No More Heroes III

Eight years before the start of the series, a young boy named Damon Riccitiello goes to launch his rocket in the air at night after a failed attempt when he sees something crash into the woods and encounters an injured small alien named FU. Damon decides to take care of FU while hiding him from government agents who are also searching for him. While searching for a way to return FU to its planet, Damon and FU become best friends, forming a strong connection. After discovering a piece of alien technology at FU's crash site, Damon is imbued with alien powers and assists FU in building a space ship. They say goodbye to each other, with FU promising to return in 20 years. FU finally goes home just as government agents attempt to capture him.

Twenty years later (nine years after the events of No More Heroes 2 and two years after the events of Travis Strikes Again), an adult Damon is now the CEO of Utopinia — an urban renewal company — utilizing FU's alien abilities and technology to become a powerful business magnate. A huge space ship shaped like a pyramid appears above the ship Damon is on, and group of nine aliens descend from it, one of them revealing to be FU. Expecting a happy reunion, Damon is horrified to find that FU, now a prince and with a more humanoid adult appearance, was exiled to the Blackhole Prison for destroying a neighboring planet and is now intent on conquering the Earth with the help of eight other aliens and Damon. FU and his cronies decide they will utilize superheroism as their means of world domination. Former top-ranked assassin in the United Assassins Association (UAA) Travis Touchdown returns to Santa Destroy from his self-imposed exile. Learning of the current situation, he must take on and defeat this legion of super-powered beings from outer space who go under the persona of superheroes to save the world.[2]

Prior to development, Grasshopper Manufacture developed and released Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, which was Goichi Suda's first title in a directorial role since the original No More Heroes game. While the title was made in part as a tribute to indie games, Suda had expressed long-term intentions for the title to be a stepping stone on the path to a proper numbered entry.[3] The ending of Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes included a playable portion where Travis was controlled in third-person, similarly to previous No More Heroes titles, with a comment from Travis suggesting that development on a mainline sequel had properly commenced. Suda explained in an interview following the release of the game that the playable segment was a prototype they used in development, and that the intention behind its inclusion was to evoke a similar feeling that viewers get from the post-credits teasers in Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. Suda also confirmed that he would be attending E3, and suggested he would be making an announcement at the event.[4]

No More Heroes III was announced at E3 2019 as part of the Nintendo Direct showcase, featuring a reveal trailer of Travis battling alien invaders.[5] Suda had previously explained that the foes which Travis will go up against will be "Avengers-scale" threats, using the recurring supervillain Thanos as a point of comparison. He also made note that Travis' "Death Glove" from Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes would make a return, in a bid to make Travis' skill set more distinct as a video game protagonist, and that the skills he accumulated throughout the game would come into play.[6] In the reveal trailer, Travis uses the Death Glove to don powered armor, utilizing the signature catchphrase of Kamen Rider. Travis is once again voiced by Robin Atkin Downes, while Paula Tiso reprises her role as his wife, Sylvia Christel, who has abandoned the assassin world and is now an internet celebrity and influencer. At the time, Suda wouldn't confirm whether series mainstay Shinobu Jacobs would return, though he stressed that he wanted Kimberly Brooks to reprise the role in the event that she does.[7][8] Suda later confirmed that Kimmy Howell from No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle would be returning and had been redesigned by Mari Shimazaki who is most known for her work on Bayonetta.[9] It was also confirmed that series recurring boss character Destroyman would make a return in multiple variations, designed by Skan Srisuwan of Studio HIVE.[10]

Development of the title began around the time of completion of Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, with the core team of that game transitioning over to No More Heroes III, alongside the recruitment of external talent and former Grasshopper Manufacture staff, rounding out the development team at roughly 100 people. Unreal Engine 4 is once again being used as the development engine. Suda will be assuming the role as director, writer and designer, with Ren Yamazaki and Nobutaka Ichiki - co-director of Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes and lead director of No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle respectively - returning to the franchise as co-directors. While confirming that the game will be able to be played on a regular controller, Suda has stated the game is being heavily designed around the Joy-Con's capabilities, both in and out of combat. He also confirmed that the open world, which was absent from No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, is likely to make a return, along with side activities.[7][11][8]

As of November 2019, the game was estimated to be 35-45% complete. In detailing the open world, Suda emphasized that the size of the open world would be modest compared to productions by larger scale studios such as Ubisoft and Rockstar Games, though he also confirmed that while the game's budget isn't the biggest a Grasshopper Manufacture game has had, it is the biggest No More Heroes game in terms of scope and design. While minigames were confirmed to return, Suda expressed intentions of providing extra side activities that would be something "greater [and] different than your standard minigame."[12] Compared to Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes which was largely designed around Suda wishing to commemorate indie games and Grasshopper Manufacture's history, the development team designed No More Heroes III heavily around fan feedback and what they believe fans look for in a No More Heroes game.[13]

A new story trailer premiered at The Game Awards 2019, with CG co-production by animation studios Shirogumi and Kamikaze Douga.[14] Similar to Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, Nintendo will be distributing physical copies in NA and PAL regions.[15][16] During the 2020 New Game Plus Expo event, Suda humorously presented new gameplay combat footage of No More Heroes III partially obscured by his superimposed body giving out a mock interview unrelated to the upcoming title, discussing his plans to play other Nintendo Switch games during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine.[17]

On September 9, 2020, the game was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Darick Robertson, the famed illustrator that is best known for comics such as The Boys and Transmetropolitan, will be providing illustrations to promote the game.[18] No More Heroes III headlined the Nintendo Direct Mini Partners Showcase on October 28, 2020, which showed off an unobscured representation of gameplay, as well as confirming the return of Badman from Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, and Shinobu Jacobs. The trailer was followed by the announcement of ports of No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle that would release the same day for the Nintendo Switch.[19]

• Official website