
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Released
September 17, 2002
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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ESRB
E for Everyone: Violence
Developer(s)
Square Enix
Publisher(s)
Square Enix
Franchise
Kingdom Hearts
Platform(s)
PS2
Genre(s)
Action RPG