Keys to the Kingdom: A "Kingdom Hearts 3D" Primer

Tue 31 Jul '12 Keys to the Kingdom: A Kingdom Hearts 3D Primer Before going the Dream Drop Distance, read this! Disney and Final Fantasy - who would have thought that combining these two universes would be the peanut butter-meets-chocolate of action RPGs? It boggles the mind a little bit to think that a strange hybrid game like Kingdom Hearts has not only been around for ten years, but has also spawned seven games, the latest of which is today's Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance for the Nintendo 3DS.  What's Going On? - Considering that the franchise has seven games spread across nearly as many consoles, it can be a bit difficult to keep up with the endless body-switching, heart transplants and black-clad Keyblade-wielding characters. The new game finds Sora and Riku fighting new enemies known as "Dream Eaters" while undergoing a "Mark of Mastery" exam in order to become Keyblade Masters, which will let them prevent the nefarious Master Xenoheart's return. Sounds confusing? Fortunately, someone put together this handy visual aid to help you navigate Sora and Riku's sprawling backstory.  A Whole New World - Let's face it - one of the primary appeals of the Kingdom Hearts franchise is the various themed worlds that the game lets you explore. Kingdom Hearts 3D promises to take players to new worlds inspired by the likes of Fantasia, Tron: Legacy, The Three Musketeers and Hunchback of Notre Dame, as well as old favorites like Traverse Town. Honestly, we'll be happy as long as they never resort to an Epcot Center-themed level. Why Should I Care? - It's a good question, especially since many fans are waiting for the games to make their triumphant return to a major console like PS3, but unlike other entries, KH3D seems to take its gameplay and design cues from Kingdom Hearts II rather than some of it's card-based predecessors. With the Pokemon-esque breeding aspect to the Dream Eaters, the impressive handheld graphics of the 3DS and tons of new worlds to explore, it's worth picking up for fans of the series both new and old. It may not be like riding Space Mountain with Sephiroth, but it's at least as good as riding Big Thunder Mountain with Edea Kramer, which in this Disney/Square Enix metaphor is pretty darn good.

Expo-nentially Cool Panel Power Couldn't make it to Anime Expo this year? You can watch our panel online!   Mallworthy Mecha Retail Robot Suidobashi Heavy Industries takes us one step closer to piloting giant robots in real life.

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Geek this Week: Do You Recall?

Tue 31 Jul '12 Geek this Week: Do You Recall? Plus: Hearts in 3D, Bill Nye stops by and the return of the Jedi librarian. (Philip K.) Dicking Around - It's had feature panels at San Diego Comic-Con International two years running, and now the Total Recall remake is finally ready to hit big screens this week. Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel and some snazzy floaty cars add to the appeal this time around, while Mars appears not to be a plot point at all (though the three-breasted hooker makes an all-important appearance). If you still prefer to rewatch the original, it comes out on Blu-ray in a new "mind-bending" edition today, one that thankfully still includes the hilariously out-of-it Schwarzenegger commentary where he just literally describes everything you're already seeing onscreen. Tie Guy - So, the Nerdist Channel now has Bill Nye the Science Guy, and Chris finally got to ask him the question every fan wants to know. No, not what the god particle does. The real big question: how the heck does one actually tie a bow tie? One day you will wear a tuxedo and need to have this down, so pay attention. And if you'd like to hear more sciencey questions answered, Bill Nye is also on the latest Nerdist podcast. Just don't expect to hear questions about Pirates of the Caribbean - those should be addressed to Bill Nighy. Mint-on-Card Reader - Hey kids! Want to play space library, giving your action figures all the thrills of reading books and being quiet? Brian's Toys just made your playtime a whole lot better with an exclusive action figure of Jocasta Nu, the Jedi librarian from Attack of the Clones. As a bonus for Hammer-heads of the cinephile (rather than alien) variety, the carded figure comes packed with a scale bust of Christopher Lee as Count Dooku. Preorders are up now, so if you act soon, it may not be difficult to secure this release. Magic Kingdom - Don't be a Sora loser; pick up Kingdom Hearts 3D in stores today. The latest installment of the Square Enix/Disney mash-up game was developed exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS, and among many other features, allows you to enter the worlds of Notre Dame, Pinocchio and Tron: Legacy as you hunt and collect Dream Eaters in the defense of parallel worlds. What kind of Mickey Mouse operation is this? The best kind.

What'd he say? Bafflin' Brolin Josh Brolin and Julianne Moore can't believe Weird Al's questions on Face to Face.   Hawken Their Wares Mech Your Move Get fired up like an overheated weapons turret for the upcoming Hawken web series.

Newsletter | Nerdist | TOKYOPOP Games | Toys | Comics | Movies / TV | Tech | Gear | Contact | RSS Sign Up | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Terms & Conditions Copyright PGM Media, 2917 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA