Ariel
The playable mermaid who explores the underwater stages and fights to stop Ursula.
How it plays
Ariel is viewed from the side as she swims through underwater stages. The objective is to defeat enemies, avoid hazards, collect treasures, and reach the end of each area before confronting a boss.
Stages contain branching passages, walls, currents, and collectible power-ups. Ariel can improve her bubble attacks and movement abilities during the adventure, giving later areas more challenge. The game follows a linear single-player structure based on events from the film.
Plan your run
Explore each area carefully rather than swimming directly toward the exit. Collect power-ups whenever possible, because stronger bubble attacks make enemy groups and bosses safer to handle.
Stay mobile during encounters and attack from a distance. Watch currents, narrow passages, and environmental hazards before committing to a route, and preserve health for boss confrontations.
Meet the cast
The playable mermaid who explores the underwater stages and fights to stop Ursula.
The sea witch and the game's principal antagonist.
Before you begin
Use the open underwater space to keep enemies at a distance.
Search side paths for useful items before leaving a stage.
Learn boss movement patterns instead of attacking continuously.
The Little Mermaid is a side-scrolling action game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991. It adapts Disney's animated film and places Ariel in an underwater quest to restore peace after Ursula's rise to power. Rather than using conventional platforming, the game has Ariel swim through open water, attack enemies with bubbles, and collect useful items while navigating compact stages. Its colorful presentation, recognizable characters, and accessible difficulty made it a pleasant licensed action title, although its short length and straightforward design limited its depth. The game is mainly remembered as a polished Disney adaptation with simple controls and bright Capcom-style graphics.
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