All the screen shots but the title came from the arcade version. Just pointing that out.


I love this game. Something genuinely fun about it. Its a rather simple arcade game where you're aiming more for points than anything. I like it a lot. Its one of those games I got off my aunt along with Castlevania and Bubble Bobble. If ever there was a game with pick up and put down gameplay its Elevator Action. Perfect for when you want a quick game with nothing really complicated to boggle it down. Just a pure video game.



Elevator Action is very simple and quick to get into. You play as a secret agent (or spy maybe) who zip lines into a building and works his way down. You've a jump and shoot button. You can ride elevators up and down. Use stairs. Use escalators. Red doors give you bonus points. And there are tons of generic bad guys running around to shoot at you and for you to shoot back at. You just work your way down from the top of a building to the bottom. You make it all the way down and get into a car and ride off. Then it shows your guy zip line over to the next stage. Every level is like that until you run out of lives.

One funny thing to mention is that you can squish people with the elevators, yourself included. I always laugh when that happens.


There are tons of versions and variations. he one that stands out to me is the Nintendo Entertainment System version. Get that one. The arcade original is great, if you can find a machine to play on. Catchy music, fun gameplay. That's what I want out of video games. A good time with fun gameplay. A direct arcade sequel called Elevator Action Returns also available on Sega Saturn and in the Taito Legends 2 collection. A gameboy "EX" version was made which later was used to create a Dexter's Laboratory game. Then there was another version called "Elevator Action Old & New," on the gameboy advance. It had the "old" version of the game as well as a "new" version with a cartoon look and other additions. I stand by the regular Nintendo version as being THE Elevator Action.



Any of you guys ever play a version of Elevator Action? How about the sequel Elevator Action Returns?

Video of the arcade version.


Now for your amusement, I present the box art for the NES version.