NihonScribe

In their issue released February 27, 2019, Dengeki PlayStation has interviewed Tetsuya Nomura on various Kingdom Hearts III game mechanics, story secrets, plans for a critical mode and other future DLC, as well as plans for the future of the Kingdom Hearts series.

Check out the full interview fully translated with help from team members @sololonlon, @NihonScribe, and @Mio-chan. Enjoy!

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Interview with Kingdom Hearts III’s Director Tetsuya Nomura! What’s next after this release and what are the plans for after this title? [Dengeki: Playstation]

On January 25th, 2019 the RPG Kingdom Hearts III was released by Square Enix and has since sold over 5 million copies worldwide. The first chapter in the series was released in 2002, and with this chapter it has been 17 years since then.

Currently the game has been out for a month, and with the Dark Seeker Saga complete we are interviewing the man who created this, Tetsuya Nomura! After playing the game and after its release, we will now discuss about what comes next and where the series is heading in the future.

Please be warned, from here on out there will be spoilers for the story up to this point.

– It has been 17 years since Kingdom Hearts released back in March 28th, 2002. In Kingdom Hearts III the Dark Seeker Saga storyline that continued throughout these 17 years reached its end, and fortunately the game sold over 5 million copies worldwide. Would you care to tell us how you are feeling about how people are receiving the game?

Tetsuya Nomura: I was very pleased to see the overwhelmingly large amounts of sales including the digital downloads. Currently I am working on implementing DLC so it feels like it hasn’t ended yet, and since the release I actually am having less sleep.

– “Rage Form” bears heavy resemblance to Kingdom Hearts II’s Anti-form. What kind of settings do you have in mind for these forms?

Nomura: The mechanics of the forms this time are quite different from the forms in Kingdom Hearts II, so we decided to change all the names. Rage Form certainly has similarities with Anti-Form, but it is completely different. Anti-Form is supposed to illustrate Sora tainted by darkness, while Rage Form showcases a reckless Sora overwhelmed and controlled by his rage.

– This game does not contain the “Critical Mode” difficulty level; could you explain why this wasn’t included in this release?

Nomura: Critical Mode was never part of the base game. It was always added to the Final Mix version as a bonus content, so this time, we decided to add it as a DLC. Because it’s not simple as just editing the parameters, we are currently testing it out and adjusting the difficulty. We want this to not only be challenging, but also enjoyable.

– All the wolds in the game, especially Big Hero 6, had various daring and bold cutscenes. There are many new worlds in Kingdom Hearts III, but could you share some your most profound and memorable moments working on these scenarios?

Nomura: We worked on the plot of Toy Story for over 2 years with Pixar to make it engaging, and even after that there were many negotiations. It was the first plot we started to work on for Kingdom Hearts III, so I have many memories regarding it.

– Some of the Organization members’ name are still currently unknown. Will there be opportunities to talk about them and other things that have happened in the future, such as Isa’s scar on his forehead?

Nomura: If there is a sequel there may be opportunities but as for now, within myself, this desire exists on a blank sheet.

Spoiler

– Ventus and Roxas resurrection’s process was written in a way for people to easily understand it, but how was Xion resurrected and how did she join the True Organization XIII?

Nomura: I think her situation is explained within an imaginable range, but I’m planning to elaborate on it in a DLC.

– People who have completed Kingdom Hearts III were able to hear about “this kid”, which Lea and Isa are looking for. At The Final World, the existence of the two “Nameless Stars” became very intriguing. Can you give us any hints about those girls’ true identities? Are they characters that have already appeared in any work of the series?

Nomura: If you look closely you can see it in the secret reports, you might be able to tell they are characters that have appeared in a previous work of the series. The “Nameless Star” will be understood at a later time.

– What kind of place is the “Scala Ad Cælum”, which was also shown in the Final Trailer? It feels similar to Daybreak Town fromKingdom Hearts Union Cross, but is there any connection? Also, who were the people in the black clothes that appeared there?

Nomura: The connection between Scala Ad Cælum and Daybreak Town is made so it can be understood if you search and look carefully. The people in black clothes are replicas.

– Please give us a comment about the epilogue and secret ending as much as possible. We are very curious about Yoroza fromVerum Rex, who also appeared in Tox Box.

Nomura: It is a prelude to a story that will be told in the future if there are any plans after this. There seems to be various speculations about the secret ending, but it is not as simple as it seems.

– Once you finish Kingdom Hearts III, the scenario of Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross] becomes more and more interesting; please tell us about the future development of KHUX.

Nomura: We are close to the release of a new world. With that, the main story will also move greatly, and the parts which were a mystery until now will start to come together.

– Now, please enlighten us on the topic of if there are plans for updates and DLC. Is there a possibility of a Final Mix release or a next game in the Kingdom Hearts series?

Nomura: Until now, we would release a Final Mix version, but this time we would like to add all additional content with DLC. I think we will start with free DLC in the form of updates from whatever finishes production first, and then release a paid DLC that will come as one package. Because of that the paid DLC will take some time, but we are planning to release it by the end of the year so that the developers are able to start work on the next project as soon as possible.

As for the next game, there has been various talks about it, but nothing has happened as of now. My plans are already full for the rest of the year.

– As for the Sky Tree, the Ambassador Hotel, The Square Cafe, the special KH3 Walkman, and the World Tour concert, do you have any memorable thoughts about them? Are there more events like these planned in the future?

Nomura: The Ambassador Hotel was a surprise to me. The rest of those were much appreciated as well. I think all the special events and collaborations have already been announced.

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In today's update new evolution materials known as Dual Meow Wow arrive in platinum ticket draws! 

Dual Meow Wow medals allow you to evolve select medals and either strengthen their supernovas (from Supernova to Supernova+) or evolve them to unlock their supernova and other special properties associated with them. 

Only Tier 7 - Tier 9 medals can be evolved this way, so pay attention to notices and the guilt of your medal to check for evolution limits. 

Required	Chance to Obtain
Platinum Ticket	Dual Meow Wow [SAB LV 7] Dual Meow Wow [SAB LV 8] Dual Meow Wow [SAB LV 9]

Each ticket draw gives you 5 medals with an SAB level of 7 - 9. 

Only medals at 7⭐️ can undergo the evolution for the Supernova or Supernova+ upgrade. Medals with this unlocked have their strength and defense stat appear yellow, while a boosted medal will have their cost automatically lowered and also yellow to boot. 

The latest special missions will offer platinum tickets from now up until February 5th 11:59 PT. 

Next, Kingdom Hearts III medals arrive in a new 10 medal falling price deal starting today until February 11, 11:59 PT!

The first draw is free, then the jewel cost breaks down as follows: 

- 2nd Draw: 2500 Jewels

- 3rd Draw: 2200 Jewels

- 4th Draw: 2000 Jewels

- 5th Draw and Beyond: 1900 Jewels 

You receive two guaranteed Kingdom Hearts III medals per pull, however there is no guarantee draw number for the new supernova medals. Each medal contains five trait slots. Tier 7 medals have 80 Pet Points while tier 8 and 9 medals have 120. All guaranteed medals and the supernova medals come with the following skills at max level. 

Attack Boost VI Max 
Defense Boost I Max 　 
Defense Boost II Max 　 
Defense Boost III Max 　 
ATK B V Max & GA 1 　 
ATK B V Max & Lux+ 
Triple Threat II

The rest of the 8 medals are of any rarity starting at five stars and above. You will also receive five magic mirrors and 10 limited VIP coins.

More details about each medal type can be seen below.

New Avatar Boards are available from up until February 6, 11:59 PT. They consist of the Fortune and Celebration Garbs which come with these items.

Fortune Garb (Male) Celebration Garb (Female)

Fortune Garb 
Fortune Fedora (Item Drop Perk +6) 

Title: Gladiator 
6★ Dale x 2 Celebration Garb 
Celebration Ribbon (Item Drop Perk +6)
Celebration Fur 
Title: Brawler 
6★ Dale x 1 

Rewards included in both boards: 
ATK B VIII Max & GA 1 (6★ Scrooge) 
ATK B VI Max & Lux++ (6★ Scrooge) 
Second Chance IV (6★ Scrooge) 
Power Gem x 1 
6★ Chip x 2 
6★ Cid 10 x 1 
6★ Magic Mirror x 5 
5★ Magic Broom x 3

Lastly, there is a new Union Cross update that allows you to gain the Hamm Snuggly avatar part which offers a +5 critical hit perk. You wil be able to participate in this current Union Cross up until February 3, 11:59 PT.

Rare Enemy times are as follows: 

4:00 a.m. - 4:29 a.m. (PT) / 12:00 to 12:29 (UTC) 
10:00 a.m. - 10:29 a.m. (PT) / 18:00 to 18:29 (UTC) 
2:00 p.m. - 2:29 p.m. (PT) / 22:00 to 22:29 (UTC) 
7:00 p.m. - 7:29 p.m. (PT) / 3:00 to 3:29 (UTC) 
11:00 p.m. - 11:29 p.m. (PT) / 7:00 to 7:29 (UTC)

Bonus Boss times on the other hand coincide with the banner and below for UTC:

4:00 a.m. - 4:29 a.m. (PT) / 12:00 to 12:29 (UTC) 
10:00 a.m. - 10:29 a.m. (PT) / 18:00 to 18:29 (UTC) 
2:00 p.m. - 2:29 p.m. (PT) / 22:00 to 22:29 (UTC) 
7:00 p.m. - 7:29 p.m. (PT) / 3:00 to 3:29 (UTC) 
11:00 p.m. - 11:29 p.m. (PT) / 7:00 to 7:29 (UTC)

That ends today's updates. Best of luck and enjoy the events until Kingdom Hearts III!

The Square Enix e-Store (Japan) is releasing their Final Fantasy Bring Arts Cloud Strife Another Form Variant Limited Edition in May 2019! Cloud is wearing his Kingdom Hearts outfit in this figure. It can be pre-ordered from their site for 9,504 yen (around $86.90)! Check out this detailed figure in the images below! Special thanks goes to @churroz for sharing this news!

UPDATE [Jan 19, 2019]: AmiAmi and the Square Enix North America Store are accepting pre-orders for Final Fantasy Bring Arts Cloud Strife Another Form Variant Limited Edition figure. The figure will cost 9,504 yen (around $86.90) from AmiAmi, but has a discount price of 7,604 yen (about 69.27 dollars) and will release in May 2019. You can pre-order from AmiAmi here.

The Square Enix North America store has a price set at $89.99 but has a discount price of $80.00 and will release in July 2019. You can pre-order from the Square Enix Store here.

Will you be getting your hands on this gorgeous figure? Has your wallet survived the onslaught of merchandise? Let us know in the comments below!

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The official logo for the world "Keyblade Graveyard" was revealed in the 2019 Kingdom Hearts III calendar that was distributed at an exclusive press event in Milan, Italy! Check out the image below, courtesy of @MyriamSephiroth. 

Take a quick look at the press event here:

What do you think of this new logo? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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The latest issue of Shonen Jump reveals new screenshots of Kingdom Hearts III with some more references on the Remi mini-game and selfie mode! Image below courtesy of @RedMakuzawa! Image translations done by KH13 News Staff @n_scribe13.

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From the top right to bottom:

New Mini-game: Make delicious food with Remy!

Level up your cooking skills! Find the materials you need in each world or obtain them from the Moogle Shop. 

Take selfies using various features!

Sora, alongside his friends, can utilize features from their "mobile portal"  [Gummiphone] to preserve memories of their trip! With this you can create your own original album. 

Who are you looking forward to taking pictures with using selfie mode? Are you excited for the mini-game with Remi? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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In the most recent trailer for Final Fantasy Brave Exvius new footage of Kingdom Hearts III was revealed!

The trailer shows off a few extended shots of Sora in possession of Master Eraqus' Keyblade, which was shown in earlier trailers.

What do you make of this new footage? Are you even more excited for this collaboration and Final Fantasy Brave Exvius? Let us know in the comments!

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Square Enix has posted new screenshots from Kingdom Hearts III on their social media as well as updating their press site. These screenshots include new cutscenes from Arendalle as well as the Mysterious Tower. You can view them in the gallery below.

New renders have also been revealed. These include the characters from Frozen, Yen Sid, Chip and Dale, Jiminy Cricket, Lea, Ienzo, and Master Xehanort. You can check them out below.

Recently, Famitsu has written an article about the screenshots on their website. We will provide translations once they are complete. 

It appears that Stitch will be returning to Kingdom Hearts III as a summon. We hope that we will be about to learn more information about him during Jump Festa.

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Legitimately forgot, haha, thanks for catching that. Amnesia is a thing.

Welcome to KH13’s trailer analysis for the new Kingdom Hearts III Winnie the Pooh trailer from Mexico City’s X018 event! Though only being a little over a minute and a half, this trailer features a lot of new content from a new world reveal to extensions of scenes that hint at what the Seekers of Darkness have in store for our main protagonists. So, let’s dive into it!

The trailer starts with the Kingdom Hearts III rating provided by the ESRB: It is rated E10+ for alcohol reference and fantasy violence. The full description they released for their rating can be viewed here, but do be warned: it includes minor spoilers for some as far as what type of violence to expect.

The trailer then opens properly with a sea of lanterns in the sky before closing in on Rapunzel and Flynn on a canoe in the midst of it all. Fans of Tangled will recognize this iconic scene, for it is the scene before the popular, “I See the Light” is sung. I will never stop marveling at the authenticity of the cutscenes Square Enix revealed; it really pulls you into the world of the movies. A nice touch is seeing Sora and co. viewing the lanterns, separate from Rapunzel and Flynn from their mound with the castle in the background. It is a good way to start the trailer.

Rapunzel and Flynn sharing a moment. This is a cutscene, folks. The detail!

Movie comparison. Pretty close.

Cutscene...

... Movie!

Our main trio get to relax and check out the lanterns as well.

Next we jump straight into the Winnie the Pooh world after which this trailer is named. We see Sora surrounded by Pooh and his friends, including the small purple Heffalump, a character from Winnie the Pooh that has not been present the previous times we visited this world in the series. The characters are all cell-shaded, with small black outlines. You really do feel like you are viewing a storybook. It makes sense, as Square are doing their best to make every world distinct and a character in their own right.

Pooh and the gang are all here.

Sora reassuring he'll always be with Pooh where it counts. From here you get a nice close-up look at the cell-shading and character outlines, especially on Sora.

After feasting our eyes on such a sweet moment, we transition back into Twilight Town as Utada Hikaru’s beautiful “Chikai”, or "Don't Think Twice", plays over these new cutscenes. We see Pence and Hayner outside the old mansion. Without hesitation, Hayner straight up rushes over and tries to dropkick Ansem in the head. The man was ready! The slow-motion and angle changes really sell the moment, and it is one of the highlights of the trailer for me. As you can imagine, the barrage of memes from this scene alone just goes to show how much of an impact Hayner makes here. I’m not sure if Hayner will survive this attempt (we all know Ansem doesn’t play fair), but no one can say the boy didn’t try, okay? Hayner is a loyal friend that needs protection!

From the blur in motion you can tell Hayner wasn't messing around. He reacts fast and is completely focused here. Can't say the same about Pence...

And here it is! The winning pose! Get him, Hayner!

I had to share at least one. My personal favorite meme thanks to @RecusantVessel! It fits so well!

Afterwards, we see more Organization members, specifically Demyx and Vexen. We get a much clearer look at Demyx’s eyes here. Though some may have doubted it before, with the close-up there is no denying Xehanort’s influence over him. However, his sass remains intact as he tells Vexen exactly what he thinks of their business arrangement. Though they are both tasked to do some type of assignment together, it is clear that Demyx doesn't feel valued by Vexen. The voice acting here is solid and is a highlight for a character we have mostly only seen react based off of fear. 

Demyx and Vexen. 

Demyx seems unhappy here. In this shot his eyes are unmistakably yellow. 

In the next frame we are greeted to Sora reassuring Chirithy that they will meet again. This is the first time any character related to Union χ[Cross] have shown up in a Kingdom Hearts III trailer. Though Nomura stated that Union χ[Cross] would be important to this chapter in the series, it's nice to finally get this scene for confirmation.

Sora and Chirithy in an unknown place. A new world?

So far we don’t know if Sora and Chirithy are in a new world or if this is somewhere in the lanes between. It appears like they are standing in the sky, but a scene a little further in the trailer may shed some lights as to their whereabouts.

After Sora’s chat with Chirithy, we encounter more cutscenes from the Pirates of the Caribbean and Big Hero 6 worlds. The detail of the pirate ships and Jack Sparrow’s sword fight against Davy Jones amidst the rain is truly breathtaking . I really felt like I was watching a scene from the film. 

The water!

My eyes were fooled every time. I legitimately thought I was viewing the movie here.

Movie comparison.

The worlds of Kingdom of Corona and The Caribbean are an example of worlds with plots in Kingdom Hearts that take after their film counterparts. From the more photo-realistic look of the models within Pirates of the Caribbean, it looks like this world will test the graphic engine the most compared to the other worlds Sora will visit. From Kingdom Hearts II to now, the series has come so far in depicting this franchise and I think many fans of these films will appreciate all the effort.

From Big Hero 6 we finally see Dark Baymax in action and view a snippet of what his boss fight will look that.

His eyes are red, not a good sign. 

Aerial combat!

It has been a while since the concept art showcased Sora on top of Baymax fighting another Baymax that is seemingly corrupted with darkness. So seeing him within the game engine for me was a high point. His boss fight seems to take place fully in the air and is very fast paced. Despite the combat, the detail doesn’t falter and the city surrounding them feels alive and thriving.

From here on out the trailer focuses mostly on various gameplay and new limit attacks. We get our first look at some of the mini games one can play within Hundred Acre Wood. For me, it reminds me a little of Bejeweled, Diamond Dash, and Tetris. Color coordination and category type seem to play a huge role in progression. It looks very engaging, and the cute aesthetic surrounding the menu and environments adds to the experience.

New limit attacks feature Sora, Goofy, and Donald being wrapped in Rapunzel's hair as she, with the help of Flynn, swing the trio around to attack surrounding enemies. It reminds me of Rapunzel's self contained attacks in which she swings her hair or utilizes her environment to gain momentum. It looks like Rapunzel's limits will be very useful in this regard with a large area of effect.

Rapunzel looks eager and ready to go.

Sora and his friends being swung around. Pretty effective against a large group.

Another cool limit shown involves Jack Sparrow. Sora, and him team up for a flurry of sword attacks that connect with raining bombs from above, sending off a series of explosions and sword slashes towards their enemies.

The last gameplay segment involves a new transformation Sora utilizes. The “Hunny Launcher” canon attack appears similar to the Star Seeker canon finisher Sora can perform with the Keyblade, though this time the attack forms an explosion of honey. It is a short but nevertheless satisfying look into the possible attacks you can do with what I assume to be the Keyblade you obtain from the Hundred Acre Wood.

After this we see Sora running by clones of himself on a white platform surrounded by blue skies and white pillars. This almost appears like a nod to the scenes of Sora and images of himself run amok in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. The look of the sky in this area also appears very similar to wherever Sora and Chirithy are standing, though its unknown if these places are truly the same or even connected.

Is this cloudy world real or is inside Sora's head?

Many fans have speculated that these cloudy places are in reference to the Final Mix cover of Kingdom Hearts II. With Nomura’s love of hidden messages within symbols and visual metaphors, I would not be surprised if these places were connected. Let’s not forget, Sora’s name translates to “Sky,” in English, so these places could have a special connection specifically to him or have to deal with how Sora connects to others. Characters falling through the sky are a constant throughout the series. 

Cover for Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix.

Another concerning aspect is that as Sora is in free fall, passing by multiple clones of himself, his body fades away into a translucent blue form from his legs to his torso. This makes me feel like this place has to do with the heart or some other mental field rather than a physical world. It is the most vague moment of the trailer and I’m very curious to find out where this is taking place in the future. Could Sora be traveling through them in order to help Roxas or Ventus in some way?

Another highlight of the trailer for me is the next sequence. Sora looks up only to see multiple shadows fall from the night sky. Besides him, Goofy, and Donald., we also see Lea paired up with Kairi and King Mickey paired up with Riku in the same area, ready to face the horde of Heartless, Unversed, and Nobodies alongside Sora.

It's raining Heartless!

The King and Riku are ready to go!

Kairi and Lea!

For the first time we see Lea summoning his Keyblade in battle. It will be really fun to see him in action. Kairi also goes into a stance similar to Sora, Xion, and Roxas.

The entire battle feels like a call back to the 1,000 Heartless battle Sora faces with Donald and Goofy back in Kingdom Hearts II. This new battle will be even more chaotic with every type of enemy our heroes have faced throughout the series present and accounted for. Good thing Sora has a lot more help this time around.

They're all here! I hope our heroes are ready to throw down.

The final moments of the trailer feature more from Organization XIII. We see Terra-Xehanort encountering the Lingering Will and exclaiming, “Who are you?!” It is an intriguing exchange, because back in Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Terra-Xehanort knows that the Lingering Will is part of Terra (what's left of him). But here Terra-Xehanort doesn’t recognize the suit of armor, possibly due to his amnesia. I believe this fight is an attempt for Terra to regain his body. This could be the makings of a very compelling boss, and if Sora ends up being a part of the scene I think it would be fitting to fight alongside the Lingering Will against Terra-Xehanort instead of against the armor itself, as was the case in a grueling secret boss fight within Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix.

Where and when is this taking place? What could have summoned the Lingering Will to face Terra-Xehanort after all this time? Many answers are awaiting the outcome of this fight. 

In a fast cut directly after the exchange, we witness a shot of various Keyblades tumbling through the sky and a shot of all 13 Darknesses arranged on a rising platform within a environment. It appears similar to the barren wastelands present in the Keyblade Graveyard, but this could also be the new location where the final battle will be set. This ending leaves us with a feeling of dread as Master Xehanort speaks of recreating the χ-blade once more.

Do you recognize any of these Keyblades?

V-formation is the best formation for evil I suppose.

We also hear some of what the new actor reprising for the late Leonard Nimoy will sound like as Master Xehanort. Some fans have speculated that Mark Hamill, who voices Master Eraqus, has taken upt he mantel. When a fan asked Mark Hamill on twitter directly, he liked the tweet which adds to this theory. It is too early to say, but after viewing the trailer multiple times the resemblance of the few spoken lines to Mark Hamill’s voice is uncanny. We shall see!

The mastermind behind it all. 

All in all, this trailer offered so much content for speculation. I really like the balance between the tones of each world and the loving attention to detail. Witnessing Chirithy and the Lingering Will really doubles down on the promise of many loose ends being tied up for this saga as everything comes full circle.

What are your thoughts and opinions regarding this latest trailer? Nomura recently revealed that more are coming for this and next month, so stay tuned for more trailer analyses from us real soon! If we’ve missed anything (or if you have any theories concerning Sora’s encounter with Chirithy and his multiple doppelgangers), let us know in the comments below!

Be sure to follow our social media so that you never miss any Kingdom Hearts III news!

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GameStop will exclusively sell the Kingdom Key D Keyblade for $39.99 from PDP starting October 31st! You can preorder it now here.

PDP is also planning the release of a wired, Kingdom Hearts III themed Xbox One controller with a slated release for December 4, 2018 for $34.99! You can find out more information on their website here.

Pictures of the controller and Keyblade can be seen below.

UPDATE: Also from PDP, the Official Pixel Pals twitter account announced that King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are now available for preorder alongside Sora! You can get them from the PDP website for $14.99 here.

Below are pictures of all the Kingdom Hearts Pixel Pals. All of them release on 11/1!

Will you be picking up PDP's addition to the cornucopia of Kingdom Hearts merchandise? Let us know in the comments below!

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Welcome to our live coverage of the Tokyo Game Show 2018, which will be streaming live from Makuhari Messe, within Japan’s Chiba prefecture!

The Tokyo Game Show often consists of exciting promotion and insights into the development of many prominent games in Japan. It takes place between September 20th to September 23rd, 2018.

This year, it will include a Kingdom Hearts III Stage Event that will be streamed from Niconico (Nicovideo.jp) and

Follow KH13’s coverage here and across our social media for more news relating to what TGS 2018 has in store for Kingdom Hearts III and more!

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Updates

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September 10, 2018 (6:30 PM JST) The Playstation LineUp Tour will be starting!

September 10, 2018 (6:30 PM JST) The PlayStation LineUp Tour has begun!

September 10, 2018 (6:35 PM JST) Big Hero 6 trailer being shown now!

September 10, 2018 (6:37 PM JST) Kingdom Hearts VR confirmed!

Tokyo Game Show 2018

September 11, 2018 (7:30 PM JST) Square Enix releases floor plan for the show!

September 11, 2018 (11:42 PM JST) Square Enix releases floor plan for download on IOS and Android!

September 12, 2018 (8:45 PM JST) TGS to premiere Kingdom Hearts III LINE TsumTsum with Miyu Iruno and Meyumi Toyoguchi!

September 12, 2018 (10:16 AM PST) Official Kingdom Hearts Instagram account hits 200,000 followers!

September 12, 2018 (6:08 PM PST) New retweet campaign to win an autograph from Miyu Iruno!

September 17, 2018 (10:00 PM PST) Square Enix releases the Kingdom Hearts III extended TGS trailer!

September 17, 2018 (10:15 PM PST) The Kingdom Hearts III box art has been revealed!

September 17th, 2018 (10:39 PM PST) Nomura confirms that there will be no more Kingdom Hearts trailers coming out of TGS, but there will be additional info!

September 19, 2018 (3:29 PM EST) Square Enix Presents, PlayStation stage, and Dengeki VS Famitsu will be live streaming Kingdom Hearts III presentations from Tokyo Game Show.

Articles

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-Kingdom Hearts VR Experience revealed at the PlayStation LineUp Tour in Japan!

-Kingdom Hearts Concert Tour 2018 coming to PlayStation VR as revealed at the PlayStation LineUp Tour in Japan!

-Utada Hikaru to perform Kingdom Hearts III song Chikai live for the first time!

-Dengeki and Famitsu showcasing Kingdom Hearts III demo live at TGS 2018!

-Kingdom Hearts III presentation announced for the Tokyo Game Show 2018 with playable demo and t-shirts!

-UPDATE: Release month for Kingdom Hearts II: Halloween Town Sora Bring Arts revealed!

-Release of the extended version of the Kingdom Hearts III Big Hero 6 trailer!

-Kingdom Hearts III Box Art revealed!

-Square Enix e-store adds new merchandise following TGS!

-Tetsuya Nomura promises more Kingdom Hearts info at TGS 2018!

-Square Enix is holding a campaign on their e-store in commemoration of Kingdom Hearts III's release!

-Kingdom Hearts III presentation announced for TGS 2018 with playable demo and t-shirts!

-Kingdom Hearts III Limited Edition PS4 Slim and Top Cover announced at TGS 2018!

-UPDATE: Kingdom Hearts III Sora Guardian Form Funko Pop NYCC Exclusive available at Wal-Mart on October 9th!

-PlayStation Access live-streaming all 4 days of EGX 2018!

-Kingdom Hearts III opening theme listed on ASCAP!

-Kingdom Hearts III Main Stage Event shows off new Keyblade Transformation and character footage!

-Nomura shares new details for Kingdom Hearts III in live Q&A during Square Enix Presents at the Tokyo Game Show 2018!

-Kingdom Hearts & Tokyo Skytree Tower of Light and Darkness Event announced!

Kingdom Hearts III - Big Hero 6 Trailer Short Version (ENG subtitles)

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Kingdom Hearts III - Big Hero 6 Trailer Short Version (JPN)

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Kingdom Hearts VR Experience

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Kingdom Hearts III - Big Hero 6 Extended Trailer (ENG subtitles)

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Kingdom Hearts III - Big Hero 6 Extended Trailer (JPN)

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Kingdom Hearts III - Big Hero 6 Trailer Screenshots

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Kingdom Hearts VR Experience Screenshots

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Kingdom Hearts III - Big Hero 6 Extended Trailer Screenshots

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Kingdom Hearts III TGS 2018 Press Screenshots and Renders

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Kingdom Hearts III TGS2018 Live Event Footage

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Kingdom Hearts III TGS2018 Playstation Live Event Footage

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Square Enix has provided part of their lineup for The Tokyo Game Show this year lasting from September 20th to September 23rd, 2018! You can find the list of confirmed games and the links to Square Enix Present’s livestream below!

Game list announcement and message translated by KH13 team member @NihonScribe.

This year Square Enix TGS 2018 is planned again for a live broadcast from the stage and our special studio! Kingdom Hearts III, Dragon Quest X, Final Fantasy XIV, and other notable titles will appear. Everyone's expectations can only be delivered here from Square Enix's TGS stage and special studio. Don't miss it!

Here is where you can find the links to Square Enix Present’s live broadcast of the event on Niconico (nicovideo.jp)!

September 22nd (Studio livestream)

September 22nd (Stage livestream)

September 23rd (Studio livestream)

September 23rd (Stage livestream)

Here is where you can find the links to their live broadcasts on YouTube!

Are you excited for the Tokyo Game Show this year? What are you hoping for in their presentations of these games? Let us know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to stay up to date with KH13 for updates on Square Enix Present’s schedule for Tokyo Game Show 2018!

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Secret Honey will release a Kingdom Hearts Organization XIII cloak on October 2018 for 42,000 yen (approx. $377) as advertised in the latest issue of the Disney Fan magazine. You can see it in the scan below.

You can read the translation below, thanks to KH13 Staff @sololonlon!

Here’s a Fall 2018 lineup perfect for easy Disney costumes!

 

Afraid of making your own costumes for Halloween? Then these costumes with refined detail are perfect for you! Find your favorite!

 

[...]

 

Kingdom Hearts Organization XIII

 

Kingdom Hearts fans will love this!

 

This is based on the coat Organization XIII members wear in Kingdom Hearts. With this one item, you can rock [your costume]! ¥42,000/scheduled for October

Rubie's Japan Store is also offering an Organization XIII cloak (male and female versions); they are currently selling them for 9,250 yen (approx. $84). You can see the pictures below.

Additionally, Rubie's Japan Store offers a Kingdom Hearts Goofy costume (see pictures below) which is currently out of stock, but is planned to be restocked sometimes in late August. It is listed for 8,990 yen (approx. $81).

Descriptions for the Goofy and Organization XIII cloaks from Rubie's Japan Store can be viewed below.

37173 Goofy [Kingdom Hearts]

¥8,990

 

*Planned to stock in end of August*

 

Model height: 162cm (≈5’4”)

 

STORY

Here is the Goofy costume complete with the top, bottom, vest, headband, and glove.

The turtleneck top has a wide sleeve, complete with the decoration.

The vest has a big zipper and 4 fake pockets with printed zippers. These are done so to keep the price low.

The bottom also has fake pockets and decorations on the hem.

The ear headband has the hat and goggle accessory attached.

The glove has the same pattern as Goofy’s, recreating the look from the game.

 

DETAIL

Size: Top length 51cm (≈1’8”)/Vest length 44cm (≈1’5”)/Bottom length 82cm (≈2’8”)

Set includes: Top/Bottom/Vest/Belt/Glove/Headband

 

37174 Kingdom Hearts Organization Xiii

¥9,250

 

(currently being sold)

 

Model height (male): 174cm (≈5’9”)

Model height (female): 162cm (≈5’4”)

 

STORY

This Organization Xiii robe has a leather-like finish with a clean silhouette around the chest.

The length of the robe just barely shows your feet, just like the game. You can cover your face if you wear the big hood.

We created the game-like silhouette by tightening the upper waist and widening the hem of the coat.

We used a 2-way zipper to recreate the design from the game. The glove is included in the set, so with both the robe and the glove, you can become a member of the Organization Xiii at any time.

This is a unisex item that comes in 2 sizes.

 

DETAIL

Set includes: Robe/Glove/Chain(only listed in the female model, but the item # is the same)

Sizes:

M: Robe length 129cm (≈4’3”)

L: Robe length 139cm (≈4’7”)

Other costumes featured in the Disney Fan magazine can be ordered here.

KH13 previously reported on Secret Honey's Organization XIII long and short coats and parka hoodies, and on Rubie's Japan Store's Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck Kingdom Hearts themed costumes.

Are you planning on ordering these costumes? What KH merch are you currently excited for? Let us know in the comments below!

UPDATE: Secret Honey will officially release their KH Organization XIII cloak on August 31st, 2018! Check out the details from the featured blog post and Rakuten translated by KH13 member @sololonlon below! Below are also more pictures of the Organization XIII cloak!

Blog Post:

 

This Halloween Collection is selling starting 8/31 (Rakuten starts at 8/31 18:00 JST)

 

Recreated the look of the Organization XIII coat.

Long zip up style fake leather coat.

Length is 136cm. Pockets on both sides.

Chains have hooks that are detachable.

Lining has a stripe pattern.

 

Price:¥42,000+tax

 

 

 

From Rakuten:

 

Size: M

Length: 136cm

Bust: 95cm+zipper

Waist: 79.8cm+zipper

Shoulders: 39cm

Sleeves: 58cm

Cuff: 45.2cm

 

Material:

Outer fabric: Fake leather

Lining: Polyester 100%

-with lining

-not see-through

-Will stretch

 

Model: Sophie (163cm)

Youtube channel “PeachMilky”

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The latest Famitsu issue that released on June 21, 2018 featured an interview with the director and creator of the Kingdom Hearts saga, Tetsuya Nomura. Nomura also talked about additions to the combat system as well as his thought process behind various Keyblade transformations and character links! This portion of the interview is now fully translated thanks to our member NihonScribe and @Keytotruth, which you can check out below:

Golden Text Block: Lea, who has a strong connection with Roxas, starts training how to use the Keyblade with Kairi. Does he think of passing peaceful days with his best friend at the clock tower as he views the sunset?

 

Nomura: I think it's becoming pretty fun even just running around. In battle, depending on the actions Sora takes, something called Situational Commands will appear on the left side of the screen. But they don't just stay there, they all have a time limit and they pile up, so it's up to the player to choose at what timing and what order to use them in to create a strategy. This is a system that I really wanted to implement this time.

 

——There are around 5 commands one can use, however, there is a time limit in which case if you don’t use it or unable to use it, it creates a dangerous situation.

Nomura: Of course, with the fast button prompts, you can quickly use it. Once one gets used to the different accessible skills, you can choose thinking, “from here let’s use this skill,” which is good. Even if you're bad at doing the actions, you will be fine whether you choose to use the skill or not.

 

 

——So there's no need to think of the hard way to do it. Among the situation commands there are amusement park-like things you can ride through “Attraction Flow” that are gorgeous, and with the mini-games also implemented there are a lot of fun things to explore.

Nomura: Attraction flow changes depending on the place, and with abilities like “Firaga,” becoming “Firera,” you become more efficient and various situation commands become more available.

 

 

——Players are now able to carry three keyblades, moreover they can retain their transformations. Was this done also with the thought of choice in mind?

Nomura: Yes. Besides just making a new personal system for the keyblade, we wanted people to enjoy playing even when they didn't want to use a keyblade while giving accomplished players more ways to stand up to the challenge and increase their effectiveness. We prepared for various options when backed into a tight situation weighed with the management of the different forms.

 

 

——With the strength of transformations such as the hammer and yo-yo forms, there is a definite impact if these forms don't stick.

Nomura: I'm glad you feel like this. With each form, players can definitely enjoy doing different actions. Incidentally, there are a few that don't have a transformation and utilize a special power. For example, Sora’s “Kingdom Key,” which allows him to use abilities he learned in past installments.

 

 

——There are also Links such as the new reveal of Ralph from “Wreck it Ralph” that have been showcased.

Nomura: The Link was originally going to be different, and our name for the ability kept changing as the forms changed. We chose “Link” for when the player form changes with the powers borrowed from a Disney character. Though it was puzzling thinking of links along with Ralph, the point is that [KHIII]’s links reveal Disney characters and new skills that one doesn't just play but can also watch.

 

 

——Is this the same case for the other link revealed, Meow Wow?

Nomura: Yes. You fight as you watch Sora travel with him, bouncing throughout the frame. Something similar to that (laughs). Really, we wanted to try a “summon” with KH3D’s [Dream Drop Distance] (also known as KH3D) dream eaters of all types, with all the names in the system, Meow Wow remained.

 

 

——Utilizing all the types of Dream Eaters?

Nomura: Yes. I intended to add a lot, but when the staff saw all the things I wanted to include, they said it was “impossible.” With that, I tried to see if I could fill up the Meow Wow link with as many dream eaters as I could.

 

[at the bottom of the page]

 

Along with Sora's growth, his hair has been becoming more spiky. "When he was a child his hair was facing more downwards and although in KHI and KHII it became more spiky, this time, the spikiness goes more towards the back of the head. It's kinda like it's going more towards the sides. (laughs)" stated Nomura. Is Sora’s hair also evolving alongside his abilities?

Kingdom Hearts III releases on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on January 25, 2019 in Japan, and January 29, 2019 to the rest of the world. You can now watch the latest Frozen trailer, Square Enix E3 Showcase trailer, and Pirates of the Caribbean trailer!

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The long awaited Kingdom Hearts III is now available for digital pre-order on the Xbox and Playstation store! Pre-ordering the game gets you a new Kingdom Hearts theme alongside a custom Keyblade skin!

Photos of the new theme and the custom Keyblade skins can be viewed below!

Kingdom Hearts III can be pre-ordered from the Playstation store for $59.99 here and the Xbox store here! Kingdom Hearts III comes out on January 29th, 2019 (North America/Europe), and January 25th, 2019 (Japan). Follow our coverage of Kingdom Hearts III at E3 and check out the latest trailer here!

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During the live Sony E3 showcase, a new Kingdom Hearts III trailer was revealed! The trailer features more footage of gameplay and characters, alongside the reveal of Pirates of The Carrebbean returning as a Disney world!

What do you think of the new trailer? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to check out the rest of our coverage of E3 2018!

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During the live Square Enix conference at E3, a new Kingdom Hearts III trailer was revealed! The exclusive video features more footage of gameplay and characters such as Ratatouille, Kairi, Lea, and more!

The footage was available previously to those that attended the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra Event on June 9th, 2018.

What do you think of the new information? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow our coverage of Kingdom Hearts III at E3 2018!

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Famitsu Weekly released an article recapping everything revealed during the Kingdom Hearts III premiere event. Screenshots and their translations, provided by news team members Mio-Chan and NihonScribe, can be viewed below!

JPG 1

 

Text in red squares: Follow-up Report

On May 17th (local time), the event held in the USA presented the world’s first demo. The characters shown below have also been revealed!

 

Text on the middle right: Kingdom Hearts III (KH III for short) is the latest game of the world’s most famous action RPG series born from Disney and Square Enix. The demo, held in Santa Monica, USA, have finally shed some light on the game’s contents.

 

(JPG 1 and 3) Golden text: In this first demo, new information comes one after another!

 

 

JPG 2

 

Under the copyright: The following pictures show contents under development.

 

Blue frame: The power to call and borrow your friends’ power, the "Link."

 

"Link" is a command that appeared in the previous games. When activated it consumes MP, you can borrow the power of a reliable friend, and use them to perform various actions. Each action depends on the summoned ally’s personality. Ralph from the movie "Wreck it Ralph" makes his appearance for the first time in the series, and you can summon him!

 

Golden small text; Ariel picture: We were able to try out Ariel’s Link (from the movie "The Little Mermaid"); while bouncing she attacks and makes splashes. It is also known that linking with a Meow Wow is possible.

 

Golden small text, Ralph pictures: The light that comes from the blocks that Ralph has created can stop the movement of enemies. Additionally, the finishing move causes a big explosion and one-shot wrecks the enemy!

 

Game data: Kingdom Hearts III; Developer: Square Enix

Release date: Expected in 2018; Price: To be announced; Genre: Action RPG; Rating: In review

Team: Director: Nomura Tetsuya, Co-director: Yasue Tai, Composer: Shimomura Yoko, Producer: Nishi Rie

 

 

JPG 3

 

Hercule's world OLYMPUS

 

In the demo, we experimented with dynamic actions, trying to defeat the powerful enemy standing at the mountain peak, the Rock Titan, all while running up the cliff and heading to the top.

The moments when we were climbing its body, (the feeling of moving Sora) was emphasized.

Boarding the Big Magic Mountain and shooting fireworks was refreshing too!

 

Small golden text: Heading to the shining spots allows you to run on surfaces freely.

The field in this game is fairly extensive and the coexistence with this new action is outstanding.

 

 

JPG 4

 

Toy Story’s world TOY BOX

 

It’s the first appearance of this world in the series. There are plenty of event scenes including Woody and Buzz. Sora and his friends changed into toys to maintain the balance of this world. Many elements are highlighted, such as hopping in a robot, engaging in a battle against other robots, and more!

 

Golden text: In the toy store, you can explore every corner of the floors. In addition to many playful and shining gimmicks, new varieties of Heartless appear!

 

(text in blue) Animated Robot Battles

 

In Toy Box, there are robots named "Gigas," which you can control and fight with, in a subjective viewpoint. Three different types exist: the blue Gigas have a rangee of bomb attacks, the red ones are good at physical attacks, and finally you can shoot and stun the enemies with the purple ones. It’s possible to switch between robots.

And so in KH’s worlds, it’s possible to have a FPS-like experience.

 

 

JPG 5

 

Sora, the protagonist that we control, was chosen by a weapon called the "Keyblade."

In the demo, pressing the left and right direction keys make switch Keyblade without opening the main menu. In addition, elements such as weapon transformations and the attack movements offer a refreshing feeling of in-battle strategy and actions.

 

Transparent frame: Transformations through Situation commands!

After a few hits, a "Situation Command" appears depending on the skills and Keyblade you use, and the situation you are in. When activated, a flashy animation with great effects occurs, and the Keyblade changes form. There are multiple stages of transformations, the attacks movements drastically change, enabling the player to unleash a powerful finish move.

 

(JPG 5 and 7) Golden text: A rich amount of Keyblades

 

 

JPG 6

 

Monsters Inc.'s Keyblade SMILE GEAR

 

The first transformation is named "Assault Claw." This form equips you with claws in both hands, making fierce combos available.

After that the Keyblade can change into a second form, "The Twins Yo-yo," offering a wide range of attacks!

 

Small golden text: The Twins Yo-yo are flexible. Their use is varied: bumping the yo-yo against the opponent, shortening the string and moving someone closer to you, and also stretching it and swinging it around. There is a lot of possibilities.

 

 

JPG7

 

Toy Story’s Keyblade INFINITY BADGE

 

(Top left corner) The “Drill Punch” form allows you to hit multiple enemies easily, and the enemies HP can be seen as sparks fly surrounding them. Also, dodge roll allows you to drill into the ground and spike up, doing a lot of damage.

 

Golden Text: Multiple Keyblades

 

(Bottom right corner) The first Keyblade transformation can be used for powerful groups of enemies and is called, “Boost Hammer.” It extends your reach, allowing you to swing long and wide. In the second stage of the transformation, “Drill Punch,” you can perform a high concentration of attacks over a large group across a large space from in and out of the ground.

 

JPG8

Tangled’s Keyblade EVER AFTER

 

(Top left) When dodge roll is utilized, copied forms in the shape of Sora appear. Alongside this, when enough of these Sora copies appear, they move towards the target and all attack at the same time, providing major damage.

 

(Top Right) When the Keyblade transforms into “Mirage Staff,” while sliding one can attack and fight with magic to stand out. Even from far distances, your attacks are powerful and have a wide influence. Also, as a “finisher,” you create a tower and attack, affecting enemies within the entire frame of the screen for a wide range attack.

 

(Bottom) A Note on Commands: At the same time Situation Commands can appear and you can choose where to do them, but they are contained within a time limit. After that, you will be unable to use these commands until the counter reaches zero. After you complete the finisher, the counter will reach zero and your keyblade will go back to its initial state.

 

JPG9

(Upper Right) During battle, besides Keyblade transformations, you can also attack using commands after fulfilling certain conditions. Managing these operations are uncomplicated and somehow with just the press of a button one can become efficient and perform a variety of actions.

 

Golden Text: To Battle

 

(Bottom left) Shooting Ride: Within a first-person perspective, players can attack in a command similar to a shooting game. Depending on how you shoot your score will change. It looks interesting and fun seeing how players can adjust and obtain a high score.

 

JPG10

(Top) The Power of Friends: With Donald you can release a countless number of fireworks flying into the air, attacking your surroundings. This attack doesn’t require a 4 button input and is a simple and effective range attack.

 

(Bottom Right) Rocket Ruckus: With Woody and Buzz you ride the rocket and press various buttons to control the ride. For the finishing move the group jumps off and the rocket heads towards the target, attacking in a big explosion. This attack is also convenient for moving around?!

 

(Middle Left) For efficient attacks, movement depends on the angle of the left and right stick, which allows you to make loops and attack while spinning (In case of using the rocket).

 

(Bottom) Note on other commands: 1) Pirate Ship: one of the first that can be obtained through, “attraction flow.” Allows for big attacks rising up from the left to the right in an ride similar to the viking attraction. 2) Tea Party Cups: can be accessed using the same kind of attraction flow as the command mentioned above. The player rides in coffee cups, spinning and drawing enemies closer in a versatile attack.

 

JPG11

Golden Text: Various commands pile up

 

(Middle Right) Shotluck: Holding the lock on button allows you to simultaneously attack a large group of enemies. This system was utilized in “KH Birth By Sleep,” allowing the player to prioritize and choose which enemies to attack and focus on. It is useful for dealing with troublesome enemies that are overwhelming from far away or located in the sky.

 

(Bottom Left) The focus gauge is important for executing shotluck commands. The methods for locking on and attacking will change depending on the Keyblade you are using within your environment.

 

(Bottom Right): With the spell, “blizzara,” you can slide and move on an icy path in the direction of the blast you fired. Situation commands and spells like “Fire” can also be used while in the air.

 

JPG12

(Top Left Corner) Magic: Once you consume MP, you will be able to attack through spells like fire or blizzard or heal yourself. Once your MP reaches zero it will start charging and while the meter is slowly filling up you will have to fight without magic. Magic can be quickly chosen and carried out outside of the command menu through the shortcut menu.

 

(Middle) Minigame “Classic Kingdom” also revealed! Info regarding the retro style mini games resembling old school cartoons, “Classic Kingdom,” was discovered. Now below we will review the four different games revealed. 1) The Barnyard Battle: Sora and King Mickey move at the same time and dance and fight their opponents 2) The Karnival Kid: You serve customers according to what they request in their orders from the menu. 3) Giantland: Strike the giant and keep moving up higher to reach the goal and escape. 4) Musical Farmer: adjust the pipes and collect the falling eggs. (Left bottom corner of this section) There are plans to make these minigames playable in the phone app, “Kingdom Hearts Union X[Cross]”. There are over 20 minigames!

(Bottom) A Note on Keyblades: When switching between Keyblades, the countdown for Keyblade A, if it is currently in a Keyblade transformation, will stop. This transformation will be saved and progress from its last point once you select this Keyblade again later on

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Famitsu released an issue on April 18th, 2018 showcasing a three-page feature on the Kingdom Hearts Union x[cross] 2018 fan event, aka "Dandelion Meeting," which took place at Disney's House of Blues Anaheim in Anaheim, California. The feature talks about the activities carried out across the event, the Classic Kingdom Trailer, and the question and answer section of the discussion panel with Tetsuya Nomura among the development staff!

Here is the full article with the panel discussion translated by team members Mio-Chan and NihonScribe. Images below are from the design panel discussion.

A fan event "Dandelion Meeting" for the smartphone game "Kingdom Hearts Union Cross" (KHUχ for sort) was held in Anaheim, California on April 15, 2018.

 

We will give a report of the event, in which was announced elements linked to Kingdom Hearts III (KH III for short). Some stages and panels wasn’t allowed to be shoot or filmed, so we apologize for the lack of images for those parts.

 

 

The Dandelion Meeting took place at the House of Blues located near Disneyland in Anaheim.

At this KHUx themed place, 1,000 fans were gathered. The interior was decorated for the event as well.

In addition, KHUχ was playable on a huge touch screen, there were sections where photos could be taken, and a panel where you could write messages along with various other amenities provided to satisfy the fans.

 

 

 

(Fans in line legend): The opening of the doors was planned around 10 o’clock, the first fans began to be in line at 9 o’clock. Some famous Youtubers were also spotted among them.

 

 

(Interior decorations 1 legend): There are plenty of highlights, such as the walls decorated with KHUχ artworks, stage decorations imitating Daybreak Town, and character panels.

 

 

(Nomura illustration): There were also illustrations drawn by Tetsuya Nomura displayed!

 

 

(Huge touch screen legend): Playing at KHUχ on a huge touch screen was really compelling. In addition to this, there were various activities such as draw battles, a message board, and a stamp rally.

 

Fans were allowed to sift through the attractions and assembly hall at their leisure, and when Kingdom Hearts brand manager, Shinji Hashimoto, appeared on stage, at last the “Dandelion Meeting” was able to start. On behalf of the fans, as the the panels were being announced, Hashimoto carried on with the commencement with a well-known quote by Sora in English stating, “My friends are my power!” (Literally in Japanese, “The people bound to my heart are my power!”), which was met with loud applause from the audience.

 

 

 

 

 

(Caption: When I went out for a break, Hashimoto was surrounded by fans. He was signing various items!)

 

Next, as the director, the moment that Tetsuya Nomura was called and entered the stage there were shouts of excitement from all directions! Though the leftover tension permeated within the fans throughout the assembly hall, Nomura waited for them to calm down, reminding everyone that this was an event to celebrate “KHUx,” before stating, “there is something I wanted to show you.” After that, a Kingdom Hearts III video showcasing LSI mini-games (LCD in the US) started streaming, which was accompanied by more excited cheers erupting from the audience!

 

Following the video was also a message from Kingdom Hearts III’s Co-director, Yasuuji Yasue. Yasue prefaced the video with, “About a year ago I received an unusual request from Tetsuya Nomura . . . this happened quite often,” and laughed before acknowledging what Nomura ordered; Nomura wanted the main development team to create LSI mini-games in the style of 1980s cartoons using cutting edge technology and free software. Out of the more than 20 mini games they completed using Unreal Engine 4, Mr. Yasue was most pleased with the game that involved changing the pipes in order to retrieve falling eggs. He laughed again, saying, “I didn’t think something like this, gathering eggs, could be fun,” and the audience laughed along with him.

 

These mini games, created in black and white following the motif of classic Disney animations, were available for those to play within the assembly hall. There were places where fans could sit and be able to see and play the four mini-games shown in the video (Including Mr. Yasue’s egg game, “Musical Farmer”). Here we will reveal the rules and the feel of playing each game.

 

THE BARNYARD BATTLE

 

The player simultaneously controls Sora and Mickey to repel Pete who approaches towards the player from the background. Pressing the button causes Sora and Mickey to swing a hammer, and depending on the timing a score of GOOD or PERFECT is rewarded; the goal is to receive the highest score possible. As you succeed Pete increases the speed of his movements and moves over the hedge on the left and right, creating a thrilling experience. The game feels similar to that of rhythm action (rhythm games) with parts that depend on sound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE KARNIVAL KID

 

This is a mini game in which the player provides drinks, french fries, and hotdogs depending on the customer’s order. Once the prescribed score is reached within the time limit you advance to the next stage. To avoid getting the order wrong and only receiving a low score, you must carefully check the orders such as whether the hotdog requires ketchup or not. The hotdog has to cook for a certain time to be fit to serve, but if you let it cook for too long the hotdog will be scorched!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GIANTLAND

 

This mini adventure involves aiming towards the spot where Mickey is located on the top right of the screen by the window. After avoiding the feet of the giant, getting propelled up to the desk by spoon, and moving to the right to pull the chord, the curtain covering the window opens and causes the lamps to shake with the breeze. You then must go back the way you came, dodging the giant’s arms, and get carried by his sneeze in order to move across the lamps, which requires using the pepper . . . etc. In order to progress quickly one must be wary of the timing of the giant’s movements.

 

 

 

MUSICAL FARMER

 

For this game you must manage the connections of the pipes in order to keep the eggs produced by the chickens from breaking and guide them into the crates. You clear the stage once you deliver the prescribed number of eggs to Mickey or Minney. It’s important that Sora moves up and down besides just left and right, for if you focus on delivering the eggs within the crates and neglect to monitor the ones traveling along the pipes, they will crash into each other and break. You will be very busy choosing your actions while foreseeing the eggs movements! The difference between game A and game B presented as buttons on the top right of the screen are the difficulty levels.

“Toy Story Land” Project also in the works!

Toy Story’s green army men also appear?! A fan generously chosen to attend Walt Disney World’s planned opening for “Toy Story Land,” on June 30th, 2018, was also invited up on stage. In celebration for the opening of “Toy Story Land,” according to Kingdom Hearts Union x[cross] producer, Mr. Hiroki Okayama, there are plans to introduce a Toy Story land limited to the English version of Kingdom Hearts Union x[cross].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Caption photo 1: Hashimoto (left), Okayama (center), and North Asia Senior Vice President/General Manager Justin Scarpone representing World Disney Japan, also made an attendance. He conveyed his gratitude, stating, "I and my team are very honored to be working with Square Enix's development team on games such as KHUx and KHIII.")

(Caption photo 2: Green Army Men bless the winner (?).)

 

 

 

 

 

(Caption: There was also a spot in the assembly hall where you could have your picture taken with the Green Army Men)

 

After that announcement, a total of 7 artists led by the Art Director Mr. Tatsuya Kando entered the stage and talked about medals, Keyblades, characters, Heartless, background design, and the production struggles during the designer panel. We have drawn some points of the Q&A session and posted them below.

 

DESIGNER PANEL

 

Although it was forbidden to take photos during this session, several pictures were shown at the event, such as the stages of progress within design creation. This is usually a part of the development that does not appear easy to show, but the fans seemed really interested in it.

 

 

 

 

 

Artists photo legend: Members of the Art team are lined up, among them a lot of brilliant women are present. “I’m feeling bashful among all these women, I’ll try not to be kicked out by spoiling the mood (laughs)” said Mr. Daigo Tsukada, working on KHUχ and KHIII’s keyblades and Heartless design.

 

 

 

Heartless picture legend: The picture is framed and put as a decoration on a wall in the hall. A heartless is showed, with details and explanations written.

 

For the creation of the medals, the team received orders from Mr. Kando, they think about the position of the characters, draw some patterns. If there’s a need to modify it, they rework, retouch and add effects until it’s complete. They show a Sephiroth medal as an example to support their explanation.

 

Development Staff (DS): KHUχ original app icon was “KH mobile”. From there, we reviewed many elements such as the amount of actions, the size of the avatar’s head among others, it became the version we can see now.

 

For Strelitzia’s design, Nomura specified that her name was inspired from a flower, that her theme color was orange and she was a quiet person, as such we submitted 13 different designs. Seeing them, Mr. Nomura said “Her hair is more like this, its color like that, but her hair’s tied like this, she got hair clips and her boots are……” his reaction was trivial and messy. We finally fixed it and here is how Strelitzia looks now.

 

For the Heartless design, we received a concept from a planner, and from there our imagination amplifies. Furthermore, we also received motion instructions for the art parts, when we looked at its totality, we kept in mind to create a cute, interesting design with a fairy tale atmosphere.

 

For the upcoming enemies, we are currently working on summoned creatures from Final Fantasy: Titan, Ramuh, and Shiva.

 

Keyblade elements such as colors and shape, are consciously designed so they can fit on small smartphones screen.

 

The backgrounds basically conform to the look of the original movies. After viewing the movie, we check the localization of the buildings; if there’s a relevant place later in the plot we make sure to select it. We also look for a balance of exploration elements and a three dimensional feeling. In some cases map areas may be newly created and adjusted for KHUχ.

 

For the cutscenes, first we decided which background we need to use, then the position of the characters, movement route, and camera movements. It’s difficult because the point is that we mustn’t exactly recreate the movie. You can’t see it much due to the framing and the camera movement, but I’d like you to pay attention to the details as we put a lot of effort into them.

 

For the initial design of the Keyblade “Starlight,” since players collect Lux that is star-shaped, we thought that all the Keyblade wielders should possess a weapon with a star on it.

 

Q. There are many avatar parts limited by gender, do you plan in the future to create parts that can be equipped to men and women?

 

To which Mr. Kando answered, “We will consider it if more people request it”.

At a point in development, there was one difficulty: “Character deformation, especially the deformed version of the Charming Prince. It was hard to detach the over-cute version from the original while keeping the heartless design that our seniors have drawn; we’re struggling to bring out new aspects as well. It’s not easy to make non-human motion with 2D.”

 

 

New elements of KHUχ have been revealed one after another!

 

 

Next, Director Tetsuya Nomura re-appeared on stage. Along with Mr. Kando and Mr. Okayama, they talked about LSI mini-games, showed at the beginning of the event, and KHUχ updates.

 

There are a total of 20 LSI-like mini-games, and are collectively called “Classic Kingdom.”

Instead of being in a Kingdom Hearts III style, Sora moves one frame at a time in a linear way.

 

Nomura: “In KHII, he adventured into a black and white world known as the Timeless River. This time I have prepared a mini-game inspired by Mickey’s classic shorts.”

You’ll feel like you are playing KHIII in advance while playing the Classic Kingdom, and if you’re playing KHUχ, they are considering linking both games for good for people who play both.

 

The Barnyard Battle legend: At the reveal of the Classic Kingdom, visitors were able to play at a demo on regular tablets, as well as on a huge touch screen at the event.

 

 

QUESTION AND ANSWER PANEL/FINAL DISCUSSION

 

Q. How are the players in KHUx carrying around their medals as they travel?

 

Mr. Nomura: Wouldn’t they just be carrying them in their pockets? (laughter fills the room)

 

Mr. Kando: What . . . then how do they equip them onto their keyblades?

 

Mr. Nomura: Perhaps you can insert them once the Keyblade has been opened from the pocket, right? After all, this is derived from dreams and magic (laughs)

 

Q. Are there any new worlds you want to add in KHUx?

 

Mr. Nomura: There are plans to add a world that will not appear in Kingdom Hearts III. The main point is that this character will appear as a summon. However, this character hasn’t been introduced yet, so I think right now you won’t understand. From now on, pay attention to future Kingdom Hearts III trailers and you might get it.

 

Q. (On the English Version) “Guilt,” is translated as, “Special Attack Bonus,” what was the reason for that?

 

Mr. Nomura: Maybe . . . “Guilt” is short for Special Attack Bonus (Laughs)

 

 

Q. Are there any collaboration events you would like to do in the future?

 

Mr. Okayama: As I announced earlier, there will be the Toy Story Land collaboration.

 

Mr. Nomura: And along with that, Mr. Kando would like to give us an interesting answer.

 

Mr. Kando: Wha…do we have THAT freedom here?! Then how about a collaboration, you and me? *very resolved* (The room filled with laughter)

 

Mr. Kando: See! (with a bright look on his face) What about you, Nomura?

 

Mr. Nomura: There are currently a lot of collaborations between different Japanese games. KHUχ doesn’t need to focus on that. Although it is just an example, it might be interesting if collaborations with platforms such as Twitter and LINE, which are not games, occurred.

A medal with Twitter’s bird logo perhaps? (laughs)

 

Mr. Kando: A 7★ medal?

 

Mr. Okayama: You sounds like you’re drunk, please don’t take it seriously everybody!

 

Mr. Nomura: You can’t get drunk if you don’t drink in the first place (laughs). Everyone, if you have any requests about collaborations, please send it to the official Twitter account.

 

Q. Please tell us more about the new Union leaders Ephemera and Skuld’s design, and about the intention behind their appearance.

Mr. Nomura: It feels like you want to know about their story, rather than learning more about their design. In KHIII, their shadows have been caught in a flickering story. I think that you will often feel their presence, more than the five former Union leaders. The fate of the new Union leaders is sealed, their names have a relevant meaning.

 

Mr. Okayama: The meaning of the names includes the spelling, do they not?

 

Mr. Nomura: That’s right. Everything has a meaning. Including Strelitzia, who isn’t part of the other 5. A new character will also appear in the future, and the story of KHUχ will become something that cannot be simply overlooked.

 

 

 

After the panel, for the second time Nomura and company were all seen coming out to the podium and there were countless cheers and admiration in the form of whistling coming from the fans. In words of encouragement and hope for their next reunion, Hashimoto stated, (in English) “Kingdom Hearts is forever with you! See you next year . . . maybe.” Once he stated this there was positive applause and affirmation for a repeat of this event. Nomura then addressed everyone with, “For the purpose of promoting KHIII, we will be visiting the US again I think. Please look forward to it,” which led to the joyful shouts of, “Thank you!!!” and “We love you!” from the entire assembly hall in a string of Japanese from the fans, ending the Dandelion Meeting in a climactic finish. From such a positive response and the joyful, sparkling aura of the crowd there was no mistaking that this had been a highly festive and memorable event that American fans were more than satisfied with.

 

 

(Souvenirs were also distributed (tote bag, postcard set, badge set, languard) Till the very end this event was filled with consideration for the fans’ enjoyment)

 

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i wasnt the only one getting a switch vibe from his console then

Very nice analysis! I really like your writing style it's refreshi.g to hear a more casual tone "They're rocking a new style" and I'm looking forward to more articles from you!I love the mini-games and yeah I'm going to be very addicted to them. I like how varied they all are and to think there's going to be 20 of them! That has me so excited! My favourite so far I think is Giantland or the Karnival Kid.

Welcome to KH13’s trailer analysis of the “Classic Kingdom” trailer revealed at this past weekend’s Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross]: Dandelion Meeting fan event!

With a title like “Classic Kingdom,” the trailer expertly hooks viewers in with a poignant call to gamers’ nostalgia in the form of LCD inspired minigames created through the unreal engine!

But first, the graphics!

We start off with Sora and Co. in an updated Twilight Town surrounded by Haynes, Pence, and Olette in new outfits. This is the first time the Twilight trio have been seen in the unreal engine and they look fantastic. They're rocking a new style, involving plaid similarly to Riku’s new makeover, but they are still similar enough to be recognizable as Roxas’ easygoing pals from Kingdom Hearts II.

Sora is in the middle of the group holding a device. In the next shot we see him and Donald and Goofy staring at a device he’s holding as well before we cut to the LCD goods (cue adorable soundtrack).

Next we are introduced to Sora, Mickey, and Minnie in 2D, moving in a way similar to Mr. Game-And-Watch. We are then treated to a montage sequence of four mini games.

First Sora and Mickey are introduced in the new gameplay style, traversing across unstable building beams being arranged by Pete to reach Minnie. Then the games start. Each one is based off a classic Disney cartoon with the same name.

The first game is called “The Barnyard Battle.” It is a rhythm game in which Mickey and Sora shift from left to right, bopping cows falling to the sides of them. It works similar in the vein of Dance Dance Revolution (and looks just as punishing).

The second game, “The Karnival Kid,” involves Sora working hard as a server, cooking hot dogs and piling up a specific dish upwards in the direction of a wanting customer (ranging from Goofy, Mickey, and beyond). Players will be able to tell the specifics of the order based on the speech bubble that shows up over the customer’s head.

“Giantland” is the next game shown with Sora working to avoid a giant’s tantrum through various obstacles before swinging on chandeliers above him to reach Mickey. This was the only minigame shown previously at the D23 Event 2017 in Japan. It’s nice to see its return here.

Lastly, “Musical Farmer” is the final minigame shown which has Sora shifting tubes and collecting eggs that birds drop down the tubes into baskets before delivering them to either Mickey or Minnie on the sidelines.

The trailer ends with Sora smiling at the pseudo-Switch-looking device before turning excitedly towards his friends. It's a great detailed close-up that really highlights Sora’s eyes and facial features. The graphics continue to improve with each trailer giving fans much hope for the finished product.

But if you need a break from fighting heartless, these minigames should take you back to a simpler time. It serves as a nice reprieve and great addition to the various series of minigames in the Kingdom Hearts series along with the aesthetics of the Timeless River world in Kingdom Hearts II. No matter how much time passes, it looks like there will always be room for the classics and it's great to see Square Enix pull inspiration from early Disney cartoons once again! I’m looking forward to seeing what the others have in store.

As someone who was lucky enough to experience a few of these games at the event itself, I think they are a great addition. “Karnival Kid” really had me on my toes. Cooking isn't easy folks!

What were your favorite parts of this new trailer? Who thinks they’ll become addicted to these new minigames? And how do you feel about the Twilight trio’s new look?

If there are any details I missed please let me know in the comments below! I hope you enjoyed this analysis!

You can catch the charming trailer here. Don't forget to check on our live coverage of the event here for more details on some gameplay and other exciting info on Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross]!

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He's done a good job voicing Spider-Man, thought this was already official as I could have sworn that was him in the KH3 trailer from 2015. Hope it becomes official soon.