Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Unreleased

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is an upcoming game in the Kingdom Hearts series slated to be released on the recently announced Nintendo 3DS hand-held system. It was previously known as Kingdom Hearts 3D until the official title was revealed.

Dream Drop Distance focuses on Sora and Riku's Mark of Mastery exam, foreshadowed in Reconnect. Kingdom Hearts, the secret ending for Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, and its ending will lead fairly directly into Kingdom Hearts III. The plot will also have connections to Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. The setting of Dream Drop Distance will again be spread across several worlds; several Kingdom Hearts-original worlds will return, such as Traverse Town, but all of the Disney-based worlds will be entirely new.

Development
It is known that the game is the next major release in the Kingdom Hearts series, and it will feature both Sora and Riku as playable characters, although using their Kingdom Hearts designs. Utilizing the 3DS's high-spec graphics processing, the game will have graphics that are near on-par with those of the PS2 titles, as well as making use of the system's 3D technology such as "falling from high places" and "flying far distances". The development team is currently selecting worlds, planning to use all-new Disney worlds, along with Traverse Town and other original worlds, one of which has been revealed to be based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Nomura has stated that, with the parallel development of Final Fantasy Versus XIII, he will make sure to retain any game elements that can't be put in Final Fantasy Versus XIII for use in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.

Gameplay
Based on the Square-Enix's 1st Production Premiere Conference trailer, gameplay seems to feature the Command Deck system used in Birth by Sleep and Re:coded (or something similar to it). In the trailer their deck contains the staple Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard commands, as well as the normal Attack command. Sora and Riku also have access to the new, purple "Drop" meter, although the mechanics of it have not yet been revealed. Sora and Riku also seem to be able to perform many acrobatic maneuvers, seen grinding on railings, jumping back and forth off walls, and swinging from lamp poles while they attack Heartless.

Trailer
The trailer for Dream Drop Distance begins with Sora and Riku sitting by a Paopu Tree on Destiny Islands. Riku then disappears in a flash of light. Sora begins to call out for his friend and searches for him around the island. The trailer then displays gameplay at this point, and Sora shown to be able to use the Glide ability.

The trailer reverts to another cutscene, with Riku waking up in Traverse Town. He walks into a courtyard only to be attacked by several Heartless, looking up into the sky to see several unconscious Soras raining down from above. One lands and summons the Keyblade, fighting off the Heartless while the trailer displays more gameplay. A Soldier-like enemy then rises from the ground, but before Sora has a chance to fight the foe, he snaps awake to find himself sitting next to Kairi near the Paopu Tree. The night sky is shown, and the game's logo appears on the screen at this point.

Nomura has said in an interview that these scenes are not from the actual game, but rather, "The trailer merely portrayed the overall feeling of the game."

The first open trailer for the game is announced for January 27th 2011.