>>11796117
>Ai Senshi Nicol

Solid game. It's a top down exploration shooter game so it's not another 2D side scroller. Operation Logic Bomb (Ikari no Yōsai or Fortress of Wrath), and Guardian Legend, are similar top down shooting games they should try out some time. Ikari no Yōsai - had a super generic title in the west and was kind of slept on but it's solid.

Guardian legend has short ship shooting segments between levels, and the main levels plays a bit like the top down levels from Master Blaster or Zelda but with a gun.