The latest adventures of Travis Touchdown are here thanks to the recently-released No More Heroes 3, the newest Nintendo Switch hack-and-slash game from Suda51. The game received mixed reception from critics but has been a hit with fans, one of whom has reimagined the series as a side-scrolling beat-’em-up that wouldn’t look out of place in the innovative game world.
The No More Heroes series was a success on Nintendo Wii before migrating to the Nintendo Switch. The franchise pivoted from its usual focus on taking down assassins with 2019’s Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, a top-down title not considered to be a sequel to No More Heroes 1 and 2. In 2020, the first two No More Heroes games, No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Travis Strikes Again, were surprise-released for Switch following a Nintendo livestream. Earlier this year, No More Heroes made its PC debut.
Reddit user suitNtie22 has envisioned another adventure for Travis, this time as the star of a pixelated 2D side-scroller. Sharing their idea to Reddit, the user showed off a look at what pre-combat could look like in such a game, with Travis standing outside the No More Heroes Motel ready to defeat an assassin. The artwork features the heart-shaped health container the games are known for, along with a simplified version of the tiger that represents Travis’ Ecstasy Gauge first seen in NMH2. Travis’ cat Jeane can even be seen in the motel window. The image is reminiscent of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and fans on Reddit have shown an outpour of appreciation for the idea.
What if NoMoreHeroes was a sidescroller? from NintendoSwitch
See the post on Reddit here.
The Redditor’s idea for a No More Heroes game wouldn’t look out of place within one of the existing titles. The series is known for changing up its style with mini-games, side-quests, or specific combat encounters that utilize different design ideas to keep gameplay fresh and fun. Travis is a known video game fan, and players are able to enjoy video games within the No More Heroes titles, getting Travis to turn on his TV to play fictional titles such as the bullet-hell shooter Pure White Lover Bizarre Jelly. The artwork is particularly reminiscent of No More Heroes 2‘s Man The Meat job quest, a cooking mini-game in which Travis appears as a 2D pixel character.
Unfortunately for No More Heroes fans, it’s unlikely that an idea like suitNtie22’s will ever make it into the series. No More Heroes creator Suda51 has revealed that No More Heroes 3 will be the last game in the series, with no plans to continue Travis’ adventures. While this is a blow for many, the series may have already peaked with the latest game. No More Heroes 3 takes the series to new intergalactic heights as Travis climbs his way through the Galactic Superhero Rankings.
