Like many traditional role-playing games, "Kingdom Hearts" features an experience point system which determines character development. The games are influenced by their parent franchise, " Final Fantasy", and carry its gameplay elements over into their own action-based, hack-and-slash system. In the game, the journal is kept by Jiminy Cricket, who was appointed by Queen Minnie as the royal chronicler. The journal keeps track of information regarding the story, characters, enemies, and locations. cite web| url = | title = 1UP - E3 2005 Interview| publisher = Kingdom Hearts Ultimania| accessdate = ] All three games also feature a journal which is accessible from the main menu. Because it received negative criticism in the first game, it was improved in the third installment. The gameplay for the Gummi Ships sections is more akin to a rail shooter. The Gummi Ships serve as the main mode of transportation between worlds in the games. Gummi Ships are another common theme in the series, though they are only featured in the first and third installment. The games feature real-time combat that incorporates physical attacks, magic, and summonings though each game handled battles differently. In the first and third game, their behavior could be altered to suit different combat objectives. Sora is usually accompanied by Donald Duck and Goofy, who are non-playable characters that aid Sora in battle. The player primarily controls of the principal protagonist of the series, Sora. The games are driven by a linear progression from one story event to the next, usually shown in the form of a cut scene, though there are numerous side quests available that provide bonus benefits to the characters.
KINGDOM HEARTS INSIDER VIDEO GAME MUSIC SERIES
The "Kingdom Hearts" series games contain elements from both action and role-playing games. In addition, the series has been adapted into a manga series and novels. cite web| url= | title=TGS '07: Three new Kingdom Hearts games coming | author=Boyes, Emma | publisher= GameSpot | accessdate= | date=] cite web| url = title 1| title = "Kingdom Hearts" Series Ships over 10 Million Worldwide| author = Square EA| publisher = GameSpot| accessdate= | date=] cite web| url = | title = スクウェア・エニックス、イベントなど追加「Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+」「キングダム ハーツ」 シリーズ累計出荷本数1,000万本達成| publisher = Game Watch| language = Japanese| accessdate = ] There have been several types of merchandise released along with the games, such as soundtracks, figurines, and companion books. As of September 2008, the "Kingdom Hearts" series has shipped over 12.0 million copies worldwide, with 2.0 million copies in PAL regions, 3.0 million copies in Japan, and 5.6 million copies in North America. Most of the games in the series have been both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, though each installment has seen varying levels of success. The "Kingdom Hearts" series currently consists of four games across different video game platforms, and future titles are planned. The series centers around the main character Sora's search for his friends and his encounters with Disney and "Final Fantasy" characters on their worlds. Characters from Square Enix's " Final Fantasy" series make appearances and interact with the player and Disney characters. In addition, it has an all-star voice cast which includes many of the Disney characters' official voice actors. "Kingdom Hearts" is a crossover of various Disney settings based in a universe made specifically for the series. It is the result of a collaboration between Square and Disney Interactive Studios and is under the direction of Tetsuya Nomura, a longtime Square character designer. Nihongo| "Kingdom Hearts"|キングダムハーツ|Kingudamu Hātsu is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square).