Kingdom Hearts 3 brings back classic Disney characters through summons, now renamed “Links”. This guide will teach you how each one works. Summons have been a staple of the Kingdom Hearts series. Even back in the original Kingdom Hearts in 2002. Sora has used his abilities to call out for Disney and original characters from various worlds to assist him in combat. In previous entries, he’s summoned characters like Tinker Bell from Peter Pan, with her ability to bring Sora back to life after his health has reached zero, or Mushi from Mulan using his fiery breath to take down the Heartless.
Each link has its own situations they can thrive in. The player must locate each of the appropriate “Heartbinders” throughout the different worlds in order to use each link. Once you have the proper Heartbinders, players must have full MP to activate the links. Using the link restores Sora HP. Also while using a link, Sora is unable to die, making this an excellent way to recover health and dish out damage. They also each have their own respective theme songs to match the character in use (Ex: Simba’s Song is from Pride Lands in Kingdom Hearts II). In Kingdom Hearts 3, there is a total of 5 links you can find.
Meow Wow Dream Eater’s Meow Wow Balloon in Kingdom Hearts 3
The Dream Heartbinder is given to Sora by Master Yen Sid after completing the Olympus world. When using Meow Wow Balloon, Sora jumps on the back of the Dream Eater and uses Tornado Pounce to slam into nearby enemies. With each pounce, Meow Wow grows larger, allowing for a bigger blast radius when it lands. Sora can also use Deflate Dash to have Meow Wow deflate like a balloon and clash with nearby enemies. The more air is taken in by Meow Wow, the longer this attack lasts. Finally, the “Finish” command explodes Meow Wow into several different types of Dream Eaters, nuking the enemies on the screen. This is a great link for dealing with large groups.
Wreck-It Ralph’s 8 Bit Blast in Kingdom Hearts 3
The Pixel Heartbinder is rewarded to Sora after defeating Verum Rex for the first time in Toy Box. When using 8-Bit Blast, Sora mounts on the shoulders of Wreck-It Ralph. The player can use the directional pad to select from various sets of blocks to build. Each block is different and shoots out a light that can stun enemies. Placing the blocks strategically around the enemies will leave them wide open for attacks. Ralph can then Rush into enemies and produce some damage. At the end of the Link, Ralph wrecks the blocks he’s created, causing massive damage to surrounding enemies. This link (if done properly) can cause huge amounts of damage to enemies and even some bosses. Ralph also lasts the longest on the battlefield, making it an excellent option for avoiding boss desperation moves.
Simba’s King’s Flare in Kingdom Hearts 3
The Pride Heartbinder is rewarded to Sora after putting out the fires in the Tank Yard of Monstropolis. When using King’s Flare, Sora rides on the back of Simba and uses Firaga Leap to set a flaming circle on the ground when he lands, burning several enemies. Firaga Leap plants Simba’s feet on the ground as he lets out a mighty roar, eliminating the nearby Heartless, Nobodies, and Unversed. As for Simba’s finisher, Simba soars into the air and sets the sky on fire. A light so bright, it engulfs the entire screen. Fire-based Heartless (like the Flame Core) are immune to these attacks but anything left will be defeated.
Ariel’s Sea Spectacle in Kingdom Hearts 3
The Ocean Heartbinder is located in a large chest in the Underwater Cave of The Caribbean. Ariel is a unique Link, as in order to do the most damage with her, you need to perfectly time when she’s about to land on the ground with a button press. Ariel ranks how well you do with an “Excellent” or a “Good”. The better you do, the higher Ariel leaps into the air. Regardless, mashing the Splash command rains water down on nearby enemies. For the finisher, Sora and Ariel dance as water flow out of the places on the ground where you landed. Water-based Heartless (Like the Water Core) are immune, but the amount of damage from this link can be decimating to any other kind of enemy.
Stitch’s Plasma Encounter in Kingdom Hearts 3
Rewarded to Sora after completing the Flash Tracer minigame in San Fransokyo. Stitch plays similar to Ralph, as the player needs to coordinate where they plan for the main attack to come from. With Plasma Encounter, Sora and Stitch work together and use Plasma Surge. With Plasma Surge, Sora shoots a laser. When three lasers are shot, it creates an electric field that catches enemies. Although, electric-based enemies (Like the Gold Beat) are immune. Using the finisher sets Sora and Stitch up above so the lasers come shooting out of the electric fields to hit surrounding enemies. With a few attempts, this Link can be very useful for taking out larger bosses.
Links are a pleasant way to introduce characters into the Kingdom Hearts series without providing an entire world for them. It gave opportunities for characters like Ariel and Stitch to return and opens the door for potential future characters. Links are also incredibly helpful in combat, as they can help remove the player from a tight situation. Learning how to correctly use each Link will prove useful and fit alongside Sora’s massive and creative arsenal.
More: Kingdom Hearts 3: The Flantastic Seven Location Guide
Kingdom Hearts 3 is available on Playstation 4 and Xbox One.
