Things have been pretty quiet on the Kingdom Hearts III front since the game’s initial announcement at E3, but Square Enix finally has some new content to show in the form of a brief gameplay trailer, giving us a better look at what to expect from the game’s battle system.
The video is, like the original announcement trailer, still free of plot details or announcements on which specific Disney films will be making an appearance. It starts out in what appears to be Twilight Town from Kingdom Hearts II, and has protagonists Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy fighting a familiar swarm of enemies known as Heartless. Things start to get interesting when Sora’s familiar weapon, the Keyblade, apparently transforms into a pair of fireball-shooting guns, perhaps hinting at multiple forms and styles of play for it. After this, Sora is shown in environments that look to be inspired by classic Disney theme park rides, including a swinging pirate ship and a roller coaster, while taking on the Rock Titan from Hercules.
For all the theorizing about the Kingdom Hearts series utilizing recent Disney acquisitions such as Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, I’m surprised that no one ever brought up the possibility of Disneyland and Walt Disney World attractions, some of which have grown nearly as iconic as the company’s animated classics. At this point, it’s too early to tell exactly what is going on with the inclusion of these ride-inspired elements, but it looks intriguing and fun so far.
We will keep you updated as more news regarding Kingdom Hearts III becomes available. In the meantime, feel free to post your thoughts on the trailer in the comments section below.