Elevator Action -Returns- S-Tribute

A collapsing urban underworld turns every floor into a firefight, and the elevator is as dangerous as any gunman. Elevator Action -Returns- S-Tribute revives Taito’s 1995 arcade-style side-scrolling shooter, casting you as one of three operatives raiding hostile buildings for sensitive data. The mission sounds simple—enter red doors, collect the files, and reach the exit—but armed guards, traps, explosive scenery, and cramped corridors make each descent frantic. Its tone is pure 1990s action cinema: brisk, stylish, and happily unconcerned with subtlety.

Players choose Kart Bradfield, Edie Burret, or Jad the Taff, then shoot, jump, crouch, and ride elevators through multi-level stages packed with enemies and destructible objects. Red doors hold the intel required to finish a level, while blue doors can provide weapons, items, or unwelcome surprises, encouraging quick decisions under pressure. Close-range unarmed attacks earn double score, with each character using a slightly different combo input, while grenades and other sub-weapons can be tossed into moving elevators for clever remote strikes. Elevators also crush enemies, block routes, and occasionally get you killed, so stage navigation matters as much as sharp aim.

What separates this sequel from more straightforward run-and-gun games is its vertical design: every floor connects through lifts, shafts, doorways, and breakable fixtures that can alter a fight in seconds. Shooting lights or electrical panels blacks out sections of a building and doubles points, while debris and rolling objects create opportunities to clear rooms without simply trading bullets. The S-Tribute release preserves the console version’s arcade challenge and adds the original Elevator Action as an unlockable single-player bonus after clearing the main campaign. Fans of Rolling Thunder, Contra, and old-school arcade score chasing will appreciate its compact, replayable missions, while newcomers should expect a demanding but readable action game rather than a forgiving modern shooter.