Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance: Difference between revisions

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.

==Development==

The development team was selecting worlds, planning to use all-new Disney worlds, along with Traverse Town and other original worlds,<ref name="andriasang.com"/> one of which was revealed to be based on ''{{w|The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame}}''—although the world itself was featured earlier in the non-canonical ''[[The Sceptre and the Kingdom]]''.  

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.

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.

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.

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.

The game prominently features the [[Flowmotion]] system, a mechanic that allows for fluid movement around the field by interacting with the environment. By sliding into certain environmental features, or simply landing on others, Sora and Riku can kick off walls, spin around poles, grind rails and more. While using Flowmotion, the player can seamlessly transition into an attack, damaging nearby enemies.

The [[Gummi Ship]] sequences from ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]'' are replaced with [[Dive Mode]] as the means of reaching new worlds. It is a free-falling stage during which the player must fulfill a given objective in order to enter the world, such as destroying a certain number of enemies, earning a certain number of points, or defeating a boss. Dive Mode showcases the 3D capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS.

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