Nausicaä's Close Call

About

Nausicaä's Close Call is a retro shooter where you pilot a glider through waves of enemies. Developed by Technopolis Soft in 1984, it drops you into fast-paced combat on the NEC PC-6000 Series. You’ll navigate tight corridors of fire, targeting everything from drones to giant mechanical threats. Each level ramps up the action, with bosses appearing starting from the second stage. The controls are straightforward but demand quick reflexes, balancing movement and shooting to survive. Few entries in the shooter genre from the early 80s pack this much intensity into a single-player format. The game’s real hook is its escalating difficulty, what starts as manageable waves quickly turns into chaotic boss fights that test your precision. Though short on story, the urgency of Nausicaä’s mission comes through in the frantic gameplay. A niche title that still holds up for fans of old-school arcade challenges.

Storyline

The player is Nausicaä in her glider, shooting down enemies including bosses (from level 2 onwards).