This is nothing new, but there’s been no news for a while now; so I compiled this together from the Tokyo Game Show to use on the forum. I’m sure you know all of this already. I’ll edit this tomorrow as there’s still a lot more that should be added.

KINGDOM HEARTS NEWS AT THE TOKYO GAME SHOW~

The past month has been abundant with Kingdom Hearts news, what with the highly anticipated Tokyo Game Show 2007 taking place. There were quite a lot of interesting announcements given regarding the future of Kingdom Hearts. Here are the main stories which have got people talking:

NOT ONE GAME… BUT THREE~

Prior to the Tokyo Game Show this year, there were a lot of Kingdom Hearts fans hopeful that Square-Enix would announce a continuation of the popular series - a Kingdom Hearts 3 for the next-gen - but they had bigger plans for us.

Tetsuya Nomura had earlier given an interview stating that Kingdom Hearts fans should expect to see a side-story on the DS, PSP or mobile phones, giving the option of three characters and left us to guess what would happen and debate about which would be the better game to play – well, we needn’t have bothered because Nomura planned on releasing all three! I don’t think many people anticipated him meaning all three, but it was a nice – if not surprising – announcement. Square-Enix showcased off three trailers of these games, unfortunately in a private screening. All we had to go by were written up descriptions of the trailers, and here they are along with all of the other important information we have already.

BIRTH BY SLEEP~

WHAT DO WE ALREADY KNOW?

☆ The unseen trailer~

Here is a description of the Birth by Sleep trailer:

Scenes of the ending of Kingdom Hearts 1 flash by on the screen, and two phrases are seen clearly onscreen. One reads “Deep Past” and the other “Shut-Eyes gives birth to the concealed fate.”

We are then confronted by a young boy who looks like Roxas conversing with another young boy with black hair. Their surroundings seem to resemble Hallow Bastion (Radiant Garden). The name “Ven” is thrown outward, referring to the boy who looks like Roxas.

The scene change various times before stopping at an iamge of the Old Man from the KH2FM+ secret ending. He is called “Master Xehanort” by Terra. Soon after, Terra summons his keyblade and the screen changes.

Various worlds are shown, and one of which is familiar to us all. “Olympus Colliseum” is making another comeback, followed by a brand new world, that of which resembles Sleeping Beauty.

The video then changes back to Terra battling against a dark figure, whom you can tell is male. This is the same man from the Secret Ending of KH2FM+, the one who the Old Man creates. Terra is able to forceably get the man’s helmet off, but his face is concealed.

King Mickey is shown summoning kis keyblade, and then the scene changes very quickly to Terra on a beach. He seems to be watching two boys play in the ocean. After he rests his weapon into the ground, the two boys he was watching are clearer and they look like Sora and Riku. Soon after, Terra says “Please don’t depend on me, just erase me… friend.”

The phrase “Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep” arises.

–

☆ The scans~

High quality scans of Birth by Sleep can be found in the following links:

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/bekkiglittz/Pictures/09da0145.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/bekkiglittz/Pictures/947c4974.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/bekkiglittz/Pictures/43613330.jpg

–

☆ The plot

Taking place in the past, this game will focus on the scenes we have already witnessed from the secret endings found in Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+. Three apprentices go in search of their missing master.

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☆ The characters~

Terra - Already seen previously in Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix as a boss, he is now one of the three playable characters you can control in a choice of three different scenarios.

Master Xehanort - A mysterious old Keyblade Master, also resembles Xehanort’s Heartless a lot, but I wonder if this means anything?

Aqua - Shares a connection with Ven, although we do not know what kind of relationship they have. So far, her role in this game is undefined, as she hasn’t been mentioned a lot.

Ven - His true identity will be explored in Birth by Sleep.

–

☆ The confirmed worlds

So far, there have been a few new worlds confirmed - and some not-so-new. Here is the full list so far:

• Sleeping Beauty

• Olympus Coliseum

• Cinderella

• Hollow Bastion

• Destiny Islands

• Sunset Horizons (A fan-name as far as I’m aware)

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☆ The console~

Birth by Sleep will be released for the PSP.

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☆ The release date~

So far, unknown. All we know is that this game has been planned to be released last out of the three games.

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☆ The timeline~

This game is set before the events of Kingdom Hearts 1.

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☆ The gameplay~

An improved version of the deck system used in CoM will be used in Birth by Sleep. However, instead of cards, the user will choose from commands, which will be implemented into their menu.

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358/2 Days~

WHAT DO WE ALREADY KNOW?

☆ The unseen trailer~

Here is a description of the 358/2 Days Trailer:

We are introduced with the scene where Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories had came to an end, and are then confronted with the phrase “The other side attached to Sora still sleeps”, along with “The mind comes back whenever they touch.”

The video then focuses upon Roxas and Axel, sitting atop the clock tower in Twilight Town. This seems to be the same scene from Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix+. Soon after, the video shows Roxas being invited into Organization XIII. He is being greeted by all, and introduces himself, and they do the same to him. Then the scene fades into Roxas actually joining the Organization.

Following this is a short clip of Mickey talking about Axel, and Saix near Roxas. Roxas is shown pulling out both of his keyblades, and it moves into gameplay. The gameplay confirms indifenatley that you may play with Roxas, Axel, Saix and Xigbar.

Xemnas then mentions something very interesting. He explains that a 14th member has joined their Organization, and that this member is female. This scene is quickly followed by the title of the game: “Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days” and a whsipering Roxas saying “I will disappear from this world in 151 days”

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☆ The scans~

High quality scans of 358/2 Days can be found in the following links:

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/bekkiglittz/Pictures/5b0cdb65.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/bekkiglittz/Pictures/642a0e82.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/bekkiglittz/Pictures/5f333379.jpg

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☆ The characters~

Every Organisation 13 character WILL be playable, according to Tetsuya Nomura. We also know that a 14th member will be introduced - a female member - but nothing is known about her yet, except that she ISN’T Naminé and that she wasn’t present in Kingdom Hearts 2.

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☆ The confirmed worlds

Not many worlds have been confirmed so far, but Wonderland is making a return.

• The World That Never Was

• Twilight Town

• Wonderland

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☆ The console~

358/2 Days will be released for the DS.

–

☆ The release date~

So far, unknown. All we know is that this game has been planned to be released first out of the three games.

–

☆ The timeline~

This game takes place from Roxas’ birth, (in KH1), his entrance and time in the Organisation, into the events of CoM, and when he leaves to find more about himself and his TRUE self, and then eventually, when he gets taken to the digitised Twilight Town.

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☆ The gameplay~

There will be single and multiplayer options in this game, and Tetsuya Nomura has revealed that there is a bonus to using both modes:

“The character’s growth is shared between the two modes,”

Also during multiplayer mode, the bottom screen of the DS can be used as a chat system, if you wish. Players will be able to communicate with each other as they play the game; by drawing pictures on the screen! Although not official yet, Nomura and his team are planning to add some further plans to this feature.

–

CODED~

WHAT DO WE ALREADY KNOW?

☆ The unseen trailer~

Here is a description of the Coded trailer:

When the video begins, we are introduced with a series of images, followed by the words “Kingdom Hearts: New Concepts and Game Titles.” Right after this, the ending to Kingdom Hearts 2 plays, followed by the phrases “The secret ending has been dealt with, and the worlds extend once again” and “flow”.

The screen fades back in to Jiminy Cricket and the phrase “Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories”. He is peering into his journal, noticing a phrase he cannot remember writing. It reads “You need to return, to heal the wounds”. This phrase seems to alert Jiminy in some way, as he runs off to report the finding to King Mickey. The king is startled by the discovery, but only replies with “Only he is the one who can solve it.”

We fade in and out to Sora standing on the beach at Destiny Islands. He is wearing his Kingdom Hearts 1 style clothing, but he is only shown as computer data being transmitted.

When the image of Sora dissapears, a battle scene commences. As Sora is moving blocks around to finish a puzzle game, heartless are attacking from all angles. The gameplay mechanics seem very odd. After the puzzle is finished, a command called “Debugging” appears on the screen. After being activated, Sora moves extremely quickly and then vanishes.

The last scene includes Sora and Mickey in Traverse Town. Mickey says to no one in particular “I was here on that day.” and “Let’s speak truly”.

We are then presented with the name of the game: Kingdom Hearts: Coded.

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☆ The scans~

High quality scans of Coded can be found in the following links:

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/bekkiglittz/Pictures/b0511241-1.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/bekkiglittz/Pictures/b0511241.jpg

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☆ The plot~

After finding an entry in his journal that he didn’t write, “we must return to free them from their torment,” Jiminy confronts King Mickey about it and so he digitizes the contents (along with himself and Sora), and they go and investigate.

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☆ The characters~

So far, we only know about Sora, King Mickey, Jiminy Cricket, Donald and Goofy.

–

☆ The confirmed worlds~

Not many, but Traverse Town is coming back.

• Traverse Town

• Disney Castle

• Destiny Islands

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☆ The console~

Coded will be released on the mobile phone.

–

☆ The release date~

So far, unknown. All we know is that this game has been planned to be released second out of the three games.

–

☆ The timeline~
This game apparantly takes place after the events of Kingdom Hearts 2.

–

☆ The gameplay~

Half puzzle game, half action/RPG. There will also be something called ‘Debugging mode’ in Coded, and basically this means that Sora will confront bugs (the type found in your computer, not insects) when he approaches normal enemies. Sora will need to clear the bugs (that look like blocks) in order to fight. We have already seen a screenshot of this. The bugs also have other purposes too. They can be used to help Sora get higher up, and they can be used in puzzle games.

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We should expect to see the trailers at this year’s Jump Festa - December 22nd-23rd - but nothing is confirmed yet. Let’s hope, anyway.