KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep Opens the Door to an Untold World This Summer

LOS ANGELES, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep will be released in North America this Summer. Coming exclusively to the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the game is a prequel that reveals the untold origins of the popular KINGDOM HEARTS franchise.

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KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep is the highly anticipated fifth installment in the beloved RPG series that has shipped over 14 million copies worldwide. Enjoy three unique gaming experiences through three main characters – Terra, Ventus and Aqua – in order to uncover the mysteries of the story. With a distinctive battle system and multiplayer mode, KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep adds a new depth to the KINGDOM HEARTS franchise.  

The game also introduces Disney worlds and characters that have never been seen in previous KINGDOM HEARTS titles, including Sleeping Beauty's Enchanted Dominion, the Dwarf Woodlands from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Deep Space from Lilo and Stitch. In addition, all-new stages have been added to familiar worlds like Neverland from Peter Pan. Disney lovers will rejoice at seeing their favorite characters appear on the handheld arena.

Story

Long before Sora was chosen by his Keyblade, the worlds' safety lay in the hands of Keyblade Masters.

Three youths —  Terra, Ventus, and Aqua — have been training long and hard under Master Eraqus to prove that they, too, exhibit the Mark of Mastery.

But they will soon find themselves in the middle of a crisis affecting worlds far beyond their own—just as another Keyblade Master, Xehanort, goes mysteriously missing.

Three friends, three destinies. Everything will link back to the beginning.

Features

• An essential piece to the KINGDOM HEARTS series arrives on the PSP system: From world renowned creator and character designer Tetsuya Nomura comes the latest installment in the beloved KINGDOM HEARTS series. The vibrant and colorful KINGDOM HEARTS world comes to life through stunning graphics in 16:9 widescreen presentation, made possible by the PSP system hardware.
• Disney worlds and characters new to the KINGDOM HEARTS series: Disney worlds and characters never before seen in KINGDOM HEARTS, such as Enchanted Dominion (Sleeping Beauty) and Castle of Dreams (Cinderella) will make their first appearances in KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep.
• Three distinct gaming experiences through the eyes of three protagonists: Unravel the mystery surrounding the origin of the KINGDOM HEARTS saga through the tales of three unique characters – Terra, Ventus and Aqua. The whole story is revealed only after playing through with all three characters.
• An action-packed combat system with intuitive controls: The familiar action-packed experience that KINGDOM HEARTS fans have come to embrace returns with an enhanced battle system, with all new features such as Command Styles, Command Decks, Shotlocks and Dimension Links. KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep is the most advanced KINGDOM HEARTS title to date.
• Four exciting multiplayer modes: Share the excitement and fun with your friends with four brand-new multiplayer modes: Versus, Arena, Command Board and Rumble Racing.
• New game features: The North American release will include a number of new features including Crown Stickers, an extra boss and additional multiplayer options.

KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older). Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings.

The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/khbbs.  

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc. 

Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America, and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises — FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 96 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 53 million units worldwide — under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation. Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.

About Disney Interactive Studios

Disney Interactive Studios, part of Disney Interactive Media Group, is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS). Disney Interactive Studios self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games, mobile games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with other interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. Disney Interactive Studios is based in Glendale, California, and has internal development studios around the world. For more information, log on to http://www.disneyinteractivestudios.com.

© 2010 Disney.  Developed by Square Enix

DRAGON QUEST, FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE ENIX and the SQUARE ENIX logo are registered trademarks of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

SOURCE Square Enix, Inc.