Gauges
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In order to allow the player to monitor their status at a glance, the Kingdom Hearts series of games traditionally uses a set of extra-canonical gauges which display, proportionally, how much of a certain statistic that a character retains. Most of these gauges are tied to the player character, whose prowess can be improved by either extending the gauge or equipping abilities and bonuses that modify the rates at which the gauges drain or fill. Gauges are also used to depict the progress a player is making within a mission, whether they depict the completion of a mini-game, the integrity of a character or object to be protected, or the remaining strength of an enemy.
Recurring gauges[edit]
HP Gauge[edit]
The HP Gauge represents the remaining and total amounts of a character's Hit Points. It consists of a green bar that encircles or sit below or beside a sprite of the character's profile, with the level of green indicating the current level of HP. When the character takes damage, the level of green in the gauge will drop, and in most games, the lost level of green will appear dark red before shrinking down to the current level of green. Additionally, depending on the game, the gauge may flash or shake, and the sprite may flinch or flash. When HP reaches a critically low level, the gauge will flash red, and an alarm will sound. The character's sprite may also change to indicate danger. In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, the HP gauge includes a yellow portion that indicates when a Limit Break may be used. It also flashes yellow when collecting Mission Point prizes in Mission Mode.
The player character's HP Gauge is located on the bottom-right corner of the screen, top-left in Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, together with most of the gauges that may be present during gameplay, such as the MP Gauge, the Drive Gauge, the D-Link Gauge, and the Clock Gauge. If there are any party members, their individual HP gauges will be displayed above the player character's.
In every game but Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, the player character's HP Gauge will increase in length when their maximum HP increases, whether upon gaining a level or receiving a bonus. In Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, once the HP Gauge reaches beyond the length corresponding to 280 HP, the green HP bar is overlaid by a second, blue bar, which will be depleted before the green bar when damage is taken. In Kingdom Hearts, a party member's HP gauge increases in length when maximum HP increases, but in subsequent games it does not.
Enemy HP Gauge[edit]
Enemy HP gauges are displayed on-screen either automatically or when the Scan ability is equipped. In Kingdom Hearts, enemy HP gauges appear at the top-left of the screen; in subsequent games, they appear at the top-right.
In Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, enemy HP Gauges that extend beyond a single gauge have differently-colored bars layered on top of each other that must be depleted one at a time. In Kingdom Hearts, each full HP gauge represents 300 HP, and the colored layers are represented from the lowest to the highest HP gauge as follows: green → yellow → orange → pink → purple. In Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, each full HP gauge represents 560 HP, and the colored layers are represented from the lowest to the highest HP gauge as follows: green → blue → yellow → red.
In Kingdom Hearts, if an enemy has more health than can be displayed in five gauges (beyond 1500 HP), such as Sephiroth or Hades, it would appear as if no damage is being dealt until the amount of their remaining HP falls below 1500.
From Kingdom Hearts II on, enemy HP gauges that extend beyond one bar have green, rectangular blocks beneath the current HP gauge, each one representing a full HP gauge yet to be depleted. When an enemy takes damage, the amount of damage taken first turns dark red in the HP gauge before being depleted. When an enemy with multiple HP gauges has one gauge fully depleted, the block of the next HP gauge will turn dark red before turning black, and the corresponding HP gauge is displayed. Each full HP gauge represents 200 HP. In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, HP gauges in Mission Mode represent 600 HP instead.
During Ursula's Revenge in Kingdom Hearts II, Ursula has her own unique health gauge which is depleted by hitting correct notes.
MP Gauge[edit]
The MP Gauge, which appears in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-, and Kingdom Hearts III, measures a character's ability to use magic and special abilities.
In Kingdom Hearts, the MP Gauge is positioned around the outside of the HP Gauge. It is segmented, with a thin, yellow Charge Gauge running along its outside edge. When a character's maximum MP is increased, whether by leveling up or equipping certain weapons, a segment is added to the MP gauge. Striking enemies or specific targets fills the yellow gauge, as does being struck while having MP Rage equipped and picking up MP orbs (which each specific occurrence filling up various amounts). When the Charge gauge is filled up through the first empty segment in the main gauge, the segment, representing 1 MP, is filled, and the Charge gauge is reset. This means it is easier to fill the first couple segments of the MP gauge than the last. The amount of Charge Gauge filled by attacking enemies is calculated based on the enemy's MP recovery value and Sora's level.
The MP Haste ability increases the rate at which MP is recovered, while touching a Save Point fills the MP gauge but drains the Charge gauge (or does not affect the Charge Gauge amount at all when at full base MP). Using an Ether or Mega-Ether fills 3 MP for one or all party members, respectively, and using an Elixir or Megalixir completely fills the MP gauge for one or all party members, respectively. Magic costs anywhere from a segment of the Charge gauge to 1 or 2 MP, depending on the type, certain action abilities cost 1 MP, and special abilities cost 2 or 3 MP. Trinity Limit requires at least 3 bars of MP and uses up the entire MP gauge for all party members in the battle.
In Kingdom Hearts, the length of the MP gauge directly affects the strength of any magic used, as well as summon abilities. It does not affect special abilities such as Sonic Blade, as they rely on Sora's Strength stat to calculate their damage. Party members' MP gauges do not have visible Charge bars, but they function in the same way. Even then, damage ranges for offensive magic will have a limit/cap only up to 15 MP and no more.
In Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-, and Kingdom Hearts III, the MP gauge is redesigned and relocated, reflecting the revamped Magic system introduced in Kingdom Hearts II. The main character's gauge is a rectangular bar, located to the left of the profile sprite, just under the Drive gauge and overlapping the HP gauge in Kingdom Hearts II, or directly above the HP gauge in other games. The length of the bar increases like the HP bar through Bonus Levels from certain boss fights, such as with Scar and the first fight with Xemnas.
Using most magic, Limit commands, and party member abilities depletes a portion of the MP gauge, and using Cure magic or activating a Limit (except in certain battles) depletes the gauge completely. Magic will only expend whatever is available of its set MP cost when cast, so spells can still be cast even if the remaining MP is less than the spell's MP cost. This can be disabled by the player for spells that do not use all MP to activate, making the spells not be able to be cast if the character would end up below zero MP, preventing accidentally running out of MP needed for a Cure magic or other similar casting. This can't be activated for spells that use all MP, as otherwise those spells could not be cast. Spells that cost more MP than remaining appear with orange text in the command menu.
When a spell is cast that uses more MP than the character has left, displayed by the command text written in yellow, MP Charge is activated, during which the MP Gauge is replaced with a pink, flashing Charge Gauge which depletes gradually over time. Spells can't be cast during MP Charge. MP Haste abilities speed up the depletion of the gauge. Once it empties, the blue MP Gauge is restored, completely filled. While the blue MP Gauge is present, collecting MP orbs slightly fills the gauge, and using an Ether or Mega-Ether completely fills the gauge for one character or all party members, respectively. In Kingdom Hearts III, a Hi-Ether or Mega-Ether is required to fully restore MP - regular Ethers only restore 100 MP at most. During MP Charge, collecting MP orbs slightly empties the Charge Gauge, using an Ether or Mega-Ether depletes a portion of the Charge gauge for one character or all party members, respectively, mostly by half. Using a Hi-Ether or Elixir completely restores MP for one character, or all party members for a Megalixir, whether or not MP Charge is active.
Each party member's MP Gauge occupies the right half of the circle around their profile sprite, and although the gauge does not turn pink during MP Charge, it functions in the same way as the playable character's gauge.
Gummi Ship gauges[edit]
Kingdom Hearts[edit]
In Kingdom Hearts, the Gummi Ship has an Armor (ARM) gauge and a Power (PWR) gauge that take the place of Sora's HP and MP gauges, respectively, in both appearance and function. The length of the Armor gauge is determined by the number and type of Armor Gummis used in the ship's construction. It depletes when the Gummi Ship collides with obstables or enemy ships, or when it is hit by enemy attacks, and it is restored partially by Armor prizes and completely by Special prizes. The length of the Power gauge is initially three segments, and it is increased to five and eight after purchasing the COM.LV2 and COM.LV3 upgrades, respectively, from Cid. The use of special weapons and tools, such as Laser Gummis or Drain-G, depletes the gauge, and it is restored one segment at a time by Power prizes and fully by Special prizes.
Equipping the Gummi Ship with Haste-G or Haste2-G adds an orange Charge (CHG) gauge to the left of the Armor and Power gauges. While the ship is using a speed boost, the gauge depletes until empty, and it restores itself gradually during normal flight.
Equipping the Gummi Ship with Shield-G or Shield2-G adds a red, segmented Shield (SHD) gauge to the bottom-left of the Armor and Power gauges. The ship is protected from damage for five hits, each depleting a bar from the gauge. Shield prizes each restore one bar to the gauge, and Special prizes fully restore the gauge.
In the Japanese releases of Kingdom Hearts, the Armor (ARM), Power (PWR), and Shield (SHD) gauges are named the Shield (SLD), Energy (ENG), and Barrier (BRR) gauges, respectively.
Kingdom Hearts II[edit]
The Gummi Ship gauge is located in the lower right of the screen during Gummi Ship flights, consisting of three parts: an HP Gauge, a Lock-On Gauge, and the Formation Indicator. The HP gauge is located at the border of the gauge, and is colored green. This meter starts and ends on the left side of the Gummi Ship gauge, with a black line separating the beginning and the end. When the Gummi Ship takes damage from enemy attacks, explosions, or otherwise flying into objects, it will deplete counterclockwise. When it becomes empty, your Gummi Ship will be destroyed unless the Auto-Life ability is equipped. While the length of the HP Gauge does not change, adding additional Gummis that increase the Gummi Ship's Defense will reduce the amount of gauge lost upon taking damage.
The Lock-On Gauge appears to the right of the left side of the HP Gauge, between the HP Gauge and the Formation Indicator, and takes the form of blue tick marks. It will only appear if any Lock-On Gummis are equipped to the current Gummi Ship, and its length matches the number of Lock-Ons that can be performed at a given time. While the Fire Button is not being pressed, moving close to onscreen enemies causes crosshairs to appear on enemies and makes the Lock-On Gauge fill. Once the Fire Button is pressed, all stocked charges are fired at enemies and the Gauge is depleted. Like the HP Gauge, it circles the interior from left to right, albeit counterclockwise.
The Formation Indicator is located at the center of the Gummi Ship gauge, with a generic sprite representing the Gummi Ship in the center. It is only used when the Formation Change ability is equipped to the current Gummi Ship and Teeny Ships are brought along to the mission. When Teeny Ships are brought along, generic sprites representing the Teeny Ships are added to the indicator. The placement of the Teeny Ship sprites relative to the main Gummi Ship represent the current Formation. Formations can be changed with L2 and R2, or with Square if Active Formation is equipped, which will change the Formation Indicator respectively.
Damage Gauge[edit]
During escort or defense missions, escorted characters or defended objects will have a Damage gauge appear in the top left of the screen. If the gauge fills completely or turns fully red, the mission will be failed.
In Kingdom Hearts II, the damage gauge appears in the following instances:
- Defending Megara from Pete and the Heartless, during the first visit to Olympus Coliseum.
- Escorting Queen Minnie through the Colonnade and Audience Chamber to the Cornerstone of Light in Disney Castle.
- Defending Timon and Pumbaa from Scar, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, during the first visit to the Prideland.
In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the damage gauge appears in the following instances:
- Terra escorting Cinderella through the Corridor and Foyer in the Castle of Dreams.
- Ventus escorting Snow White through the Deep Woods in the Dwarf Woodlands.
- Aqua escorting Jaq through the Wardrobe Room in the Castle of Dreams.
In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, the damage gauge appears when Sora defends the carriage from the Tyranto Rex boss in the Country of the Musketeers.
Focus Gauge[edit]
The Focus Gauge appears in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage- and Kingdom Hearts III, and it represents the player's ability to use Shotlocks.
In Birth by Sleep, its shape resembles the Drive Gauge, and it is located to the left of a character's portrait on the bottom-right corner of the screen. The Focus Gauge is filled by attacking enemies, using Ethers or Mega-Ethers, blocking attacks with Focus Block or Focus Barrier, and taking damage with Damage Syphon equipped. While locking onto targets, the gauge depletes at a steady rate, with the total time available depending on the equipped Shotlock. Only the amount corresponding to the time taken to lock onto targets is permanently depleted from the gauge; any excess time is restored to the gauge after the Shotlock is initiated.
The Focus Gauge is also represented in the main menu in terms of Focus Points, or FP, with the current level being out of a maximum of 100 FP.
In Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-, the Focus Gauge is repositioned and redesigned to resemble the D-Link Gauge from the preceding game. The Focus Gauge is filled by collecting Focus Orb prizes dropped by enemies or props, or using Elixirs or Megalixirs. The Focus Gauge is otherwise identical in function to its Birth by Sleep counterpart, depleting at a steady rate when locking onto targets with Prism Rain, and only permanently depleting after Prism Rain is activated.
In Kingdom Hearts III, the Focus gauge retains the exact same functions and position as in 0.2, with the addition of the fact that the gauge can be refilled with Refocusers and Hi-Refocusers. Unlike in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Shotlocks are tied to Keyblades. Most Keyblades have two unique Shotlocks, one basic and the other max-lock, with six exceptions: Shooting Star and Hunny Spout each have two max-lock Shotlocks (one for when max-locked onto one target and another for when locked onto multiple targets), the Ultima Weapon and Destiny's Embrace each have one Shotlock, and the Master's Defender and Braveheart's Shotlocks are identical whether max-lock or basic with additional properties when activated under max-lock. When the gauge is completely depleted, it enters a "Charge" state. In order to use Shotlocks again, the player must completely refill the gauge while in Charge mode. With the Focus Syphon ability equipped, the player can use an additional Shotlock that absorbs Focus from locked-on targets to fill the gauge faster.
Kingdom Hearts[edit]
Summons' gauges[edit]
In Kingdom Hearts, using a summon other than Tinker Bell replaces all party members and their gauges with the summon and its MP gauge. The gauge determines how long the summon can stay on the field and, with the exception of Bambi, fuels their special abilities. The length of the MP gauge is determined by Sora's maximum MP and the number of Cheer abilities equipped by the party. The gauge decreases gradually while the summon is on the field, with the rate depending on the summon. Additionally, when Sora uses a summon's special ability, it will either deplete a portion of the gauge or increase the depletion rate.
Simba and Bambi also have a "Charge (CHG) gauge" that affects their special ability. Simba's gauge is filled by selecting the "Charge" command, and letting it fill powers up his Proud Roar attack. Bambi's gauge fills as Sora defeats enemies, and it affects the items Bambi drops with his Paradise skill.
Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories[edit]
DP Gauge[edit]
The DP Gauge appears in Reverse/Rebirth mode of Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, replacing the DP counter from the original Chain of Memories. It appears to the upper right of Riku's HUD sprite and HP gauge. As Riku gain dark points (DP) in battle by breaking enemy cards and taking damage, the gauge fills. Once full (30 DP), Riku immediately enters Dark Mode on his next card use or break, and the gauge changes to reflect Riku's maximum DP. The gauge depletes when Riku takes damage—by 5 per hit—or his cards are broken—by the Card Value difference—and Dark Mode ends when the gauge is fully depleted. While in Dark Mode, the gauge cannot be refilled by breaking cards, etc.
While Riku is in his standard form, the DP Gauge is blue, as is the DP counter to its left. During Dark Mode, the gauge and the counter turn white. The gauge is also accompanied by a Heartless symbol, which becomes a white letter "D" during Dark Mode.
Monstro's Belly Brawl gauge[edit]
While playing the Monstro's Belly Brawl mini-game, a gauge appears on the right of the screen. It increases with every Heartless defeated and decreases with every second the player doesn't defeat a Heartless. The mini-game is complete when the gauge is filled and all remaining Heartless are destroyed. If the gauge becomes empty, Sora leaves the Key to Truth room and must return to try again. In Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, a time limit to fill up the gauge is set to two minutes.
Honey Gauge[edit]
Balloon Glider Gauge[edit]
In Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, the Balloon Glider Gauge appears while playing the Balloon Glider mini-game. It shows how high Sora and Pooh have scaled the tree. The gauge starts at zero and slowly increases as the duo progresses up the tree. The gauge is not affected by attacks from bees or bumping into tree branches.
Honey Gauge[edit]
In Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, the Honey Gauge appears while playing the Bumble-Rumble mini-game. The gauge reflects how much "health," or honey Pooh has. The gauge starts completely full and is depleted upon each bee attack. However, the gauge can be refilled using a honey pot card.
Kingdom Hearts II[edit]
Drive Gauge[edit]
The Drive Gauge appears in Kingdom Hearts II. Located above the MP gauge, it determines whether Sora can enter a Drive Form or call a summon. The Drive Gauge starts out with a maximum of three bars, and additional bars are earned by defeating certain bosses. In Kingdom Hearts II, Sora gains up to seven bars by defeating Captain Barbossa, the Hostile Program, Saïx, and Sephiroth, while in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, he gains up to nine bars by defeating Captain Barbossa, the Hostile Program, Xemnas (Final Form), Sephiroth, Marluxia's Absent Silhouette, and the Lingering Will.
The gauge is filled by dealing damage to enemies, picking up Drive Orbs, using Drive Recovery or High Drive Recovery items, or suffering damage while the Damage Drive ability is equipped. The Drive Gauge fills more quickly than usual during MP restoration, and this effect can be further accelerated by equipping the Drive Boost ability. Each Drive Form consumes a certain number of Drive Gauge bars when used: Valor and Wisdom Forms cost three bars, Master and Limit Forms cost four bars, Final Form costs five bars, and Anti Form consumes all remaining bars. Calling a summon costs three bars. Drive Recovery and High Drive Recovery may be used even while already in a Drive Form or while using a summon; the Drive Gauge will be restored once it reappears.
While the Drive Gauge is being depleted, Sora can return to any non-combat area, such as the World Map or a room where the party characters are present, which will cause the Drive Gauge to refill. The Drive Gauge can also be fully refilled when entering certain tournaments at the Underdome in Olympus Coliseum that use Drives or Summons as part of their rules. This is especially useful for leveling the Forms and Summons.
Form Gauge[edit]
Entering a Drive Form transforms the Drive Gauge into the grey Form Gauge, which determines how long Sora can stay in that form. When activated, the Form Gauge is filled to its maximum, which is initially three bars but increases by one each time the Form being used gains a level, topping out at nine bars. The bar depletes over time, and using a form's abilities and dealing large amounts of damage cause the gauge to deplete more quickly, while the Form Boost ability makes it deplete more slowly. When the gauge is depleted, Sora reverts to Standard Form; if he is riding a Skateboard, however, he will remain in his Drive Form until he dismounts.
Drive Recovery and High Drive Recovery items do not refill the Form Gauge; rather, they restore the Drive Gauge, effective once the Drive Form is cancelled.
Summon Gauge[edit]
Calling on a summon transforms the Drive Gauge into the Summon Gauge, which determines how long a summon can remain in the field. When activated, the Summon Gauge is filled to its maximum, which is initially three bars but increases by one each time Sora gains a Summon level, topping out at nine bars. The bar depletes over time, and using a summon's Limit causes the gauge to deplete more quickly, while attacking enemies will slightly fill it, and the Summon Boost ability makes it deplete more slowly. When the gauge completely empties, the summon is dismissed, and Sora's party members return. Each bar that depletes from the Summon Gauge earns a point of experience towards the Summon Level, which applies to all of Sora's Summons.
Drive Recovery and High Drive Recovery items do not refill the Summon Gauge; rather, they restore the Drive Gauge, effective once the summon is dismissed.
Limit Gauge[edit]
When using a Limit in Kingdom Hearts II, either with a party member or a summon, the Limit gauge appears in the top right corner of the screen. It depletes at a steady rate, pausing only while Limit attacks are executed. If the gauge empties completely, the Limit will end. Alternately, if the user activates the Limit's finishing attack, the gauge is emptied, and the Limit ends.
Slash Gauge[edit]
By flying a Gummi ship outfitted with a Slash Gummi in Kingdom Hearts II, the Slash Gauge appears on the combat HUD. Dealing damage via regular attacks makes the green Slash gauge fill up quickly depending on the damage dealt. Filling the gauge resets it and adds a point displayed on the right. By pressing 
, a point is used and a powerful close-range slashing attack is performed. Rapidly pressing chains together a combo, provided there are enough points.
Stamina Gauge[edit]
When Roxas investigates the animated bag, a Stamina gauge appears in the top left of the screen. The gauge depletes gradually whenever Roxas is riding on top of the bag, and jumping over trashcans depletes it more. Once the gauge is empty, the bag stops moving and the gameplay event ends.
Gates Gauge[edit]
The Gates Gauge appears when Sora fights the Nobodies alongside Leon at the Bailey, and during the battle with Shan-Yu at the Palace Gate. The gauge appears in the top left of the screen, and depletes whenever an enemy attacks the gate. If the gauge is fully depleted, it counts as a Game Over.
Morale Gauge[edit]
In the Land of Dragons, Sora and company undertake a number of missions for Li Shang, during which a Morale gauge appears in the top left of the screen. The gauge depletes gradually over time, and taking damage from enemies depletes it more. It is restored by collecting Morale orbs that are dropped by defeated enemies and damaged party members. If the morale gauge is fully depleted, the player is brought to the game over screen and the mission is failed.
In the Japanese releases of Kingdom Hearts II, the gauge is named the Tension gauge.
Grip Gauge[edit]
In Beast's Castle, when lighting the lanterns in the Secret Passage, Cogsworth must hold down a lever to keep the lanterns lowered from the ceiling. The Grip gauge in the top left of the screen represents Cogsworth's energy, which depletes over time. When the gauge has fully depleted, Cogsworth collapses in exhaustion and releases the lever, which raises the lanterns out of reach so they cannot be lit. When Sora and Mrs. Potts are near Cogsworth, the Restore reaction command may be used to fully restore the gauge.
Mayhem Gauge[edit]
In Timeless River, Sora and company must complete four missions, each of which involves clearing the Heartless out of a specific area: Building Site, Lilliput, Scene of the Fire and Mickey's House. During each of these missions, a Mayhem Gauge appears in the top left of the screen and gradually fills over time, which speeds up as the Heartless do more damage to the area. If the Mayhem Gauge is completely filled, the player is brought to the game over screen and the mission is failed.
Clusters Gauge[edit]
During certain events in Space Paranoids, a Clusters gauge appears in the top left of the screen. Collecting orbs dropped by certain objects in the field or enemies fills the gauge. Once the gauge is full, Sora can execute a special Reaction Command, either activating a device or freezing enemies. In the former case, the gauge empties immediately, while in the later, it depletes at a continuous rate while the freeze remains in effect.
The Clusters gauge appears when Sora is unlocking the door to the Pit Cell, activating the energy core in the Canyon, disabling the security in the Dataspace, and battling the Hostile Program to temporarily freeze it.
In the Japanese releases of Kingdom Hearts II, the gauge is named the Energy gauge.
Weight Gauge[edit]
The Weight gauge appears when riding the Solar Sailor in Space Paranoids. This gauge slowly fills as Heartless invade the Solar Sailor, and fills faster when large Heartless board. If the gauge reaches maximum before the Solar Sailor arrives at its destination, the party is defeated and the loss is treated as a Game Over.
Bravery Gauge[edit]
The Bravery Gauge appears while playing the mini-game, The Expotition. It depicts the group's courage and when it decreases to zero, the group breaks apart and each member runs around madly before a Reaction Command becomes available which prompts the group to rejoin, completely restoring the Bravery Gauge. The gauge is depleted when bees sting or rocks fall on a member of the group.
Power Gauge[edit]
The Power Gauge appears while playing the mini-game, The Hunny Pot.
Time Gauge[edit]
During the battle against Luxord, both he and Sora will have a Time Gauge appearing the top of the screen. For Luxord, this acts as his health gauge, and it must be emptied to defeat him; however, Sora will be defeated if either his HP or Time gauges run out. Dealing damage against Luxord and winning his games depletes his gauge, while taking damage and losing games depletes Sora's gauge.
Berserk Gauge[edit]
During the battle against Saïx in Kingdom Hearts II, the Berserk gauge appears at the top left of the screen. It starts out full at the beginning of the battle, and thereafter it increases at a continuous rate, speeding up when Saïx stands motionless with his arms raised. When full, Saïx will enter his berserk state at the first opportunity, becoming stronger, more aggressive, and more resistant to damage. In order to empty the gauge and revert Saïx to his normal state, Sora must use his Claymores against him with the Berserk, Eclipse, and Magna Storm Reaction Commands.
Charge Gauge[edit]
During the assault of the Energy Core during the final battle against Xemnas in Kingdom Hearts II, the Charge Gauge appears at the top center of the screen. It increases at a continuous rate, and when filled to 80%, Sora must use the Stunt Dodge Reaction Command to escape to the opposite cylinder with Riku before the cylinder they are actively in front of discharges a "Wave Cannon" attack.
Cylinder Gauge[edit]
During the assault of the Energy Core during the final battle against Xemnas in Kingdom Hearts II, the Right Cylinder Gauge and Left Cylinder Gauge appear at the top right and top left of the screen respectively. They start out full at the beginning, and deplete when Bomb Bell B Nobodies are defeated and knocked into the cylinders. When either gauge is fully depleted, Sora must use the Stunt Dodge Reaction Command to escape the resultant explosion alongside Riku.
Energy Gauges[edit]
The Energy Gauge appears during the Gummi Ship-esque boss fight against Xemnas's mechanical dragon at the end of Kingdom Hearts II, located in the top left of the screen. By pressing O, Riku erects a barrier that absorbs enemy fire, which will cause this gauge to fill. When it is full, the Megalaser Reaction Command becomes available, which will fire two massive lasers that spread out sideways, dealing heavy damage to the boss and obliterating onscreen enemies. Using the Megalaser causes the Energy Gauge deplete to empty once again.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days[edit]
Mission Gauge[edit]
The Mission Gauge is a gameplay element exclusive to Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. It is a single orange bar along the bottom of the Nintendo DS touch screen, with a bar marking the end of the mission. On certain missions, Roxas can earn extra prizes by completing the extra requirements of the mission, such as finding all of the target Heartless or collecting all Organization Emblems. Once the Mission Gauge is filled either to the bar or completely, the player can then RTC.
Bonus Gauge[edit]
The Bonus Gauge is a feature exclusive to Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, beginning on day 51. It multiplies the mission rewards upon reaching an indicated mark; the maximum multiplier is three. The Bonus Gauge is only available to certain missions, particularly those that appear at the same time as several others. To receive the most benefits from the Bonus Gauge's multiplier, check the mission rewards for every mission where the Bonus Gauge is available and complete the missions which give the desired items last. By doing so, one can plan which set of items they will receive multiples of.
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep[edit]
D-Link Gauge[edit]
The D-Link Gauge, which appears in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, represents the player's ability to use Dimension Links. The gauge is located above the player character's HP gauge, and it is filled by picking up D-Link Prizes or by using a Balloon Letter. When the gauge is full, it glows slightly, and the player can activate a D-Link. The gauge will deplete gradually as the D-Link stays active, and the D-Link will automatically end if the gauge empties completely. Using D-Link Finish commands speeds up the depletion rate of the gauge. Collecting D-Link Prizes while the link is still active keeps the gauge from fully depleting, extending the time for which the link can be used.
In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix, using an Illusion command replaces the D-Link gauge with an Illusion gauge.
Illusion Gauge[edit]
The Illusion Gauge appears in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix. It replaces the D-Link Gauge while an Illusion command is being used, which transforms the player into a particular Unversed. It slowly depletes over time and while the Illusion Gauge is active, taking damage removes a portion of the Illusion Gauge instead of the HP gauge. The Illusion Gauge cannot be refilled, although the Aromatherapy command available while using Illusion-V restores portions of the Illusion Gauge lost by damage that was recently taken. When the Illusion Gauge is empty, the Illusion command ends and the player transforms back to their original form.
Command Gauge[edit]
The Command Gauge appears in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, positioned above the Command Deck. The gauge is filled by inflicting damage with attack combos or Deck Commands, and it will start to empty if 4 seconds pass without the player landing an attack, or guarding against an attack. When decreasing, it will take 8.33 seconds for a full gauge to empty. Using certain commands to fill the gauge will initiate a Command Style. If a Command Style isn't triggered, or if the gauge is filled during a second-level Command Style, the Attack command will be replaced with a Finish command, which will stay available until used, or until the gauge empties completely. Using the Finish Command immediately reverts the gauge to its empty, base state, and it deactivates any active Command Style.
Each attack has a specific amount at which the Command Gauge increases. If an attack hits multiple enemies, or the same enemy more than once, the amount at which the gauge increases is halved for each hit from the second hit on, to a minumum increase of 1. As the Command Gauge's value goes from 0 to 100, each value equals the percentage of the gauge filled.
The Command Gauge changes to a unique appearance to reflect an active Command Style or D-Link. When activating a LV 1 Command Style, a second, blue gauge can be filled, increasing at a rate of 0.8 times. When activating a LV 2 Command Style, a third, white gauge can be filled, increasing at a rate of 0.55 times. Each D-Link has a specific rate at which the gauge fills, and has a bonus increase that can be earned by using certain attacks, or in certain conditions
Gas Gauge[edit]
The Gas Gauge appears during the Belly Balloon Unversed Mission in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix. Striking the Belly Balloon's valve will deplete the gauge, while doing the same to its stomach will fill the gauge. As the Gas Gauge reaches specified notches, the Belly Balloon will decrease or increase in size, and when the gauge is fully depleted, the mission is cleared. Allowing the Gas Gauge to fill completely will prompt the Unversed to explode, failing the Unversed Mission with a zero star ranking.
Kingdom Hearts coded[edit]
Debug Gauge[edit]
The Debug Gauge (デバッグゲージ Debaggu Gēji) appears in Kingdom Hearts coded, positioned to the left of Sora's portrait sprite, in the bottom-right corner of the screen, during normal gameplay. The gauge is filled by collecting Debug balls. Once the gauge has been filled completely, the player can activate a Debug Ability by selecting it from the Command Menu. During certain Debug Abilities, the gauge changes into a gradually decreasing "Time" gauge.
Kingdom Hearts Re:coded[edit]
Clock Gauge[edit]
The Clock Gauge appears in Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, positioned to the left of Sora's portrait sprite, in the bottom-right corner of the screen, during normal gameplay. The gauge is filled by attacking enemies or Bug Blox, healing with magic commands, or using Ethers, Hi-Ethers, or Megalixirs, and it will start to empty if several seconds pass without the player using one of these methods. Each time the gauge is filled, Sora's clock level increases, activating an ability on the Clock Ability Tree and advancing to the next tier. After advancing to an endpoint on the tree, filling the gauge one more time changes the Attack command to activate the Finish command. The strength of the Finish Command will be higher when it is used at a higher clock level. For example, Blade Rush at Clock MAX will be more powerful than at Clock Level 3. The gauge will reset to level 1 when the Finish Command is used, or when the gauge empties twice.
Challenge Gauge[edit]
When in most System Sectors, a gauge appears in the top-left corner of the screen that depicts the progress made to complete the floor's challenge. Blue gauges, with a blue cross besides it, fill up as the player completes the challenge. If the gauge isn't filled completely before the player moves to the next floor, the player fails the challenge. Red gauges, with a red cross besides it, fill up as the player does actions that will fail the challenge. If the gauge is filled, the player fails the challenge.
Bug Level[edit]
The Bug Level, which appears within the Labyrinth, is represented by a gauge that shows the amount of enemies and blox in the room Data-Sora is currently in. It also indicates the strength of enemies in that room:
- Level 1 (yellow gauge): Normal
- Level 2 (red gauge): Double strength
- Level 3 (flashing gauge): Triple strength
Reducing the bug level to Level 1 is done by destroying blox and defeating enemies, which drains the gauge. Once the gauge is drained past the white line, metal blox and danger blox in the room will transform into normal blox and prize blox.
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance[edit]
Drop Gauge[edit]
The Drop Gauge appears in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. Its shape resembles a rounded Drive Gauge, and it is located to the left of the character's portrait on the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. It has a sequence of three colored bars, cyan, yellow, and magenta, which decrease over time while the player is on the field. It is underlined with a magenta-to-cream gradient. The Drop Gauge also has a multiplier which represents the speed at which the gauge depletes; certain negative status effects, such as Sleep, will increase the gauge depletion speed. The player can restore the gauge and reset the drop rate by using commands like Drop-Me-Not, Drop-Me-Never, Megalixir, or Break Time, and the Drop Decelerator bonus slows the gauge down, as does guarding with Wake-up Block.
Once the gauge's magenta bar empties, the player enters Bonus Time, and the multiplier is replaced with a 30-second timer. During Bonus Time, Droplets are dropped more frequently by enemies, and these drop Prizes when they are hit by normal attacks. Once the countdown ends, the player character automatically drops into the next character.
The Drop Gauge is disabled while Sora is captured by the Organization after finishing his story, but is re-enabled when Riku completes his own story and the game returns them to their points of no return.
During development, the Drop Gauge was colored with a gradient of indigo-to-pink-to-cream, as seen in the original trailer.
Link Gauge[edit]
The Link Gauge appears in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. Every Spirit has their own Link Gauge, and when filled, allows Sora or Riku to use the Link System. It is colored pink and shaped like an ally's MP gauge, and it is located below a Spirit's portrait on the right corner of the screen. The Link Gauge is filled partially each time a Spirit lands an attack on an foe, uses supporting abilities, or takes damage, and the Link Critical ability makes it so that if Sora or Riku lands a hit at the same time as the Spirit, the gauge will be filled slightly more. It can also be partially filled with Dream Candy, or fully filled up with Elixirs and Megalixirs. Once it is full, it will display the word "Link" on it, allowing Sora to activate a Link Attack or Riku to activate a Link Style. If both Spirits' Link Gauges are full, the protagonist can activate a Dual Link.
Kingdom Hearts Union χ[edit]
Special Gauge[edit]
The combat Special system (known as Ability in Japanese versions) first appears in Kingdom Hearts Union χ as one of the unique features of the port. Every Medal equipped represents a single attack in a combo that the player can perform during battle. By attacking and dealing damage to enemies, the player's Special gauge increases and once maxed out they gain a Special point. By flicking one of the Medals to the center of the screen, the player is able to unleash the selected Medal's special ability. The cost of any given Special Attack differs between each medal.
Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-[edit]
Kingdom Hearts III[edit]
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory[edit]
Trick Gauge[edit]
The Trick Gauge only appears in VS Battles. Each combatant has their own Trick Gauge, which can be filled by hitting notes. When the gauge is full, a Trick will be activated, or two Tricks if the Music Stage is at least halfway over.
VS Gauge[edit]
During a VS Battle, the VS Gauge displays which player is currently in the lead, determined by their score. The Tricks activated by each player and their duration will change depending on who is leading and by how much.
Kairi Gauge[edit]
The Kairi Gauge appears in Melody of Memory's End in World Tour during the "Kairi III" section. Kairi must collect fragments of her heart within her memories, represented by crystalized flower petals. Each fragment collected is added to the gauge.
