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Alien 3

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Alien 3 (Stylized as Alien³) is a video game based on the movie sequel of the same name. The plot of the movie picks up directly after the end of Aliens. Ellen Ripley, the main character of the Alien series, is in cryo-sleep aboard the space ship Sulaco. Unfortunately, an alien or two has stowed ...

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Developer
Probe Software

Released on
1993

Size
1 Player

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Platform

Publisher
LJN

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Alien 3 (Stylized as Alien³) is a video game based on the movie sequel of the same name. The plot of the movie picks up directly after the end of Aliens. Ellen Ripley, the main character of the Alien series, is in cryo-sleep aboard the space ship Sulaco. Unfortunately, an alien or two has stowed away on the Sulaco, and wreaked havoc within the ship. Thus, it crash lands on the prison colony planet Fiorina 161. Ripley and the unarmed prisoners have to figure out a way to survive the aliens terrorizing the colony until help arrives.

The game play of the various Alien³ conversions varies from platform to platform. The Genesis Alien³ game is a side-scrolling action game with large maze-like levels. In each level, you have to rescue all the trapped prisoners and then make your way to the exit, all while surviving multiple alien attacks.

Alien 3

Overview & History

Released by LJN in 1992 and developed by Probe Software, Alien 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) translates the grim, claustrophobic atmosphere of David Fincher’s sci-fi horror film into an 8-bit run-and-gun action platformer. Rather than adopting a standard linear level structure, the game casts players as Ellen Ripley infiltrating the Fiorina "Fury" 161 correctional facility to rescue imprisoned inmates before the colony is overrun by the deadly Xenomorph menace. Eschewing the cinematic pacing of its cinematic source material, the NES adaptation leans hard into fast-paced, high-tension survival action across industrial corridors, casting a gritty shadow over the 16-bit ports.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The gameplay is structured around time-management and mission-based objectives accessed via a central computer terminal before each stage. Ripley must traverse labyrinthine levels to rescue a set quota of terrified prisoners, eliminate rogue Facehuggers and adult Xenomorphs, and sometimes repair vital equipment before a countdown timer expires. Ripley is equipped with a motion tracker that pulses rhythmically to indicate nearby threats, adding intense psychological pressure. Players collect various weaponry, including the iconic pulse rifle, flamethrower, and grenade launcher, each with limited ammunition. Unlike standard action titles of the era, the penalty for running out of time or failing to save enough inmates results in mission failure, forcing careful route memorization and aggressive exploration.