How Kingdom Hearts 3 References an Underrated Square Enix Title

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How Kingdom Hearts 3 References an Underrated Square Enix Title

As a longtime gamer and connoisseur of all things Square Enix, I must say that Kingdom Hearts 3 has truly outdone itself in terms of paying homage to the developer’s rich history. The Einhander reference was a delightful surprise for me, as I remember playing that forgotten gem back on my trusty old PlayStation.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve always marveled at Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts series for its clever references to various IPs and franchises. Given the unique blend of the Final Fantasy universe with beloved Disney films, it’s no surprise that this crossover aspect has drawn a massive following. Over the years, Square Enix hasn’t hesitated to delve into their own history, and one of the most exciting examples is the introduction of characters from The World Ends With You in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, released in 2012.

2019’s “Kingdom Hearts 3” raised the bar even higher. Besides revisiting the past with one of their classic, seldom-remembered games, Square Enix invited the original developers to enhance this nostalgic journey. This move underscores how Square Enix has transformed the franchise into a tribute not just to Disney’s movie catalog, but also its own legacy as a developer and publisher.

Kingdom Hearts 3 Brings Gamers Back To Einhander

Kingdom Hearts 3’s Gummi Ship Gameplay Was Developed By Einhander’s Team

Prior to the launch of Kingdom Hearts 3, one frequent complaint about the Kingdom Hearts franchise centered on its Gummi Ship missions. These brief segments assist players in traveling between worlds and serve to transition Kingdom Hearts from its action RPG gameplay into ship-based rail-shooting phases. While an interesting departure, these sections have faced criticism for being repetitive and disrupting immersion, with a cumbersome ship-building tool that significantly hinders the overall experience.

In Kingdom Hearts 3, Square Enix significantly updated the Gummi Ship stages by drawing heavily from their 1997 shooter game Einhander. The original Einhander development team who worked on the PlayStation release were even brought in to enhance these sections. This is a lovely tribute to their past and significantly improves a gameplay aspect that was in need of an upgrade.

Einhander’s Devs Lent A Ship To Kingdom Hearts 3

In Kingdom Hearts 3, the influence of Einhander ran deeper than just cosmetics. Not only did it breathe new life into the Gummi Ship gameplay, but it also provided one of its iconic ships, the Endymion, as a blueprint for the game. This means that players can easily locate the Endymion and experience these ship-shooting segments with a stronger sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of the almost-forgotten PlayStation classic, Einhander.

The Endymion, quite noticeably, is not hard to locate and stands out as one of the top ships within the game due to its impressive health (HP) and offensive capabilities. What’s more, it comes equipped with the Auto-Life feature, enabling players to rejuvenate the ship when its HP drops to zero. This vessel can be discovered relatively early in the game, and for those not keen on extensive building and customization, it offers sufficient power to propel them further in the game.

The
Einhander
inspiration in
Kingdom Hearts 3
was more than skin-deep.

Kingdom Hearts 3 Lets Fans Fight A Classic Einhander Boss

In Kingdom Hearts 3, Square Enix didn’t just reference Einhander through the Endymion; players can also encounter one of the original major enemies from Einhander, the Schwarzgeist, among the game’s bosses. If your Gummi Ship’s Speed stat is 200 or higher (which the Endymion possesses), you can reenact the Einhander battle in the Misty Stream zone.

It’s a testament to Square Enix’s rich history that the game Kingdom Hearts serves as a reminder for gamers about their past. Originally created as an unusual blend of Final Fantasy and Disney, Kingdom Hearts has evolved into a tribute that is just as much about Square Enix as it is about Disney. The fact that an uncommon title like Einhander was featured in Kingdom Hearts 3 suggests that there may be more surprises from Square Enix when Kingdom Hearts 4 is eventually released.

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2024-09-21 23:34