Review

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Common Sense Media says

Disney characters star in fight-filled role-playing game.
Age
10
Quality
 
Learning
1

  • The game is about good defeating evil, which is a positive message -- and it has some familiar Disney characters like Mickey and Donald -- but the game is rooted in fantasy violence, such as swinging a sword-like Keyblade weapon and casting damaging magic spells. As a result, parents may feel split on the game's messaging.
  • Gamers alternate between Sora and Riku, two protagonists who vow to take down the evil Master Xehanort and his many minions. Not much is known about Sora and Riku, however, despite some backstory provided for gamers who want to read up on them. They are heroes, but use fantasy violence to accomplish most missions.
  • The game is easy to control using the Nintendo 3DS buttons and bottom touch screen, but it can be a bit overwhelming when the action heats up and there are multiple enemies on screen at the same time (especially for novice or younger players). The game does have a tutorial level and a help screen, however, plus a thick booklet with information about controls.
  • This single-player cartoon adventure features plenty of fast-paced fantasy violence against a wide range of enemy characters. This includes wielding a sword-like Keyblade weapon and using magic blasts to take down baddies. There is no blood or gore and the enemies don't die -- they simply disappear. Some of the boss characters are larger and more difficult to take down, but they're cartoon-like and over-the-top.  
  • Not applicable.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is a cartoon-like fantasy role-playing game, but there is a heavy emphasis on violence. It's not graphic or bloody, but third-person combat makes up the bulk of the gameplay. Don't be fooled by the cute Disney characters as there is sword (Keyblade) slashing and magic attacks used to defeat enemies.


This review of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance was written by
Age
9
Based on 3 parent & educator reviews:
  • 100% say there are positive role models
  • 100% say there are positive messages
  • 33% say violence is an issue
  • 33% say language is an issue

Most useful reviews by all members

Parent
August 12, 2012
 
Learning1
Great addition to your 3DS library!
It's like any other Kingdom Hearts game, bloodless cartoony fighting. Your characters use a "Keyblade" which is a giant key, not a sword. They say "hell" in one scene but, that's from the Tron: LEGACY world and it was said in the movie anyway. Nothing much. A big thing about this game are the "Dream Eaters", which you control as pets (feeding, playing with etc.). Overall a really great game that every 3DS owner should have.

Kid, 11 years old
August 14, 2012
 
Learning0
for kids and teens
i like it its disney caracters. the only thing is there is some fighting but its with a key so really i suggest it

Teen, 16 years old
August 3, 2012
 
Learning2
Some problems but overall a great game
One incident of the h word and one of the characters show a lot of her stomach. Some violence.

Kid, 10 years old
July 31, 2012
 
Learning0
Great game!
I got this game at Gamestop today. To be honest, I haven't gotten very far in it yet! It's a great game. Of course there is violence since it is an RPG, but it's probably to the extent of what you'd find in most Zelda games. You can even keep a "pet". You can name it, but it's the player's fault if they name it something bad, of course. Also, in my copy of the game, I got some AR cards, like with Kid Icarus: Uprising. Overall, I recommend this to anyone who isn't interested in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy or Heroes of Ruin but they want a great role-playing experience on their 3DS.

Adult
August 15, 2012
 
Learning3
kindom harts tirlogy
i have never played this one. i have played kindomharts1 2 and 138 days . those three are very good so this one will be good to . this can teach you kids about friendship and how to treat others.

Adult
August 10, 2012
 
Loved it!
I'm a huge fan of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, and this installment is no exception. It's probably my favourite in the series thus far, behind the original and Birth by Sleep. For newcomers, the plot is a lot to take in, and kids under 9 would probably have a hard time keeping up. The game does an excellent job of summing up 10 years of KH history through written summaries of previous games though, so if you're willing to do a bit of reading you can probably get the gist of what's going on. The gameplay itself is simple enough, but you can customize your deck to suit your own fighting style, which I really love. You can also earn abilities by playing with your Dream Eaters, which I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would. Taking care of your little party members has an addictive neopets quality to it, and being able to take pictures with them is a pretty cute addition. I think the CSM review here is really overplaying the violence here - the enemies are so colourful and cartoonish that it looks like Sora and Riku are beating open hoardes of pinatas. No blood or explosions or anything like that. C'mon, give your kids a little credit here. The speeches about the power of love and friendship (of which there are many) definitely outweigh the violence. I totally loved this game, and I'm now on my second playthrough. It's a must play for any KH fan, and a great way to introduce someone into the series. Don't dismiss this one as just another spin-off!

Teen, 16 years old
August 9, 2012
 
Learning0
Fun Fun Fun
Awesome addition to the 3ds library amazing graphics, as good if not better than birth by sleep bringing all the action from the console kingdom hearts game into the palm of your hand on a handheld.

(Nintendo DS)

Series game has deep, satisfying story; adds multiplayer.

(PSP)

Fantasy game shows same story from different viewpoints.

(Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)

Mildly violent fantasy RPG is fun but not quite flawless.