Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance or Kingdom Hearts 3D, 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.

Gameplay
The gameplay from Dream Drop Distance is meant to be similar to Final Fantasy Versus XIII, 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 Circle Pad Pro.

Setting
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, Twilight Town, Radiant Garden, The World That Never Was 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, some of which have been confirmed to be based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pinocchio, Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers, Fantasia and Tron: Legacy; Nomura has said that there will be seven worlds in the World of Sleep, with seven announced already, them being Traverse Town, The World That Never Was, La Cité des Cloches, Prankster's Paradise, Country of the Musketeers, Symphony of Sorcery and The Grid. 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.

Characters
The game features Sora and Riku (seen in the first trailer in their attire from the first game, and in later trailers in their 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. Despite apparently having been destroyed, "Ansem" and Xemnas are set to return, along with a young Master Xehanort, Vanitas, Maleficent and Pete. Several of Ansem's apprentices, revived following the destruction of their Nobodies, are also slated to return. Notably, Neku Sakuraba, Joshua, Shiki, Beat and Rhyme from the game The World Ends with You will be making cameo appearances, marking the first time that non-Final Fantasy or non-Disney characters have appeared in the series (though they are property of Square-Enix and designed by Tetsuya Nomura).

Like previous games, Dream Drop Distance will feature several Disney characters. The most notable of all is Mickey, who has been seen in at least three different incarnations. Donald and Goofy are set to appear as well. Characters hailing from their respective worlds will likely remain in their worlds and play a small role in the main story. Maleficent and Pete are set to reprise their roles as major villains. As the Disney worlds featured in the game are said to be submerged in sleep, it is unknown if any Disney characters will serve as temporary party members. Unlike the other major installments, which featured an extensive Final Fantasy cast, only a single Moogle has been confirmed to appear from the franchise.

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 and 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 the 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).

Story
In the Radiant Garden, Braig wanders into the computer room of Hollow Bastion and finds Even and Ienzo lying unconscious on the floor with specks of darkness emanating from them. The only other one present in the room is Terra-Xehanort, who Braig questions. Terra-Xehanort responds by summoning Master Xehanort's Keyblade and stabbing Braig through the chest with it, extracting his heart. As Braig loses consciousness, Terra-Xehanort declares that he is now "Ansem".

Eleven years later, Yen Sid puts Sora and Riku through a Mark of Mastery exam in order for them to become full-fledged Keyblade Masters and counter the coming return of Master Xehanort. As part of this trial, the two are sent to several worlds that have been restored from the Heartless' attack following the defeat of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, but have gone into a state of "deep sleep" that disconnects them from the other worlds. These worlds are plagued by Dream Eaters—creatures born from darkness that seek out the sleeping worlds' Keyholes. Sora and Riku's given task is to reawaken the sleeping worlds by unlocking the seven Keyholes they find there and then return to the Realm of Light, after which they will be deemed Keyblade Masters. The two travel through the sleeping worlds independently from each other after being separated at the beginning of the exam, and recruit benevolent "Spirit" Dream Eaters to aid them in finding the Keyholes and battling the malevolent "Nightmare" Dream Eaters that try to destroy the worlds.

Meanwhile, back in the Radiant Garden, Lea awakens and realizes that he has been restored to his original form following the destruction of his Nobody, Axel. He finds that his fellow members, Dilan, Even, Aeleus and Ienzo, have also been revived, but after searching the world, Lea fails to find any of the other revived members. Ienzo explains that when a Heartless and Nobody of a specific person are destroyed, they return to the world where they became the Heartless and Nobody in the first place, unless their world was destroyed. Lea, however, remembers that Braig and Isa were in Radiant Garden when they became Xigbar and Saïx, and ventures out to search for them when they fail to turn up.

Mickey, Donald and Goofy, while overseeing the exam with Yen Sid, are delivered a note by Diablo, Maleficent's pet raven, along with the crown of Queen Minnie. The three rush back to Disney Castle via the Gummi Ship and confront Maleficent and Pete in the castle library, where they are holding Minnie hostage. Maleficent tells them about her first encounter with Master Xehanort and demands access to the Data Worlds, but Mickey refuses, so Maleficent attacks, but a corridor of darkness appears and the Eternal Flames burst through, one blocking Maleficent's attack and the other distracting Pete long enough to lose hold of Minnie. Their leverage gone, Maleficent and Pete leave, while out of the corridor of darkness steps Lea himself, who accompanies them back to the Mysterious Tower and makes a shocking request from Yen Sid.

Back in the Dreaming Realm, Sora and Riku cross paths with the resurrected Ansem and Xemnas, as well as a mysterious young man in a Black Coat with ties to Master Xehanort, all of whom gloat them at every chance. Eventually, once all the seven keyholes are sealed, Sora finds himself in The World That Never Was instead of the Realm of Light. He encounters Xigbar and the young man once again. Trapped in an illusion, Sora discovers that the young man is actually an alternate timeline version of Master Xehanort in his youth, who was paid a visit by the disembodied Ansem via time travel. Young Xehanort thus gained the ability to travel through time and has been going to different periods of time to gather various incarnations of Xehanort. Sora desperately tries to reach the Castle, but is plagued with illusions of Roxas, Xion, Terra, Aqua and Ventus, leaving his heart more vulnerable.

Eventually, he encounters both Xemnas and Xigbar, who go on to explain that Young Xehanort has been gathering several different incarnations of Xehanort in order to create a new Organization XIII, the members so far being Master Xehanort, Young Xehanort, Ansem, Xemnas and Xigbar. This was the original plan for the first Organization XIII, when Master Xehanort had planned to place a fragment of his own heart inside each of the Nobodies, who were deceived into thinking they lacked hearts in order to ensure their loyalty to Xemnas, but their unforeseen independence, which was demonstrated mostly by Axel and Roxas, made his plan impossible to realize. Refusing to become one of Master Xehanort's vessels, Sora battles Xemnas. Though he manages to win, his heart is damaged and he falls into a comatose state, whereupon he is taken to the Castle by Young Xehanort. Sora thus falls into the darkness, but his broken heart is enveloped by Ventus's Keyblade Armor.

Riku eventually arrives in the Castle, where he find's Sora's comatose body floating within a force field. After fighting a mysterious enemy born from Sora's darkness, Ansem drags Riku into darkness. He then explains that Riku had been fighting in Sora's dreams all along, acting as a Dream Eater by destroying the Nightmares within. Ansem, seeing that Riku has accepted his darkness, asks that they join forces. Riku explains that he had initially been doubtful of whether he could rightfully wield the Keyblade after seeing Xehanort lose his own upon becoming a Heartless. Remembering a conversation he had as a child that spurred his desire to see other worlds, Riku accepts that he can hold darkness in his heart and still be worthy of becoming a Keyblade Master; however, he still refuses to join forces with Ansem. After the two fight, Riku is transported out of Sora's dreams into the true Sleeping Worlds, where he continues to look for Sora.

Riku locates Sora in the throne room, where he is forced to fight Young Xehanort. Though he manages to defeat him and force him back, Master Xehanort is revived just as Mickey arrives on the scene. Master Xehanort explains his past endeavors to Mickey and Riku, his failed attempt to create the χ-blade, and his intention of creating the new Organization XIII in order to form thirteen darknesses to clash against seven lights, which will recreate the χ-blade and restart the Keyblade War. With Ansem and Xemnas restraining Riku and Mickey, Master Xehanort prepares to place a fragment of his heart inside Sora, but Lea arrives on the scene and protects Sora. Xigbar retaliates by setting one of the Organization's members on Lea, who turns out to be Saïx himself. Ansem summons his Guardian, but Donald and Goofy arrive via Mickey's old Star Shard and defeat it. With his plans temporarily derailed, Master Xehanort retreats with his Organization but swears revenge.

Sora's comatose body is brought back to Yen Sid's tower, where Riku enters his body and restores his heart by gathering its broken pieces and releasing Sora from Ventus's Keyblade Armor, now possessed by a Nightmare. After Sora reawakens, only Riku is declared a Keyblade Master by Yen Sid. Undaunted by his failure, Sora embarks on a new journey by himself to train, while Lea shocks everybody present by summoning his own Keyblade: his request from Yen Sid was to become a Keyblade wielder, and he has only just mastered summoning it.

Sora later returns to Traverse Town, where he finds himself alone, but is immediately reunited with all of his Dream Eater Spirit friends. In the Chamber of Waking inside Castle Oblivion, Ventus, while still asleep, moves slightly.

Development
The game was announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010 as "Kingdom Hearts 3D Demo" for the Nintendo 3DS. 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.

In November 2011, the official website of Jump Festa revealed that the game would appear in both trailer and playable demo form at Jump Festa 2012. The game's official release date was given as March 2012. In December 2011, the official website launched and two Jump Festa trailers were released (a short version and long version). On February 14, 2012 a Special Trailer of the game premired on the website, as a reminder of series 10th anniversary and the "Kingdom Hearts 10th Anniversary Box".

Release
In January 2012, Square Enix updated the Japanese website of the game with a release date of March 29, 2012 for Japan. Square Enix also officially announced the game for both North America and Europe with their respective websites up stating localized trailers would soon be available. The game will also be included within the "Kingdom Hearts 10th Anniversary Box" package made in conmemoration of the franchise's 10th anniversary. The box will also include the Nintendo DS games Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded and Dream Drop Distance itself. The release date in Europe is July 20, and for North America will be July 31.

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 "refreshing." Reception to the game's released trailers, demos and general information has been generally positive, and the game is ranked among Famitsu's 25 most wanted list in October 2011.

Square-Enix 1st Department Premiere Trailer
The trailer begins with the final scene of Blank Points, where Riku asks Sora if he has made his mind up and Sora answers "Yes". Yen Sid is then shown ordering Mickey to summon Sora and Riku to him to undertake a Mark of Mastery Exam, as in Reconnect. Kingdom Hearts. The scene then switches to Sora and Riku, in their Kingdom Hearts attire, on the beach of Destiny Islands, wondering if Riku's raft will get them far. Riku is shown in Traverse Town, surrounded by Shadows. He looks up to see multiple Soras raining down from the sky. One lands and prepares to fight the Shadows. Several gameplay videos are then shown.

Sora is seen running through the Bell Tower inside Notre Dame and jumps off the edge, landing in the middle of the Festival of Fools. Riku is shown in the second district of Traverse Town, where he sees Ansem looming above with what appears to be a transparent Xemnas beside him. The same is shown with Sora, only he encounters Xemnas with a transparent Ansem. Sora and Riku prepare to engage Xemnas and Ansem as the game logo ends the trailer.

2011 Tokyo Game Show
The trailer begins with Sora, Riku, Yen Sid, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy inside Yen Sid's tower, where Yen Sid prepares to put Sora and Riku through the Mark of Mastery exam. Sora claims that he is unbeatable without taking it, while Riku wonders if he can wield the Keyblade, due to his past conflict with Darkness. Yen Sid then proceeds with the exam, where he opens the "keyhole of sleep" and if they return he will consider them masters. The scene then changes to Destiny Island where Sora and Riku are in their Kingdom Hearts attire and shift to Sora falling through clouds.

Sora then finds himself in Traverse Town in his new attire. Wondering where Riku is, he calls out for him, but finds Neku instead, who appears to know who Sora is. Gameplay footage is shown, showing Sora and Riku performing acrobatic skills and facing the new enemies known as the Dream Eaters, while Yen Sid's voice explain that while Heartless exist in the world of Darkness, but in a world submerged in sleep, Dream Eaters exist, creatures who consume dreams, and that searching for them will guide them to the key of sleep.

Neku explains to Sora that he has been trapped in the "Reaper's Game" and that he can't afford to lose it. Sora, not knowing what the "Reaper's Game" is, decides to help him out. Riku is shown running through of La Cité des Cloches, where he finds Quasimodo holding an unconscious Esmeralda, asking him where the Dream Eater has gone. Quasimodo replied back telling him that the creature has gone to the rooftop. Riku pursues after the Dream Eater, Quasimodo then offers to fight the beast too. In Traverse Town, Sora asks about Neku's name, but they are then attacked by a group of Wonder Meows. More gameplay videos are shown, with Yen Sid explaining that opening the keyhole of sleep, along with finding new power, the power in sleep will be revealed.

The scene then changes to the computer room of Radiant Garden being seen from Xehanort's point of view. Even and Ienzo are seen on the floor fading away with darkness coming out of their bodies. Braig asked Xehanort what was he thinking and if his memories have returned. Xehanort then by summons Master Xehanort's Keyblade and stabs Braig in the chest with it. The trailer ends with the game logo and a release date for Spring 2012. Neku's and Sora's voice can be heard, with Neku telling Sora that his name is Neku Sakuraba, to which Sora replies, "That's an interesting name," and Neku responds that it's nothing special.

2012 Tokyo Game Show
The trailer begins with Sora, Riku, Yen Sid, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy inside Yen Sid's tower, where Yen Sid prepares to put Sora and Riku through the Mark of Mastery exam. Sora claims that he is unbeatable without taking it, while Riku wonders if he can wield the Keyblade, due to his past conflict with Darkness. Yen Sid then proceeds with the exam, where he opens the "keyhole of sleep" and if they return he will consider them masters. The scene then changes to Destiny Island where Sora and Riku are in their Kingdom Hearts attire and shift to Sora falling through clouds. Sora then finds himself in Traverse Town in his new attire. Wondering where Riku is, he calls out for him, but finds Neku instead, who appears to know who Sora is. Gameplay footage is shown, showing Sora and Riku performing acrobatic skills and facing the new enemies known as the Dream Eaters, while Yen Sid's voice explain that while Heartless exist in the world of Darkness, but in a world submerged in sleep, Dream Eaters exist, creatures who consume dreams, and that searching for them will guide them to the key of sleep. Neku explains to Sora that he has been trapped in the "Reaper's Game" and that he can't afford to lose it. Sora, not knowing what the "Reaper's Game" is, decides to help him out. Riku is shown running through of La Cité des Cloches, where he finds Quasimodo holding an unconscious Esmeralda, asking him where the Dream Eater has gone. Quasimodo replied back telling him that the creature has gone to the rooftop. Riku pursues after the Dream Eater, Quasimodo then offers to fight the beast too. In Traverse Town, Sora asks about Neku's name, but they are then attacked by a group of Wonder Meows. More gameplay videos are shown, with Yen Sid explaining that opening the keyhole of sleep, along with finding new power, the power in sleep will be revealed. The scene then changes to the computer room of Radiant Garden being seen from Xehanort's point of view. Even and Ienzo are seen on the floor fading away with darkness coming out of their bodies. Braig asked Xehanort what was he thinking and if his memories have returned. Xehanort then by summons Master Xehanort's Keyblade and stabs Braig in the chest with it. The trailer ends with the game logo and a release date for Spring 2012. Neku's and Sora's voice can be heard, with Neku telling Sora that his name is Neku Sakuraba, to which Sora replies, "That's an interesting name," and Neku responds that it's nothing special.

Jump Festa 2012
The trailer begins with Yen Sid describing what a powerful man Master Xehanort was, along with saying that his reign of terror is not over yet. Sora and Riku are then seen in different areas of Traverse Town. Maleficent is shown in Disney Castle, speaking with King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy about the Seven Princesses of Heart. The trailer then shows different clips and gameplay footage of Sora's and Riku's adventures as they travel across different worlds and encounter new people, as well as the Dream Eaters. Yen Sid reveals the nature of the worlds and the Dream Eaters: when the worlds were first attacked by the darkness in the original Kingdom Hearts, they were saved by Sora, Donald, and Goofy. However, some were not completely saved, and instead fell into sleep. These sleeping worlds became completely disconnected with the others, so even Heartless cannot enter them. However, darkness in the sleeping worlds instead manifests as the Dream Eaters. Like the Heartless, Dream Eaters also search for the Keyholes of the worlds. The trailer then recaps the events of the previous games in a manner similar to Kingdom Hearts II's opening scene. Sora is shown on a dark beach, saying that this world must be one of the dream worlds. More footage is shown, notably a short scene in Ansem the Wise's study, showing Lea, Ienzo, and Aeleus. Riku is seen in Monstro, demanding the identity of a figure in a black coat. The man removes his hood, revealing a face exactly like Riku's. The scene shifts to Xemnas speaking with Sora, then to Lea attacking Maleficent and Pete in Disney Castle. Riku is then shown meeting another man in a black coat, who is revealed to be a young Master Xehanort. This Xehanort is then seen confronting Sora in what looks like the interior of a cathedral, suggesting the Cathedral in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Vanitas is then seen next to Xehanort as both point out that there is more than one heart in Sora.