Release details
- Platforms: The new edition is listed for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a PC version available through Xbox Play Anywhere. HAMSTER's Japanese announcement words it as Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC (Xbox Play Anywhere compatible).
- Original game: It was released by TAITO in 1983. The player is a spy who infiltrates a building and escapes with all the confidential documents. Elevators can crush enemies, and shooting down lamps is another way to attack them.
- Existing edition: The original Arcade Archives ELEVATOR ACTION remains on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. HAMSTER's page lists its price at $7.99.
- Japan details: HAMSTER lists the Japanese price as ¥1,100 including tax. It also lists an IARC 3+ rating and one to two players.
What's new in the Arcade Archives 2 edition
HAMSTER lists these changes:
- A redesigned user interface.
- Detailed button customization.
- Rapid-fire settings.
- Multiple save slots in Original Mode.
- A rewind function that undoes your last action.
The Arcade Archives 2 version also includes Hi-Score, Time Attack and Caravan modes, with online rankings. HAMSTER's series page says Time Attack ranks how fast you clear the game, regardless of score. It also says the Arcade Archives 2 series supports VRR (variable refresh rate), which it says gets closer to the original arcade behavior.
The announcement doesn't give ranking rules for this specific game. It also doesn't say whether every feature behaves the same on every platform. This is the same 1983 game with a modernized wrapper, not a remake.
Pricing and the upgrade discount
HAMSTER's official title page lists US pricing as follows:
- Arcade Archives 2 ELEVATOR ACTION on Switch 2, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S is $9.99.
- Owners of the Switch or PS4 edition can buy the Switch 2 or PS5 edition for $2.99, but only on the same account.
- The pricing text names Xbox Series X|S but doesn't name Windows PC. It doesn't state a PC price.
Three limits on the discount, per HAMSTER's page:
- The discount is only for the Switch to Switch 2 and PS4 to PS5 routes. It isn't offered for Xbox or Windows PC.
- Buying the new edition first removes the discount on the old one.
- The two editions don't share save data, so check which one you're buying.
The Japanese equivalents are ¥330 for the upgrade and ¥1,100 for the full price. Famitsu's coverage reports the same figures.
What Xbox and PC players should check
Don't assume the Play Anywhere label means identical terms on every title. One third-party guide, iTech Guides, cautions that Play Anywhere support is not something to assume for every Arcade Archives release, so check the named game's listing. A related HAMSTER title, Arcade Archives 2 PINBALL ACTION, shows what a Play Anywhere listing can include. Its Xbox Store page lists $9.99, Xbox Play Anywhere, Xbox achievements and Xbox cloud saves. That is a different game, so treat it as a guide to what the Elevator Action page might show, not a promise.
Before buying, open the Elevator Action store page and confirm four things:
- Edition name: It should read "Arcade Archives 2."
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S and PC should appear under "Play with."
- Labels: Look for Play Anywhere, cloud saves and achievements.
- Price: Compare it with the $9.99 HAMSTER lists.
HAMSTER hasn't published PC system requirements, supported Windows versions or PC storefront details in the material reviewed here.
Bottom line
The key facts are a November 5 release, Xbox Series X|S plus Windows PC via Play Anywhere, and a $9.99 list price for the new edition on the platforms named in HAMSTER's US pricing text. The $2.99 upgrade covers Switch and PlayStation owners only, so Xbox and PC players pay full price.