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‘Kingdom Hearts’ Mobile Game Is Getting A Makeover

By Asma M
Published on: 15:59 PST, Mar 12, 2017

In celebration of its first anniversary, Kingdom Hearts Unchained ? (pronounced “unchained key”) is getting its first major update with a new multiplayer mode being among the new features coming to the mobile game experience. The changes to the app are so massive that it is re-launching next month under a new name: Kingdom Hearts Union ? (pronounced “union cross”).

When the Inquisitr spoke with Kingdom Hearts: Unchained ? Producer Hironori Okayama on making Kingdom Hearts‘ mobile last year at PAX East, he expressed the team’s dedication to building the mobile game experience for new fans as well as the existing fandom. When speaking to the game’s expected lifespan, he stated that he’d “love to keep on producing this game as long as it’s popular.” Considering the game went on to achieve more than 2 million downloads within its first month, the game attracted quite the initial audience.

Ushering in the mobile game’s second-year experience are the Kingdom Hearts fans in attendance at PAX East 2017 this weekend who are among the first to give Union ? [Cross] a spin. The new multiplayer mode is also called “Union Cross,” which Square Enix describes in detail as follows.

“With Kingdom Hearts Union ? [Cross], players can create teams of six from their party members or through a matchmaking feature to fight hordes of Heartless enemies and powerful bosses. Players can also take on quests of increasing difficulty as well as unique new missions. To help these teams of friends communicate with each other, the game will now include emotes and text bubbles. Players will encounter both familiar and new faces as the story of the Unions continues to unfold…”

Also confirmed to be part of the update is a new Theater Mode that gives players the option to re-watch cutscenes from the game. The addition of this feature alludes to the importance of some of these scenes, as the storyline of the Kingdom Hearts mobile game has been touted as having a significant connection to the story of the highly-anticipated Kingdom Hearts III since its debut last year. This connection has been made even more clear since the recent release of the Kingdom Hearts ? Back Cover movie included in Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue on PlayStation 4.

Existing players and newcomers alike can sign up through an official website form to pre-register for the Union ? [Cross] update. The form simply asks the user for their email address, which opts them into getting email updates about the game in addition to “exclusive smartphone wallpapers and in-game rewards.” Those who have already downloaded and played the game previously can expect to receive some additional goodies for their continued support of the game as well.

“To commemorate the relaunch and the one-year anniversary of the original app release, players will also receive in-game presents by logging in after the update.”

Until the major Kingdom Hearts mobile app update happens, the game is set to continue providing events that tie-in with the rest of the Kingdom Hearts and Disney universe. Case in point is the recently announced Beauty and the Beast challenge, which gives players the opportunity to unlock Belle and Beast medals through VIP Quests.

Kingdom Hearts: Unchained ? has been available as a free-to-play app (that features optional in-app purchases) through the App Store for iPhone as well as on Google Play for Android devices. The update that changes the mobile game to Kingdom Hearts: Union ? is scheduled to be released in April. Catch a glimpse of what’s to come in the trailer below.

[Featured Image by Square Enix]

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