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Golden Axe cover art
๐ŸŽฎ Game Released

Golden Axe

Released Jan 27, 1989 Rating 70/100 Critic score 65 Playtime ~6h Perspective Third person, Side view Rated ESRB: T Developer Team Shinobi Publishers Sega, Bandai, Telenet Japan, 16 Blitz Mastertronic, Tronix
Arcade PlayStation 3 Commodore C64/128/MAX ZX Spectrum Wii Atari ST/STE DOS Amiga WonderSwan Color Turbografx-16/PC Engine CD Xbox 360 Amstrad CPC Xbox One
Hack and slash/Beat 'em up Arcade
Single player Multiplayer Co-operative
Action Fantasy
Story

The game takes place in the fictional land of Yuria, a Conan the Barbarian-style high fantasy medieval world. An evil entity known as Death Adder has captured the King and his daughter, and holds them captive in their castle. He also finds the Golden Axe, the magical emblem of Yuria, and threatens to destroy both the axe and the royal family unless the people of Yuria accept him as their ruler. Three warriors set out on a quest to rescue Yuria and avenge their losses at the hands of Death Adder. The first is a battle axe-wielding dwarf, Gilius Thunderhead, from the mines of Wolud, whose twin brother was killed by the soldiers of Death Adder. Another is a male barbarian, Ax Battler, wielding a two-handed broadsword, looking for revenge for the murder of his mother. The last is a longsword-wielding Tyris Flare, an amazon, whose parents were both killed by Death Adder. The warriors rescue the inhabitants of the ransacked Turtle Village, which turns out to be situated on the shell of a giant turtle. The turtle takes the characters across the sea, and they then fly to the castle itself on the back of a giant eagle. Once at the castle they defeat Death Adder, who is wielding the Golden Axe, and save the land. In the Mega Drive and PC versions, and also in other ports, the characters also battle Death Adder's mentor, Death Bringer, as the true final boss. After the final battle, the warriors receive a magical golden axe that imbues the player with immortality.

Golden Axe is a 1989 arcade hack-and-slash beat-'em-up that has since become available across numerous platforms, from retro systems to modern consoles. The medieval fantasy action game has maintained enough cultural resonance to spawn both new adaptations and homages decades after its arcade debut.

The franchise is currently experiencing a notable resurgence in media. Paramount Plus launched an animated series adaptation in September, helmed by Mike McMahan of Star Trek: Lower Decks, which takes an irreverent comedic approach to the source material. Initial reception suggests the show is entertaining and frequently funny, though its humorous tone proved divisive among fans expecting a more straightforward adaptation. Meanwhile, a mobile beat-'em-up inspired by Golden Axe's style is also in development for release this winter. The renewed attention has even drawn veteran actors to the property, with some citing the original game as a formative part of their childhood gaming experiences.

Trailer

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