Editing Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

{{Game|DDD|Real|FA}}

|title=Kingdom Hearts 3D<br>[Dream Drop Distance]

|developer={{w|Square Enix}}

|publisher={{w|Square Enix}}

|release=[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] March 29, 2012<ref>[http://www.4gamer.net/games/113/G011346/20120119033/ '''''4Gamer''':「KINGDOM HEARTS 3D<nowiki>[Dream Drop Distance]</nowiki>」の発売日が3月29日に決定。ゲームソフトと3DS本体のセットや，“10周年記念BOX”も同時発売]''</ref><br>[[File:Flag of the United States.png|20px]]/[[File:Flag of Canada.png|20px|Canada]] July 31, 2012<ref>[https://twitter.com/#!/SQEX_Members_NA/status/187893631368183809 Square Enix Members - Twitter]</ref><br>[[File:Flag of European Union.png|20px|Europe]] July 20, 2012 <ref>http://www.facebook.com/KingdomHearts</ref><br>[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] July 26, 2012

|ratings={{w|CERO}}:[[File:CERO A.png|12px|A]]A<br>{{w|ESRB}}:[[File:Ratingsymbol e10.gif|12px|Everyone 10+]]Everyone 10+ <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150581099275841.372547.76090440840&type=1 '''''Facebook''': Updated on the official Kingdom Hearts Facebook page]''</ref><br> {{w|PEGI}}:[[File:PEGI 12.png|12px|12+]]12+<br>{{w|OFLC}}:[[File:OFLC small PG.png|12px|PG]] <ref>[http://www.classification.gov.au/Usingclassification/Findaclassification/Pages/Classification-search-result.aspx?sid=tJd5EmsTjf%252fBXVzQA8A7zw%253d%253d&ncdctx=eiYycqt7A0WAvD26LENVLOrO0VId0CAMCs%252fjnmgJMcGp63p2m962NnxQVA7EnBCO Australian Government Classification Website]</ref><br>

'''''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance''''' is the seventh game in the ''{{c|Kingdom Hearts|series}}'' series. It was originally developed for the Nintendo 3DS hand-held system. It is a direct sequel to ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]'', ''[[Kingdom Hearts coded]]'', and the epilogue of ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep]]''.

The game is focused on [[Sora]] and [[Riku]], who are both playable characters, performing their [[Mark of Mastery exam]]. They visit new worlds in their sleep in order to improve their abilities as Keyblade Wielders. Many important story revelations also occur which help explain certain aspects of ''[[Kingdom Hearts III]]''.

 

 

The game was first announced at E3 2010, simply known as '''''Kingdom Hearts 3D'''''. A demo version of the game was made available on the Nintendo eShop on June 22, 2012. ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' is the first game in the series to see a release in Europe and Australia before North America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a relatively short development time of roughly two years, the game finally released on March 29, 2012 in Japan. An updated version patch from v1.0 to v1.1 was released on May 25, 2012,<ref>[http://support.jp.square-enix.com/news.php?id=1385&la=0&n=2&drt=1337927100&tag=4d3ebab28ccb1b76ad9d62c2b78a57ddfb5effa9 '''''Square Enix JP Support''''']</ref> which fixes several minor bugs in the initial release. This was the version used for the international release later that year in July.

The game picks up after the events of ''[[Kingdom Hearts Re:coded]]'s'' secret ending, ''[[Signs of What's Next]]'', and also has connections to ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep]]'', ''[[Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days]]'', and ''[[Kingdom Hearts coded]]''. Like in the case of ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'', Tetsuya Nomura has stated that the story is on par with that of a numbered title.<ref>Nintendo Power, Holiday 2010 Edition (Vol. 262): '''Tetsuya Nomura:''' Kingdom Hearts III and Kingdom Hearts 3D are not the same. The story is on par with that of a numbered title, and I'm sure the ending will shock fans.</ref> The setting of ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'' is again spread across several worlds; several original worlds return, such as [[Traverse Town]] and [[The World That Never Was]], but all of the Disney-based worlds are brand new to the series.<ref name="andriasang.com">[http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/11/17/kingdom_hearts_3d_update/ "Kingdom Hearts 3D Connects to Kingdom Hearts III"]</ref> Several other worlds appear only in cutscenes, such as [[Disney Castle]], [[Mysterious Tower|The Mysterious Tower]], [[Radiant Garden]], [[Twilight Town]], and [[Castle Oblivion]].

[[File:Night of the Storm 01 KH3D.png|thumb|left|Sora and Riku begin their Mark of Mastery exam.]]

In [[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]], whom 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 "[[Terra-Xehanort|Ansem]]".

 

More than ten years later, [[Yen Sid]] puts [[Sora]] and [[Riku]] through a [[Mark of Mastery exam]] in order for them to become full-fledged [[Keyblade Master]]s 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 [[Sleeping Worlds|a state of "deep sleep"]] that disconnects them from the other worlds. These worlds are plagued by [[Dream Eater]]s—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 and acquire the [[power of waking]], the ability to free hearts from sleep. 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 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 absence of Braig and Isa concerns him. Ienzo explains that when a [[Heartless]] and Nobody of a specific person are destroyed, they return to the world where they lost their heart in the first place, unless their world was destroyed and thus awaken in [[Traverse Town]]. Lea, however, remembers that Braig and [[Isa]] were in Radiant Garden with them when they became [[Xigbar]] and [[Saïx]], so they should be here, in Radiant Garden. After that Lea goes on a search for missing apprentices.

 

While overseeing the exam with Yen Sid, [[Mickey Mouse|Mickey]], [[Donald Duck|Donald]], and [[Goofy]] are delivered a note by [[Diablo]], [[Maleficent]]'s pet raven, along with the crown of [[Minnie Mouse|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 for Minnie to escape. 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 to Yen Sid.

 

Back in the Sleeping Worlds, 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 of Dark City, Sora discovers that the young man is actually [[Xehanort|Master Xehanort]] in his youth, who was visited by the disembodied Ansem, Seeker of Darkness via time travel. [[Young Xehanort]] thus gained the ability to travel through time freely, as Xehanort's Heartless stayed on Destiny Islands for 75 years.<!-- source? --> Young Xehanort has been going to different periods of time to gather various incarnations of Xehanort and people, who he had high influence on. Sora desperately tries to reach the Castle, but is plagued with illusions of [[Naminé]], [[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 [[Real Organization XIII|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, Xion, 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 falls into the darkness, but his broken heart is enveloped by Ventus's [[Keyblade Armor]].

 

Riku eventually arrives in the Castle, where he finds Sora's comatose body floating within a force field. After fighting a [[Anti Black Coat|mysterious enemy]] born from Sora's nightmare, Ansem drags Riku into darkness. He then explains that Riku had been fighting in Sora's dreams all along, acting as a Spirit 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 the conversation he had with Terra 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.

 

[[File:Seven Lights, Thirteen Darknesses 03 KH3D.png|thumb|left|Mickey and Riku confront Xehanort.]]

With the help of Spirits, Riku locates Sora in the Castle throne room, while Master Xehanort is still being formed on the highest throne. Mickey arrives just in time to halt Xehanort's resurrection by casting [[Stop|Stopza]]. However, Master Xehanort possesses his younger version and thus nullify Mickey's spell. Riku is forced to battle Young Xehanort and manages to defeat him, but Master Xehanort is already formed in his original old body. He then explains his past endeavors to Mickey and Riku, such as his failed attempt to create the [[χ-blade]] 11 years ago, and [[Kingdom Hearts I|both]] [[Kingdom Hearts II|attempts]] later to create Kingdom Hearts was rushed. But now his intention to create the new Organization XIII with fragments of his own hearts of pure darkness to clash against seven lights to start a new [[Keyblade War]] which will lead to recreation of the χ-blade. Riku and Mickey try to stop him here but are restrained by Ansem and Xemnas. Unable to do something, they both watch as Master Xehanort prepares to place a fragment of his heart inside Sora, but Lea arrives on the scene and protects the boy. Master Xehanort retaliates by setting one of the Organization's members on Lea, who turns out to be Saïx. 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 to Mickey that day of clash between his 13 darknesses and King's 7 lights is near.

 

[[File:Seven Lights, Thirteen Darknesses 07 KH3D.png|thumb|Xehanort promises to Mickey that the new Keyblade War is near.]]

Sora's comatose body is brought back to Yen Sid's tower, where Riku enters his body with the power of waking and restores his heart by gathering its broken pieces and fighting Sora inside [[Ventus]]'s Keyblade Armor, in form of a [[Armored Ventus Nightmare|Nightmare]]. Though Riku manages to defeat Sora and free him from the armor, he stumbles into a digital representation of [[Destiny Islands]], where he meets up with facsimiles of Roxas, Ventus, and Xion, and eventually [[Ansem the Wise]], who explains to Riku that he has actually accessed the research data the true Ansem hid inside Sora during his slumber [[Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories|a year ago]]. Ansem then asks boy, what is his name, to which Riku tells his name.

 

 

 

During the game's ending credits, the characters of the game are shown sequentially alongside a series of letters, after which Sora and Riku walk into light. When spelled in order, the letters read "''This leads to KINGDOM HEARTS III''".

 

Not long after, Yen Sid plans to gather seven Keyblade wielders to combat the new Organization and thwart Master Xehanort's plans. To this end, Yen Sid has Riku bring [[Kairi]] to him so she can be trained to wield her own Keyblade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

==Worlds and characters==

*[[Mickey Mouse]]

*[[Donald Duck]]

*[[Minnie Mouse|Princess Minnie]]

;[[Destiny Islands]] {{note|World only seen in cutscenes}}

;[[Disney Castle]] {{note|World only seen in cutscenes}}

*[[Mickey Mouse|King Mickey]]

*[[Minnie Mouse|Queen Minnie]]

;[[Mysterious Tower]] {{note|World only seen in cutscenes}}

*[[Kairi]]

;[[Radiant Garden]] {{note|World only seen in cutscenes}}

*[[Terra-Xehanort]]

*[[Enchanted Brooms]]

*[[Daisukenojo Bito|Daisukenojo "Beat" Bito]]

*[[Xehanort]]

*[[Saïx]]

*[[Ventus]]

*[[Roxas]]-->

;[[Castle Oblivion]] {{note|World only seen in cutscenes}}

*[[Ventus]]

;[[End of Sea]] {{note|World only seen in cutscenes}}

The Tokyo Game Show had a playable demo, which earned the game top honors as "Best 3DS RPG"<ref>[http://rpgland.com/news/best-rpgs-of-the-tokyo-game-show/ Best RPGs of the Tokyo Game Show]</ref> in RPG Land's Tokyo Game Show Awards, following a hands-on report that praised the boss fights.<ref>[http://rpgland.com/kingdom-hearts-dream-drop-distance/kingdom-hearts-dream-drop-distance-hands-on-tgs/ Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance hands-on]</ref>  RPG Site also had good things to say in its impression, calling the demo bits "refreshing".<ref>[http://ds.rpgsite.net/articles/313-kingdom-hearts-3d-tokyo-game-show-handson Kingdom Hearts Tokyo Game Show hands-on report]</ref> 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.<ref>[http://rpgland.com/famitsu-updates/famitsus-most-wanted-oct-16/ Dream Drop Distance 22nd most wanted]</ref>

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