Kingdom Hearts 3D
Encyclopedia
, is an upcoming game developed and published by Square Enix
exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS
, revealed at E3 2010
. It is being created by the same development team that worked on Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
, currently part of Square Enix's 1st Production Department. The game will be an entirely new chapter and the seventh installment in the Kingdom Hearts
series. Tetsuya Nomura stated in an interview that the 3D in the title is a shorter version of Dream Drop Distance, and the two are interchangeable in the title.
, and any gameplay elements that couldn't be used in Final Fantasy Versus XIII will be used in Dream Drop Distance. The two playable characters are Sora and Riku, and control of both characters will rotate throughout the game. A new gauge called the "Drop Gauge" was featured in the game's first trailer, which Nomura stated would be easier to understand when playing it.
The game sees the return of the "Command Deck" system which was introduced in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and re-utilized in Re:coded. One of the key elements of the game is the "free-flow" mechanic, allowing the player to utilize the surroundings for movement and attacking with the execution of the Y button. The game's most significant feature is the ability to hunt and collect Dream Eaters, with each individual Dream Eater companion providing Sora and Riku access to varying abilities, attacks, and co-operative actions. Many elements of the game will utilize the touch screen, such as throwing enemies or chaining various attacks. The game is also set to have interactive cut-scenes and events.
It is also confirmed that the game will be compatible with the Nintendo 3DS Expansion Slide Pad. The game will also come with AR
functionality, allowing players to play with the Dream Eaters that they can catch.
Tetsuya Nomura has stated that the game's theme will be about trust and friendship. The plot will have connections to Kingdom Hearts coded, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days, and Tetsuya Nomura has said that like Birth by Sleep, the story will be on par with that of a numbered title. The setting of Dream Drop Distance will again be spread across several worlds; several original worlds will return, such as Traverse Town and Destiny Islands, but since the game is mostly to take place in a "world submerged in sleep", all the Disney-based worlds will be brand new, two of which have been confirmed to be based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame
and Pinocchio
. According to an interview, Nomura said the game will take part, at least partially, on the Mark of Mastery and has stated that there will be new clothing for Sora and Riku. The game's story will also be connected to Kingdom Hearts III
, which has yet to begin development.
and Riku (seen in the first trailer in their attire from the first game, and in later trailers in their clothes from the second game
and finally in new outfits) as the two main characters of the game. It is set after the events of the epilogue of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, when Yen Sid asks Mickey to bring the two to him to put them through the Mark of Mastery Exam and make them into true Keyblade Masters in response to Master Xehanort's eventual return, due to the defeat of "Ansem" and Xemnas in the past. "Ansem" and Xemnas also appear in the game's trailer, facing Riku and Sora respectively. Neku
, from the Nintendo DS game The World Ends with You, will be making a cameo appearance. This marks the first time that a non-Final Fantasy or non-Disney character has appeared in the series.
The game introduces a new type of both enemy and ally called Dream Eaters, which come in two varieties: "Nightmares", which eat good dreams and create nightmares, and "Spirits", which eat nightmares create good dreams, and also act as Sora and Riku's party members. Sora's confirmed party members so far are the Wonder Meow (a cat-like Dream Eater), and Kuma Panda (a panda-like Dream Eater). Riku's party members are the Bat Bat (a bat-like Dream Eater) and the Goat Horn ( a Ram/stag-like Dream Eater).
as "Kingdom Hearts 3D" for the Nintendo 3DS, where it appeared as a playable demo. It was formally unveiled though at the Square Enix 1st Production Department Premier event at the Toho Cinemas in Tokyo, Japan on January 18, 2011 with its first trailer along with its official name. Tetsuya Nomura, the creator of the series, has also emphasized the mystery element of the story, vaguely stating that the game will "tear down past elements" and that players should expect the unexpected. He has confirmed that the theme of the game is trust. In an issue of Game Informer
, it was revealed that the game was expected to make an appearance at E3 2011, where a new trailer was to be shown. However, these claims proved to be false when no such trailer was presented and the game received no mention whatsoever at Nintendo's Press Conference. Following this, Square Enix executives confirmed that there would be no Kingdom Hearts news at E3 2011 and indicated that the game's next trailer would be showcased at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show.
In July 2011, a Famitsu article included a interview with Nomura, where he stated that development was 40-50% finished, with voice recording to begin soon. Nomura also said that the game will have a secret movie like other major installments, and have what he calls a "shocking ending". A new playable demo would also feature two new enigmatic party members along with a new enemy different to the Heartless, Nobodies and Unversed seen in previous games.
A Dengeki issue featured another interview with Nomura, where he confirmed that the game would indeed be shown, in both trailer and playable demo form, at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show. He also stated that his top priority in the Kingdom Hearts series is to finish development of the game for an early 2012 release, while simultaneously considering what he called a "HD Technical Test" in order to commemorate the series' tenth anniversary and to entice players new to the series.
The game's showing at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show confirmed a Spring 2012 release for Japan, as well as the first showing of Xehanort, Braig, Even, Ienzo, Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Neku Sakuraba
from The World Ends with You and the game's new generic enemy, the Dream Eaters, who are described by Nomura as "goblins who consume sleep".
The September 2011 issue of Famitsu covered some of the details of the game revealed at the Tokyo Game Show. Nomura commented that the game was 60-70% finished and will introduce the previously-unseen 4th and 5th districts of Traverse Town, where the infamous "Reaper's Game" will take place between Sora and Neku. Nomura also confirmed that the game will feature numerous flashback scenes told from Xehanort's point of view, among them the opening scene, much like the case of The Godfather Part II
.
In November 2011, the official website of Jump Festa
revealed that the game will appear in both trailer and playable demo form at Jump Festa 2012.
's 25 most wanted list in October 2011.
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
, revealed at E3 2010
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010, commonly known as E3 2010, was the 16th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. The event took place on June 14–17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software...
. It is being created by the same development team that worked on Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix and Disney for the PlayStation Portable, serving as the sixth installment in the Kingdom Hearts series. The game was released on UMD in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010 and in Europe on September...
, currently part of Square Enix's 1st Production Department. The game will be an entirely new chapter and the seventh installment in the Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney...
series. Tetsuya Nomura stated in an interview that the 3D in the title is a shorter version of Dream Drop Distance, and the two are interchangeable in the title.
Gameplay
The gameplay from Dream Drop Distance is meant to be similar to Final Fantasy Versus XIIIFinal Fantasy Versus XIII
is an upcoming action role-playing game published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and currently being developed by the company's 1st Production Department. Alongside Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2, and Final Fantasy Type-0, the game is a part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final...
, and any gameplay elements that couldn't be used in Final Fantasy Versus XIII will be used in Dream Drop Distance. The two playable characters are Sora and Riku, and control of both characters will rotate throughout the game. A new gauge called the "Drop Gauge" was featured in the game's first trailer, which Nomura stated would be easier to understand when playing it.
The game sees the return of the "Command Deck" system which was introduced in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and re-utilized in Re:coded. One of the key elements of the game is the "free-flow" mechanic, allowing the player to utilize the surroundings for movement and attacking with the execution of the Y button. The game's most significant feature is the ability to hunt and collect Dream Eaters, with each individual Dream Eater companion providing Sora and Riku access to varying abilities, attacks, and co-operative actions. Many elements of the game will utilize the touch screen, such as throwing enemies or chaining various attacks. The game is also set to have interactive cut-scenes and events.
It is also confirmed that the game will be compatible with the Nintendo 3DS Expansion Slide Pad. The game will also come with AR
Augmented reality
Augmented reality is a live, direct or indirect, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. It is related to a more general concept called mediated reality, in which a view of reality is...
functionality, allowing players to play with the Dream Eaters that they can catch.
Setting
Following the destruction of "Ansem" and Xemnas at the hands of Sora and Riku, Xehanort is revived. In response to the inevitable return of Master Xehanort, Yen Sid decides to put Sora and Riku through the Mark of Mastery Exam in order to become full-fledged Keyblade Masters and counter Master Xehanort.Tetsuya Nomura has stated that the game's theme will be about trust and friendship. The plot will have connections to Kingdom Hearts coded, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days, and Tetsuya Nomura has said that like Birth by Sleep, the story will be on par with that of a numbered title. The setting of Dream Drop Distance will again be spread across several worlds; several original worlds will return, such as Traverse Town and Destiny Islands, but since the game is mostly to take place in a "world submerged in sleep", all the Disney-based worlds will be brand new, two of which have been confirmed to be based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1996 American animated drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released to theaters on June 21, 1996 by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fourth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, the film is inspired by Victor Hugo's novel of...
and Pinocchio
Pinocchio (1940 film)
Pinocchio is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the story The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It is the second film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, and it was made after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was released to theaters by...
. According to an interview, Nomura said the game will take part, at least partially, on the Mark of Mastery and has stated that there will be new clothing for Sora and Riku. The game's story will also be connected to Kingdom Hearts III
Kingdom Hearts III
Kingdom Hearts III is an upcoming video game of unknown release and platform. It has been the subject of much rumour and speculation, though the project has yet to begin development, due to series producer Tetsuya Nomura's focus on Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance and the upcoming Final...
, which has yet to begin development.
Characters
The game features SoraSora (Kingdom Hearts)
is a fictional character and the main protagonist of Square Enix's best-selling Kingdom Hearts series. Introduced in the series' first game in 2002, Sora is a cheerful teenager who originates from Destiny Islands and has been best friends with Riku and Kairi since early childhood. When they plan to...
and Riku (seen in the first trailer in their attire from the first game, and in later trailers in their clothes from the second game
Kingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
and finally in new outfits) as the two main characters of the game. It is set after the events of the epilogue of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, when Yen Sid asks Mickey to bring the two to him to put them through the Mark of Mastery Exam and make them into true Keyblade Masters in response to Master Xehanort's eventual return, due to the defeat of "Ansem" and Xemnas in the past. "Ansem" and Xemnas also appear in the game's trailer, facing Riku and Sora respectively. Neku
Neku Sakuraba
is a fictional character in the Nintendo DS video game The World Ends with You. He is an antisocial teenage boy who claims he does not "get" people, and rarely interacts with others. Under mysterious circumstances, he finds himself participating in the Reaper Game and is forced to fight for his...
, from the Nintendo DS game The World Ends with You, will be making a cameo appearance. This marks the first time that a non-Final Fantasy or non-Disney character has appeared in the series.
The game introduces a new type of both enemy and ally called Dream Eaters, which come in two varieties: "Nightmares", which eat good dreams and create nightmares, and "Spirits", which eat nightmares create good dreams, and also act as Sora and Riku's party members. Sora's confirmed party members so far are the Wonder Meow (a cat-like Dream Eater), and Kuma Panda (a panda-like Dream Eater). Riku's party members are the Bat Bat (a bat-like Dream Eater) and the Goat Horn ( a Ram/stag-like Dream Eater).
Development
The game was announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010, commonly known as E3 2010, was the 16th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. The event took place on June 14–17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software...
as "Kingdom Hearts 3D" for the Nintendo 3DS, where it appeared as a playable demo. It was formally unveiled though at the Square Enix 1st Production Department Premier event at the Toho Cinemas in Tokyo, Japan on January 18, 2011 with its first trailer along with its official name. Tetsuya Nomura, the creator of the series, has also emphasized the mystery element of the story, vaguely stating that the game will "tear down past elements" and that players should expect the unexpected. He has confirmed that the theme of the game is trust. In an issue of Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
, it was revealed that the game was expected to make an appearance at E3 2011, where a new trailer was to be shown. However, these claims proved to be false when no such trailer was presented and the game received no mention whatsoever at Nintendo's Press Conference. Following this, Square Enix executives confirmed that there would be no Kingdom Hearts news at E3 2011 and indicated that the game's next trailer would be showcased at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show.
In July 2011, a Famitsu article included a interview with Nomura, where he stated that development was 40-50% finished, with voice recording to begin soon. Nomura also said that the game will have a secret movie like other major installments, and have what he calls a "shocking ending". A new playable demo would also feature two new enigmatic party members along with a new enemy different to the Heartless, Nobodies and Unversed seen in previous games.
A Dengeki issue featured another interview with Nomura, where he confirmed that the game would indeed be shown, in both trailer and playable demo form, at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show. He also stated that his top priority in the Kingdom Hearts series is to finish development of the game for an early 2012 release, while simultaneously considering what he called a "HD Technical Test" in order to commemorate the series' tenth anniversary and to entice players new to the series.
The game's showing at the 2011 Tokyo Game Show confirmed a Spring 2012 release for Japan, as well as the first showing of Xehanort, Braig, Even, Ienzo, Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Neku Sakuraba
Neku Sakuraba
is a fictional character in the Nintendo DS video game The World Ends with You. He is an antisocial teenage boy who claims he does not "get" people, and rarely interacts with others. Under mysterious circumstances, he finds himself participating in the Reaper Game and is forced to fight for his...
from The World Ends with You and the game's new generic enemy, the Dream Eaters, who are described by Nomura as "goblins who consume sleep".
The September 2011 issue of Famitsu covered some of the details of the game revealed at the Tokyo Game Show. Nomura commented that the game was 60-70% finished and will introduce the previously-unseen 4th and 5th districts of Traverse Town, where the infamous "Reaper's Game" will take place between Sora and Neku. Nomura also confirmed that the game will feature numerous flashback scenes told from Xehanort's point of view, among them the opening scene, much like the case of The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II is a 1974 American gangster film directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a script co-written with Mario Puzo. The film is both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather, chronicling the story of the Corleone family following the events of the first film while also depicting the...
.
In November 2011, the official website of Jump Festa
Jump Festa
is an annual party or exposition in Japan, all about anime and manga, sponsored by Shueisha, creators of the various Jump anthologies. New movies, manga, games, and merchandise are introduced during this event...
revealed that the game will appear in both trailer and playable demo form at Jump Festa 2012.
Reception
While no reviews are out at this time, the Tokyo Game Show did have a playable demo, which earned the game top honors as "Best 3DS RPG" in RPG Land's Tokyo Game Show Awards, following a hands-on report that praised the boss fights. RPG Site also had good things to say in its impression, calling the demo bits "refereshing." Reception to the game's released trailers, demos and general information has been generally positive, and the game is ranked among FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
's 25 most wanted list in October 2011.
External links
- Official website (in Japanese)