Occasionally, you run across a game that's so off-the-wall, so out of control that you can't help but gawk at it. No More Heroes, the latest effort from Suda 51 and Grasshopper, is such a game. Similar to the team's last effort, Killer 7, it relies on style over substance. Heroes shows improvement over that effort, thanks to a refined control set-up and a style all its own – hilarious and over-the-top.

Travis Touchdown's just your normal, everyday dude – well, your normal, everyday dude with a lightsaber-like katana. He's stumbled into the town of Santa Destroy, eager to make a name for himself. An intoxicating female soon lures him into an assassination game, where top-ranked players compete to keep their high-ranking numbers. However, he can't just rush in and chase after targets. He has to buy his way into each confrontation. As a result, he cruises around the city on his funky-looking motorcycle, visiting the Job Centre for odd tasks and occasionally working as a gun for hire.

The game's first stage introduces you to the controls, which make use of the Nunchuk and remote. You'll tap the A button for quick katana swipes; hit the B button to perform dizzying punches and kicks; use the Z button for quick lock-on and perform motions on the remote when commanded to execute blood-gushing fatalities. Counterattacks and dodge moves are also on deck, and you'll need them to survive the difficult boss encounters. Best of all, you can grab a dizzied enemy and slam them into the ground with a number of Lucha Libre techniques. You'll also need to shake your remote on occasion to recharge your saber, as the battery life drains rapidly.

Fighting isn't the only thing you'll do in Santa Destroy. You'll also take part in lawn mowing and coconut collecting, along with other "odd jobs" to make a quick buck. (These objectives are easy to find, thanks to a map and interface similar to the Grand Theft Auto games.) The controls work well, requiring efficiency and accuracy. Do both just right and you'll be paid handsomely. Riding around on your bike is fun, too, especially when you wave the Wii remote to fly into the air. The game occasionally misreads the controller's motions, but not often enough to ruin the fun.