The No More Heroes series was originally developed with the Nintendo Wii in mind and instantly became one of the most controversial games in the system library. Created by Goichi Suda – better known as Suda 51 – the first No More Heroes was one of the few Wii exclusives to receive an M rating in North America for its gory journey through the dog-and-dog world to create a become a professional assassin.
While the original No More Heroes sold poorly in most markets, it became a cult classic and slowly gained popularity as time went on. It would take Suda 51 and his team nearly fifteen years to complete the trilogy of games, while also making a few spin-offs between the main entries. It seems unlikely at this point that we’ll ever see Travis Touchdown return (at least in a video game), so now feels like the perfect time to break down each game in the series and see which one can make it to the top.
5 No more heroes: World Ranker
The mobile game market exploded in early 2010 when titles like Candy Crush Saga and Clash of Clans dominated much of the world’s attention. Suda 51 thought it would be a great idea to adapt the themes and gameplay of No More Heroes to a mobile game with the intention of creating “the social game with the most blood”.
In the Japan-only spin-off, you could create your own assassin and compete against other players in online battles. You’d swipe your screen in one direction to deal damage or block an attack, but it was ultimately a superficial recreation of what makes the series special. However, it was cool to see former hitmen appear as mission bosses.
4 Travis strikes again: no more heroes
The No More Heroes brand stood still for nearly ten years after the release of No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle. Suda 51 would spend most of his time working on games like Lollipop Chainsaw and Killer is Dead before finally returning to No More Heroes after seeing the potential of the Nintendo Switch.
While Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is a bold departure from the series’ usual tropes, it still retains the humor and attitude shown in previous entries. After being sucked into a magical game console, Travis Touchdown must fight his way through a series of worlds inspired by indie games such as Hotline Miami and Hyper Light Drifter.
3 No more heroes III
For the longest time, it felt like we’d never see Travis Touchdown reappear in a proper ending to the story that began in 2007. At an E3 presentation in 2019, No More Heroes III would finally be announced as the epic final chapter of one of the most ambitious and violent franchises to hit Nintendo’s hardware.
No More Heroes III takes every element that made the series stand out in the first place and pushes them further than ever before. The boss battles range from adrenaline-fuelled confrontations to rounds of musical chairs, the soundtrack features some of the best songs in the series (particularly the Sushi Shop theme), and enough twists and weird moments to make your head spin.
2 No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
The development of No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle began shortly after the original game had quite a bit of success in western markets. The sequel aimed to raise the bar by forcing Travis to retire after one of his closest friends is murdered. With revenge as motivation and the newfound ability to duel with katanas, he sets out to once again claim the number one spot in the world of murder.
No More Heroes 2 has the best minigames in the trilogy and arguably the best soundtrack, but it falls short of the other expectations of its predecessor. It’s the only entry not directed by Suda 51, and the writing and story feel a little strange. The gameplay and bosses are mostly phenomenal, apart from an annoying final showdown with possibly the most frustrating boss in the entire series.
1 No more heroes
It took a while for No More Heroes to stand out from the deluge of games available for Wii, but eventually it got the recognition it deserved through word of mouth and its bold premise. After spending a night with the mysterious Sylvia Christel, Travis Touchdown is forced to become a hit man and accidentally finds himself on the path to becoming number one according to the United Assassins Association.
The rest is simple: Travis now has to compete against the top ten killers in Santa Destroy to claim the number one spot and all the associated prizes. While exploring the open world of Santa Destroy is by far the worst part of the game, everything else about No More Heroes still feels as fresh and iconic as when it was first released. Memorable villains, great dialogue and hilarious motion controls make for an immersive, action-packed adventure that won’t miss a moment.
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