Kingdom Hearts 3D gets its own 3DS for Japanese launch

Fans of both the Square Enix and Disney universes were blessed with the release of Kingdom Hearts on the PlayStation 2 back in 2002, with the series now spanning eight games. Square recently announced that the ninth game in the series--Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance--will be out on March 29 in Japan.

In addition to the game, the company will release a Kingdom Hearts Edition 3DS pack, where players can buy a bundle containing the game and a 3DS with an original black design filled with recognizable icons from the series. Square Enix also stated that each first-print versions of the game will contain an AR card that unlocks a rare Dream Eater collectible upon reading it through the 3DS. The price of the bundle has yet to be announced.

Kingdom Hearts 3D focuses on protagonists Sora and Riku, and its story is set after the events of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded. The game will feature the return of Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep's Command Deck and a Dream Eater hunting side quest. Featured crossovers include Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Square Enix's The World Ends With You.

The North American and European version of the game will be out later in 2012.