It seems that instead of just adding a virtual console on the Switch for owners to download and play older games from their previous console generations, Nintendo is just content to having developers just either remaster or reboot said games. I personally think this just fine as sometimes finding a physical copy of the original game is starting hard to come by. One such game is No More Heroes from the mad genius Goichi Suda aka Suda51. With a third entry to the series coming out next year, Marvelous, XSEED and Grasshopper Manufacture thought that everyone should experience the series from the beginning with a HD remaster of No More Heroes for the Nintendo Switch.
Story
No More Heroes has players take on the role of Travis Touchdown, an anime and wrestling otaku who was roped into an assassination ring by a mysterious woman named Sylvia Christel. His goal: become the number one assassin in the United Assassins Association. His reward: becoming the number one assassin and a night with Sylvia. Things seem simple at first, kill the targets, win the girl, profit. But as Travis starts going up the rankings, his attitude starts to change. He goes from wanting to speedrun through the leaderboard so he can sleep with Sylvia to actually liking being an assassin and developing a sort of code for himself.
While the story may sound simple, it actually has some similarities to some samurai movies. The lone wolf hero, reasons for fighting, honor in duels: the story of No More Heroes shares these elements with samurai movies , which as a fan of these films I enjoy a lot. Now mix this in with humor and style that Suda51 games are known for and you have yourself a good time.
Gameplay
No More Heroes takes place in the “open world-ish” city of Santa Destroy, California. Now I say “open world-ish” in quotes because Santa Destroy isn’t a big place and only serves as a hub for the various missions and other activities that Travis can do. You can run around and explore, but there isn’t much to look at since much hasn’t changed.
Much of the original hack n’ slash mechanics have remained in the HD remasters. But for those who are experiencing No More Heroes for the first time, there are two ways to play: using motion controls and a normal control pad. Now for what it’s worth, the motion controls were very innovative when the game came out on the Wii. The game made you feel like you were Travis, slashing down enemies, suplexing them and “recharging” the beam katana when it would run out of energy. The motion controls for the HD remasters on the other hand feel a bit off. While the Joy-Cons are more advanced than the Wiimote, it’s not as accurate and is more of a novelty. So I would recommend using a control pad to play the game. Either way the gameplay is action packed and fun. It does get a bit repetitive at times, but with the ability to learn new moves, obtain new weapons and stat boosts it doesn’t get tiring. Unless you decide to play with motion controls, then it will get tiring. What doesn’t get tiring is the hack n’ slash action. Sure you will be encountering and killing pallet swaps of the same baddie before getting to the main boss fight, but slicing, dicing and suplexing them is fun and never gets tired.
Graphics
The graphics of No More Heroes HD are a bit of a mixed bag. Most of this mixed bag is Santa Destroy itself. Now back during its Wii release the world looked really cool and stylized. Looking back at it and comparing it to the HD remaster, Santa Destroy kind of looks bland. However the character models for Travis, his allies, and the enemy assassins still look cool after all these years.
Music/Sound
The music of No More Heroes is a mix off various genres that actually go well with how bonkers the game is. You have a mix of rock, electronica, Jp0p, jazz, funk, chiptune, there’s even cowboy western. Each of the assassins gets their own theme music, in addition to the main theme of the game and of course Travis himself has a theme. Composer Masafumi Takada, who has worked on several of Grasshopper Manufacture’s games and other well know titles such as Danganronpa and Smash Bros., is the main composer for the game and really nails it with the music.
No More Heroes HD retains the fun and high action of the original Wii release, just with a new coat of paint. While the city of Santa Destroy might look a bit dated graphicly, Travis and the rest of the crew look just as awesome as they did twelve years ago. The gameplay, while repetitive in nature, doesn’t get tiring or boring (unless you’re using the motion controls to play). All of this is tied together with a awesome soundtrack by composer Masafumi Takada. If this is going to be your first time playing No More Heroes or a Sude51 in general, welcome and enjoy the ride. And for those who are playing it again now that’s its on the Switch, welcome back.
