The Drop System is a game mechanic in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. It allows the player to switch control between Sora and Riku, allowing each to progress independently through the game. One character is presumed to be "asleep" while the other is active. The player will drop into the next character once the Drop Gauge (ドロップゲージ Doroppu Gēji) is depleted, or they can drop manually by tapping the "Drop" button that appears on the World Map, in the main menu, in the pause menu, or at a Save Point.
Development
Following an interview with Tai Yasue, the Drop System was developed to increase the thrill of the game and to keep Sora and Riku's stories united, in contrast to Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, where the player has to finish a story before going on to the next one.[1]
Story
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
Sora goes with Neku to the Third District, where they encounter a mysterious youth. While Neku goes to confront him, Sora is suddenly overcome with drowsiness, and he succumbs to sleep. He later wakes up to find the district empty.
After Riku fends off Beat's Spirit and the other attacking Dream Eaters in the Second District, he becomes overwhelmingly sleepy and loses consciousness. When he wakes up, he finds Joshua and Beat have gone.
Xigbar and Young Xehanort corner Sora in The World That Never Was and send him into a dream. After Xehanort shows Sora visions of his meeting Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, Sora and Ansem entering the Secret Place before the Destiny Islands fell into darkness, and Sora's visits to the different incarnations of Traverse Town, Sora suddenly passes out while chasing an illusion of Pluto.
| This information is based on alternate scenes or materials and is not considered canon within the overall plot of the series. |
|---|
| If Riku tries to approach the Castle That Never Was before Sora defeats Xemnas, he will always drop off to sleep. |
Mechanics
The Drop Gauge has three differently-colored bars that continuously deplete, one by one, from blue to yellow to pink. The gauge's speed is indicated by the multiplier that accompanies it. Once the third bar empties, Bonus Time (ボーナスタイム Bōnasu Taimu) begins, and the speed multiplier is replaced with a final 30 second countdown. During that time, the Attack command drops HP, Munny or Droplet prizes for each hit landed on a target. Droplets also appear more often and more abundantly from enemies. After the 30 seconds is up, the character will fall asleep and Drop, and player control will pass to the other character. When the player returns to the first character, play will resume where it left off. If the character drops during a boss battle, the battle will start over from scratch when they resume, as if it were a Game Over.
The Sleep effect increases the gauge's speed, as does contact with the pink gas released from drop traps. The player can restore the gauge and reset the drop rate by using items like Drop-Me-Not, Drop-Me-Never, or Megalixir, or changing worlds, and the Drop Decelerator bonus slows the gauge down, as does guarding with Wake-up Block. The forecast can increase the base drop speed.
Relay Bonus
After a character drops, the Relay Bonus (Bonus Relay) screen is shown, and the player can purchase different Drop Bonuses (ドロップボーナス Doroppu Bōnasu) with Drop Points (ドロップポイント Doroppu Pointo), or DP. The boosts will affect the other character's gameplay. They include reduced Drop Gauge speed, temporary stat boosts, new commands or items. Some boosts are available in three different levels after being obtained, each one with better effects, but with a higher DP cost. Any leftover DP is converted to Munny.
DP is earned during gameplay by collecting Droplets relinquished by defeated Nightmares, collecting specific "lucky items", which are detailed on the Forecast screen, or by completing Link Portals. The player can collect of maximum of 999 droplets per drop. The player can give the other character several bonuses depending on the amount of Droplets acquired in the last Drop and depending on what has been unlocked from Bonuses.
List of Drop Bonuses
Default Drop Bonuses
| Bonus | DP Cost | Unlocked | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LV1 | LV2 | LV3 | ||
| Link Accelerator (リンクブースト Rinku Būsuto, lit. "Link Boost") |
30 | 80 | 200 | Defeat the Lord Kyroo. |
| Drop Decelerator (ドロップスピードダウン Doroppu Supīdo Daun, lit. "Drop Speed Down")[2] |
10 | 40 | 100 | Save Shiki from the Dream Eaters. |
| Flowmotion Turbo (フリーフローブースト Furīfurō Būsuto, lit. "Freeflow Boost") |
30 | 80 | 200 | Defeat the Spellican at Symphony of Sorcery. |
| Attack Gain (アタックブースト Atakku Būsuto, lit. "Attack Boost") |
30 | 80 | 200 | Available from the beginning. |
| Magic Gain (マジックブースト Majikku Būsuto, lit. "Magic Boost") |
30 | 80 | 200 | Available from the beginning. |
| Defense Gain (ガードブースト Gādo Būsuto, lit. "Guard Boost") |
30 | 80 | 200 | Defeat Rinzler. |
| Affinity Gain (ブリードブースト Burīdo Būsuto, lit. "Breed Boost") |
10 | 40 | 100 | Defeat the Wargoyle with Riku. |
| Spirit Auto-Life (スピリットリレイズ Supiritto Rireizu, lit. "Spirit Reraise") |
10 | — | — | Defeat the Spellican at Traverse Town. |
Random Drop Bonuses
| Bonus | DP Cost | Shop Level | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
 Potion |
10 | 50.0% | 33.3% | 16.7% | 11.2% | 8.5% | |||
 Balloon |
20 | 50.0% | 33.3% | 16.7% | 11.2% | 8.5% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 6.7% |
 Aerial Recovery |
30 | 33.3% | 16.7% | 10.4% | 7.5% | 6.6% | 5.2% | 4.9% | |
| Water Barrel |
20 | 16.7% | 11.2% | 8.5% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 6.7% | ||
| Treasure Goggles |
30 | 16.7% | 11.2% | 8.5% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 6.7% | ||
 Wake-up Block |
40 | 16.7% | 11.2% | 7.5% | 7.2% | 5.2% | 5.4% | ||
| Hi-Potion |
20 | 11.2% | 8.5% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 6.7% | |||
| Mega Potion |
30 | 11.2% | 8.5% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 6.7% | |||
| Payback Blast |
40 | 11.2% | 8.5% | 7.2% | 5.9% | 5.4% | |||
 Dark Break |
50 | 8.5% | 7.9% | 5.9% | 6.0% | ||||
| Timestorm |
50 | 8.5% | 7.9% | 5.9% | 6.0% | ||||
 Cura |
50 | 8.5% | 7.9% | 5.9% | 6.0% | ||||
| Sliding Block |
50 | 7.9% | 6.6% | 6.7% | |||||
| Magnet Spiral |
50 | 7.9% | 6.6% | 6.0% | |||||
| Dark Firaga |
60 | 6.6% | 6.7% | ||||||
 Dark Roll |
60 | 6.6% | 6.7% | ||||||
| Dark Barrier |
60 | 6.6% | 6.7% | ||||||
| Bonus | DP Cost | Shop Level | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
| Potion |
10 | 50.0% | 33.3% | 16.7% | 11.2% | 9.2% | |||
| Balloon |
20 | 50.0% | 33.3% | 16.7% | 11.2% | 9.2% | 8.6% | 8.9% | 9.2% |
| Aerial Recovery |
30 | 33.3% | 16.7% | 10.4% | 8.6% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 6.4% | |
| Water Barrel |
20 | 16.7% | 11.2% | 9.2% | 8.6% | 8.9% | 9.2% | ||
| Treasure Goggles |
30 | 16.7% | 11.2% | 8.6% | 7.8% | 7.0% | 7.2% | ||
| Wake-up Block |
40 | 16.7% | 11.2% | 8.6% | 7.8% | 7.0% | 7.2% | ||
| Hi-Potion |
20 | 11.2% | 9.2% | 8.6% | 8.9% | 9.2% | |||
| Mega Potion |
30 | 11.2% | 9.2% | 8.6% | 8.9% | 9.2% | |||
| Payback Raid |
40 | 11.2% | 9.2% | 7.8% | 7.9% | 7.2% | |||
| Timestorm |
50 | 9.2% | 8.6% | 7.9% | 8.3% | ||||
| Cura |
50 | 9.2% | 8.6% | 7.9% | 8.3% | ||||
| Sliding Block |
50 | 8.6% | 8.9% | 8.3% | |||||
| Magnet Spiral |
50 | 8.6% | 8.9% | 8.3% | |||||
Notes and references
- ^ The Making of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Tai Yasue: Well, on our previous Kingdom Hearts, Birth by Sleep, it centered around Aqua, Ventus, and Terra. You had to actually finish the story before starting a new one. It sort of felt like they were separate stories, in a way. This time, Nomura I think wanted us to make it into a sort of united story. There are two characters, but it's a united experience. We wanted to add a particular thrill, I think, the thrill of… If you drop during a boss battle, for example, you have to switch characters. So there's a little bit of a time limit. I think it was a little bit more thrilling. Another thing we wanted to add was the bonus relay system, we wanted Sora and Riku to cooperate. For example, by playing Sora and gaining points, you could give bonuses to your next character, Riku. There was a strategic depth to it, I think. I thought that made it interesting as well.
- ^ International and HD versions only.