Predictions for Kingdom Hearts 3 worlds.

Remember the game series ‘Kingdom Hearts’? A story about a young boy, Sora, voiced by Hayley Joel Olsment, who holds the keyblade, a kind of sword in that shape of a key that unlocks special keyholes that brings light and removes darkness in the world. He is accompanied by a wizardry Donald Duck, who wields a staff, and an armour-wearing Goofy with a shield. They go to various worlds based on Disney films, fighting against creatures called Heartless and classic Disney villains like Maleficent, Ursula, Captain Hook and more to come. There are two instalments, Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, and smaller instalments released up to today although released on smaller platforms like the DS. While I don’t play these games in general, I played these games a lot mainly because it involved Disney worlds and characters. Even though the characters made ‘Final Fantasy’ references including incorporating characters seeing the game is developed by Square Enix, the same developer for ‘Final Fantasy’, I still played them. The story has a reputation for being complicated with an overabundance on characters and overuse of political talk. The news is that a Kingdom Hearts 3 is coming sometime. I don’t own any of the current consoles like a PS4 to play it on but I would like to play it though. As Kingdom Hearts 3 waits longer to be released, the more anticipation there is. The reason is that KH2 came out in 2006. If KH3 comes out in 2018, that makes 12 years worth of worlds based on their films in that time-span, especially when Disney animated films are have been at their peak in the 2010s. What is more exciting that KH3 can base worlds on their live action movies. Furthermore, and more excitingly, since 2006, Disney owned the rights to Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars. So these settings are possible for KH3. Here is a list of predicted new worlds for KH3. I will include only new worlds and not ones previously established in earlier games.

The worlds are in a chronological order based on how old the movies are.

The Jungle Book (1967/2016)

I’m not sure which version KH3 would use as a level. The Jon Faverau remake was a big hit in 2016 but may be too recent to be developed for a potentially 2018 released hame. But either that or the 1967 version, the jungle setting, the fact that Sora and the crew transform to animals inhabits of the jungle, and the villains of Shere Khan and Kaa can work in. Sora and the gang comes across Mowgli, Baloo and Bageera and help each other stop Shere Kahn, consumed by the heartless, along with Kaa and King Louie (the 2016 version I hope because it was freaking huge). The deep jungles, abandoned temple and even the village are settings you can imagine Sora fighting against Heartless in the forms of tigers and monkeys, and a climax like the 2016 version where Shere Kahn is the boss inside a forest engulfed in flames.

Robin Hood (1973)

This version of Robin Hood is what many people were first familiar with. It has action and even though everyone was an animal, it felt like Nottingham in its time period. The King, Hiss and the Sherrif of Nottingham are anatagonists to fight off against as bosses. Remember how Sora could turn into a mermaid in the Little Mermaid world in the previous games? How about making Sora a wolf or a fox while I guess Goofy and Donald are what they are, animals. The last stage of the level, much like the film’s climax, should be Sora and the other characters taking money from the castle at night but later intensifies with guards attacking and the castle on fire.

The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

This, as Sherlock Holmes adaptations (well, kind of an adaptation) goes, this is a solid adventure. The animation may be grainy looking but it has likeability and fun as a detective story. What if here, Ratigan, although not voiced by the late Vincent Price, makes a robotic version of the Queen of the mice to make it look like heartless can roam the mice world. Our main protagonists are mice and along with Basil, ____ and Olivia, travel through the gritty and foggy streets of London and fights of Ratigan in the Big Ben much like the film.

Monsters Inc. (2001)

Pixar, although Disney have the rights to, is hard to adapt to KH because as great as they are, they are not adventurous enough. Is Andy’s bedroom exciting? Radiator Springs? Riley’s head? Monsters Inc., however, is actually a pretty good idea for a KH level. Sora, as a monster, helps out Mike and Sulley return Boo to her home before Mr. Waternoose and Randall discovers her. Meanwhile, there is a conspiracy going on that Waternoose is hiring Heartless to take the hearts from children in order to boost electricity. Sora runs through the building, goes inside the multiple doors and fights against Randall in the door storage.

Treasure Planet (2002)

Even though this film bombed at the box office in its initial release, ‘Treasure Planet’ has gained a cult following overtime. This movie screams a KH level. Imagine the places Sora goes: the ship, Jim Hawkins home and of course Treasure Planet. Also imagine the obstacles they’ll go through: the wormhole, that creepy scorpion-like guy and changing gravity. To top it all off, Sora and Hawkins flying off from the exploding treasure planet. There are so many possibilities adapting this film.

The Incredibles (2004)

This superhero flick offers various locations and so many enemies to fight off against like heartless, Syndrome and that orb robot. I guess the only problem is how can you fight with? Half of the time, you can fight with a character from its location like Beast, Jack Skellington or Peter Pan. You don’t play them but they are a part of your party. With this one? Can it be just Mr. Incredible? What about Frozone or Elasticgirl too?

- Up (2009)

The heroes of an elderly man and an overweight boy but get the gang in and they’ll fight against exotic heartless, fly inside the house and set the boss fight inside the blimp. Up had one of the best climaxes to me by Disney standards so I really want a boss level that can match that. There could also be mini-games like involving Kevin and Doug. The level may not be as emotional as the movie but it sure can be as fun.

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

Most of the time, the main characters Tiana and Naveen are frogs but that doesn’t matter when you got the swamp, New Orleans city and ____, so we can get Voodoo-inspired hearless with awesome designs to fight off against. What’s also cool are shops Sora could go to and ride the tram to get to places. I might be similar to Traverse Town but I think 1920s New Orleans have its own identity.

Tangled (2010)

I think this was already confirmed to be a level and for good reason. Tangled is an action-packed fairy tale so it adapts to KH. Sora can fight with Flynn, or even Rapanzel inside the forest, tower and the town. Chuck in a mix of heartless and villians from the movie and you have a goddamn level.

Wreck-it-Ralph (2012)

Well, duh, the movie is set in a video game universe. The level creates itself. The story is that heartless are a virus inside these arcade games so Sora, Donald, Goofy, Ralph and Venelope stop 8-bit heartless while saving the games from complete destruction. I would not expect actual video game characters like Mario or Sonic to appear because of copyright reasons but with Ralph’s game, the modern shooting game and Candy world, who cares who could appear when there are a lot of cool places to fight in.

Frozen (2013)

One of the biggest franchises from Disney would of course be a level in Kingdom Hearts. The Dinsey executives are forcing the developers to make winter-themed heartless. Elsa as part of the fighting team. That giant snowman as a boss. Arandale and the wintery landscape would be a great design for a level. The only issue I hope is to not make it like ‘’The Little Mermaid” in Kingdom Hearts 2 where all they did was sing, especially not with Frozen.

Big Hero 6 (2014)

I’m going to be honest I have not seen this movie yet. While I hear it’s good it looks generic to me. This movie is confirmed for a level and it has robots in it so it makes my prediction list.

Zootopia (2016)

Zootopia is a very contemporary setting but it has one thing: diversity. From the city, to the desert, to the rainforest, so much can be done with its setting. Heartless are lurking in Zootopia while the prey and predators are blaming each other for this misery. So it is up to Sora (as an animal), his party, Judy and Nick to fight off heartless and corrupt public officials while teaching the community of diversity, prejudice and acceptance.

Finding Nemo/Dory (2003/2016)

‘Dory’ may be too recent but ‘Nemo’ is probable for a KH storyline. Much like ‘The Little Mermaid’, the level is set in underwater. Sora, as some fish, swims with Marlin and Dory to Sydney to find Nemo and unlock the keyhole. Bosses includes the sharks, the fish and maybe Darla? ‘Dory’ can be used too but in the waterpark.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Where to begin? I mean, what movie, or movies, to use as a level? It is ambiguous whether KH is allowed to use Marvel characters. My best prediction is not to use them as a level but instead incorporate characters like the Avengers and the Guardians into the game’s overarching storyline. Maybe the Avengers operate in Hollow Bastion? Maybe Thanos controls the Heartless? Maybe the Guardians help navigate Sora to other worlds.

Moana (2016)
Maybe too recent for a 2018 game but it’s possible. Set it on the water surface as opposed to underwater. The Heartless are inspired by Pacific Islander culture. It would be tricky as to who can you fight with? The water-bending Moana or the demigod Maui? On an added note, similar to how the first game had multiple classic Disney female leads like Alice and Jasmine as princesses of the heart. Here, how about getting more contemporary Disney female characters like Moana, Elsa, Merida as a fighting group called ‘Protectors of the Heart’.

Star Wars

This one is tricky. Disney owns the rights to the current Star Wars films but Fox owns the rights to the prior films. Disney made a deal with EA where EA makes Star Wars games on consoles while Disney makes them on smartphone platforms. So I doubt that Star Wars will be incorporated into Kingdom Hearts 3. But let’s do it anyway. Instead of a Star Wars themed location, make the Heartless as part of the Dark Side where Darth Vader and the darkness roams the galaxy.

Anymore settings for a new Kingdom Hearts game? I would be interested to know in the comments section. Even if the games’ stories are complicated, it is so much fun and exciting to play some action inside worlds we grew up with.