Editing Elevator Action (section)

== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
| Allgame = {{Rating|3.5|5}} (ARC)<ref name=allarcade>{{cite web |title=Elevator Action (Arcade) - Review |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=411&tab=review |url-status=dead |website=[[Allgame]] |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=November 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115110732/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=411&tab=review|archive-date=November 15, 2014}}</ref><br>{{Rating|3.5|5}} (NES)<ref name=allnes>{{cite web |title=Elevator Action (NES) - Review |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12175&tab=review|url-status=dead |website=[[Allgame]] |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=November 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115110746/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12175&tab=review|archive-date=November 15, 2014}}</ref><br>{{Rating|3|5}} (C64)<ref>{{cite web |title=Elevator Action (C64) - Overview |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19657|url-status=dead |website=[[Allgame]] |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=November 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115110746/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19657|archive-date=November 15, 2014}}</ref><br>{{Rating|2.5|5}} (Mobile)<ref name=allmobile />
| EuroG = 8/10 (ARC)<ref name=":2" />
| IGN = 6/10 (NES)<ref name=ign>{{cite web |title=Elevator Action Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/03/05/elevator-action-review |url-status=live |website=[[IGN]] |date=5 March 2007 |access-date=December 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229052838/https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/03/05/elevator-action-review|archive-date=December 29, 2020}}</ref>
| GSpot = 5.2/10 (NES)<ref name=gamespot>{{cite web |title=Elevator Action Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/elevator-action-review/1900-6167630/ |url-status=live |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=December 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714191748/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/elevator-action-review/1900-6167630/|archive-date=July 14, 2019}}</ref>
| NLife = 6/10 (NES)<ref name=ninlife>{{cite web |title=Elevator Action Review (NES) |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2007/03/elevator_action_virtual_console |url-status=live |website=[[Nintendo Life]] |date=6 March 2007 |access-date=December 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103230701/http://vc.nintendolife.com/reviews/2007/03/elevator_action_virtual_console|archive-date=January 3, 2012}}</ref>
}}

''Elevator Action'' quickly became a commercial success for Taito. In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Elevator Action'' in their August 1983 issues as the most-successful new table arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型新製品 (New Videos-Table Type)|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement News Agency]]|issue=217|date=1 August 1983|page=29|url=https://archive.org/details/game-machine-magazine-19830801p/page/n14/mode/1up}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=218|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=15 August 1983|page=27|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19830815p.pdf#page=14}}</ref> It then topped the ''Game Machine'' [[table arcade cabinet]] charts for three months in late 1983, from September<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=219|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 September 1983|page=29|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19830901p.pdf#page=15}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=218|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=15 August 1983|page=27|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19830815p.pdf#page=14}}</ref> through October<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=219|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 September 1983|page=29|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19830901p.pdf#page=15}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=220|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=15 September 1983|page=29|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19830915p.pdf#page=15}}</ref> to November 1983,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=223|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 November 1983|page=33|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19831101p.pdf#page=17}}</ref> and persisted on their charts up until the April 1, 1984 issue.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型新製品 (New Videos-Table Type)|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement News Agency]]|issue=233|date=1 April 1984|page=27|url=https://archive.org/details/game-machine-magazine-19840401p/page/n13/mode/1up}}</ref>

In the first month of the North American release, the game was said to have "surpassed all expectations" in terms of popularity and sales by Keith Egging, the vice president of product development at Taito America.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=15 October 1983|title=Around The Route|url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox45unse_18/page/46/mode/2up|journal=Cash Box|publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.|pages=32}}</ref> The game was reportedly popular with patrons at the 1983 [[Amusement Expo]].<ref>{{Cite journal|date=12 November 1983|title=AMOA Expo Photo Highlights|url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox45unse_22/page/34/mode/2up|journal=Cash Box|publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.|pages=34}}</ref> Conversion kits for the game were also popular, and the number of kits sold set an "enviable record" for the company.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=14 January 1984|title=Jerry Monday: Optimistic Distributor Expects "Rebound" In '84|url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox45unse_30/page/n33/mode/2up|journal=Cash Box|publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.|pages=35}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=21 January 1984|title=Around The Route|url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse/page/31/mode/2up|journal=Cash Box|publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.|pages=31}}</ref> It was among the top five highest-grossing arcade games of 1984 in American street/route locations.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Nominees Announced For 1984 AMOA Awards |magazine=[[Cash Box]] |date=September 8, 1984 |page=28 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1984/CB-1984-09-08.pdf#page=28}}</ref>

It received a positive review from ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' magazine in January 1984, with the reviewer stating it "has a really original theme" and considered it a "pleasant" change from the "normal spaceage" shoot-em-ups.<ref name="CVG">{{cite magazine |title=Hold On — Going Down, Down, Down...! Elevator Action |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=16 January 1984 |issue=28 (February 1984) |publisher=[[EMAP]] |location=United States |page=50 |url=https://www.solvalou.com/arcade/reviews/185/521}}</ref> In a 1984 issue of ''Video Games'', Steve Harris wrote, "it was a good action game which allows for a great deal of player input", and while he feared that it might have been overshadowed by the [[Interactive film|laserdisc games]] of the time, thought the game was as competent as those.<ref name=":3" /> It received a Certificate of Merit as part of the 1985 [[Electronic Games|Arkie Awards]].<ref>{{Cite journal|date=January 1985|title=1985 Arkie Awards|url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Games_Volume_03_Number_01_1985-01_Reese_Communications_US/page/n27/mode/2up|journal=Electronic Games|publisher=Reese Communications|volume=3|issue=1|page=28}}</ref>

===Retrospective===
''[[Eurogamer]]'' wrote that it was "astonishing just how playable it remains".<ref name=":2" /> In ''The Video Games Guide: 1,000+ Arcade, Console and Computer Games'', Matt Fox wrote that the game was an "enjoyable arcade game", giving it three out of five stars according to the book's own rating system.<ref name=":0" />

Reviewing the Taito Egret II mini-arcade version in March 2022, ''[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]'' said it is "simple stuff but enjoyable" and not as "ridiculously" hard. They also praised the "unusually deliberate action" and said it has elements found in the later games ''[[Impossible Mission]]'', ''[[Rolling Thunder (video game)|Rolling Thunder]]'' and ''[[Shinobi (series)|Shinobi]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Taito Egret II mini review – all 40 games reviewed from Qix to Bubble Bobble |url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/08/taito-egret-ii-mini-review-all-40-games-reviewed-from-qix-to-darius-16234321/ |access-date=26 March 2022 |work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]] |date=8 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref>