The trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 launched followers to the world of Quadratum, which bears a hanging resemblance to the actual world ( therefore Sora’s realistic-looking, Remaining Fantasy-esque makeover). Strelitzia, the woman who resides there and within the Tokyo residence Sora wakes up in, tells Sora that Quadratum is like an afterworld for individuals like them, however it’s lively for everybody else. As collection creator Tetsuya Nomura identified in a current interview with Famitsu, it’s a unique actuality than the one Sora got here from, subsequently he received’t keep there eternally, nor will he hold his new look as soon as he leaves and will get again to his universe.
That being stated, there will probably be loads of different worlds for Sora and firm (as soon as Donald and Goofy discover him, in fact) to journey to the place he’ll keep his unique look — spiky hair, clown footwear and all (or no matter outfit he wears in accordance to the motif of the world he finds himself in). Nomura did verify that a number of worlds are in improvement however didn’t reveal what they’re.
Now comes the enjoyable a part of the Kingdom hearts hype cycle: Anticipating which Disney and Pixar worlds may make it into the sport. Listed here are the six I must see in Kingdom Hearts 4 (together with one which will have been teased already).
Star Wars
In the beginning of the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer, followers have noticed the foot of what regarded just like the AT-ST walker. Such an artifact implied {that a} Star Wars world will probably be within the recreation — particularly, Endor.
For these of you who should not Star Wars fanatics, Endor is a fuel planet within the Outer Rim that’s house to the Ewoks, the teddy bear-like creatures from Return of the Jedi, and has extra vegetation than every other planet within the galaxy (which explains the purple spores rising out of its timber). It’s additionally the place the Empire constructed a second Dying Star and the place stated Dying Star bought destroyed, taking the Emperor and Darth Vader with it.
A attainable story situation for this world can be to have Sora, Donald, and Goofy undergo Jedi coaching with Luke Skywalker and comply with Princess Leia and Han Solo, together with Chewbacca, R2-D2 and C-3PO, as they raid the Forest Moon of Endor, shoot up some Stormtroopers, and face the AT-ST and Darth Vader as boss fights. Maybe we’ll have the ability to see Sora carry a Lightsaber Keyblade. Kingdom Hearts is already like Star Wars in and of itself, so it looks as if a pure match.
Onward
Though the world of Pixar’s Onward is stuffed with all kinds of legendary creatures — elves, unicorns, goblins, trolls, pixies, manticores, and mermaids — the superior know-how that each one its inhabitants adopted has rendered nearly all magic ineffective. Nonetheless, some individuals nonetheless examine the artwork of magic, as 16-year-old elf Ian Lightfoot tries to resurrect his father, Wilden, utilizing a magic employees gifted to him by his mom on his birthday. If Yen Sid and the Three Good Fairies actually labored their magic on Sora and the gang, Sora would nonetheless have the ability to forged spells together with his Keyblade.
On the threat of this world’s cutscenes being shot-for-shot remakes of the unique film, Sora and the crew might go on a quest with Ian and his brother, Barley, to search out the Phoenix Gem and full the visitation spell that may deliver their dad again for a day. Alongside the way in which, they might combat Heartless within the type of the aforementioned creatures, tackle the pixie bike gang, and combat off the cursed stone dragon — and journey on prime of Barley’s van to combat off any flying Heartless whereas they’re at it. Sora may also give Ian a life lesson that anybody may very well be his actual father, even when it’s not his organic one. He ought to know, he’s been raised by Donald and Goofy.
Talking of which …
A Goofy Film
We’ve visited Queen Minnie at Disney Citadel in Kingdom Hearts 2; interacted with Scrooge McDuck and his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie at Disney City in Kingdom Hearts: Start by Sleep; and fought alongside Mickey, Donald, and Goofy of their Musketeer types in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. Nonetheless, there’s one Disney Toon world that has evaded Nomura’s contact: Goofy’s hometown of Spoonerville within the Goofy Film universe.
Outdoors of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, everyone knows that Goofy has a son named Max based mostly on his appearances in Goof Troop, A Goofy Film, and An Extraordinarily Goofy Film, in addition to another TV exhibits and direct-to-DVD movies within the early 2000s. Nonetheless, Goofy has not talked about Max as soon as all through his adventures with Sora and Donald. This world seems like a loopy thought even by Nomura’s requirements since any reminiscence Goofy, and Pete by extension, might have of his life in his film/TV universe has been cleaned, however it might be enjoyable to see how his interplay with Max, who may in all probability be a younger faculty graduate, would play out. If Nomura follows by with it, perhaps it received’t be so awkward.
Moana
Future Islands apart, the Polynesian islands the place Moana takes place can be the third nautical-themed world within the Kingdom Hearts collection after The Little Mermaid and Pirates of the Caribbean (OK, perhaps the fourth when you embrace Neverland from Peter Pan because it’s simply an island in an limitless ocean). Within the film, the titular character is chosen by the ocean to return the guts of Te Fiti to Te Ka, a volcanic demon who precipitated a blight on Moana’s island after demi-god Maui stole the relic to be able to give humanity the facility of creation. Moana seeks out Maui to information her towards the island of Te Fiti to revive it and save her individuals.
The story would comply with intently to the unique supply materials — although hopefully not as shut because the Tangled and Frozen worlds did in Kingdom Hearts 3 — and gameplay for this world would play out within the fashion of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker as Sora and the gang would combat off pirate-like Heartless threatening to sink them to the depths of the ocean. They may additionally tackle the Kakamora, Tamatoa, and Te Ka as attainable boss fights.
Zootopia
Zootopia can be a enjoyable, furry world for Sora and the gang to run round in. Donald and Goofy would retain their unique types and Sora would develop into a fursona of no matter animal Nomura would select to attract him as. He may very well be a rabbit, tiger, chicken, fox, or a lion since he was already one within the Pride Lands in Kingdom Hearts 2.
In Zootopia, rabbit Officer Judy Hopps and con artist fox Nick Wilde kind a partnership to search out all of the predator animals which were kidnapped, solely to find that the mayor’s assistant, a lamb, was the brains behind the tried takeover of town. The world’s story in Kingdom Hearts 4 can be set after the occasions of the movie, the place Nick leaves his con artist days behind and turns into Judy’s associate within the ZPD, which leaves quite a lot of room for creativity. Sora and the gang would assist the cops clear up crimes and examine chilly circumstances à la TellTale or an episode of Gotham.
Encanto
Winner of this yr’s Academy Award for Greatest Animated Function, Encanto was Disney’s runaway hit of 2021 each in theaters and on Disney+, which began streaming the movie on Christmas Eve — only a month after its theatrical premiere. Set in a magical realm within the mountains of Colombia, the movie revolves round Mirabel, the one member of the Madrigal household who doesn’t have any magical powers that may profit the agricultural titular village, as she discovers the sentient home during which she and her multigenerational household reside is falling aside and their magic is fading.
With hit songs like We Don’t Discuss About Bruno, Floor Stress, and Dos Oruguitas, it’s straightforward to imagine there can be a plotline that includes rhythm segments set to these songs similar to Atlantica in Kingdom Hearts 2. However Casita didn’t consider giving anybody the present of music, not to mention Mirabel, so that may be off the desk. As an alternative, Sora must combat off the Heartless that may manifest because the decay of the Home of Madrigal and the generational trauma the household suffers from on account of the matriarch’s excessive expectations for everybody.
Editors’ Alternative
