Commands (コマンド, Komando) are a recurring game element in the Kingdom Hearts series. They are the primary mechanic for actions in the field. There are two Command systems that appear in the Kingdom Hearts series: the Command Menu and the Command Deck.

The Command Menu appears in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-, and Kingdom Hearts III.

The Command Deck appears in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.

Command Menu

The Command Menu as it appears in Kingdom Hearts II when set to a generic design and/or when in the Dive to the Heart

The Command Menu contains various options that the player can choose from. The player can browse through the menu and select commands using the D-pad, then use , ( in Japan) or (depending on the platform and the game) to execute the highlighted command.

In certain circumstances, some commands in the menu may be blanked out or disabled, either before certain functions are introduced to the player, during periods when certain abilities cannot be used, or when an ability or attack has disabled commands. Additionally, in games with the MP Charge system, commands that empty the MP Gauge and trigger MP Charge have their named colored in yellow.

In some cases, such when using specific Team Attacks (such as Tangled Twist) and Situation Commands, or during battle phase changes, the Command Menu will entirely disappear, only reappearing once the related sequence has ended.

The recurring commands that appear in the Command Menu are:

• Attack (たたかう, Tatakau): Allows the player to execute a basic attack combo with their equipped weapon. The Attack command is the default action for the player, as it will be highlighted automatically after executing other commands. In certain situations, Attack will be replaced by a secondary function, such as "Talk" or "Shoot".
• Magic (まほう, Mahou): Allows the player to select a basic magic to cast from a sub-menu. In PS2 releases of Kingdom Hearts, the Magic sub-menu includes summons.
• Items (アイテム, Aitemu): Allows the player to use an equipped consumable item from a sub-menu.

In Kingdom Hearts II, additional commands are added to the Command Menu, along with a second page accessible by pressing on the D-pad.

• Drive (ドライヴ, Doraivu): Allows the player to activate a Drive Form.
• Summon (しょうかん, Shoukan): Allows the player to summon allies to the field.
• Party (チェンジ, Chenji, lit. "Change"): Allows the player to switch out members of their party.
• Limit (れんけい, Renkei, lit. "Combination"): Allows the player to select a Limit to initiate with one or more members of the party. In Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, it also allows the player use Limit commands while in Limit Form.

Kingdom Hearts III replaces the Limit, Drive, and Party commands with the Link Summon Command. The player is also able to switch between up to three equipped Keychains by pressing or on the D-Pad. In addition, the Magic and Link entries are automatically disabled in areas populated with NPCs, such as Port Royal's Settlement in The Caribbean.

Several game mechanics may temporarily replace the Command Menu with other types of control options, directly mapped to input buttons. This includes boarding a skateboard, using Trinity Limit Chicken Little's FPS Mode Limit, and playing as Riku in Kingdom Hearts II, as well as Attractions, Link Summons, certain Team Attacks, boarding Gigas and boarding pirate ship in Kingdom Hearts III.

The Command Menu can also be impacted by enemies, whose attacks may replace some commands with disruptive effects or restrict their functionality. This includes games initiated by Luxord and Gamblers in Kingdom Hearts II which force the player to select a correct command to win the game, the Sneeze and Cloud statuses in Kingdom Hearts III which scramble in damage-inducing commands, or Zexion's recreated data replacing the Command Menu entirely with a different interface and different gameplay.

Context-sensitive command

The bottom-most command in the Command Menu in Kingdom Hearts changes in function depending on the situation. For example, it will change to display "Open", "Save", or "Examine" when approaching a Treasure Chest, Save Point, or an object of interest, respectively. In battle, this command will also change to allow access to special abilities.

This command only appears in PS2 releases of Kingdom Hearts, being replaced with Reaction Commands in Kingdom Hearts II. In the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX re-release of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, the bottom command is replaced with the "Summon" command, with Reaction Commands assuming the role of the context-sensitive command.

Context-sensitive Attack command

In several games, the Attack command is context-sensitive and may change its name and functionality in certain situations. This includes a variety of functions, including for instance Counterattack in Kingdom Hearts, using Limits with Limit Form in Kingdom Hearts II, opening treasure chests in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, and activating reprisal commands such as Counter Blast in Kingdom Hearts III.

Reaction Command

Reaction Commands are context-sensitive commands that can be used by pressing when the command appears above the Command Menu. The command that appears may be determined by abilities that are equipped, enemies that are being fought, or objects that are nearby.

Reaction Commands appear only in Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, and the HD re-release of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix for Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX.

Situation Command

Situation Commands are context-sensitive commands similar to Reaction Commands, and can activate techniques such as Formchanges, Grand Magic, talking to characters, or other context-specific actions. Situation Commands appear in Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage- and Kingdom Hearts III.

Unlike Reaction Commands, multiple Situation Commands can appear at a time. The player can use the currently highlighted Situation Command with , and browse through multiple commands by pressing . Many commands have a timer attached, with the command disappearing once the timer expires. Unique to Kingdom Hearts III, this timer may be damaged by the Time Break status effect, reducing the duration of their availability.

Shortcuts

Certain types of commands can be set to face buttons for easy access during battle:

• Magic spells can be set as shortcuts in all games with a Command Menu.
• In Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage- and Kingdom Hearts III, equipped items can also be set to shortcuts.
• In addition to the above, Link Summons can be set as shortcuts in Kingdom Hearts III.

Commands set to shortcuts can be accessed by holding down the shoulder button and pressing the corresponding face buttons.

In Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage- and Kingdom Hearts III, shortcuts have respectively two and three separate decks for commands to be issued to instead of one, enabling players to set up different types of decks for shortcuts, rather than constantly having to modify the same deck.

Setting Shortcuts

In Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage- and Kingdom Hearts III, shortcuts are set in the main menu under "Customize". All four face buttons can be used, except ( in the Japanese version) in Kingdom Hearts.

In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, shortcuts are added by highlighting entries from the Magic or Item menus, then holding down and pressing the standard buttons of , , , or . Subsequently, the player can hold down while in the field, then press the face button corresponding to the desired command. However, if all the panels for that command are removed during panel management, or if the current stock of a item has been used up during a mission, a new shortcut is required to be set up for that button.

Design

In Kingdom Hearts, the Command Menu changes color, being blue in noncombat situations and red during fights. In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, the menu always retains a silver and black appearance, with the currently selected command highlighted in red. In other games, the menu is blue outside of combat, yellow during regular fights, and red during mandatory story sections that involve enemies.

Additionally, the Command Menu in Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts III has a unique design in most worlds^[1], as well as in certain areas, such as the Mysterious Tower and the White Room in the Old Mansion; this can be turned off in Config settings to use a universal style similar to Kingdom Hearts instead.

In Kingdom Hearts II, each design also features a Hidden Mickey symbol, though some require opening sub-menus or letting animations play out in order to be seen.

In Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage- and Kingdom Hearts III, the top segment of the command bar separately changes design and names, mostly when using Style Changes and Formchanges.

In Kingdom Hearts III, a small glitch occurs if the player changes the design while in the opening Olympus chapter that causes the "???" fourth slot to change to "Link", even without a Heartbinder in the inventory, though the command itself remains unusable.

Kingdom Hearts II

Kingdom Hearts III

Command Deck

The Command Deck as it appears in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

See also: Deck Command (KHBBS), Command Matrix, and Deck Command (KH3D)

The Command Deck is a set of Deck Commands and actions that the player can equip for use in the field. Deck Commands can include weapon techniques, magic, or consumable items. The Command Deck is set from the main menu, where players can equip commands in its slots to use in the field and combat.

Equipping Deck Commands

The number of equippable commands in a single deck is limited by the amount of available slots. Most attack, magic, item and friendship commands (such as basic techniques like Quick Blitz and Thunder) occupy only one slot, while more advanced techniques can occupy up to three slots (such as Union Rush). In Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, the choice of equippable commands is further limited by the amount of Memory each command takes up in the Command Matrix.

In addition, in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, action abilities like Dodge Roll, Block, and High Jump are incorporated into the Deck Command system in a separate list of slots. Each slot can only accept a specific type of commands, e.g. dodging actions can only be equipped in the slot that is equipped by default with Dodge Roll.

Using Commands

In the field or in combat, the player can scroll through commands equipped in the deck by using and on the D-Pad, and execute the highlighted command with or (depending on the game and the platform). Attack, magic and friendship commands go through a cool-down period before they can be used again. By contrast, item commands store in single command slot a limited amount of the corresponding item; if they are all used in a single battle, the command cannot be used until the battle ends.

While most of these commands will cause the user to quickly drop to the ground to activate them in both Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, all of them can be used in midair in Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance.

The availability and properties of these commands (such as their reload times) can be impacted, both positively or negatively, by status effects such as Haste, Julius's unnamed status effect, or Command Lock. Commands can also be forcefully removed in battle from the player's deck: techniques such as Young Xehanort's Whirlwind to the Void or other players' Deck Scramble (in Mirage Arena's Versus Mode) can force the player to drop their current commands to the floor as prizes, requiring them to collect them in order to regain their access. In Versus Mode, players may even collect and then use commands that were dropped by other players.

Design

While the Command Deck does not change its design from world to world, it changes colors in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, being blue outside of combat and yellow in fights. The deck remains blue at all times in Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, the top section of the Command Deck is occupied by the Command Gauge and the Clock Gauge, respectively. In the former game, this section changes its design whenever Command Styles or D-Links are active.

Base Command

The Base Command (ベースコマンド, Bēsu Komando) is permanently mapped to a single action button, ( in Japan) for Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and for Kingdom Hearts Re:coded and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. The command is displayed immediately below the Command Deck. The default Base Command is Attack, but it may change in different contexts, replacing the role of Reaction Commands.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, when the Base Command is replaced by something other than Attack, it is called a Special Command. Cooperation attacks with party members and Reprisal commands are also considered Special Commands, although some use different inputs than the ordinary Base Command button. The appropriate button is displayed on screen.

In Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, a green square indicator will appear on top of targets that can be interacted with, such as Save Points, Treasure Chests, and characters with dialogue. Pressing the Base Command will activate the interaction if Data-Sora is close enough to the target. Finish commands are also activated with the Base Command.

In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, the Base Command encompasses all of the functions of Special Commands from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. In addition to Attack, the Base Command can change to "Talk", "Open", "Examine", "Shop", "Save", and "Rescue". The Base Command also performs the commands related to Link Attacks, Flowmotion attack commands, and most Reprisal commands.

Sub-Menus

In certain games, additional Deck-like sub-menus are available to the player, allowing them to browse through other available techniques with a user interface similar to the standard Command Deck.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the player may press on the D-Pad to access a "deck" filled with D-Links commands, and activate an enabled link from the list by selecting it with . D-Links cannot be activated if there are temporary allies in the party, and during the battles against Eraqus and Terra-Xehanort in Terra's scenario.

In Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD, two separate "decks" were added to the game to use the Link System or to switch Spirit Dream Eaters party members (as a replacement for the Nintendo 3DS's dual screen system from Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.)^[2] The player can use and on the D-Pad to swap between the regular Command Deck, a "deck" for the Link System, and one more for swapping Dream Eaters in the party. These sub-menus are automatically populated by a list of the party's Spirit Dream Eaters, and their corresponding Link techniques.

In either game, the Base Command remains available to use with (or in Japan), no matter which Command Deck sub-menu is currently selected.

Shortcuts

In all games with a Command Deck, one attack, magic or friendship command can be set as a shortcut. In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Kingdom Hearts Re:coded and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, pressing on the D-Pad will immediately focus the Command Deck on the shortcut command, allowing the player to execute it immediately with or . In Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD, this shortcut is available instead by pressing .

Additionally, in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, switching active Dream Eaters or using the Link System is also possible through separate shortcut controls. Similar to games with a Command Menu, the player can hold both shoulder buttons simultaneously (on the 3DS) or (in Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD) to open either shortcuts for switching Dream Eaters, or shortcuts to activate Link Attacks or Link Styles corresponding to currently active Dream Eaters. The player can switch between both shortcut options with or on the D-Pad, and activate these shortcuts by pressing the corresponding face button.

Notes and references

• Game elements

• Articles with unconfirmed statements