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Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, retro gaming fans and other gamers!

If you are disappointed with modern console gaming and if you don’t like what the console makers are doing, retro gaming will restore the fun and help you forget about the disappointment.

I recently purchased a copy of Elevator Action Returns S-Tribute for my Xbox Series X because I wanted to play Elevator Action Returns again but in the comfort of home. For the newcomers reading this, Elevator Action Returns (also titled as Elevation Action II in some markets overseas) was first released in Japanese arcades in 1994.

In my experience here in the Philippines, I played the original Elevator Action on the Nintendo Family Computer (Famicom) in 1986 and I played its sequel for the first time at the arcade of X-Site Amusement Center inside Festival Mall in Alabang in 1998. Upon playing Elevator Action Returns arcade version, I was instantly hooked as it was pretty playable, exciting and fun to play. To the best of my memory, I replayed Elevator Action Returns a number of times at X-Site Amusement Center until early 2001. Today, the game is no longer available in X-Site’s arcade selection which is a bummer.

In recent times, I’ve been replaying Elevator Action Returns and the original Elevator Action on my Xbox Series X thanks to the Elevator Action Returns S-Tribute digital copy I purchased. What I am writing here is not a game review but more of an observation about the mid-1990s game in general and how it played using the Xbox controller.

Game design and gameplay

Developed by Taito, Elevator Action Returns was built up on the foundation it inherited from its 1980s predecessor. The game has a 2D visual design and with more detailed sprites and artistic elements of the time. The game was designed with a joystick and two action buttons (one for shooting and the other for jumping) arcade control set up in mind.

Players will have to make their way through the floors in each level (six in total), shooting the enemies (the in-game terrorist group), entering all the red-colored door to retrieve something essential, survive and then making your way to the exit point of the level. As the game has a designated health meter or life bar for the player, this allows players to keep enduring the challenges without worrying about any one-hit deaths.

As players make their way through each level, they can pick up new weapons like machine guns or launchers. Players can also enter doors to pick up not only new weapons but also health boosters or points.

When compared to the original Elevator Action, the sequel comes with good variety per level prepared. The first level was traditional in design like the previous game as players have to move down a tall building by floors, accomplish with the red door and conclude the level at the ground floor. The other levels are more horizontal in design and players will definitely be moving more sideward fighting the terrorists while avoiding environmental hazards. There also will be times when players will have to climb up one floor to the next by escalator or by elevator depending on the level designed.

When it comes to the constant opposition, the terrorists are many and players should be aware of them appearing when they are least expected. What it noticeable is that the terrorists become more aggressive and relentless the longer players take to finish a level. I promise you readers, you will do a lot of shooting, jumping, and even melee attacks when fighting the bad guys.

As for the controls, the arcade control set-up of a single joystick and two buttons remains the best way to play it. Elevator Action Returns is playable enough with the Xbox controller. While the left analog stick of the Xbox controller works well in moving the character, I ended up using the directional pad (D-pad) a lot more because it works much better and allows me to make more precise moves. This game can be played in single-player or in 2-player co-op.

A sequel released at the right time

Being a mid-1990s game made with more advanced visual elements, better hardware and a modern approach to gameplay, the action in Elevator Action Returns is unsurprisingly faster, more action-packed and more explosive than its predecessor. Indeed, this is a high-quality sequel and a true evolution of the classic Elevator Action formula. As Islamic terrorism became a major problem in global affairs in the 1990s, the terrorism theme of the game’s story was timely and fitting as the fictional terrorist group is obsessed with causing destruction and death worldwide. As such, the game allows players to pick one of three character of a counter-terrorism unit, and each character has differences with regards to speed, armor, firing speed, health and sub-weapons. The levels are plentiful and the same can be said about the varied action which makes the game worth replaying from start to finish. I should state that the 2D sprite work is great and timeless to look at.   

Elevator Action Returns is a classic and it ensures a lot of fun for anyone who loves retro gaming and the Elevator Action series in general. This is one of the best arcade games of the 1990s now available for playing on modern consoles.

If you are an Xbox gamer who is interested in Elevator Action Returns S-Tribute or if you have decided already to acquire it only, click https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/elevator-action-returns-s-tribute/9p2r96pgmstr

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