The Japanese version of Capcom's The Little Mermaid. Ariel in a polished platformer, original bubble mechanic. Entirely in Japanese. Same excellence as the NES version.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player3+
Description
Action platformer featuring Ariel the Little Mermaid battling underwater enemies, Japanese version. Published by Capcom, released in Japan in 1991. Ariel in side-scrolling view swimming and jumping with music notes as weapon and colorful bosses. Japanese version of Capcom's Disney masterpiece on Famicom.
Little Mermaid - Ningyo Hime review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Capcom treats the seabed in blue gradients with corals, fish and bubbles animated across several planes. The heroine swims with a continuous undulation and traps enemies in bubbles drawn large enough to stay readable, and the scenery, wreck, cave, palace, keeps a constant softness of outline.
The accompaniment takes a soft, flowing tone: singing melodies, timbres close to harp and chime, moderate tempos evoking the movement of water. Each zone gets its theme, and the boss passages darken the harmony without ever breaking the continuity of this entirely underwater soundtrack.
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Short"
Technical info
💾0,08 MB📅18/10/1991
Published by Capcom
Little Mermaid - Ningyo Hime (NES) price, value & rarity
The Famicom take on Capcom's Disney game, Ningyo Hime carries the studio's craft but stayed Japan-only, with a title and packaging distinct from the Western market. Japanese prices clearly outpace the NES version, driven by a complete copy sought by fans of Capcom platformers and Famicom-exclusive Disney licenses. The angle is this original Japanese edition, scarcer boxed than its American counterpart.
Is Little Mermaid - Ningyo Hime still worth playing in 2026?
An action platformer from Capcom, The Little Mermaid has Ariel fight undersea enemies by trapping them in bubbles, across colourful levels inspired by the Disney film. The gentle, accessible gameplay, the polished art direction and the fairy tale mood make it a charming title, short but well crafted, aimed at a young audience. The difficulty stays gentle. For someone nostalgic for the film, a fan of accessible retro platforming or someone curious about Capcom's care on licence, the title keeps a tender charm and a polished production.
