"One of my favorite games of all time!"

Golden Axe ranks as one of my all time favorite games. In fact, it is my favorite Sega Genesis game of all time. I bought it for about $10 to $15 as a part of the six pack game cartridge that featured other games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Hang-On. The game that I thought would be really cool was Streets of Rage, not Golden Axe. I finally played Golden Axe (I think that one was one of the last games I played on the cartridge), and I loved it! I have been addicted to the Golden Axe series since then. I have played all three of the Genesis games, so I bet you are wondering what I thought of the game that started it all? Keep on reading to find out more..

Let's talk about the graphics first. For a first generation Genesis title, the graphics look great. The characters and the environments are detailed enough to make you respect the graphics, even though there aren't too many backgrounds to be found in the game. For what there is, the graphics are good enough with no major problems at all. Good job.

Moving on to the gameplay, let me bring up the characters in the game. Well, there are three characters - (I'll try to remember their names) Gilius Thunderhead, Ax Battler, and Tyrus Flare. Gilius is the dwarf (my favorite), Ax Battler is the man, and Tyrus is the woman. Just about every time I play Golden Axe, I use the dwarf. You are probably asking why I always use the dwarf. Besides the fact that it is my favorite character, he just looks the coolest and he has an awesome weapon. He's just a great character overall, despite his weak magic skills.

Now that you have your character, you can begin the game! There are a few modes to play - arcade, beginner, and the duel. Arcade is the meat and potatoes of the game. Beginner will let you test out your skills before going on into the complete arcade mode. The duel is a fun little mode where you go through a gauntlet of enemies to see how far you can get. All three are fun to play.

Let's say that you have selected the arcade mode first, and you are playing the game. Well, along your journey, you can do lots of different things. For example, you will run into many types of enemies. Some of the enemies will be riding on dragons and other creatures of the medievil times. If you can successfully knock off the enemy from the creature, you can get on the creature and use it. Beware, though, because the enemy that you knocked off will come back and probably knock you off. If you and your enemy keep fighting over the creature, it will just leave. It's just cool.

I almost forgot to mention that Golden Axe is, in fact, a two player game. Yes, now two players can go through the game with hopes of defeating Death Adder and his goons. It can be pretty challenging at first going through the journey, but it gets easier once you have gotten used to the controls and such.

Speaking of the controls, they are very good. I don't remember the certain buttons, but one is used for magic, one is used for a weapon attack, and one is used for jumping. They are very easy to use and get used to. I like it.

Let's head into another section that should be interesting to see, the sound section. I cannot believe who good the sound is for an early Genesis title. In one word - wow. I love the music at the menu screen, it is classic. Another one of my favorites is the little cutscene where little elves or something similar will steal your magic & health from you and you have to get it back. The music is just classic. Now as for the sound effects, they are good but not great. I remember the women screaming and that's about it. The music more than makes up for the lack of good sound effects, though.

Should you give Golden Axe a rent or a buy? Well, I would recommend buying Golden Axe as soon as you can. Don't pay anything more than $10, though. If you can, buy it as part of the six pack game cartridge so you can get other classics with it. You can probably find that for about $10 to $15, and it is worth the money if you have never played any of the six games included. I guess what I am trying to say is Golden Axe is a must play.

Shady's Final Analysis:

Golden Axe is an excellent side scrolling platform game that everyone should check out. I was going to give the game a 10, just because it is one of my favorite games, but I have decided on a 9 in all fairness. Don't forget that the score is subject to change.. Overall, Golden Axe gets a 9 out of 10 from me, Shady. Booyah.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/26/00, Updated 08/26/00