Every Kingdom Hearts Reference in Duskfade

If you haven't seen it yet, Duskfade is an action adventure and 3D platforming game that takes some heavy inspiration from the Kingdom Hearts series. The main protagonist, the weapon he carries, and even some of the design choices showcase this inspiration.

However, there are many more aspects of the game that take some inspiration from the Kingdom Hearts series. There are also many references to said series found throughout the game.

For instance, you can be called Heartless for breaking some pots, and you can also get some outfits that look similar to the spiky-haired protagonist of the PS2 era. Let's track down some of the best of them.

6 The UI

Matches the Style

The Kingdom Hearts UI is one that everyone recognizes if they have played the game. After all, it is one of the more unique looking user-interfaces in any of the older PS2 titles.

To break it down, you have the command options on the left side of the screen, with your attack, magic, and item options. Then on the right side, you have your health and magic bars wrapped around a drawn picture of Sora's head.

While you don't have the command options in Duskfade, the right corner of the screen looks very familiar, as it too features a green health bar and a hand-drawn image of the protagonist's head. It is a great nod to the design elements of Kingdom Hearts, and the most obvious reference to the series.

5 Heartless

Breaking Pots

Near the intro of the game, you will find a Cloudie that is resting at the base of a tree. He will tell you that he has been saving some money, and that it is in the vases next to him.

If you want some extra Star Shards, you can break these pots and steal the Cloudie's life savings. Of course, you will be called out for it, but not by the NPC. Instead, the game will reward you with an achievement called Heartless.

Of course, this is a big reference to Kingdom Hearts, as the main enemies of the game are called the Heartless, and you spend the entire series fighting them, along with various other types of foes, like the Nobodies.

The Original Keyblade

We all know the Keyblade as being the iconic weapon of the Kingdom Hearts series, and the first of them that you use is called the Kingdom Key.

It is the iconic Keyblade image, with a golden hand guard and steel-colored blade. Well, you can get a skin for your weapon in Duskfade that matches this exact color scheme.

Throughout the game, you can get Rainbow Ingots that unlock different skins for the Minutero. One of these skins is called Shared Memories, and it is the exact colors of the Kingdom Key from Kingdom Hearts. It is a nice node to the series, and a pretty cool skin.

3 World Hopper

Dream Drop Distance

Your weapon isn't the only thing you can apply skins to in Duskfade, as you can also apply skins to the main character, Zirian. While these are cool, one of them seems to be a reference to Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance.

In Dream Drop Distance, Sora wears an outfit that has bright red shorts and a black and grey top with red accents. A similar outfit can be obtained in Duskfade, and it is called the World Hopper skin. It even has bright yellow boots that match Sora's yellow shoes.

Not only do the two outfits look similar, the name World Hopper definitely feels like a nod to Kingdom Hearts, as Sora is known for traveling between worlds, saving them from the Heartless.

2 Dark Sora Skin

Become Heartless

Speaking of skins, there is one that resembles Sora's anti form. Anti-Form Sora is a Drive Form in Kingdom Hearts 2, but a shadow version of Sora is also seen, and fought, in the original Kingdom Hearts game.

Both look similar to each other, but the Anti Form Sora has noticeable streaks leading away from its arms and back. A similar skin appears in Duskfade, which makes me believe it could be a nod to the form in the Kingdom Hearts series.

One of the many skins for the protagonist turns him into an anti form of himself, with the skin being named Darkness. Of course, there are slight changes to the design, but it is still reminiscent of the form in Kingdom Hearts.

1 Final Boss

Similar Attacks

If you have played the original Kingdom Hearts game, you probably have memories of fighting Riku near the end of the game in a one-on-one fight. This fight was often my downfall, as it took me a while to get used to how fast some of Riku's attacks were.

Difficulties aside, there are a few attacks that stand out during this fight, with one of the more annoying ones being when Riku teleports through portals and dashes across the arena.

Well, the final boss of Duskfade has a similar move that matches the style of attack of Riku in that fateful battle. It is a fun nod to the series that brings back some painful memories of Riku beating me over and over again.

9/10

Duskfade

Action Adventure Systems Released August 13, 2026 Developer(s) Weird Beluga Publisher(s) Fireshine Games Number of Players Single-player Steam Deck Compatibility Unknown 6 Images

Genre(s) Action, Adventure