Kingdom Hearts - or “How to make Button Mashing Fun”
So what makes mashing buttons in a combat situation fun?
...
GAME JUICE!
Kingdom Hearts has you pressing the same button over and over, sometimes hundreds of times a minute, but it doesn’t lose its appeal. After 50+ hours of arguably the same combo, you still load it back up for more. Why?
Particles:
Could there be any more particles? To save time, I’m going to be looking at combat situations only. In Kingdom Hearts 2 only. Specifically, NO BOSS FIGHTS! That should narrow it down a bit.
Particles are used everywhere in this series and they do it well, over the top! But in a way that feels AWESOME! More is better, right?
When you hit an enemy, sparks go flying. Literally. Your opponents aren’t the only ones seeing stars. Every hit counts and the player is rewarded for every time they press that button. They’ll be doing it more than they can count so it makes sense that each hit feels as good as possible.
In short, the particles make it fun, interesting and draw away from what could so easily be boring gameplay.
Sounds:
(When you walk away...) Is it stuck in your head now? You’re welcome.
The music in Kingdom Hearts isn’t always what you would expect but when you hear the battle themes start up, they instantly set the mood. You’re ready for a fight. And every hit is going to pack a punch.
The sounds are so clear and crisp that you can play with your eyes shut and still be well aware of what’s going on. Not just the impact of your Keyblade on an enemy though, there is a sound for counters and each spell and so on...
Donald and Goofy are constantly shouting out (granted, sometimes inaudible) comments on the fight. Their enthusiasm can be heard side-by-side with the player’s, reinforcing fun and, at times, tension. Thanks to the sound, the player is never disengaged from the fight.
More:
Kingdom Hearts has so much to offer in terms of Juice, it feels so good to play and play...and play again. With the big things covered there are so many more little touches that add to the immersion and feel of the game.
Like, the Drive Forms:
When you enter a drive form, the screen blurs and the game slows almost to a halt. Time is waiting for your next move and the amount of power felt in those few seconds is huge. The player instantly feels stronger than ever.
And then, when your Drive Gauge is drained and filling back up, there are lights and particles around it seemingly sucking up energy for your next surge of power.
The movement in each form is different, from the sliding around in Wisdom Form, to the floating in Final Form. The change in character controller makes each feel distinct and emphasize the individual aspects of combat.
