Kingdom Hearts is a fantasy action-roleplaying series for consoles and handheld devices.
Challenging Play
Great Characters
Click a title to learn more about each topic.
Story & Themes
Dream Drop Distance is a 3DS game that takes place after all the previous events of the Kingdom Hearts series. In it, the Nobodies who were members of Organization XIII reawaken as their old selves. Meanwhile, Sora and Riku are training to become Keyblade masters, by awakening the Sleeping Worlds that had been in hibernation as a defense against the Darkness. They encounter old villains, and Riku must fight to save Sora from becoming a Nobody again.
The Kingdom Hearts games all feature strong friendships and teamwork between people. The characters explore their identities and try against all odds to stick together even as darkness is taking over their worlds.
Save Points
There are save points in each level where players can go to save the game, as long as they are not in battle.
Difficulty
The Kingdom Hearts games can get pretty complicated, with lots of different attack combos and controls to get used to. Dream Drop Distance complicates that by using both screens of the 3DS. Less capable players might have trouble.
Heads Up!
Violence Kingdom Hearts features cartoon violence that will be familiar to anyone who has seen an animated show. Sora bashes enemies with a giant key called a Keyblade. His enemies explode into gems or smoke; there is no gore to speak of.
Scary Imagery The player fights against shadowy monsters called "Heartless" and classic Disney villains that kids will be familiar with from movies.
Strong Language The Kingdom Hearts games are intended for a young audience and do not feature strong language.
Consumerism Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is part of a series that spans over multiple consoles, and includes books and other media as well.
Discrimination Most of the characters are white or Japanese. There are a few great female characters, but none are playable in this game.
Conversation Starters
- Does the inclusion of Disney characters give you an emotional connection to the game? Do you feel as attached to the original characters as you do to the Disney characters?
- How does the story appeal to older players, even though it uses characters from kids' movies?
- Characters in Kingdom Hearts lose their memories often and forget who their friends are. How do you feel when it happens? Is it cathartic when characters finally reunite with their friends after a long time apart?
- What characters would you like to see appear in the next Kingdom Hearts game?
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