How sad it is that some video games are forever trapped on obscure add-on hardware that was never released outside of Japan? Such is the case with Ai Senshi Nicol. This game is a top down overhead action adventure title. It’s forever trapped on the Famicom Disk System which is a real shame because I found that it’s actually a lot of fun. I’m hot off of hitting the final credits and I have a lot to say about this hidden gem. Let’s take a deeper look at Ai Senshi Nicol.
Right away I was impressed with the fact that this game has an opening sequence. This depicts Nicol and his girlfriend watching the lights from the city near the Golden Gate bridge. Then suddenly a meteor crashes down, and an alien kidnaps her. From here you’re thrown right into the mix. Ai Senshi Nicol is an overhead action adventure game. You wander maze-like stages fighting enemies using your blaster gun. Most foes are dispatched in just a few hits. You have a few environmental hazards to deal with as well.
Your goal in Ai Senshi Nicol is to collect three diamonds in every stage at which point a ship comes down and blasts you to the next stage. These are pretty well hidden and each is guarded by a boss you must first defeat. These encounters are pretty easy generally but these baddies take more hits than your typical enemy. The premise is pretty basic but what sets Ai Senshi Nicol apart from other similar titles is that the stages are genuinely fun to explore. While each area does offer multiple paths it’s never confusing or frustrating. There are plenty of landmarks which makes memorization of the stage largely painless. That is, until you get to stage four but that one is not like the the others because it’s more confusing.
Nicol (at least I assume that’s his name) has a life bar at the bottom of the screen and when it’s depleted he’s dead. Thankfully you can restore his health by picking up differently colored apples and hearts. Along with these are several different power-ups which sort of remind me of those found in the Bomberman series. You’ll find items that increase your firing rate, range, and the damage that your shots do. These can be powered up three times. There’s also an item that destroys all weaker enemies on-screen when you press the select button. You also have special pants that make you invulnerable to hazards like lava, shoes that increase your movement speed, and more. These items are managed via an inventory screen that pops up when you press the start button.
Fans are quick to compare this one to Zelda but that’s not an accurate comparison in my opinion. There aren’t really any puzzles here, and there’s a light emphasis on platforming. Based on the stage structure and gameplay I’d say Ai Senshi Nicol is more of a mix between Guardian Legend and Startropics. It’s at least almost as enjoyable as both of those titles. That is a high compliment considering those are legendary games for the original NES. Ai Senshi Nicol relies heavily on its stage designs and I’m happy to report that exploration is fun. I loved the enemy placement and new gameplay scenarios introduced as you progress.
Normally I’m not a big fan of platforming elements in overhead games but Ai Senshi Nicol pulls it off competently. You will find some areas that have pits which you must jump over to avoid falling into. This can lead to some tricky scenarios. Thankfully the game is very forgiving in this regard. Should you fall down a pit you simply drop into the basement area of the stage. Here you’ll find helpful items and enemies that are pretty easy to avoid should you so choose to. The best part is that when you reach the stairs to go back up to the first floor (which takes a matter of seconds if you run right to it) you are returned to the area in which you fell. Ai Senshi Nicol is very forgiving in this regard and as a result much less frustrating to play than many of its contemporaries.
The difficulty curve is just right for a game like this. The first three stages are basically a cakewalk in both design and enemy patterns. You can sail through as long as you are careful, and the labyrinths aren’t too difficult to manage at this point either. That’s when levels begin opening up more with a lot of branching paths and larger enemy populations. Sometimes when you first reach a new screen you can get ambushed by enemies so memorization does help. The later boss encounters will also force you to memorize their movements and attack patterns if you want to have any hope of success. It’s challenging but a lot of fun from start to finish. I haven’t played many games from this era that are so well balanced as Ai Senshi Nicol.
It also helps that the game is a real treat on the eyes. The character sprites are just the right size (an uncommon trait in this era) and with his bright red hair you’ll never have trouble tracking Nicol anywhere on the screen. The enemy designs are unique and range from okay to ‘neat.’ I never found them to be boring at least, and the large color palette used in this game is super pleasant. I especially like the backgrounds and tile work used here. Each stage looks very different from one another, and there’s a plethora of different patterns used here. It certainly helps in navigating the levels. Ai Senshi Nicol is a very good looking game overall. The soundtrack is also quite good with looping tracks that are catchy, bouncy, and fun. The production rates are pretty excellent for a Famicom Disk game.
