Nintendo consoles are typically a home for more family-friendly franchises, which made the debut of No More Heroes on the Wii in 2007 come as such a shock to audiences. No More Heroes provided a breath of fresh air for hardcore gamers who were hungry for a more mature video game experience on the platform. The heightened energy and sense of humor is one of the greatest assets of the No More Heroes, with the game’s slacker protagonist, Travis Touchdown, being a conduit for many of the series’ meta gags.
No More Heroes has gradually acquired sequels over the years, with the Nintendo Switch’s No More Heroes III acting as the culmination of the franchise. The No More Heroes series has evolved in many ways since its genesis, and the same can also be said for the games’ hero, Travis Touchdown.
10 He Returns To Santa Destroy After Years Of Self-Imposed Exile
Travis Touchdown’s home base throughout the No More Heroes series is predominantly the destruction-prone island of Santa Destroy. However, a lot happens between the different entries in the series and the previous side story game— Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes— looks at how Travis has left behind his reputation as Santa Destroy’s top assassin and disappeared into an isolating life of self-exile.
No More Heroes 3 brings Travis back to Santa Destroy and throws him into the role of protector. The sequel effectively looks at how both Travis and Santa Destroy have changed in subtle ways over the years.
9 He Starts A Family And Has Children
Some franchises can play out over a very condensed passage of time, but the No More Heroes games' events span over a decade, which means that individuals are prone to changes since their first appearances.
Travis Touchdown embraces the role of an unrepentant bachelor who doesn’t want to be tied down to a relationship. This perspective softens after Travis meets Sylvia Christel. Not only do the two get married, but the conclusion of No More Heroes 3 also indulges in time-displaced versions of Jeane and Hunter, Travis and Sylvia’s children.
8 He Trains Under A Combat Mentor
The No More Heroes series is largely a collection of references and tributes to all of Suda51’s favorite pieces of media. A longstanding trope in action films and anime is that the hero improves their skills through rigorous training under a reputable mentor.
Travis likes to handle matters on his own, but No More Heroes 3 does reflect some humility on the character’s part as he agrees to let superhero and wrestling champion, Notorious, mentor him for what’s to come. It results in a delightful homage to Rocky III.
7 He Learns New Psychokinetic Techniques
One of the highlights of the No More Heroes series is the exaggerated level of combat that Travis engages in as he slices enemies into nothingness through his deadly Beam Katanas and other fantastical weapons.
Travis is never lacking when it comes to ways of dealing death, but the later entries equip Travis with a formidable Death Glove which gives him a litany of psychokinetic skills that make him even more dangerous. This robust arsenal of melee attacks and psychic powers compliment the chaotic gameplay in an extremely satisfying manner.
6 He Dies And Lives To Tell About It
In a franchise that’s as hyperbolic as No More Heroes, it should perhaps not come as a surprise that death isn’t the end of the story for many characters. Travis narrowly escapes defeat on many occasions, but his mortality catches up with him in No More Heroes 3 when he’s executed by Henry Cooldown.
Travis’ death doesn’t trigger the end of the game, but rather sends him to a retro purgatory video game. In “Deathman,” Travis grapples with his livelihood as he and other fallen warriors escape and return to the land of the living.
5 He Spares More Of His Targets
There are varying degrees of nuance across the No More Heroes games, but Travis’ goal largely involves his ascension through the assassin rankings as he takes out the competition. In order to accomplish this goal, Travis needs to execute the assassins that he faces, which he’s often jubilant about.
It’s interesting to see how all of this death seems to wear down Travis in certain respects. By the time of No More Heroes 3, Travis is willing to spare certain targets, like Native Danger and Midori Midorikawa. Other executions are reluctantly fulfilled, but with a heavy heart.
4 He Acquires A Fancy Mecha Armor Defense Mode
No More Heroes has always had its fingers on the pulse of anime culture and there are countless minigames, characters, and gameplay modes that function as tributes to different genres of anime. No More Heroes 3 goes for broke and brings high-tech mecha customs into the picture.
Travis can acquire an advanced form of armor that basically turns him into a deadly robot. Visually, it looks incredible, but it’s also so satisfying to dispose of enemies with this new set of powers. Full Armor Travis pushes the character into more galactic battles, which feel like the series’ natural evolution.
3 He Acquires A Better Motorcycle: The Demzamtiger
No More Heroes presents Santa Destroy as an open world hub for Travis to explore and engage in recreational activities, minigames, and missions when he’s not deeply immersed in assassin slaying. The scope of Santa Destroy and where Travis is able to explore only expands throughout the series and it’s grown into a sprawling multi-island environment in No More Heroes 3.
Travis has always had a stylish motorcycle, but No More Heroes 3 features some upgraded machinery that’s known as the Demzamtiger. This fancier mode of transportation allows Travis to cruise around in style.
2 His Contentious Relationship With His Brother Deepens
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, introduces Travis Touchdown’s combative brother, Henry Cooldown. Henry’s role throughout the No More Heroes titles continues to evolve and the antagonist is even briefly playable in some contexts. Some of the most development between Travis and his brother is present in No More Heroes 3, where the two are pushed to the bitter end.
They reach a point where they’re prepared to kill the other. Despite any common ground that they’ve reached, their feud only grows more complicated after Henry’s fatal actions against Travis.
1 He Stops An Alien Invasion
The most exciting element out of each No More Heroes game is the ridiculous boss fights that test Travis’ assassination skills. Travis faces extreme personalities right from the start of his mission, but they only grow more absurd and challenging. By the time that No More Heroes 3 rolls around, Travis’ enemies have become threats from a completely different planet.
Travis doesn’t just have to conquer deadly assassins, but he finds himself protecting the planet from an alien invasion. Travis has never faced bigger stakes, yet he seems excited to leave the planet’s atmosphere and defeat some alien scum.
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