KHWiki:Trinity Archives/KH3D Review


 * Zach Neumann is an administrator for the Kingdom Hearts Wiki. He enjoys strolling through the arcade and following ridiculous stories.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is the latest instalment of the popular Kingdom Hearts series. Featuring all new Disney worlds, creative gameplay, and a story that both brings together the previous games in the series and sets the stage for the much-anticipated Kingdom Hearts III. (Knock on wood.) So, let's take a look, shall we?

The many new gameplay features of Kingdom Hearts 3D add a great deal of depth to the game. The Flowmotion system takes some getting used to, but incoporating movement into attacking enemies is a good alternative from the normal button-mashing style of combat. The fast and fluid movements create a feeling of great mobility, allowing me to fling myself across the field map in a way that reminds me of Infamous. Reality Shifts are a very innovative feature, adding a unique spin on fighting in the different worlds. They break up normal combat, keeping it fresh and interesting, and they are effective in finishing battles and managing crowds of enemies. The normal combat system, derived from that of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, is well-implemented in Kingdom Hearts 3D, with the only wrinkle being the different control placement of the Nintendo 3DS from the PlayStation Portable. I found myself slightly hampered by the placement of the D-Pad below the analog slider, which forced me to stop moving in order to select Deck Commands during battle.

Raising Dream Eaters is an engrossing and enjoyable experience.


 * Story ties together the other games nicely; KH3D is the “bow” of the present leading up to KHIII. Flashbacks and between-worlds cutscenes fit well and don’t seem intrusive.


 * Drop system works well, adding another dimension of urgency to gameplay (ex. Fighting Char Clawbster to the last 10 seconds helped me get into the game)
 * Dream Eaters are incredibly varied and colorful, at 50 different types, and raising them is so enjoyable, it pained me whenever I created a higher-level Dream Eater and had to switch.
 * Basic combat – hampered slightly by the reverse positions of the analog slider and D-Pad in comparison to that of the PSP; requires the player to stop moving in order to choose a Deck Command.
 * KH3D is visually stunning; Graphics are an improvement from Birth by Sleep, and loading times are severely decreased. 3D effects are not intrusive and feel natural; used for looking into the screen, rather than having things pop out.
 * Par with the course of the series, the worlds are mainly devoid of their native residents.
 * Flick Rush works as a great application of KH COM’s card-based battle system, though it could have benefitted with the inclusion of deck customization