Originally released in the (very) early 80's, this spy action title was a real eye-opener for gamers of that generation. The premise is simple, yet instantly appealing; the player is dropped onto a series of buildings and has to make their way to the bottom, taking on evil agents and entering certain rooms along the way. As the title suggests, elevators play a big part in the game, providing transport from one floor to the next as well as doubling as leathal weapons.
Navigating each tower block is a task in itself, but it isn't made any easier by the numerous black-suited baddies which appear from behind closed doors and attack you. You can dodge their gunfire by ducking under or jumping over it, then dispatch them with a shot of your own, or a swift kick to the face. Or by crushing them with one of the aforementioned elevators, should they be stupid enough to stand underneath.
This is an early NES release based on an equally primative arcade machine and as a result the visuals aren't going to blow your socks off, but to be perfectly honest the charm of the gameplay shines through. The sequel - Elevator Action Returns - did everything bigger and better, but the core game is pretty much the same.
The biggest issue is that although the game is fun for a while, it's very repetitive and once you've finished the first level you won't come across anything new; each level after that is just a bit harder to tackle, but no new elements are introduced to keep things fresh.
Conclusion
This is well worth looking into if you're a fan of the game, but if you have access to a PS2 we recommend you save your pennies and purchase the Taito Legends retro packs, one of which features Elevator Action Returns.
Comments 2
This game was bad
How does Legend of Kage and Operation Wolf get bad reviews and this gets a 6? This game has aged the worst out of all of the old school Taito arcade games.
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