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How did Kingdom Hearts get made?
The first Kingdom Hearts began development in February 2000. It was directed by Tetsuya Nomura and produced by Shinji Hashimoto, who had conceived the idea when he met with a Disney executive in an elevator. Square and Disney had previously worked in the same building in Japan.
How did Kingdom Hearts Get Disney characters?
Thanks to their repaired relationship with Pixar, Disney has been able to effectively help them collaborate with Square Enix for Kingdom Hearts III , the first console Kingdom Hearts to feature Pixar characters.
Is Kingdom Hearts a successful franchise?
A curious combination of Disney and SquareSoft's franchises, Kingdom Hearts soon began to grow into a gaming behemoth of its own. With more than a handful of sequels across every gaming platform imaginable, Kingdom Hearts has stood the test of time and is synonymous with gaming as a hobby itself.
Who owns the Kingdom Hearts franchise?
KINGDOM HEARTS is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix under the direction of Tetsuya Nomura. The series is a collaboration between Square Enix and Disney.
Is Sora owned by Disney?
Sora and the Kingdom Hearts IP are 100% owned by The Walt Disney Company. Square Enix are only the developers! ) about who owns the character Sora. Disney is the copyright holder.
How much did Disney charge for Sora?
Ultimate owners who've bought the second Fighter Pack will automatically get Sora for no additional cost, but Sora can be bought individually for $5.99.
How old is Sora in KH4?
Sora's 17 in KH4. He was 14 in KH1. Exactly 365 days pass between KH1 and KH2, making him 15 in KH2.
Does Disney acknowledge Kingdom Hearts?
Kingdom Hearts makes a wild appearance in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers that may confirm it's 'canon' to Disney lore.
Is Kingdom Hearts popular in Japan?
The 14-year wait has done no damage to Kingdom Hearts' appeal, with the latest outing flying off the shelves in its home market.
Who holds the copyright to Sora?
Yes, Disney owns Kingdom Hearts. According to former Disney VP of Production John Vignocchi: “A lot of people are confused about who exactly owns Kingdom Hearts, but it's Disney — it's developed in partnership with Square-Enix.” So, here's the definitive answer: Disney owns Kingdom Hearts — 100%.
How did Nintendo get the rights to Sora?
In a lengthy debate on Twitter, KodyNOKOLO and PushDustin described how Sakurai was able to gain the rights to utilize Sora's likeness in the Nintendo game. Sakurai claims to have encountered an anonymous Disney representative at a "particular award location" in his latest and final Famitsu column.
Is Kingdom Hearts 4 confirmed?
We've known for a few months now that Kingdom Hearts 4 is in development but that doesn't mean it feels any more real. Initially revealed during the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary event in Tokyo last April, we've all since been desperate to find out more about Sora, Donald, and Goofy's latest adventure.
Why is Disney okay with Kingdom Hearts?
Why does Disney let Square Enix use its characters in Kingdom Hearts? Because the Kingdom Hearts franchise is a collaboration between Disney and Square Enix. Since it's done in collaboration the use of their characters is included in that, since that is a major point in the franchise, especially the first game.
Did Disney work on Kingdom Hearts?
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square). It is a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company and is under the leadership of Tetsuya Nomura, a longtime Square Enix employee.
Why is Mickey Mouse in Kingdom Hearts?
Mickey Mouse, formally referred to as The King, Your Majesty, or King Mickey, is the king of Disney Castle and a recurring character in the Kingdom Hearts series. Originally a ship's hand working with Captain Pete at Timeless River, Mickey became a student of the Keyblade Master Yen Sid.
How does Disney feel about Kingdom Hearts?
Disney Still Cares About The Kingdom Hearts Games It seems as though the inclusion of the Kingdom Key D was something of a group effort, with various other artists on the Mickey Mouse team helping design the shot and ensure the Kingdom Hearts reference stuck around through all levels of production.
What is the story of Kingdom Hearts?
Some fondly look back on the frantically fun combat system, while others still jam to the poppy tunes courtesy of Utada Hikaru. Whatever it is that keeps players coming back, the series stands as one of the more exciting crossovers in all of media. It fuses an eclectic mix of Disney properties and Final Fantasy characters, all of which revolves around a central cast of original heroes and villains. At the end of the day, though, Kingdom Hearts tells a story about light versus dark, good versus evil.
How does Kingdom Hearts 2 start?
Kingdom Hearts 2 begins by putting players in the role of Roxas, who wakes up in (a simulated) Twilight Town. He and his friends try to save up some money to go on a trip during their summer vacation. While doing part-time work, he is approached by some Nobody minions, and he quickly unravels the simulation around him. Roxas discovers a mansion that houses a secret lab, where DiZ and Naminé are working on Sora's memories. The last piece of the puzzle is merging Roxas and Sora, which Roxas eventually accepts.
What happened to Ventus and Vanitas?
Meanwhile, Ventus fights Vanitas in his mind, vanquishing the darkness at the cost of fracturing his heart. Ventus' heart now recuperates within the heart of Sora, the series' main protagonist.
Where did Xehanort get the X-blade?
To forge the X-blade, Xehanort needed a clash of light and dark at the Keyblade Graveyard, the battleground of the legendary Keyblade War. Four years before Birth by Sleep, he extracted all the darkness from the heart of Ventus, who was apprenticing under him at the time. This created a new entity, Vanitas, who became a ruthless killer and hated Ventus for being a weaker version of himself.
What is Xehanort's goal?
Xehanort's goal is to forge the legendary X-blade, which is pronounced "key-blade," and not to be confused with normal Keyblades. He wants to use the X-blade to unlock the door to Kingdom Hearts, which is essentially the heart of all worlds. He believes that obtaining this power will spark a new Keyblade War, which he wants to witness.
Is Kingdom Hearts Union a cross?
Kingdom Hearts Union χ is a major update to Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ, adding more story elements while rebranding the "χ" to be pronounced as "cross." As is already becoming clear, this franchise is nothing if not convoluted.
How many Kingdom Hearts games have been released?
The franchise, first released in 2002 on the Playstation 2, has gone on to release a total of 10 games in the last 11 years, including numerous spin offs, side stories and remakes. Going into this week’s release of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, the franchise has sold more than 19 million copies across all titles.
Where does the Kingdom Hearts game take place?
Sora, Donald and Goofy set out on the Kingdom Hearts side of the door to find Riku and King Mickey who are locked in there with them. They find a massive place called Castle Oblivion and end up inside.
Why do Sora and Donald use the Keyblade?
Sora, Donald and Goofy then travel to many different Disney-themed worlds, using the Keyblade to lock the world’s keyholes in order to prevent the world from being taken over by Heartless. It turns out that a cast of Disney villains led by Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty are using the Heartless to capture Disney princesses. These “Princesses of Heart” can be exploited to open the door to a magical place called “Kingdom Hearts” which will allow the evil villains to rule over all of the worlds. The trio beat Maleficent only to find –in the first of many plot twists – that the Disney villain was actually being controlled by a guy named Ansem. (who is actually Xehanort but we won’t discuss that yet because OW MY HEAD). Ansem plans to open Kingdom Hearts himself and use it to rain eternal darkness down on everything, because his mommy didn’t hug him enough as a kid, I guess. Along the way, Sora finds Riku and very briefly, Kairi but things aren’t the same as before because PLOT DEVELOPMENT. Sora temporarily uses the power of his own heart to save Kairi and the princesses of heart and is temporarily turned into a Heartless himself until Kairi’s love brings him back.
What is the keyblade in Kingdom Hearts?
People long ago believed that all light in the world was provided by Kingdom Hearts. Kingdom Hearts and therefore the “Light” was protected by a magical device called the Keyblade that could strike down darkness. Many people fought for control of this light and power, which was called the Keyblade War.
How many parts of the Keyblade were broken?
The war resulted in the Keyblade being broken into many parts. Specifically, 13 of darkness and seven of light. The true Kingdom Hearts was swallowed by darkness, gone presumably forever. The only thing that rebuilt the world was the light in the hearts of children.
What is the name of the game that was originally inspired by Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park?
Sakaguchi told Nomura that he felt the game would be a failure if the story did not aspire to be just as great as one of Square’s Final Fantasy titles. Nomura then set out to further develop the story. The name Kingdom Hearts was originally inspired by Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, which back then had just recently opened in Florida. As Nomura further developed the story around the theme of the characters’ hearts, the developer decided to merge the two names together to create Kingdom Hearts.
Who was Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts?
Xehanort was a young man who lived on an island and like Sora, had dreams of doing something much bigger one day. Xehanort spent his time researching ancient history and learned of something called Kingdom Hearts and the Keyblade War. People long ago believed that all light in the world was provided by Kingdom Hearts.
Why did Disney stop making Kingdom Hearts?
After the game exceeded expectations across the board, Disney opted out of developing the animated series because it felt it was better to pursue making sequels rather than a television project. Given that it was considered a good idea at the time and that Kingdom Hearts has only grown more popular, maybe we'll still see an animated project in the future.
Why is the game called Kingdom Hearts?
Nomura actually decided on the name Kingdom Hearts because he wanted something that evoked one of the things he felt many people associated with Disney: theme parks. The name Kingdom Hearts came from the idea of popular Disney attractions like Animal Kingdom. The team liked the idea of their own Kingdom, but realized they couldn't just leave it at that. Nomura eventually came up with the idea of incorporating the theme of hearts into the game's narrative, thus arriving at Kingdom Hearts as the title.
How many Kingdom Hearts games are there?
Yes, the franchise that now boasts more than ten different games was originally meant to be just one. In one of the most hilarious examples of overly modest expectations, Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura went into the production believing that Square would only be making the title as a one-off collaboration. After all, how many fans would be interested in the adventures of King Mickey and Sora once the novelty of the combination had worn off?
What is the name of the game that is based on the source of power and wisdom?
Kingdom Hearts is, on the surface, a pretty obvious title. The series centers around a location named Kingdom Hearts, the source of power and wisdom within the game's universe and the object of desire for the villains who populate the narrative. Interestingly, though, the location Kingdom Hearts came after the name of the game had been decided, which means it isn't actually the main inspiration behind the two-word combination.
What is the name of the Heartless boss in Agrabah?
In that context, there's one boss in the series that doesn't make a lot of sense. Agrabah is home to an optional Heartless boss known as Kurt Zisa. It's a strange name for a four-armed, scimitar-wielding creature created from nothing, but there's a reason behind it that isn't just the well of Latin names running dry for the localization team.
When did the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 remix come out?
When Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix hit in 2013, it was viewed as a great point of entry for players who had missed the original release from Square. It was also a no-brainer to remaster, since it would be guaranteed to bring in sales without the overhead of building a new game from scratch. It was actually a much more difficult process than the usual remake, though, since Square had completely lost the files.
Is Kingdom Hearts a complex game?
The Kingdom Hearts series is also one of the most complex game sagas around. The franchise's bizarre release schedule and penchant for nonlinear storytelling has made its overall plot a daunting challenge for anyone.
Who made the Kingdom Hearts game?
The game, developed by Superscape and published by Disney Mobile with no involvement from Square Enix, features gameplay akin to the first Kingdom Hearts game, modified for the input method of mobile phones. The game's storyline features Sora struggling to free himself from a nightmare induced by Maleficent's magic.
When was Kingdom Hearts released?
Kingdom Hearts is the first game in the series, released in Japan on March 28, 2002 for PlayStation 2. Tetsuya Nomura served as game director, his first time in this position. Kingdom Hearts introduced the main characters of the series and established the plot's framework, involving hearts and dark beings known as the Heartless. It also established the role of Disney characters in the series, with character cameos from the Final Fantasy series. Kingdom Hearts was released in North America on September 17, 2002, and featured additional content that was not in the original Japanese version. The game was later re-released exclusively in Japan as Kingdom Hearts Final Mix on December 26, 2002. Final Mix includes the content from the North American release and additional enemies, cutscenes, and weapons. The game was remastered on March 14, 2013 ( Japan ), and on September 10, 2013 ( North America) known as Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX for the (PS3).
Why did Xehanort leave the Kingdom Hearts?
Many people made Keyblades in honor of the X-blade. The war broke the X-blade into twenty pieces: Seven of light and thirteen of darkness. The hearts of children helped reawaken the world while Kingdom Hearts was swallowed by darkness. Xehanort, from Destiny Islands, wanted to leave it because it was too small. He was contacted by his future Heartless to find 12 versions of himself in the future. Back in the present, Xehanort escaped to the Land of Departure. He wore Keyblade Armor until he wore a black cloak since he thought the armor would not accept the darkness.
What is the gameplay in Kingdom Hearts?
Main article: Gameplay in Kingdom Hearts The Kingdom Hearts series games contain elements from both action and role-playing games. The games are driven by a linear progression to the next story event, usually told in the form of a cut scene, though there are numerous side quests available that provide bonus benefits to the characters. The player is primarily in control of the principal protagonist of the series, Sora. Sora is usually accompanied by Donald Duck and Goofy, who are non-playable characters that aid Sora in battle. In the first and third games, their behavior could be altered to fit the player's needs. The games featured real-time combat that incorporates physical attacks, magic, and summons; though each game handled battles differently.
Who is Sora's friend in Kingdom Hearts 3?
In Kingdom Hearts III, the series protagonist Sora is on the search for the "Key to Return Hearts" while Sora's friends, Riku and King Mickey, search for Keyblade wielders. This game featured new combat abilities and gameplay, with multiple features from previous titles.
How many volumes are there in Kingdom Hearts?
Like the manga series, it is divided up into separate series based on the games. Kingdom Hearts is divided up into two volumes; "The First Door" and "Darkness Within".
What is Kingdom Hearts Mobile?
Kingdom Hearts Mobile is a Kingdom Hearts -themed social game in which players can play mini-games together. Unlike Kingdom Hearts for the V CAST and Kingdom Hearts coded, this game does not have a storyline and focuses more on socializing. The service operates in conjunction with Kingdom Hearts coded —new avatar costumes become available after the player completes an episode of Kingdom Hearts coded. Kingdom Hearts -related media such as wallpapers, ringtones, graphics, and other items can be purchased and downloaded through the service for mobile phones.
Worlds Introduced in Kingdom Hearts 1
Kingdom Hearts 1 started the franchise off strong with a set of original and Disney worlds, almost all of which have appeared in future games. It was a great base to build on for future titles.
Worlds Introduced in Chain of Memories
Chain of Memories introduced no new worlds apart from Castle Oblivion, a place where Sora’s memories of many KH1 worlds could be brought to life. It turned out the Castle was more than just an Organization 13 base, as it was the ruined Land of Departure turned into a labyrinthine fortress by Aqua.
Worlds Introduced in Kingdom Hearts 2
Kingdom Hearts 2 was another hallmark entry of the franchise that introduced plenty of worlds. There was a fair amount of overlap with Kingdom Hearts 1 and Chain of Memories, but what worlds were recycled were mostly taken in new directions.
Worlds Introduced in Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
Birth By Sleep also repeats several worlds, but it does its best to fill in some gaps other games left. Namely, BBS finally shows the worlds of the Princesses of Heart who have gone underutilized in past entries.
Worlds Introduced in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
Dream Drop Distance has fewer worlds overall, but it puts a lot of work into making them unique and function with Flowmotion.
Worlds Introduced in Kingdom Hearts Cross
Daybreak Town is the only new world introduced in Kingdom Hearts Cross, and serves as the player’s base of operations. It appears again in Union Cross as a digital copy and serves much the same purpose. The world is destroyed by the end of the story, so it’s unlikely it will be seen again.
Worlds Introduced in Kingdom Hearts Union Cross
The only new world in Kingdom Hearts Union Cross is Game Central Station, which is special due to its unusual format. This world adapts the plot of the first Wreck-It Ralph movie, and is thus a hub for several smaller worlds. These worlds are Niceland, Cy-Bug Sector, and the Candy Kingdom, which adapt the individual game worlds from the film.
What is the Kingdom Hearts franchise?
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square).
Who made Kingdom Hearts?
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square). It is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios, combining characters and elements from Square Enix 's Final Fantasy series and multiple Disney franchises. Currently the series includes seven video ...
What is a trading card game?
The Kingdom Hearts Trading Card Game is a collectible card game based on the Kingdom Hearts series. It was first released in Japan to coincide with the release of Chain of Memories and was produced by Tomy. The TCG features starter decks, playing mats, and booster packs. In 2007, Fantasy Flight Games acquired the rights to translate the game and market it in North America. In the game, the player takes the role of Sora from the Kingdom Hearts games. Using the cards, players travel to worlds to battle the Heartless. The game allows for two players with a deck and "Player Card" to play together. The game is distributed in a variety of booster packs. The game was released in North America on November 15, 2007.
How long did the Kingdom Hearts manga last?
Every volume listed stayed on the list for at least two weeks; Kingdom Hearts volume 4 stayed the longest at four weeks. However, due to Tokyopop's 2008 restructuring, the Kingdom Hearts manga series was cancelled after the 2nd volume of Kingdom Hearts II' s manga was released.
When did Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix come out?
This collection is titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ and was released in Japan on March 29, 2007. Those who pre-ordered the collection also received Kingdom Hearts -Another Report-, a book which includes plot and development information, as well as the "Director's Secret Report XIII".
When did Fantasy Flight Games acquire the rights to the game?
In 2007, Fantasy Flight Games acquired the rights to translate the game and market it in North America. In the game, the player takes the role of Sora from the Kingdom Hearts games. Using the cards, players travel to worlds to battle the Heartless.
When was Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories released?
It was released in Japan as a package with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix on March 29, 2007. It was released in North America as a standalone title on December 2, 2008.
Who is Garrett by trade?
Garrett by trade is a personal finance freelance writer and journalist. With over 10 years experience he's covered businesses, CEOs, and investments. However he does like to take on other topics involving some of his personal interests like automobiles, future technologies, and anything else that could change the world.
Is Kingdom Hearts 3 successful?
In contrast, the Kingdom Hearts series is interesting in that its success has been relatively consistent over the course of its existence. Yes, there have been some Kingdom Hearts games that have been much more successful than others, but at the end of the day, the less successful Kingdom Hearts games have not been disasters by any means. Moreover, the two main installments of Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II have done very well without too great a slip in sales between them at 5 million copies and 4 million copies respectively, meaning that it isn’t unreasonable to expect that Kingdom Hearts III will be able to manage something similar. Combined with the fact that the franchise’s sales numbers mean that it has brought in billions and billions of dollars for the companies behind it, it seems safe to say that Kingdom Hearts is very valuable indeed, though assigning it an exact number is impossible because of the inherent un-measurability of intangible factors.
Is Kingdom Hearts a good selling game?
Value-wise, Kingdom Hearts isn’t Square -Enix’s best-selling franchise, but it is up there. First and for emost, the series is said to have sold more than 24 million units by the latter part of 2017, which puts it in an interesting position on the list of Square-Enix’s best-selling franchises. After all, this means that Kingdom Hearts is beaten out by Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Tomb Raider, with Tomb Raider being the lowest at 60 million units. As a result, it seems probable that Kingdom Hearts won’t be overtaking Square-Enix’s best-sellers anytime soon in spite of the upcoming Kingdom Hearts III, not least because Tomb Raider is set to release Shadow of the Tomb Raider in the near future as well. Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that Kingdom Hearts is followed by the Mana series at 11.51 million units, meaning that there isn’t much chance of it being overtaken anytime soon. Something that is particularly true because the Mana series is somewhat notorious for the uneven reception of its games, which might explain why it hasn’t had anything besides a remake since 2014 and 2015.
Who made the Final Fantasy game?
The story begins with a plan between Square Enix game producer, Shinji Hashimoto , and Final Fantasy’s creator, Hironobu Sakaguchi, to create a new open world game in the same vein as Super Mario 64. When the lead character designer from Final Fantasy VII, Tetsuya Nomura, overheard the two talking about having characters as popular as Disney’s being able to rival a Mario game, he volunteered to lead the project. At that time, Square and Disney held offices in the same building in Japan.
How many games are there in the Disney series?
A collaboration between Disney and Square Enix (formerly Squaresoft), the series consists of nine games (excluding collections and mobile iterations) available for multiple platforms, which have sold over 24 million copies worldwide.
Is Kingdom Hearts 3 coming to Square Enix?
Fans of the franchise will be pleased to know that Square Enix will be launching Kingdom Hearts 3 this year, providing the final piece to a ridiculously convoluted puzzle.
