The long-awaitedKingdom Hearts 3was the first installment in this franchise to be simultaneously released on multiple platforms at once, instead of being exclusive to a single Sony or Nintendo console. It initially launched on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, only to be re-released afterward on other systems, like the Nintendo Switch and PC, thanks to digital storefronts like the Epic Games Store and Steam.
Square Enix celebrated this occasion by releasing themed Keybladesfor Sora to wield in each version ofKingdom Hearts 3. That’s right — even though the internet was shocked by the recent news of the Steam-exclusive Keyblade, this practice has been going on since the game’s initial release. This list will contain information about these unique weapons: what system they appear in, how to obtain them, and what their individual features are.
6Midnight Blue
PlayStation 4
For many years,theKingdom Heartsfranchise was synonymous with thePlayStationbrand, so it was quite endearing to see a Keyblade that represents this entire line of consoles.Midnight Bluenot only has a beautiful blue hue that is reminiscent of the PS4’s home screen. It also features numerous references to the four iconic buttons, which extends to its clever particle effects that pop out whenever Sora hits an enemy with it.
Something interesting about Midnight Blueis that it’s a recolor of Star Seeker, another iconic Keyblade that can’t be obtained anywhere else inKingdom Hearts 3. Power-wise, it’s not particularly strong, since it can be equipped from the beginning of the game. However, itsSecond Form Mtransformation and both its Blizzard Boost and Formchange Extender abilities make Midnight Blue a tad more useful than Sora’s regular Kingdom Key.
5Phantom Green
Xbox One
Kingdom Hearts 3marked the franchise’s debut on an Xbox system, and thePhantom GreenKeyblade celebrates this achievement. Like Midnight Blue, this weapon’s design represents its console. This one has a vibrant green hue that is reminiscent of the Xbox brand’s iconic color scheme. Phantom Green also has a few other interesting little details. Its keychain has the colors of the buttons of the Xbox One controller, and little Xbox logos pop out whenever Sora hits an enemy.
This Keyblade’s stats and abilities function pretty much identically to its PlayStation 4 counterpart. This makes sense, considering that it would have been unfair to give either console an advantage. The only main difference is that it has the Thunder Boost ability (instead of Blizzard Boost) and its transformation is calledSecond Form P, even though it works exactly like any other Second Form in the game.
4Advent Red
Nintendo Switch
This may be one of the most obscure Keyblades in the franchise, mainly because of how unpopular the cloud-basedNintendo Switchports of theKingdom Heartsgames are. This is a shame,because this franchise has had a close relationship with Nintendo’s handhelds. Nevertheless,Advent Redis a beautiful Keyblade with a lovely red, blue, and black color scheme that represents the console’s signature Joy-Con controllers.
Advent Red is especially interesting becauseit’s a recolor of Mickey Mouse’s KeybladeinKingdom Hearts 3:Star Cluster, another weapon that Sora can’t otherwise obtain. Once again, it’s not particularly strong, because it can be equipped from the start. It features another variation of Second Form as its transformation, this time calledSecond Form A. Advent Red stands out from the other home console exclusive Keyblades by having the usefulMagic Rouletteability, which allows the players to spawn Grand Magic Situation Commands without having met the usual requirements.
3Elemental Encoder
Epic Games Store
In 2021, theKingdom Heartsfranchise finally arrived on PC thanks to the ports that were released on theEpic Games Store. Many fans were disappointed by this (initial) exclusivity, but it made sense, considering thatKingdom Hearts 3was created withEpic Games’Unreal Engine 4. TheElemental Encoderwas the Keyblade created for this special release of the game.
This is yet another recolor of Star Cluster, this time in black and white, since those are the main colors of the Epic Games Store. It doesn’t look bad, but it lacks the creativity and care that was put into the designs of the other system-exclusive Keyblades. Even the name Elemental Encoder feels boring. It’s a reference to its Magic Roulette ability, instead of being a nod to any part of the Epic Games Store’s identity. It also features yet another variation of Sora’s first Keyblade transformation, this time namedSecond Form E.
Steam
The long-awaited and recently released ports of theKingdom Heartsgames onSteamwere received with a thunderous applause by most fans. This excitement only grew with the announcement of its ownKingdom Hearts 3exclusive Keyblade, calledDead of Night.
For starters, this is a great name,since it’s a callback to the battle theme for the Destiny Islandsin the firstKingdom Heartsgame. It also references the Keyblade’s beautiful nocturnal hue, which, in turn, is an homage to the Steam store’s classic color scheme. And, while Advent Red disappointingly reused the same particle effects as Elemental Encoder, Dead of Night spawns bright blue stars whenever Sora hits an opponent. It features the same abilities as the previous two Keyblades, and its transformation is known asSecond Form D.
1Dawn Till Dusk
7-Eleven & Amazon
While this isn’t a system-exclusive Keyblade, it’s so unique and weird that it belongs to this list.Dawn Till Duskis actuallyexclusive to a real life convenience store.In collaboration with the popular7-Elevenbrand, Square Enix released this fascinating green and yellow Keyblade, in reference to the store’s iconic color scheme. However, this clever nod was completely lost when it was released as an Amazon Pre-Order bonus in North America.
Even the name Dawn Till Dusk is quite a genius reference to the fact that 7-Eleven stores open from 7 AM (dawn) until 11 PM (dusk). This theme can also be seen in the colorful moons and stars that pop out whenever Sora hits an enemy with it.This is once again another regularly strong Keyblade with decent stats, and that featuresSecond Form Dtransformation. Lastly, Dawn Till Dusk has the Fire Boost ability, completing the elemental trio that was set up with Midnight Blue and Phantom Green.
