As you may have read earlier, the March 8, 2012 issue of Famitsu Weekly stated that Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] will appear in the March 15, 2012 issue of the magazine with "an interview with producer Tetsuya Nomura and plenty of new information". Now, FamiWeb have updated their website to confirm that Kingdom Hearts 3D will appear in the issue releasing on March 15, 2012.
Nintendo of Europe have created a page explaining Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance]. It doesn't include any new content yet, but it contains most of the same information that the press release of the official English announcement had. With both this and the screenshots released yesterday, it seems that Kingdom Hearts 3D is finally starting to get some coverage internationally. Let's look forward to what else might be coming! Thanks to darkchaser from KH13 and KHSoraKeyBlade from KH13 for the tip.
Originally, this article was about the page on Nintendo of France's website, however, we have since updated it to be about Nintendo of Europe.
Update 2: Interestingly, Square Enix have removed the ESRB rating from the Facebook album. This probably just means that it was revealed by accident. They have also edited the album on Square Enix's page to now say "RP Rating Pending".
Update 1: Square Enix NA have also posted these screenshots on their official Facebook page. Interestingly, they reveal that the ESRB rating of the game will be E10+, much like other Kingdom Hearts titles. The description along with that is "with Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes". We will probably get a more detailed description soon.
Square Enix France have uploaded a set of Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] screenshots, focusing on the Tron: Legacy world, The Grid. While the two renders have been seen before, the screenshots are somewhat new! Feel free to check them out below. Thanks to aibo_ac7 for the tip. Square Enix Germany have also uploaded the same set of images, so it seems that international localisation is well under way!
The fourth volume of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days manga has been announced. Amazon.co.jp has announced the release date as April 21, 2012. It will cost 440 Yen.
Update 4: KH13.com have scanned and uploaded perfect quality versions of the Kingdom Hearts 3D article in the March 8, 2012 Famitsu Weekly. You can view these below. (And remember to click for a much larger image!)
Update 3: SQEX.INFO have created a translated summary of the Famitsu Weekly article. This is very interesting, so please have a read!
- The next issue of Famitsu Weekly releasing March 15th will have an interview with producer Tetsuya Nomura and plenty of new information!
- Sora and Riku’s friends King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy worry for his well being during the Mark of Mastery Exam. Alongside them, Lea appears before Yen Sid. The dialogue on the screenshot says, “Maybe from a fairly early stage, Xehanort was probably suspected.”
- Sora and Riku are shown beginning their journey riding upon their raft, the one built in the very first Kingdom Hearts title.
- Riku, the King, Ansem, and Xehanort all appear in The World That Never Was. The caption beside them explains how Ansem as the researcher of darkness and Xemnas came from the same person. Since they are both defeated, are they the real thing appearing…? In one screenshot Mickey is shown saying, “That time, the destinies of those three young people were changed!”
- The commands for Dive Mode are explained. “Diving” is the means of travelling to new worlds, much like driving the Gummi ship in the past games. While diving, you can collect prize drops and do the following commands:
A Button: Dive Attack (Attacking with a dash forward)
B Button: Eradication (Decreases speed)
X Button: Magic (Gathering prizes let’s you use magic attacks)
Y Button: Reflect Dodge (Defend against enemy attacks)
- Information regarding the Link Portal command is explained. This involves the playing with the data gathered from the people you encounter in Street Pass. The Battle Portal is sort of like an fight arena and Friend Portal is like borrowing Dream Eaters.
- Details on the customization and mini-games involved in raising the Dream Eaters is revealed. Two new Dream Eaters are also introduced, Blazing Lobster and Flower Wondernyan. Special attacks involving single links with Dream Eaters are also explained including Ragnarok and Chaos Snake.
- The special Dream Eaters collectible via AR card are also revealed. They are King Wondernyan, Circus Panda, and Nekuish. It seems the Nekuish Dream Eater is a lizard with Neku’s features. The card that comes with the game has one of these rare Dream Eaters, but it is random which one you get.
Update 2: More partial scans have been added below, again thanks to ArikaMiz.
[removed due to perfect quality scans above]
Update 1: Thanks to Toma_Kisaragi, we now have full scans of the article. We'll leave the partial scans below, as they show some parts in better quality, but feel free to also check out the complete scans. Enjoy (and look forward to our own HQ scans later on)!
[removed due to perfect quality scans above]
The latest issue of Famitsu Weekly magazine, which is set to release on March 8, 2012, has included an article on Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance]. Partial scans of this article have begun to appear online thanks to ArikaMiz, and you can see these partial scans below.
[removed due to perfect quality scans above]
Update 1: We have added English subtitles to the video below, thanks to goldpanner. You can also view/download the video with English subtitles from our video archive.
As you might have seen, Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] previously appeared at the February 22, 2012 Nintendo Direct event. After this event, a trailer was added exclusively to the Japanese version of the Nintendo 3DS eShop. Thanks to Terranort9406 from KH13, who uploaded and posted the video to our forum, and to YouTube user GSD3Ds who originally recorded the video, you can now see it below in perfect quality.
You can also view and/or download this video from our video archive.
Update 2: Pavlovic Sarah from KH13 has translated the remaining parts of the Famitsu.com article. You can read this translation below.
The friends of Sora & Riku and the people who block their way
The setting for the main characters Sora & Riku is to try as much as they can to overcome the troubles while aiming to become a Keyblade Master. In the mysterious tower where Sora & Riku decided to begin the journey, their concerned friends are waiting for them.
Their former rival Lea is appearing in the Mysterious Tower...
Also, it seems that in The World That Never Was, the enemies/people from the past which were defeted once are coming back...
The story wrapped in mystery is one of the charming points of Kingdom Hearts. This title will as well take an unpredictable development!
Also, the Kingdom Hearts series will have its 10th Year Anniversary!!
Are the waiting friends in the Mysterious Tower a little bit more worried about Sora, than Lea? And for what reason has Lea come to this place...
Originally Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, is the very same person as Ansem. Is he real or...?
Update 1: andriasang.com have posted a translation of the Famitsu.com article, explaining many features of the game. You can read this translation below.
Dive Mode
Dive Mode is the name for the mode of play you enter when moving to a new world. As you fall into the world, you must defeat enemies and collect prizes. Clear a certain score, and you'll enter the next world.
Link Portal
You'll find Link Portals here and there in the areas of play. There are two types: Battle Portals and Friend Portals.
Battle Portals put you up against a particular Dream Eater. Defeat the Dream Eater, and you'll get the materials required for creating it as a partner Dream Eater character.
Friend Portals adds a Dream Eater to your battle party for a temporary time.
In addition to a default set of Dream Eaters, the Link Portals will have Dream Eaters that you receive from other players through Street Pass.
Training Toys
Among the various ways to build up your Dream Eaters, you can use the stylus to pet and poke at them. This will build up Link Points, which you use to acquire new abilities, and experience.
To gain more Link Points, use training toys to play with the Dream Eaters. Shown below are Treasure Goggle and Water Barrel training toys.
Famitsu.com have updated with an article containing many new screenshots from Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance]. These screenshots (and one avatar) are the ones that appeared in the Famitsu Weekly yesterday, however, they are now in very high quality, so we recommend that you check them out.
Update: Square Enix France have since removed the soundtrack page from their website.
Square Enix France have created a pre-order page on their official online store for the soundtrack of Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance]. The soundtrack is said to be available during May 2012 for €24.99 (approximately US$32.75). Since the soundtrack is being sold by Square Enix France, we can probably assume that it is an international version of the album (and not the Japanese version, which releases on April 18, 2012), and will possibly be sold everywhere in Europe and North America. Thanks to KH Island for the find, and Nikolasvanitas from KH13 for the tip.
The following album art was also uploaded to the online store.
Update 6: A game store from the Netherlands, known as Game Mania, have put up a pre-order page for the game-- and this page confirms the expected release date for Europe, July 27, 2012. Since we have now seen this same date published on both a French and Dutch website, we can be quite sure that the given date is official. Thanks to mistressLuck from KH13 for the find. Keep in mind that this suggests a mid-July release for North America.
Update 5: Square Enix France have AGAIN changed the published release date of the game. While before, we were given "July 27, 2012", and saw it be changed to "Summer 2012", we have now received another change-- this time to just "2012". Square Enix are being incredibly vague about this, let's hope that they make a more official announcement soon!
Update 4: Looking at the page on the Square Enix France store, we can see that the game states that there will be "English voices and French subtitles". Also, Sora's French voice actor from previous games has Tweeted that he was not contacted about the role. This suggests that the game probably won't be dubbed in any non-English European languages, and instead will just receive subtitles. So a big sorry to our French, German and Italian fans (who will all get a subtitled game, but not a dubbed one)!
Update 3: Square Enix France have also revealed the boxart for the European version of the game. This is exactly the same as the Japanese boxart for Kingdom Hearts 3D, except, the game logo is moved from the bottom-left to the top-right. Enjoy.
Update 2: KHDestiny have Tweeted that they contacted Square Enix France, and Square Enix France stated that Kingdom Hearts 3D is "now set for a Summer 2012" release. This means that Kingdom Hearts 3D will release sometime during Summer 2012 in Europe, and Square Enix are probably aiming for sometime around July 27 (but it is not yet set in stone).
Remember, the only reason we know July 27, 2012 is accurate is because it comes from Square Enix. Square Enix have made no mention of the North American release date yet, and any given dates by game stores (especially those on the 1st or last day of a month) are just placeholders/predictions. EB Games Canada, for example, have had a "July 1" date up since January, where stores like Amazon.com claim "December 31". These are just placeholders.
Update 1: Square Enix France have since edited the website to say "Summer 2012" (between June 2012 and August 2012). This is probably because they were not supposed to reveal the release date yet (as there has been no official announcement), but keep in mind that it could mean it was in error. We'll have to wait to find out more information.
Square Enix France have revealed the release date for Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance in Europe. According to their official online store, the European version of the game will release on July 27, 2012 (well, the France version to be specific, but France release date = Europe release date 90% of the time). This means we can probably expect a July release for North America, and a release the same week as France/Europe for Australia. Thanks to sqexgal, KH Destiny and Chao_Loulou for the find.
The previously announced Wonder Meow plush toy from Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] has gone on sale today, one day ahead of the expected release. For Japanese customers, the plush toy is now available from the Square Enix Official Online Shop. For international customers, you will have to wait for CD Japan to start selling it on March 31, 2012.
Update 4: According to a Tweet by Yoko Shimomura, the music creation process for Kingdom Hearts 3D is almost complete. She also says that the tracks towards the end are becoming 'more intense', and uploaded the following photo.
Update 3: A third photo has been added below. This was also uploaded to Ishimoto's Twitter.
Update 2: Ishimoto has made another post on his music blog. He talks about seeing Shimomura after a long time, and says that the soundtrack of Kingdom Hearts 3D is "unique". Lastly, he says that some tracks from the game will be announced tomorrow.
Update 1: A photo has been uploaded to Keiji Kawamori's Twitter (Keiji Kawamori is another composer who works for Square Enix), showing the Kingdom Hearts 3D music mastering process being worked on in the studio. A second photo has been uploaded to Yoko Shimomura's Twitter.
Takeharu Ishimoto, one of the composers for Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance], has Tweeted about an update on his Square Enix Music Blog. Here, he states that tomorrow they are "mastering" the music from Kingdom Hearts 3D. This probably means that they are preparing the music for the soundtrack release on April 18, 2012! Let's look forward to it.
Update: GAME Watch have posted a similar article, containing the exact same screenshots and renders.
4Gamer.net posted an article on Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance]. This article contains A LOT of screenshots and renders, most of which relate to The Grid. Some relate to the Dream Eaters, and the Organization characters appearing at Radiant Garden. You can see all images posted with the article below, in our gallery.
The information revealed in the article is exactly the same as the information published in the last Famitsu Weekly. You can click here to check this out.
FamiWeb have updated their website with a preview of the next issue of Famitsu Weekly. Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] is set to make an appearance with an article in the magazine, but no other information is given. The issue officially releases on March 8, 2012, so we should see scans as early as Wednesday.
The "10th Anniversary Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] Premiere Event" has finished. Yesterday, on March 3, 2012 in Japan, the event occured with a focus on Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] and the 10th anniversary of the Kingdom Hearts series. This article will summarize everything that we got out of the event.
A video of the event's opening, including what is possibly the opening of Kingdom Hearts 3D!
153 photos of the event!
Photos → 10th Anniversary Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] Premiere Event
A collection of video recordings of the event!
We hope you enjoyed KH13's coverage of the 10th Anniversary Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] Premiere Event! Let's look forward to the upcoming release of the game, which at the time of writing, is only 25 days from now.
Our coverage of the "Kingdom Hearts 10th Anniversary Premiere Event" has begun. This event, occurring on March 3, 2012 in Japan, will focus on both Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] and the 10th anniversary of the Kingdom Hearts series. This article will remain pinned at the top and contains links to all news from the event. Please discuss any news on our forum.
Post event coverage
5:37AM EST: V Jump have published a set of 18 photos of the event. Thanks to ArikaMiz for the tip.
12:41PM EST: A low quality video showing the opening of the event (and containing the opening of Kingdom Hearts 3D!) has surfaced online. You can watch it below, thanks to KH Destiny for the find. Click here to see a list of videos from the event.
10:46 AM EST: The official Kingdom Hearts Twitter page has tweeted a new photo from the event.
10:24AM EST: ReBirth Wings have posted various photos from the event.
8:55AM EST: Kingdom Hearts Destiny have provided an impressions of the event, as well as various photos
"I had a great day at Kingdom Hearts Premiere Event. This day devoted to the new Kingdom Hearts on Nintendo 3DS, but also the 10th anniversary of the series was held in Odaiba. When I heard that, I was already very satisfied. Odaiba, the artificial island in Tokyo Bay, is one of my favorite places in the Japanese capital. It is an island featuring tunes resorts hosting one of the most futuristic architecture and landmarks such as the Tokyo Big Sight or Sega Joypolis. Nothing but the train line that is leading, most scenic and run on rails in height slaloming between the buildings, is an attraction by itself.
But back in to Kingdom Hearts. The event was held at the Venus Fort shopping center designed as an Italian city. The place itself is gorgeous, with a beautiful fountain and magnificent architecture. Held there in prime time in the Winter Illuminations, plunging the center in a magical atmosphere, but the pictures make it more difficult.
The event was not easy to find. Not really said, I had to move randomly in the huge mall before seeing, not without great excitement, the famous statue of Sora, Mickey, Donald and Goofy, who had already been used at Disneyland Tokyo. It's been a while since I was looking for information on the current location of this statue so you can see it, so I literally ran up to her to see it.
So I blithely strafed like all Japanese at 100m around, before I look at my surroundings. Before me stood all the posters advertising the various games Kingdom Hearts, and a TV broadcast images of each game, as well as videos on Dream Drop Distance. Everything was grouped in a fairly narrow scope of the center hallway leading to the stage where the main event would take place.
I then struggled to understand how it worked for a place. The Japanese still speaking little English, and I always as bad Japanese, I had to cope virtually alone. Luckily, I managed to find the line that led to divine ticket granting you a place for the main stage. It was a miracle, we can say, as the queue was incredibly located near the scene of the event, and especially it was not mentioned at all. I was ass enough to hear lined with a Japanese noodle ask the staff of the center where he was to date info on severe obtain a ticket, which allowed me to follow. Without that, I'd probably miss the event. Thank you, anonymous Japanese lost. It was roughly 14h when I got back in the queue, which was not very big: a little less than fifty people in front of me. The first session began half an hour, so I thought to queue for the second. Patient, I pulled out my 3DS to play a little to 358/2 Days, just to stay in the theme of the day. Barely time to do a mission that the tail was already advancing. So I could get my ticket, announcing the number 47. I was amazed by against I had to get a place for the session is the last ... 5:30 p.m.! Good god it's not gone away! I admit I was naive enough at the time. So here I am with 3 hours to wait! No problem seeing how the Venus Fort is great. And I also noticed the train coming they had installed a gundam GEANT to a neighboring building.
3 hours later, after a little shopping and sightseeing, I headed for the place indicated by the ticket. Wholesale tourist, I showed up right on time required, while others elected were all brought back before long. I have been allowed to queue up like a big VIP to my place, the 47. You should know that this file was in a stairwell, about 200 meters from the main stage. Therefore, once the received signal, the whole line began to be advanced in the center next to the stage. It was very strange, one would really say a procession heading to the Messiah, probably represented by the famous giant statue of Sora. Despite being the 47th person to return, I could get a good seat in the house thanks to the large width of the stage, and especially with my size, always useful in a variety of Japanese. I actually had some rot session behind me and I am so sorry.
There the devils we do with the new wait Dearly Beloved. The atmosphere is laid. Suddenly, a "Mamonaku! Evento sutaruto desu! "(Warning, the event begins!) Sounds in the room, and the impressive scene of a church glows with the colors of the classic symbols of the series: heart, crowns, keyblades, heads of Mickey ...
Presenter coated clothing Kingdom Hearts sold Square Enix Shop in Tokyo then appears on the scene. Unfortunately, because of its micro and very high flow of words, I have not been able to understand much about the speech she gave in 5 minutes. I still grasped it explained the synopsis of DDD and had the game
Following this, she called to him Shinji Hashimoto, vice president and producer at Square Enix. One, very comfortable on stage, do not hesitate to call the crowd, ask questions and make jokes.
He quickly announced that the video, the main attraction of the event, will now be released, and he and presenter withdraws from the scene.
The video is broadcast in two parts. One half is on the ceiling, and one on the facade of the church. For the most part, these are the same images as the trailer for the Jump Festa. Also note that the video is short, I would say 2 minutes. The beginning of the video is a frieze with vertical scrolling cover art for each game and their release dates. Then begins a rapid sequence of pictures in the series, again with some new pictures.
But few new images will bring the cheering crowd and make me vibrate. Already, we see a HD remake of one of the many famous scenes from 358/2 Days, with Roxas, Axel and Xion eating an ice on the roof of the Twilight Town train station, snatching a few cries impressed the crowd. The same will happen to the scene while kinematics representing the final fight of KH2, between Riku and Sora Xenmas. The following is a presentation of DDD, with images of new worlds in particular, but it's very very short. And already we arrive at the central point of the video, and the main interest of this event . Begins a scene where Sora and Riku finds himself in what appears to be the Necropolis Keyblade. Xehanort is facing them. Sora's Keyblade then activates and unlocks a lock. Mickey appears, carrying a large spellbook. Gradually, as he leafed through, standing out of the pages to finally reveal ... Roxas, Aqua, Terra and Ven! Good and as Donald and Goofy. The front nine are so Xehanort all together, and the picture ended up on what appears to be a big combined attack. This last point remains to be confirmed, it was quick. Note that Sora and Riku are their clothes DDD in this scene, leaving much to assume that this scene takes place in the game This is too much for the crowd, which is delirious from the beginning of this scene. In the end, it was a real sound and light show projected onto the facade of the church, for a truly impressive record. But already the video ends. Hashimoto's announcement, it seems to me, it will be the opening movie of DDD. The rest of the event will be reserved for Square Enix Members with special tickets. These tickets granted them the right to sit up front on chairs. But also to wield a keyblade size!
Indeed, Hashimoto soon to exhibit the precious artefact and shake under the nose of the crowd.
The result will be a bit long sequence where each SE Members try the Keyblade, acting as a giant wiimote on the facade of the church, prompting streaks of light in its path when the privileged agitated. Background to the effigy of a series of games appeared randomly for each person, and a photo was taken with the projection of the person alongside figures in the background. A very very nice souvenir for elected officials.
These lucky will also be entitled to another privilege in the wake, suddenly appear as dozens of Dream Eater on the facade of the church. This time it's a giant EyeToy device that will allow members to touch and move the Dream Eater on the facade of the church. The experience must have been impressive.
On this last animation that the event ends. Each person then spring the main stage, recovering in passing its collector card bearing the image of DDD.
In conclusion: a very short event, and not as grand as could be expected with the video preparation. Finally, there was that video games and posters at the entrance of the hall ... The giant statue is a bit level and gives visibility to the event. Despite the fact that in the end it there was not much to be put on the tooth, I think I speak on behalf of all the fans in attendance by saying that the scene where Roxas, Terra, Aqua and Ven appear alongside Sora and Riku will be enough to make the day magic. So many emotions! The best is that in 26 days, the game will be available, as well as its console collector and his special box. Definitely one month under the sign of Kingdom Hearts."
7:55AM EST: 4Gamer.net have posted various photos from the event.
3:45AM EST: Twitter user @Noir_plus has uploaded a new photo from the event.
2:25AM EST: Famitsu.com have uploaded 16 photos from the event. They also announced that on March 29, 2012, a special edition of Famitsu Weekly magazine would be released for the 10th Anniversary of the Kingdom Hearts series.
2:11AM EST: Gamer have uploaded 18 photos from the event!
Live event coverage (All from aibo_ac7, Noir_plus, and translated by Oishii from KH13)
1:17AM EST: New photo: Poster for event
1:15AM EST: New photo: Close-up of Sora statue
1:08AM EST: New photo: Projection of Cloud and Sephiroth
12:58AM EST: New photo: Projection of Sora and Riku in The Grid
12:19AM EST: New photo: Boxart poster with pop-out characters
12:15AM EST: New photo: Teddy bear with Sora's costume
12:10AM EST: New photo: Commemorative postcard artwork shown
12:05AM EST: New photo: Floating Wonder Meows
12:03AM EST: New photo: Projector display
11:48PM EST: Mr. Hashimoto has a Keyblade and is using it to control the display
11:47PM EST: They are allowing people from the public to play the KH3D demo
11:46PM EST: Terra, Aqua and Ventus are shown in the Keyblade Graveyard
11:44PM EST: Axel, Xion and Roxas are shown eating ice cream
11:42PM EST: Next, the opening of the game is played on the ceiling
11:41PM EST: First, Mickey's Fantasia animation is played on the ceiling
11:40PM EST: There is about to be a movie, but no recording is allowed
11:40PM EST: The Nintendo 3DS bundle and 10th Anniversary Box are shown
11:38PM EST: Tetsuya Nomura was there earlier, but had to leave for work
11:35PM EST: Shinji Hashimoto, a producer from Square Enix, is at the event as a guest
Pre event coverage
10:08PM EST: The KH3D version of Dearly Beloved can be heard playing from inside (Source: ArikaMiz)
9:33PM EST: Another photo of the statue from Square Enix
9:29PM EST: A photo of the ground outside the event (Source: ArikaMiz)
9:20PM EST: A photo of a poster for the event (Source: aibo_ac7)
8:38PM EST: Square Enix have uploaded a second photo of the statue to their Facebook
5:55PM EST: Square Enix uploads a photo of the setup, including a Kingdom Hearts Re:coded statue
1:06AM EST: Square Enix uploads a teaser video for the event
