Interviews// No More Heroes 2 - SUDA51

For many, Goichi Suda needs no introduction. Head of Japanese cult game outfit, Grasshopper Manufacture, the man best known as SUDA51 has created many games that have formed some loyal followings. First with 2005 Gamecube game Killer7, and recently on the Wii with No More Heroes.

No More Heroes in particular has gained such a cult fanbase, that in a matter of weeks we will soon see the sequel, Desperate Struggle, hit Nintendo's white box. Still starring otaku freak Travis Touchdown, your mission is to work your way up the leaderboard of world-renowned assassins - some of which are really bat-shit crazy.

But there's an added storyline twist here, in that Travis is seeking the truth behind his best friend's murder - which seems to be linked to his ranking on the leaderboard slipping to the 50s. In gameplay terms, chuck out the tedious sandbox driving and throw in more refined beat-em-up segments, adding an 8-bit flavour and the ability to turn into a tiger, and you have one mean sequel.

SPOnG caught up with SUDA51 to find out more about his latest - and to catch up on old Tokyo Game Show times...


SPOnG: Why did you go with the Wii for the sequel, rather than the PS3 or 360?

SUDA51: The first one was made for the Wii exclusively, and we thought that the story and contents work really well with the console. When I decided to make the sequel, I thought the Wii would be the best console for that kind of action.


SPOnG: Do you need to have played the first game to truly appreciate the second one?

SUDA51: When I decided to make No More Heroes 2, I knew that some people would see it, only hearing about the first one and never really playing it. I wanted to make sure that the game could be enjoyable for anyone who had never heard of Travis Touchdown before.


SPOnG: Why did you decide not to have an overworld this time around, and instead opt for a 2D map to get from place to place?

SUDA51: This is the first sequel that Grasshopper Manufacture is working on, and I decided to go ahead with making Desperate Struggle because there was a positive reaction from the critics and the fans. Our studio then took on board all of the feedback from those sources – what they liked, what they thought could have been better – and focused on making it a more refined experience.

For example, a lot of positive feedback came from the action side of the game, so I wanted to focus more heavily on that for No More Heroes 2. With all the polishing off we did on the battle scenes and action stages, we thought that there was little need for a section of the game where the player had to travel here and there. It took the focus away from the action, and we decided that it wasn't really necessary.


SPOnG: Travis Touchdown is quickly becoming one of the most iconic characters in gaming. Did you have any real-world inspiration that helped you create him? Particularly in his fashion sense, is that a reflection of yourself?

SUDA51: I may have mentioned this in the past, but I was heavily inspired by the style and appearance of Johnny Knoxxville in Jackass. And if you think about a fusion of the characteristics of an otaku and the style and approach of Knoxxville, that to me is what Travis Touchdown is. As for the fashion, well... I really like the kind of clothes Travis wears! [Laughs] So, of course I put in things that I like into the character design too.