Review Date: March 7, 2021
Release Date: August 1, 1987
Platform: NES
Publisher: Taito
Genre: Linear Platformer
Anecdotes: I mentioned my mom in my Ice Climber review, and how she thought that Ice Climber and Elevator Action were the two stupidest games ever made. I tried to explain that there’s a huge difference. In Ice Climber, the object is to get to the top. In Elevator Action, the object is to get to the bottom. Naturally, that didn’t work, so I tried another tactic. I mentioned how Ice Climber has lots of mountains and different enemies and vegetables. Then I got to trying to defend Elevator Action, but I had nothing. It’s just a boring and stupid game.
Description: From the manual:
Super-Sleuth Agent 17, code name “Otto,” must come out from undercover to accept a top-secret mission. [Really? They don’t blow covers to do top secret missions. It’s just the opposite.] The country’s security is at stake. Otto must sneak through a heavily guarded, top-security enemy defense building to steal secret government documents [Never mind that the doors with the documents are a different color. Way to hide them.]. Only well-planned strategies [or just blasting everyone], bullet-dodging, quick-on-the-draw accuracy and black belt karate prowess [Karate? There isn’t any karate is this game…] will allow him to succeed! If he fails, his government will deny any knowledge of him or his assignment [insert political joke here]. Good luck!
Positives: It’s a small thing, but whenever something good happens that’s not major, I hum the sound from this game when Otto grabs the documents. It’s one of my favorite effects. Also, it’s nice to see a game where the enemies play fair for the most part. If I lose a life, it’s almost almost because of an enemy or stray bullet I didn’t notice, or because I got sandwiched by guys on both sides. Otherwise, about 90% of deaths are the players’ fault.
Negatives: The number -1 is perfect to describe this game. First, there’s only one building and Taito tries to cover that up by rotating through palettes, moving around the red doors, and slight changes in elevator shafts. Players are doing the same building over and over. There’s also only one type of enemy. They’re dressed in black and can fire at head or leg level. There isn’t much variety there, either. Moving on, Otto dies in one hit. Otto can’t take any damage. Luckily, Otto has ways to dodge single bullets. That’s it for the Negatives, but I did notice that -1 is the floor Otto needs to reach to find the getaway.
Final Opinion: Elevator Action is an uninteresting game, but without either an offensive or an angering element, I will not fail it.
Grade: D