In the same way Kingdom Hearts 3’s story looks to meld all the disparate threads from each entry in the series, its gameplay looks to be a similar melting pot of franchise history.
Refining the staples of the series — magic, summons, and good ol’ fashioned Keyblade bashing — while integrating ideas from other entries and throwing in new mechanics, there is A LOT going on in Kingdom Hearts 3’s combat. So much so that we wanted to break down as many of the different pieces as possible. And IGN got the chance to do so with KH3 co-director Tai Yasue.
Read on for Yasue’s thoughts on the many aspects of Kingdom Hearts 3’s gameplay characters can expect to encounter, and be sure to check out IGN’s hands-off Kingdom Hearts 3 gameplay preview for more.
World-Specific Gimmicks
Every Disney world in Kingdom Hearts 3 has its own gameplay hook, a gimmick specific to that world — you’ve likely seen it in the Giga robots of Toy Story’s Toy Box or the downhill shield sledding of Frozen’s Arendelle.Pirates of the Caribbean’s Port Royal will also let Sora captain his own ship.
“We all love the original Disney films, obviously. We watch them over and over again and we just ask ourselves, ‘What will be the most fun [thing to do] there, in the world,’” Yasue said of the starting point for these different gameplay types.
Even further integrated into these different gimmicks are world-specific minigames. Yasue discussed how the developers aimed to incentivize players to return to worlds, and these gimmicks allowed them to build minigames unique to each level.
Yasue pointed to Arendelle’s sledding as an example, which originally players want to simply complete to continue the story of the world.
“The first time around you just clear it, but the second time around there’s new routes and there’s a score attack mode,” he said.
would appear in Kingdom Hearts 3 back in 2015. And finally, we\u0027ve gotten our first look at the world in action thanks to the TGS 2018 trailers featuring it.\r\n\r\nSan Fransokyo is an exciting potential sandbox for Sora, Donald, and Goofy to explore. A beautifully realized combination of Tokyo and San Francisco, the cityscape has such an inventive visual flair that should make battles as entertaining on the ground as they could be flying across the skyline.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/09\/18\/02-1537295729309.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/09\/18\/02-1537295729309_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”04″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”The Caribbean \u2014 As revealed during the third of three Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer, Pirates of the Caribbean is returning to the franchise. A world based on the live-action series first appeared in Kingdom Hearts 2 as Port Royal, but this latest take on the world of Jack Sparrow looks much more expansive. The trailer showcased ship combat, underwater traversal, and even mid-air combat. Jack Sparrow has been confirmed as a party member.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-battle05-1528904717411.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-battle05-1528904717411_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”05″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Arendelle \u2014 Confirmed during the first of three Kingdom Hearts 3 trailers at E3 2018, Frozen\u0027s Arendelle is finally set to appear in KH3. Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Svenn, and more from the beloved film are set to appear, while one of the world\u0027s major gameplay mechanics revealed is \u0022Goofy Curling.\u0022 The brief scene of curling depicted Sora, Donald, and Goofy racing down a hillside on Goofy\u0027s shield.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-event10-1528904717415.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-event10-1528904717415_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”06″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Andy\u0027s House (Toy Story) \u2014 As part of the confirmation that Square planed for KH3 to release in 2018, the company revealed the franchise\u0027s first Pixar world, Toy Story. The lengthy clip revealed Sora, Donald, and Goofy in toy-form, fighting alongside some of Andy\u0027s most familiar toys like Woody, both inside the boy\u0027s room and outside on the lawn.\r\n Additionally, a toy store will play a major location in this world, where players will have the chance to pilot mech-like robot toys on the battlefield.”,”height”:766,”width”:1362,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/toy-story-trailer-screens-5-1518122341031.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/toy-story-trailer-screens-5-1518122341031_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”07″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”MONSTERS, INC. \u2014 Following a leak of screenshots over the last several months, Square Enix confirmed the second Pixar world coming to KH3. Featuring Mike and Sulley as party members, the Monsters, Inc. factory will also be home to new transformations for Sora, Donald, and Goofy. It also appears the film\u0027s signature doors, which allow monsters to travel, will play a role in the game, though it\u0027s unclear if Sora and the gang will teleport through them themselves.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/12\/mi-group-1518455707491.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/12\/mi-group-1518455707491_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”08″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Mount Olympus (Hercules) \u2014 Square confirmed a heavy Hercules presence with KH3\u0027s 2015 gameplay trailer, showcasing a massive battle against Lythos the Rock Titan. But more and more has been revealed about the world that promises a new take on the world of Hercules than either KH1 or KH2, which were simply the Coliseum and then the underworld, respectively. It seems players will actually be scaling Mount Olympus, exploring the home of Herc in a cloud-topped world of stylized Greek architecture. Hades also appears to once again play a key role in the franchise, with an intriguing discussion between him and Maleficent taking the spotlight in the E3 2017 KH3 trailer.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-006-1497209741209-1518050288195.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-006-1497209741209-1518050288195_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”09″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Twilight Town (Kingdom Hearts 2) \u2014 The hometown of Roxas returns in KH3. Though gameplay from it has appeared since, Twilight Town actually appeared in the first KH3 teaser trailer from 2013, offering the first glimpse of gameplay in the sequel.”,”height”:1078,”width”:1918,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-02re-1518050288192.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-02re-1518050288192_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:10,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Yen Sid\u0027s Tower (KH2) \u2014 An extension of Twilight Town, Yen Sid\u0027s Tower has nevertheless become a key gathering point for characters in the series, including in Kingdom Hearts 2.8\u0027s 0.2: a fragmentary passage. Yen Sid offered Sora his marching orders for KH3, along with the rest of the group, in that brief bridging chapter, but glimpses at the game in previous KH3 trailers indicate the area will be playable again.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-fix-1518050288194.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-fix-1518050288194_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:11,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Old Mansion (KH2) \u2014 Another extension of Twilight Town in KH2, the Old Mansion is nevertheless and major location that played a big role in KH2 and looks to be another hot spot for plot developments in KH3. The site of Roxas\u0027 birth, becomes a member of Organization XIII, and where he eventually reunites with Sora, the Old Mansion pops up again in KH3 trailers.\r\nMost prominently, Sora faces off with Xemnas outside its walls for a heated conversation during the KH3 2017 Orchestra\/E3 trailer.”,”height”:576,”width”:1024,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-14-1497209741217-1024w-1518122265545.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-14-1497209741217-1024w-1518122265545_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:12,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Kingdom of Corona (Tangled) \u2014The first new Disney world confirmed for Kingdom Hearts 3, Corona comes from the recent trend of 3D animated Disney films. From what we\u0027ve seen so far, Rapunzel\u0027s castle and the surrounding woods play a part in the world, but it\u0027s unclear what else from the film will play a part in the role.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-01re-1518050288190.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-01re-1518050288190_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:13,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”RUMORS – Ahead of D23 Expo Japan 2018 earlier this year, plenty of rumors floated around about possible new KH3 worlds. IGN dove into how likely we think a Monsters, Inc. or World Ends With You world in Kingdom Hearts 3 may be. Though of course, Monsters, Inc. has now officially been revealed as a world coming to the game.\r\n\r\nStay tuned to IGN and this gallery for updates as Square Enix reveals them.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/09\/kh3rumors-1280-1516310810832-1518198539595.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/09\/kh3rumors-1280-1516310810832-1518198539595_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:14,”albumTotalCount”:14}]’
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Similarly, there’s a score-based minigame using the Gigas in Toy Box, and, as glimpsed in the original Big Hero 6 trailer, there is a score-based ring collection minigame.
There’s a lot of surprise left in seeing how all these gimmicks will be used fully in each world, as well as what all the minigames will entail. Curiously, Yasue left us with the tease of one minigame, referencing “The Puddings.”
“Each world has its original pudding minigame that you can enjoy,” Yasue said. “They’re called The Seven Puddings.”
Yasue said each Pudding is different, but left finer details a mystery, making me more interested in pudding than I have been in years.
Keyblade Transformations
Square Enix has shown off plenty of Sora’s Keyblade transformations — from yo-yo’s to a toy hammer, a key isn’t the only household item you’ll be hitting Heartless with in Kingdom Hearts 3.
Yasue explained that their inclusion came from a similar place as the form changes of Kingdom Hearts 2, and Birth by Sleep’s Style Mode — maintaining a pace to battle.
“The tempo was quick and I think it’s really important to have a change in rhythm in the battle systems, and the game, so we wanted to take that feeling and put that into Kingdom Hearts 3, as well,” he said.
“We wanted our players to be surprised. But at the same time, we wanted it to be true to the world,” Yasue said of the various, unexpected items the Keyblade changes into throughout battle, noting how the Toy Story transformation isn’t into an actual hammer, but a toy one.
“So by using that, by changing a [Keyblade]’s look and also how he fights, you never get really tired or bored of the game.”
Attraction Flow
Another new way to keep variety to combat is the Attraction Flow system, which incorporates Disney theme park rides into fantastical light shows of combat chaos.
“Art-wise we wanted to pick up [an]… electric parade-like look, and change the rules for each sort of ride, so you have a new feel to it,” Yasue said of the various rides, which range from a river raft that can be summoned throughout a world to a Big Thunder Mountain-esque train specific to an Olympus boss fight.
Like the Olympus fight, which allows the attraction to take on a much more cinematic look, Yasue said there are other battle-specific rides, as well as others that take into consideration the world they would be used in..
“We decide which ride we want, according to the field and which enemies you fight with, so it’s not really story-linked,” he said. “There is another point where you use an attraction, and that really fits into the sort of overall game flow, but usually it’s just battle-based, and you know, your enemies and your environment, and how that fits in.”
Gummi Ship
The Gummi Ship hasn’t always been the most-loved aspect of Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2. KH2 tried to make the on-rails space shooting experience a bit more vibrant, with more unique enemies and a moving camera perspective, but its gameplay largely remained the same.
Yasue explained that Kingdom Hearts 3’s take on the returning space combat is actually a 360-degree world players can fly around and discover things on their own with no fixed route.
“You choose your own route. There’s also treasure all over the place, and missions, and things to explore. You can use the camera feature to take pictures of stars, and that gives you a recipe to make a gummi ship,” he explained.
And this specific element has some storied space combat developers creating it.
“The Gummi ships, we have the team from Einhander…working on that with us,” he said. “For the ships as well, we have a programmer or an engineer who actually works a lot on cars and driving games as well.”
Magic
While Kingdom Hearts 3’s use of magic will be largely familiar to players of Kingdom Hearts 2, the developers have gone to great lengths to integrate the use of magic more fluidly into the animation.
“When you look at the animations, for example, even when you’re running and you shoot a fireball, Fire, for example, you’re continuing to run and shoot at the same time,” Yasue said. “We wanted it [to have] that seamless look.
“We wanted the magic spells to evolve, so you get the Situation Command after you’ve, for example, used fire a lot, you have a new level of Fire coming up on your Situation Command.”
Additionally, the Keyblade transformations have been taken into consideration when it comes to magic.
“So if you have a [Toy Story] hammer, for example, and use fire, it’s doesn’t just shoot forward, it actually changes to a circular movement,” he said, also noting the dual pistols transformation will shooting several rounds of fire.
Exploration
I’ve always loved the larger levels of Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 — treasures tucked into corners and plenty of rooms with secrets to unlock — and Kingdom Hearts 3’s huge locales look to have that in spades.
Yasue, who loves exploration, said the team wanted to strive for verticality in these levels. But on a mechanical level, they wanted to incorporate the gameplay into these exploration.
“For example, the smart phone camera picture feature. You [can] take pictures of hidden Mickeys, and by taking pictures of hidden Mickeys that are placed all over the place you get items,” he said.
“There’s also a lot of food items hidden away. And if you have food items, you [can] take that to Remy’s restaurant at Twilight Town and make your own dinner.”
Combined with the exploration of the Gummi Ship, the minigames of each world, and more, it’s clear Kingdom Hearts 3’s developers are aiming to give players plenty of reason to return to the game’s many Disney worlds even after its story has been seen to the end. With plenty of gameplay types and options thrown in, there’s no shortage of ways for Sora, Donald, and Goofy to spend their time, including even a pudding hunt for the ages.
Jonathon Dornbush is IGN’s News Editor, PlayStation lead, Beyond! host, and resident Kingdom Hearts expert. Talk to him about the series on Twitter @jmdornbush.