Elevator Action Returns (1995). Play Free Online

Summary

Elevator Action Returns (aka Elevator Action II) drops the cold‑war spy vibe of the original for a grittier, paramilitary premise, letting you storm high‑rise complexes as a member of an elite team. The core elevator gimmick remains, but now you must blast through doors marked in red, collect key items and race to the exit before the timer expires.

The cabinet feels crisp: an eight‑way stick, a shoot button and a jump button that together let you fire, melee and even launch a sub‑weapon by pressing them together. Your default handgun never runs out of ammo, while power‑ups upgrade you to missile launchers, automatics or explosive grenades, and blue doors spin a roulette that can hand you health, points or special firepower. The game even lets you crush foes with moving elevators or blast oil drums to make fiery trails, and two‑player co‑op doubles the chaos.

When it hit arcades in 1994, the title climbed to ninth place in Japan’s Game Machine rankings, and critics like Next Generation gave it three out of five stars for its nonstop shooting frenzy.

Storyline

Elevator Action Returns, Taito’s sequel to the 1983 classic, drops you into a high‑stakes counter‑terrorist mission. You pick one of three DEF operatives—Kart Bradfield, the agile blond shooter; Edie Burret, the fast‑firing red‑tank‑top specialist; or Jad the Taff, the strong, durable veteran—each with unique primary guns and sub‑weapons that can be upgraded during play.

Your objective is to infiltrate six skyscrapers, locate the hidden computer data behind red‑marked doors, and escape before the timer detonates the building. Blue doors spin a wheel that awards items such as extra points, health packs, machine guns or rocket launchers. Elevators let you move between floors while you blast enemies—zombie soldiers, karate agents, trench‑coat goons, guard dogs and more—and destroy barrels, drums, and surveillance cameras that trigger sirens when spotted.

The backdrop is a 1990s terrorist surge led by the mysterious Red Suit, prompting the formation of the elite DEF unit. Success hinges on choosing the right character, managing time, and clearing each floor before the building explodes.

Edited by Maya Carter