The long-awaited Kingdom Hearts III is finally out for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Fans have been eagerly awaiting the latest in this action role-playing game series that tells the story of Sora’s journey and exploration through worlds based on beloved Disney and Pixar movies.
And since it’s been almost a decade and a half since Kingdom Hearts II, the developers have plenty of new Disney and Pixar worlds to include in the new one. Here’s a rundown of five of them … and who are waiting to meet players there.
San Fransokyo (Big Hero 6)
The setting of Big Hero 6 is a sprawling, technologically advanced metropolis. When players enter it in Kingdom Hearts III, it will be after the events of the movie. That means that Big Hero 6 themselves will have already formed their superteam and will be ready to help the fight against the darkness with their full complement of gadgets and abilities.
Revealed footage has shown Sora teaming up and riding on Baymax, soaring around San Fransokyo.
Toy Box (Toy Story)
Pixar’s computer-generated library is getting the Kingdom Hearts treatment for the first time. They’re making up for lost time with two levels inspired by the company’s work, and the first is Toy Story.
In this world, Sora and his partners — Donald and Goofy — transform into toy versions of themselves so as to preserve the “world order”. They meet Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and their friends, but Andy has gone missing, along with some of the toys. Suspiciously cloaked characters that match the description of Organization XIII have been spotted, so Sora and his friends volunteer to help locate Andy and investigate.
Kingdom of Corona (Tangled)
It wouldn’t really be Kingdom Hearts if Sora and company didn’t visit an actual kingdom or two. And the first of the new batch is Corona, the setting of Disney’s Tangled. Players will meet up with and fight alongside Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.
Rapunzel is especially important to the story because she’s one of the seven “pure hearts,” also known as the Princesses of Heart. These are important figures whose powers combine to allow access to the actual place called “Kingdom Hearts,” which is the core of all of the different worlds and a place that the baddies would love to take over. But Rapunzel and her frying pan might have something to say about that.
Arendelle (Frozen)
Frozen’s Kingdom of Arendelle is the second proper kingdom Sora visits, although technically it would be a “queendom”. Players will explore the Scandinavian-inspired realm just after Queen Elsa freezes the fjord, escapes to build her Fortress of Solitude in the mountains, and generally just lets it go.
Sora and crew team up with Anna, who’s trying to bring her sister back to unfreeze the kingdom, just like in the movie. Unlike the film plot, however, Elsa is another of the Princesses of Heart, and the forces of darkness have plans to capture her.
Other Frozen characters who will appear in this level are Olaf the snowman, Kristoff the ice merchant, his reindeer Sven, and, best of all, Marshmallow. And if that last name isn’t quite familiar, Marshmallow is the huge, scary ice golem that Elsa creates to protect her ice castle.
Monstropolis (Monsters, Inc.)
Finally, we have a second Pixar world: the setting of Monsters, Inc. Sora, Donald, and Goofy will team up with James P. “Sulley” Sullivan and Mike Wazowski while also taking on monstrous looks of their own. But we forgot all about how freaked out we were when Boo excitedly confused the duck with her other cyclops friend, Mike Wazowski.
Boo herself is so delightful and cute that we wouldn’t be surprised if she was yet another Princess of Heart, but nobody has confirmed that yet. So far, it’s just wishful thinking because more Boo is always a good thing.
You can now explore all of Kingdom Hearts 3’s worlds, both new and returning, on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
