No More Heroes III is a game that should not be taken seriously. It is an over-the-top action game that is full of comedy. Part of the fun is getting lost in all of its randomness. For example, one of the earliest jokes in the games sees Jeane, the main character's cat, get voiced for the first time.
Travis Touchdown is shocked that not only can Jeane talk, but that he isn't a girl. This joke is like the game telling players explicitly not to worry about details like that. Even if this game shouldn't be taken seriously, there are some inconsistencies with the plot and the gameplay that may rub some the wrong way. Let’s take a look at a few with full spoiler glasses on.
Warning: Story Spoilers Ahead
10 There Are Invisible Barriers All Over
There are a lot of obstacles in No More Heroes III that seem like they can be easily navigated but they can’t. Some highway barriers are too high for Travis unless the player gets it just right. Neck-high fences are somehow impossible barriers for Travis to climb.
The city is full of invisible barriers like these on top of Travis’ inability to maneuver that well in the game. It shouldn’t be this hard, logically.
9 Travis’ Age Is Not Slowing Him Down
One reason why Travis may not be that spry in the field could be because of his age. When the series started he was 27 and he is now 39. He looks like he is in pain at the beginning of No More Heroes III, what with his neck brace. That is not that old in the grand scheme of things but it does create an odd barrier. He’s almost forty but he can still fight like a twenty-year-old. Given that a lot of his life is spent watching movies and lazing around, it’s a bit hard to believe he can still be this good in a fight. That’s just video games though.
8 In Twelve Years, Travis Hasn’t Fixed His Katana
One of the core gimmicks in this series is centered around Travis’ beam katana. Unlike the Lightsabers on which it is copying, this weapon must be charged constantly.
For all of the new gadgets that Travis has gotten over the years, why hasn’t he received a better battery for his beam katana? In the first game, the charging method was seemingly there as a joke which had players create awkward motions in real life. The joke is old now. It’s time to get a better battery.
7 What Do The Citizens Of Santa Destroy Think?
To No More Heroes III’s credit, Santa Destroy is populated with more NPCs than ever before. The city has also been expanded into a bigger open-world. The trouble is they don’t act like real people. If players run them down with Travis’ bike, they won’t do anything. They don’t even seem to be that alarmed that aliens are taking over. Wouldn’t it be logical to think that everyone would want to pack up and evacuate?
6 Why Did Travis Need Money For Matches?
Another gimmick that began in the original forced players to collect money in order to move onto new assassination matches. This was seemingly done to pad out No More Heroes III. It returned for the sequel and this third entry as well and it feels a little tiring this time around. The mini-games can feel like chores like picking up garbage and mowing the lawn. It may not be that exciting for a video game centered around cool alien boss fights. Why he needs to pay is also never explained that well in any of these games.
5 Fu’s Detached Head
There are two big reveals regarding Fu by the end of No More Heroes III. First, that small critter version in the anime-like opening scene is the real Fu. It seems like the body he inhabits throughout most of the game was actually just a host of some sort.
The other reveal is that he was not the main villain all along. The big question isn’t about that but about the body. Maybe Fu had a robot situation going on with that adult body like Krang from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
4 The Touchdown Twins’ Infinite Power
The final scene in No More Heroes III has a very cartoony art style to it as Fu’s father descends from space alongside a massive army. Just before they attack Travis’ twins from the future finish off the entire army in two swings. It was done for laughs, as this is a comedic game, and should not be examined that closely. However, from a logical perspective, if they can do that then why do they need Travis’ help to kill his brother, Henry Cooldown? They seem powerful enough already.
3 Birkin Remaining Dead
One of the biggest opening shockers in No More Heroes III sees Shinobu losing her arms and Birkin getting obliterated by Fu. It is a gruesome death. Shinobu is fine by the end. She even regrows her arms or has them sewn back on, which is a whole other set of questions. Travis also dies through decapitation and somehow gets brought back to life. Why then was Birkin kept dead when so many other impossible injuries were healed like they were mere flesh wounds?
2 Limited Henshin Action
Travis does not get a new battery for his beam katana but he does get something better. He can transform into a mech costume in normal battle and even gets to fly around in some limited capacity. These flying segments are as good as some of the best mech games out there. When and why he can transform doesn’t make sense though. In cutscenes, he can do it whenever so why can’t players do this during gameplay? The easy answer is that it would break the game because he would be too powerful but from a story perspective that shouldn’t matter.
1 Why Was The Final Mech Boss With Damon Just A QTE?
One instance of players getting to fly around in a mech suit comes with the second to last boss fight with Damon. Damon has a huge robot so it’s like a Kaiju situation which is a neat idea for a boss fight. The trouble is is that players don’t directly control Travis. The whole fight is played out through quick time events as credits roll. If this was the full credits then it wouldn’t be that much of an issue. However, there is one more fight after this so why wasn’t the boss fight more involved?