was an online community-based social gaming networking service developed by

Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...

for the NTT DoCoMo in partnership with Disney Mobile Japan. It was launched on December 15, 2008 in Japan in conjunction with the video game ''

Kingdom Hearts coded ''Kingdom Hearts Coded'' is an episodic video game, episodic Action role-playing game, action role-playing puzzle video game, puzzle video game developed and published by Square Enix, in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, for mobile ...

'' for

mobile phone A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whil ...

s. ''Mobile'' is not part of the main ''

Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square (video game company), Square). It is a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company and is under the leadership of Tetsuya ...

'' storyline. It consists of various mini-games as well as downloadable ''Kingdom Hearts'' related content such as ringtones and wallpapers. The service ended on April 30, 2013.

Gameplay

''Kingdom Hearts Mobile'' is a 2D online world known as the Avatar Kingdom where players can explore and roam around freely as their avatars.

Avatars

Players roam the Avatar Kingdom by controlling their own customized avatar which can be personalized through various means and items. These include outfits, weapons, and items which are purchasable in the game's online store using munny, which is the game's virtual currency. Avatars are used to play mini-games, meet up and chat with friends as well as do activities together within the Avatar Kingdom. Outfits as well as backgrounds can be earned by players whenever they complete an episode of ''

''.

Areas

There are many areas located within the ''Avatar Kingdom'', including areas for downloading items, socializing, and playing mini-games. The areas are as follows: Event Hall which serves as the main area for people to participate together with friends in activities; Point Bank where players can keep track of their points as well as munny that they have earned; Mini-game Item Shop where avatars can by outfits based on ''Kingdom Hearts'' characters which they have earned by winning certain mini-games; Point Item Shop where players can buy different clothes for their avatars as well as customizing the avatar's facial features and hairstyles; Mini-game Shop where players can buy new mini-games; Information Center which provides help and support for players; V Net Room which is the player's own personal area where he can customize profiles, view friends and email other avatars; Point Melody Shop where players can buy ringtones based on

songs A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetition ...

from ''Kingdom Hearts'' games; Point Art Gallery where players can buy various backgrounds, wallpapers, graphics or icon based on the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series; Awards Area which is the player's own trophy room displaying the player's high scores at mini-games; Changing Area which is where the player can customize his avatars clothing and items.

Mini-games

There are various types of mini-games scattered all around the ''Avatar Kingdom'' which players can engage their avatars in these include: Magical Canvas, Pair Card Battle, Card Struggle, Balloon Glider, Gummi Ship Studio, Card Struggle II, and Rhythm Parade. Each game is unique and contains its own unique gameplay such as Card Struggle being based on

Spider Solitaire Spider is a type of patience game, and is one of the more popular two-deck solitaire games. The game originates in 1949, and its name comes from a spider's eight legs, referencing the eight foundation piles that must be filled to win the game. ...

, Gummi Ship Studio on traditional color-based

puzzle A puzzle is a game, Problem solving, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (Disentanglement puzzle, or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at th ...

games, Rhythm Parade on popular

music game A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs. Music video games may take a ...

s which involves pressing a string of buttons based on what appears on-screen, and Balloon Glider on one of the mini-games in the 100 Acre Wood world of '' Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories''.

Development

''Kingdom Hearts Mobile'' was announced at the same time as ''

'' and launched a month later on December 15, 2008 in Japan. Various updates have been added to it such as new costumes to coincide with the release of new episodes of ''Kingdom Hearts coded'' as well as new areas to explore, and new mini-games to play such as Rhythm Parade which was added in September 2009. ''Kingdom Hearts Mobile'' celebrated its first anniversary on December 15, 2009 with special events going on within the Avatar Kingdom as well as new costumes of the three main protagonists,

Terra Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...

Aqua Aqua is the Latin word for water. It is used in many words which relate to water, such as aquatic life. In English, it may also refer to: Arts * Aqua (color), a greenish-blue color Business * Aqua (skyscraper), an 82-story residential skysc ...

and Ventus of the game ''

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is an action role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios for the PlayStation Portable, serving as the sixth installment in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series. The game was relea ...

'', which was released less than a month later. On December 27, 2009

released special ''Kingdom Hearts'' themed wallpapers for mobile phones to celebrate the upcoming

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

holiday as well as additional wallpapers to celebrate its first anniversary.

Reception

The art style has been called "cute" by Wired Magazine and "disgustingly cute" by Siliconera. The game's art style was used again in ''

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy ''Theatrhythm Final Fantasy'' is a rhythm video game, developed by indieszero and published by Square Enix for Nintendo 3DS and iOS. Based on the ''Final Fantasy'' video game franchise, the game involves using the touch screen in time to various ...

'', '' Kingdom Hearts Re:coded'', and ''

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade ''Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade'', known in Japan as was a ''Final Fantasy'' video game developed and published by Square Enix for Mobage compatible mobile phones. The game was similar to other traditional ''Final Fantasy'' games with an overwo ...

''.

References

External links

''Kingdom Hearts Mobile'' site

Official ''Kingdom Hearts'' blog
{{Kingdom Hearts series 2008 video games Kingdom Hearts Mobile games Online video game services Video games developed in Japan