Rolling Thunder 2 Vs. Elevator Action Returns

[spanky debrest]

It is 1983. Taito produces the seminal Elevator Action for the arcades, a proto run 'n gun which involved infiltrating architecturally odd buildings looking for secret documents behind specified doors whilst being hunted by enemy agents. It was kind of a big deal and might have been the first game to have a jump move double as a one hit death kick (without which you definitely won't live to see the second level). And plenty of bodies being slowly crushed in lift shafts. 

 

A few years later in '86 Namco unleashes Rolling Thunder which ran a LOT faster, had huge sprites, borrowed the door mechanic from Elevator Action (this time placing weapon stocks behind them)..as well as the high body count. It also featured two-tiered and multi-directional scrolling stages, glitzy cut scenes between levels and colourful hooded enemy goons straight out of an earlier Ghibli movie - an army standing between you and the rescue of your captured comrade.

 

[I think it's safe to say Sega ripped  the multi-level jumping mechanic straight from this game when producing Shinobi in the wake of its release; good job that that game also bought enough of its own swag to prevent it from being labeled a Rolling Thunder clone..but I digress]

 

Fast forward to 1990 and Namco comes back with Rolling Thunder 2, further refined and now with a fully realised plot reminiscent of a pulpy Bond-esque novel involving a terrorist syndicate taking down satellites, bickering heads of state and another plan to take over the world..and now your rescued comrade can fight by your side in a two-player co-op mode too. Being another frenetic experience the extra firepower is much appreciated. The now animated and static cut scenes, subtle and not-so-subtle use of sprite scaling, devious & effective level designs and an impeccable score help make this game one seriously classy, bullet-ridden affair. 

 

[I'd be remiss not to mention the outstanding Mega Drive port of Rolling Thunder 2, which despite being an early release adds more content and story too. The reworked, simplified yet still sophisticated OST holds up excellently as well. "Where Is The Target" might have the meanest bass line in any chiptune released in that era.]

 

By the time 1994 rolls around a lot has changed in the gaming landscape. Taito seem to be experimenting with their arcade game production and a surprise belated, big budget sequel to Elevator Action (either with the 'II' or 'Returns' suffix depending on region) appears. It seems to take a fair bit of inspiration from Rolling Thunder 2 but ups the ante with three mechanically different playable characters, special moves, sub weapons, tonnes of hidden pickups, wild set pieces (including surviving a suicide blast in a stationary aeroplane), a similarly lavish fusion-inspired Zuntata soundtrack, another climax featuring a space shuttle backdrop, more enemy types, more hiding in doors and even slicker (& sicker) presentation in general. And the handy jumping death kicks are back. Eschewing the fashionable move to 3D of the time and featuring hand drawn highly detailed graphics, it's held up really well.

 

It's almost like Rolling Thunder 2 and Elevator Action Returns are two sides of the same completely ridiculous yet brilliantly badass coin and I can't decide which I prefer or think more highly of..or which series owes more to the other. RT2 is a tougher, faster, more precision and twitch-based experience, whereas EAR is the kind of brilliance that really shouldn't exist but somehow some blessed individual at Taito took a hit for the team and green-lit it anyway.

 

With the MD and Saturn ports of these games being absolutely mandatory to play IMO, it puzzles me why there seems to be so little discussion about them as important singular or related works. Maybe if they had proper / memorable boss encounters or if the Saturn port hadn't been locked to Japan the situation would be different. Perhaps these sequels were always somewhat obscure to the wider gaming community and I've confused nostalgia with objectivity. I really don't know what to think..other than that I want to share how much I adore these weirdly somehow symbiotic games.

[merrychan]

Great write up, I'm a big fan of both but have definitely played a lot more Elevator Action Returns than Rolling Thunder 2 over the years. Think it's time to go back to both

[Fireproofradiator]

I was blown away (sic) by Rolling Thunder in the arcades but its twitchy, coin swallowing setup is less of a draw for me nowadays. Elevator Action Returns on the Saturn is more forgiving and the agency is richer and its so full of character, it feels like a dry run for the Dreamcast's golden run of titles like Space Channel 5 and JSR.

 

I need to play Rolling Thunder 2.

 

[luth714]

Adored Rolling Thunder despite its difficulty faults (not sure if I ever got past the flaming lava people level or barely just reached it) and completely ignored RT2 despite I’m pretty sure picking it up in the Megadrive. I must rectify that from this above write up.

 

I think EAR was on one of the Taito Legends packs wasn’t it? Seem to recall having a go and it being pretty chaotic and action packed but somehow it didn’t grab me. Feel I need to go back and pick that up too!

 

incidentally didn’t realise until recently that Thunderjaws was an American sequel to Rolling Thunder, which always confused the lineage to me.

[bplus]

Are the nes or Gameboy elevator action ports any good?

 

Also what's best on megadrive, roll thunder 3 or 2?

 

(Enjoyed the write up thanks!)

[spanky debrest]

@merrychan I'd been neglecting Rolling Thunder 2 despite it being a Mega Drive favourite since the grey import days - but I find it complements EAR quite nicely. I'd be interested in your thoughts should you go back to it.

 

@Fireproofradiator I remember finding the OG Rolling Thunder a hell of a spectacle in the arcades, it was crazy how far ahead Namco's tech was - but it was so relentlessly brutal I didn't play it too much..And unlike the first Elevator Action I don't really have an optimal way to play it (fast twitchy arcade games and a laggy emubox setup rarely end well for me). Good luck with RT2 if you're new to it.

 

@luth714 Yeah you're quite right, EAR was indeed on one of the Taito Legends compilations but also easy to miss amongst all the other gems on there. That's how I first got to know it and it's definitely playable - but the Saturn port is the way to go if it's possible because it runs at 240p (as opposed to 480i) and the lack of input lag improves it a lot. Thunderjaws..? I'll have to look that up.

 

@bplus I can't speak on the NES of GB Elevator Action ports but I'll be surprised if they're not reasonably faithful to the original. I do recall enjoying both the GBC and GBA remakes of it though, with the latter (Elevator Action: Old & New) being pretty good in light of the other farmed-out remakes that got released under the same banner..but ultimately more interesting than genuinely great.

 

As for Rolling Thunder 3.. it seems to me like a downgrade overall in most areas. No co-op. Generic lower grade music (some of it sounds like the lazier GEMS sound driver stuff). Seems to lack the panache and character RT2 had so much of (despite the odd rough edge it had). I definitely haven't given it fair shake though so it might get a lot better further in.

[MikeBeaver]

Having had Elevator Action Returns sitting on my shelf for a week or so, I was interested to see what this thread had to say... looks like I should actually fire up a Saturn at some point and play it, by all accounts it sounds pretty good, and appears to be bit of a blind spot in my game playing, as I've played neither of the series before!!