Games Progress
Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories: I went to Olympus Coliseum, which as it turns out involves a race of sorts. For the most part, it was an easy ride despite me using the Teeming Darkness card by accident. After that, I made it to the Moogle Shop, stocked up on some new cards, then saved my game in the next room before getting treasure in the next room. The only parts that were difficult were the boss fights. Cloud took me a few tries, and I learnt that Genie is useless against him, though Sleights are a great option against him.

Hades wiped me out the first time because I wasn't fully healed. The second was a tense fight where I ended up reduced to a single Olympia and Cure card, forcing me to reload every so often. Fortunately Jafar's card proved to be vital in ensuring that I could make the most of my single Olympia, ensuring that I won. Hades's boss card seems useful, but I'll probably end up needing it later down the road. Cloud's card is also nice but I don't have room for it in my deck, unless I consider creating a separate folder for enemy and boss encounters.

After that, I think that I'll be fighting Hercules during the endgame (unless we're not revisiting locations this game). Axel seems to have taught me well considering that I'm expecting another fight. Larxene is introduced but it seems that I'm not fighting her just yet.

… Halloween costumes not in GBA version…

… also had no Hercules fight… would be nice if ReCOM has it…

… Teeming Darkness and more EXP… experience points will be needed…

… Charlie only ever used Trinity Limit Alright when unlocked… interesting to see how play styles vary…

Rawr :2
It looked lifeless and empty?

I blame the Heartless for that.
I had an easy time with them, though this was on the GBA version so I dunno how different it is between games--
Yeah, they're no flower dragon. :3

But seriously, Creeper Plants are a nuisance even if they can't walk around.

Along with the Crescendo (or Loudmouth) and the Tornado Step, those are the only new Heartless that debuted in KHCOM.
… ha.
Those Gimmick Cards sure like to be a nuisance when they decide not to show up.

I'm warning you right now that Trickmaster ain't any easier in Re:coded. Like. You don't even get to stay in one room.

Wonderland in Kingdom Hearts feels more like a cardboard diorama than an actual world, and I'm not sure if that's by design or not.

The first two waves of Card Soldiers aren't too bad, but I do recall having trouble with the last two waves. Then again, I may've been underleveled so that probably was the issue, though I still won anyway.

Creeper Plants.. I did not like them in Halloween Town and I do not like them in Wonderland. It's frustrating when you use a card and they're all like "Nope, you're not use gonna use your card", so you're stuck using Sleights against them.

The Mickey Mouse card? So far, that card has healed me, gotten rid of the acid surrounding the Parasite Cage and brought back the table and chair during the Trickmaster fight. I wonder what it'll do in future battles.

I fought Trickmaster in Re:Coded long before I played Re:Chain of Memories and he seemed to be easier there, probably because that fight is a rail shooter and I was playing in on the normal difficulty, long before I started choosing to play the KH games on the hardest difficulty.

Guessing you didn't get the green Hidden Mickey card during some of the boss battles, then.

Guard Armor, Trickmaster, Jafar, Parasite Cage, Oogie Boogie, Ursula, Dragon Maleficent, and Darkside all have Gimmick Cards in their battles.

That's exactly what I mean by "Mickey Mouse card". I didn't get it during the Guard Armour or Jafar fights, and declined to use it during the Oogie Boogie fight because I thought that it initially worked like Mickey Mouse in Kingdom Hearts 2. I know that it causes the table and chair to reappear during the Trickmaster fight and drains the acid completely in the Parasite Cage fight, because I used the green card during those fights. I haven't fought Ursula, Maleficient Dragon or Darkside yet but thanks for the heads up.

… armor falls apart…

… Jafar platforms rise to maximum height…

… lowers OB's gate…

…

…

… Critical Mode Mirage Arena in BBSFM… sounds fun…

Games Progress
Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories: I decided to do some level grinding (as it turns out, the Bottomless Darkness room wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be), and gained a level then did a few attempts against Larxene and won. After the cutscenes, I decide to go to Hollow Bastion. I gained a few levels and was around Lv.31 by the time I got to Dragon Maleficent. The worst part of the fight is her flames, but overall the fight is far easier than the one in Kingdom Hearts, because you can easily interrupt most of her attacks with Card Break and the Hidden Mickey card also gives you a platform to escape her flames and time to reload your deck.

Dragon Maleficent's card is definitely one of the best, and I'm glad I got it first. After this, I forgot to save, got ambushed by Riku Replica and beat him on my first try. After that I saved my game, then I went to Alantica, gained a few more levels and defeated Ursula after a few tries. Her fight is also far easier than her original fight, mainly because I'm not expected to deal with underwater controls or have to move constantly. Also Dragon Maleficent's card was a huge help in shredding through her HP. After that, another ambush from Riku Replica. I was nearly a goner in that fight, but I managed to defeat him anyway.

My next stop was Neverland, far easier and shorter than the other places. Captain Hook was surprisingly challenging though, and I got lucky that he ended up defeated by his own barrels after several failed attempts. Unlike Dragon Maleficient and Ursula, he can use sleights, effectively forcing me to brute force him with sleights to run down most of his HP, then resorting to using a healing card and occasionally striking him with a keyblade card before he got barreled. Fortunately no ambushes this time. After that, it'll be off to the 100 Arce Woods.