TL;DR
- Learn to recognize Mr. Blackhole’s four distinct attack patterns and their tells
- Manage arena hazards by prioritizing portal destruction during phase transitions
- Optimize damage windows during his recovery animations and attack cooldowns
- Conserve health for the second phase where movement becomes severely restricted
- Master dodge timing for his enhanced portal fist combo that activates at half health
Confronting Mr. Blackhole represents your inaugural major combat trial in No More Heroes 3, testing your mastery of core mechanics against a formidable alien adversary. This encounter serves as the game’s first genuine skill check, demanding precise execution of dodge maneuvers and attack timing.
SPOILER ALERT: No More Heroes 3 thrives on unexpected gameplay twists and narrative surprises. We strongly advise experiencing boss encounters firsthand before consulting guides to preserve the game’s signature unexpected moments and combat revelations!
Early in your No More Heroes 3 journey, you’ll face the dimensional-warping menace known as Mr. Blackhole. This colossal extraterrestrial threat constitutes the initial substantial obstacle, rigorously evaluating your recently acquired combat abilities. Continue reading for comprehensive tactics to defeat this cosmic entity. For additional strategic resources, explore our Complete Guide to enhance your foundational skills.
While Mr. Blackhole marks your first significant boss confrontation, he’s far from a simple tutorial opponent! He enters combat equipped with multiple damaging techniques and a massive, resilient physique immune to grappling maneuvers. His signature capability involves generating spatial rifts to teleport objects and himself across the battlefield.
Mr. Blackhole represents the game’s first genuine skill evaluation.
A critical strategic consideration: the battle’s latter segment dramatically increases in difficulty when Mr. Blackhole deploys numerous damaging portals across the terrain. These environmental hazards severely constrain your mobility and complicate evasion tactics. He additionally modifies his assault patterns, which we’ll detail subsequently. Entering this phase with maximum health reserves proves essential for survival.
Mr. Blackhole employs four primary assault sequences that require distinct countermeasures:
- He generates three compact portals clustered in a specific zone, then sequentially thrusts a fist through each opening. Given the confined area of effect, you can rapidly relocate beyond range and utilize this interval for battery recharging or consumable usage. Remain vigilant, however—when his health depletes to fifty percent, two additional portals manifest following the initial sequence to strike your current position unexpectedly. After this pattern modification occurs, delay recharging activities until evading the final hand cluster.
- Spatial gateways materialize positioned opposite your location. Following approximately one second, they discharge projectiles directly along their orientation vector. Initially, these present minimal evasion challenge, but avoiding them grows considerably more complex once the combat space becomes saturated with damage-dealing traps. Subsequent to three projectile launches, Mr. Blackhole transitions to an alternative assault method.
- Mr. Blackhole will either materialize from his portal or descend from the atmosphere. (If you observe multiple ascending dark tendrils in a region, immediately vacate that area unless you desire a pancaked Travis.) After a momentary pause, he might vocalize and impact the ground, generating a close-proximity shockwave encircling him. The area of effect remains relatively contained and straightforward to avoid, so maintain evasion readiness. He potentially might refrain from attacking entirely, but never lower your defensive awareness!
- Phase Transition Hazard: Upon reaching sixty percent health depletion, Mr. Blackhole initiates a battlefield alteration, saturating the arena with persistent damage zones. Prioritize destroying these portals during his attack recovery animations using charged sword strikes. Each eliminated portal creates temporary safe zones crucial for surviving his enhanced assault combinations.
Mastering Mr. Blackhole requires understanding attack prioritization and resource allocation throughout the encounter’s evolving phases.
Movement Optimization: Maintain constant lateral motion during his projectile barrage attacks. The key lies in recognizing the brief weapon glow preceding each launch—this visual cue provides the critical timing window for effective dodging. Circle strafing proves particularly effective against his portal fist combinations, as the clustered attack area allows positioning outside the danger zone while remaining close enough for counterattacks.
Damage Window Identification: Mr. Blackhole exhibits significant vulnerability periods following his aerial descent and shockwave attacks. During these approximately three-second intervals, unleash fully charged beam katana combos for maximum damage output. His portal creation animation also presents a brief offensive opportunity—strike during the two-second portal formation sequence.
Resource Management: Conserve health restoration items for the second phase when environmental hazards limit movement options. For weapon energy management, consider our Weapons Unlock guide for advanced battery optimization techniques.
Common Strategic Errors: Many players mistakenly attempt grappling maneuvers despite his immunity, wasting precious attack opportunities. Others underestimate the importance of destroying ground portals early, resulting in compounded movement restrictions as the battle progresses. Avoid standing near arena boundaries during his aerial attacks, as limited space severely reduces evasion options.
Advanced Technique: Expert players can bait his projectile attacks toward newly created portals, causing them to damage the portals themselves. This requires precise positioning but can significantly reduce the arena hazard buildup during phase transitions.
Action Checklist
- Study his four attack patterns during initial phase, focusing on visual tells
- Destroy ground portals during his recovery animations using charged attacks
- Conserve health items for second phase when movement becomes restricted
- Execute fully charged combos during his post-shockwave vulnerability windows
- Master dodge timing for enhanced portal fist combo at half health
No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » No More Heroes 3 – Rank 10 Boss Fight Guide Master Mr. Blackhole's portal attacks and phase transitions with expert No More Heroes 3 strategies
