Elevator Action (1983-)

• Developer: Micronics

• Publisher: Taito

• Genre: Platform

• Designer: Toshio Kono

• Composer: Yoshio Imamura

Elevator Action for the NES was developed by Micronics and published by Taito Corporation, debuting on the Famicom in Japan on June 28, 1985 before reaching North American NES shelves in August 1987. The home version is a near-faithful port of Taito’s original 1983 arcade title, which itself laid the groundwork for the franchise. Beyond its cartridge release, the game resurfaced across modern platforms, appearing on Nintendo’s Virtual Console for Wii in both Japanese and North American markets, and later on the Wii U and 3DS under Square Enix’s Virtual Console banner.

In Elevator Action, players assume the role of super spy Agent 17, codename Otto, tasked with infiltrating a 30-story tower bristling with enemy agents and retrieving secret documents hidden behind red doors. Drawing inspiration from spy thrillers and elevator-centric action sequences of early 1980s cinema, the game marries fast-paced shooting with platforming challenges as Otto navigates lifts, escalators, and darkened floors while evading or dispatching foes with his pistol and karate kicks. An ever-present alarm system raises stakes if levels drag on, slowing elevator response times and intensifying enemy aggression.

The NES adaptation preserves Yoshio Imamura’s original soundtrack themes, delivering high-energy melodic tracks that underscore the game’s cat-and-mouse tension. From the opening rooftop fanfare to the tense rhythms during power-blackout sections, the music dynamically shifts to match gameplay intensity, blending driving beats with layered synthesizer lines that guide players through each floor.

Although the NES release had no direct prequel beyond the arcade source material, the series went on to spawn several sequels, most notably the arcade follow-up Elevator Action Returns in 1994. Taito promoted the NES version through Japanese arcade and Famicom flyers as well as features in gaming magazines like Nintendo Power, emphasizing its unique elevator-based action and espionage theme. The original arcade game was a smash hit, topping Japanese charts for three months in late 1983, and the home port enjoyed favorable reception among console gamers for its addictive level design and espionage flair, despite some critics noting graphical and performance compromises on the NES hardware.

Images from MobyGames