The Link System (リンクシステム Rinku Shisutemu) is a game mechanic that appears in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. It allows Sora and Riku to harness the powers of the Spirit Dream Eaters in their party.
Linking with a Spirit uses up the Link Gauge, which appears below its profile sprite. If one Spirit's Link Gauge is full, a Single Link can be initiated with it, and when both active Spirits have full Link Gauges, a Dual Link can be initiated with both of them. While a link is in effect, the Link Gauge or Gauges will steadily deplete until empty, although links can be ended or interrupted prematurely. The Link Gauge is filled when active Spirits attack enemies, or a Dream Candy is used.
Sora and Riku each use a different type of link with the Dream Eaters in their party.
Link Attack
Link Attack
Sora can join with a Spirit to execute a Link Attack (リンクアタック Rinku Atakku), a special technique utilizing the Spirit's natural abilities. Many species of Dream Eater have unique Link Actions associated with them, although some techniques are shared between species.
| Name | Description | Spirits |
| Meow Wounce (ワンダージャンプ Wandā Janpu, lit. "Wonder Jump") |
Bounce around on your Spirit's back and trounce the enemy. Use  to steer.
|
Meow Wow Flowbermeow Meowjesty Catanuki[KH DDD HD] |
| Roll Call (ローリングボール Rōringu Bōru, lit. "Rolling Ball") |
Hop onto your Spirit and bowl over enemies. Use to steer.
|
Cera Terror Drill Sye Escarglow Tama Sheep |
| Whirling Bronco (スピニングロデオ Supiningu Rodeo, lit. "Spinning Rodeo") |
Crash into enemies astride your Spirit. Use to steer and  to add a spin attack.
|
Cyber Yog Yoggy Ram |
| Fly-by Knight (エアライドボンバー Ea Raido Bonbā, lit. "Air Ride Bomber") |
Take to the skies with your Spirit's help. Use to steer and to attack.
|
Eaglider Halbird Komory Bat Peepsta Hoo |
| Hammer Throw (ハンマースロー Hanmā Surō) |
Swing Pricklemane around like a morning star. Use to move.
|
Pricklemane |
| Flame Thrower (フレムスロー Furemu Surō, lit. "Flame Throw") |
Turn your Spirit into a fireball you can throw at enemies. Use to control your Spirit after the throw.
|
Hebby Repp Sudo Neku |
| Decussation (ユニゾンクロス Yunizon Kurosu, lit. "Unison Cross") |
Sync up with your Spirit to unleash a series of fast and powerful strikes. Press to perform each strike.
|
Chef Kyroo Lord Kyroo Ryu Dragon Sir Kyroo |
| Poison Dash (ポイズンダッシュ Poizun Dasshu) |
Attack from inside Toximander's poison bubble. Use to move. The bubble will grow as you touch enemies.
|
Toximander |
| Water Blaster (ウォータブラスター Wōta Burasutā) |
Make your Spirit fire a stream of water. Use to control the stream's direction.
|
Fin Fatale Fishboné |
| Bubble Blaster (バブルブラスター Baburu Burasutā) |
Snipe enemies from astride Tatsu Steed. Use to turn and hold to fire a barrage of bubbles.
|
Tatsu Steed |
| Paw Groove (リズミックパッド Rizumikku Paddo, lit. "Rhythmic Pad") |
Bust a mew with your Spirit. Press the buttons shown at the right time to dance enemies to their doom. | Necho Cat Frootz Cat |
| Equestrian Raid (サラブレッドライド Sarabureddo Raido, lit. "Thoroughbred Ride") |
Hitch a ride on your Spirit and charge your enemies. Use to steer and to add a glide attack. Race around on Thunderaffe's back and crash into enemies to deal damage. Use to steer.
|
Electricorn Pegaslick Thunderaffe |
| Swing Fling (ジャイアントスイング Jaianto Suingu, lit. "Giant Swing") |
Attack foes while your Spirit swings you around. Use to steer.
|
Kooma Panda Majik Lapin Me Me Bunny Ursa Circus |
| Belly Raid (バトリングライド Batoringu Raido, lit. "Battering Ride") |
Slide around atop Iceguin Ace and crash into enemies to deal damage. Use to steer.
|
Iceguin Ace |
| Target Shot (ターゲットショット Tāgetto Shotto) |
Snipe enemies from astride your Spirit. Aim with and successfully lock on with to fire homing projectiles.
|
Kab Kannon KO Kabuto |
| Trap Shot (トラップショット Torappu Shotto) |
Snipe enemies from astride Staggerceps. Aim with and fire a pincer shot with . Hit your mark to stop a foe in its tracks.
|
Staggerceps |
| Cure Sun (キュアサン Kyua San) |
Restore HP to the entire party and eliminate negative status effects with Wheeflower's help. | Wheeflower |
| Vacuum Ghost (ゴーストバキューム Gōsuto Bakyūmu, lit. "Ghost Vacuum") |
Have your Spirit slurp up surrounding enemies, deal damage, and then spit them back out. Use to move your Spirit.
|
Ghostabocky Jestabocky |
| Berserker Bronco (バーサクロデオ Bāsaku Rodeo, lit. "Berserk Rodeo") |
Jump onto Zolephant's back and swat enemies down with a titanic trunk. Use to steer.
|
Zolephant Beatalike[KH DDD HD] |
| Lucky Dice (ラッキーダイス Rakkī Daisu) |
Cause various effects to friend and foe based on how your Spirit's dice roll. | Juggle Pup R & R Seal |
| Fire Blaster (ファイアブラスター Faia Burasutā) |
Snipe enemies from astride Tatsu Blaze. Use to turn and hold to fire a barrage of bubbles.
|
Tatsu Blaze |
| Poison Rain (ポイズンレイン Poizun Rein) |
Use Woeflower to shower enemies with toxic rain. Inflicts negative status effects on all foes. | Woeflower |
| Flame Raid (フレイムライド Fureimu Raido, lit. "Flame Ride") |
Hitch a ride on Tyranto Rex and charge your enemies. Use to steer and to breathe fire.
|
Tyranto Rex |
| Ice Raid (アイスライド Aisu Raido, lit. "Ice Ride") |
Hitch a ride on Skelterwild and charge your enemies. Use to steer and to breathe ice.
|
Skelterwild |
| Tail Groove (リズミックテイル Rizumikku Teiru, lit. "Rhythmic Tail") |
Get your groove on with your Spirit. Press the buttons shown at the right time to dance enemies to their doom. | Drak Quack Ducky Goose |
| Aura Raid (オーラライド Ōra Raido, lit. "Aura Ride") |
Hitch a ride on your Spirit and charge your enemies. Use to steer and to fire your aura.
|
Aura Lion Keeba Tiger |
| Unwind | Race around with Tubguin Ace and crash into enemies to deal damage. Use to steer.
|
Tubguin Ace[KH DDD HD] |
Dual Attack
If there are two Dream Eaters in the party with full Link Gauges, Sora can initiate a Dual Attack. In most cases, the Dual Attack used is determined by the Attributes of the two Spirits.
| Name | Description | Attributes |
| Whomperstomp (ワンダージャンボリー Wandā Janborī, lit. "Wonder Jamboree") |
Grab on tight as a gargantuan Meow Wow bounces around, flattering foes and creating king-sized shockwaves. | Meow Wow, Flowbermeow, Catanuki, or Meowjesty + anything |
| Comet (コメット Kometto) |
Dual Link to ride a shooting star into enemies and trigger a devastating blast. | Physical + Fire Physical + Dark Fire + Fire Fire + Water Fire + Dark |
| Unison Rush (ユニオンラッシュ Yunion Rasshu, lit. "Union Rush") |
Dual Link to mercilessly charge the enemy again and again. | Physical + Physical Physical + Thunder Physical + Light Physical + Blizzard |
| Chaos Snake (カオススネーク Kaosu Sunēku) |
Dual Link to gather light in the Keyblade and then unleash a powerful beam that can be aimed with .
|
Physical + Water Fire + Thunder Water + Water Dark + Dark Dark + Blizzard |
| Prism Light (レインボープリズム Reinbō Purizumu, lit. "Rainbow Prism") |
Dual Link to refract light through a crystal and inflict serious damage. | Fire + Blizzard Water + Blizzard Thunder + Blizzard Light + Blizzard Blizzard + Blizzard |
| Trinity Limit (トリニティリミット Toriniti Rimitto) |
Dual Link to summon an orb of light and inflict serious damage. | Fire + Light Water + Thunder Water + Light Light + Light Light + Dark |
| Ragnarok (ラグナロク Ragunaroku) |
Dual Link to launch a devastating salvo of light at the enemy. | Water + Dark Thunder + Thunder Thunder + Light Thunder + Dark |
Link Style
Link Style
Riku can fuse with a Spirit to initiate a Link Style (リンクスタイル Rinku Sutairu), which enhances his attack combos, similar to Command Styles from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. The Link Style used depends on the Style attribute of the fused Dream Eater.
| Name | Description | Style |
| Shining Hammer (ライトハンマー Raito Hanmā, lit. "Light Hammer") |
Cut a wide swath in front of you, then strike the ground to create a shockwave of light. | Physical/Light |
| Fire Raid (ファイアレイド Faia Reido) |
Imbue your Keyblade with fire and hurl it at enemies. | Fire |
| Wavesurfer (ウェブサーファー Webusāfā) |
Imbue your Keyblade with water and assail foes with a series of spin attacks. | Aqua |
| Thunderstorm (サンダーストーム Sandāsutōmu) |
Imbue your Keyblade with lightning and punish foes with a flurry of attacks. | Lightning |
| Darkest Fears (ダークフィアース Dāku Fiāsu, lit. "Dark Fears") |
Grow dark claws and terrorize foes. | Dark |
Dual Style
If there are two Dream Eaters in the party with full Link Gauges, Riku can activate a Dual Style. The Dual Style used is determined by the Style attributes of the two Spirits.
| Name | Description | Styles |
| Bladecharge (ブレードチャージ Burēdochāji) |
Wield a giant Keyblade of light and strike down many enemies at once. | Lord Kyroo + anything Physical/Light + Physical/Light Physical/Light + Fire Physical/Light + Dark Fire + Fire Fire + Lightning Aqua + Lightning |
| Rising Wing (ライジングウイング Raijingu Uingu) |
Imbue your Keyblade with wind and strike a wide area with a powerful gale. | Komory Bat, Eaglider, Halbird, Pegaslick, or Ryu Dragon + anything, except Lord Kyroo or Ghostabocky Physical/Light + Aqua Fire + Aqua Aqua + Aqua Aqua + Dark |
| Ghost Drive (ゴーストドライブ Gōsuto Doraivu) |
Imbue your Keyblade with darkness and blindside foes with a flurry of warp attacks. | Ghostabocky + anything, except Lord Kyroo Physical/Light + Lightning Fire + Dark Lightning + Lightning Lightning + Dark Dark + Dark |