Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Disney magic, characters from Final Fantasy, and an intertwined, dreamlike story that makes your head spin. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance brought one of the most ambitious chapters of the famous series to the Nintendo 3DS, advancing its Keyblade-bearer mythology into dramatic preparation for the grand finale.

The gameplay is built on a brisk action RPG combat loop, in which you control Sora and Riku in battles full of flashy combos, magic, and acrobatics. The key innovation is the Drop system, which automatically switches between the two heroes during play, forcing you to progress through both storylines simultaneously. Another prominent element is the Dream Eaters, creatures both adorable and combat-ready that you raise and take into action instead of the traditional Disney companions. The series also became famous for its acrobatic Flowmotion system, which lends combat and world traversal unprecedented dynamism.

The Kingdom Hearts series is created by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney and is led by director Tetsuya Nomura. Dream Drop Distance was released in 2012, and within the series' complicated storyline it serves as the so-called Mark of Mastery exam, a key turning point heading toward the culmination in Kingdom Hearts III.

Culturally, the Kingdom Hearts series represents one of the most successful crossovers in gaming history, uniting the Square gaming world with timeless Disney worlds. Players traverse environments inspired by films such as Pinocchio, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Tron: Legacy.

Thanks to its positive reception, the game was later reworked and included in the collector's compilation Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, making it accessible to home-console players as well and turning it into an important piece of the entire saga's puzzle.

Why play: For fans of the series, Dream Drop Distance is an indispensable chapter of the story, while for newcomers it is a charming demonstration of just how fresh an action RPG on the 3DS can be.