Golden Axe
From Sega Retro
- For the home computer versions, see Golden Axe (home computers).
Golden Axe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega System 16, Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, CD-ROM², WonderSwan Color, PlayStation 3 (PSN), Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade, iOS, Windows, Steam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Sega, Template:PCECD Telenet Japan, Bandai | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Team Shinobi, Template:PCECD Telenet Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Action | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CERO
Missing Parameter! |
Golden Axe (ゴールデンアックス) is a beat-'em-up developed by Sega and released in 1989 for Sega System 16 arcade hardware. The development team was headded by Makoto Uchida, who also led the team behind Altered Beast.
The game was the first in the long-running Golden Axe series. It is said to be heavily inspired by the Conan the Barbarian films, and that the game took roughly one year to make. The game also "borrows" voice data from said movie and other Hollywood blockbusters.
Contents
Story
The game takes place in the fictional land of Yuria, in which an evil entity known as Death Adder has kidnapped Yuria's King and his daughter, holding them captive in his castle. Perhaps more importantly, Death Adder has stolen the "Golden Axe", a magical emblem of Yuria, and is threatening to destroy it if the people of the land do not accept him as their ruler.
It is up to a band of three heroes to venture to Death Adder's castle and stop him, rescuing the captives, avenge their losses and save the land: Ax Battler, Tyris Flare and Gilius Thunderhead.
Gameplay
Golden Axe supports a maximum of two players. Any character can be selected but both players cannot play as the same character.
The Golden Axe arcade cabinet assigns one button for attacking, another for jumping and a final button for using magic. Using magic will cause all of the enemies on screen to be damaged and effectively acts as crowd control. Each player carries a limited supply of magic (indicated by a meter at the top of the screen) and will use it all at once when the magic button is pressed. Some magic can also re-kill already defeated enemies, adding extra score. This bug is only present in the arcade version. More magic can be collected by attacking the short thieves clothed in blue who appear at certain points throughout the game. Green thieves carry life energy, also represented in the HUD.
Golden Axe is also notable for its ability to allow players to ride "beasts", often giving them an offensive advantage at the expense of speed.
Similar to Altered Beast, the ending is less serious and has characters from the game breaking out of the arcade machine and causing havoc in the real world. Most ports replace this ending.
Playable characters
Ax-Battler | |
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Ax Battler is a male barbarian fighting to avenge the murder of his mother. Despite his name he uses a two handed broadsword and carries earth magic. Ax Battler is one of the constants of the series, appearing in most Golden Axe games (including Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Axe, a game based entirely around him). | |
Gilius-Thunderhead | |
Gilius Thunderhead is a dwarf whose brother was murdered by Death Adder. Gilius is the only character to actually carry an axe, as well as thunder magic. | |
Tyris-Flare | |
Tyris Flare is an amazonian woman whose parents were killed by Death Adder. She also uses a sword but carries fire magic. |
Stages
Sequels and re-releases
Golden Axe has been ported to a number of systems over the years, though many cuts were made in the process.
The game has enjoyed many years of success on the Sega Mega Drive, and was used in the early days of the console to advertise the system's power over its then-main rival, the Nintendo Entertainment System. Some levels were shortened, but an extra level was added which includes another boss, "Death Bringer", a recolored version of Death Adder. Also in this version is a "duel" mode, which allows players to fight a succession of enemies one-on-one.
This game saw a software revision. The original release had a graphical bug after defeating the final boss: his axe, while spinning around in the air, displays as garbage graphic data.
The Mega Drive version of the game has been included in numerous compilations, such as 6-Pak, Mega Games 2, Mega Games 6 and Mega Games 10. The game has also been emulated and sold in the form of Sega Smash Pack Volume 1, Sega Smash Pack, Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection, Sega Archives from USA Vol. 1 and Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection Volume 1, as well as services such as PlaySega and built-in to numerous consoles by AtGames.
This version was so popular that it got direct sequels in the form of Golden Axe II and Golden Axe III. In the arcades, the "true" sequel is Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder. A Sega Mega-Tech version also exists, which is based on the Mega Drive version, as is the version released for the Wii's Virtual Console service.
The Mega Drive Golden Axe was enhanced for the Sega Mega-CD and delivered as part of Sega Classics Arcade Collection. This version is single-player only, although offers numerous improvements in terms of audio and some graphical tweaks.
The Sega Master System version is also one-player only, forcing you to play as Ax Battler (named "Tarik").
There is also a NEC PC Engine CD port which takes a big hit in terms of aesthetics, has very poor sound effects and is only single-player. It was also ported to the WonderSwan Color and as part of Sega Smash Pack for the Game Boy Advance.
Golden Axe was also remade as part of Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 5: Golden Axe, and has been brought to Xbox 360 XBLA, Wii Virtual Console, PlayStation 3 PSN, and is available for iOS and other mobile devices. The iOS version was removed from sale on iTunes in 2015. [5]
Production credits
Mega Drive version
Software Design: Takosuke, Moto CBX1000, Ham Tak, Waka
Visual Effects: Kyonsy Kyonsy, Cane, Chisuke, Roco
Sound: Nankyoku, Decky, Imocky
Assistant Programmer: S2, Yang Watt, Vinyl Boy
Producer: Kan
Director: Bros 400
Assistant Director: Opa‑Opa
English Messages: Niya, Tsugu
Arcade Game Design: Team Shinobi
Presented by: Sega
Promotional material
- MegaDrive UK PrintAd 1990-10.jpg
Mega Drive UK print advert
- SegaEuropesNo1 SMS MD UK PrintAd.jpg
Mega Drive UK print advert
Mega Drive UK TV advert
- DoMeAFavour8New SMS UK PrintAd 2.jpg
Master System UK print advert
- SegaDoMeAFavour SMS UK PrintAd 1990-05.jpg
Master System UK print advert
- SegaDoMeAFavour SMS UK PrintAd 1990-06.jpg
Master System UK print advert
Digital manuals
Physical scans
System 16 version
Sega Retro Average | ||||
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N/A | |
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Based on 0 reviews |
Mega Drive version
81 | |
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Based on 36 reviews |
Mega Drive, US (Sega Classic) |
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Master System version
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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82 | |
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Based on 24 reviews |
CD-ROM² version
Sega Retro Average | ||||
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Template:PCECD | N/A |
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Based on 0 reviews |
CD-ROM², JP |
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WonderSwan Color version
Mega-Tech version
External links
- Sega of Japan Virtual Console page (Japanese)
- Sega of Japan Virtual Console Arcade page (Japanese)
- Sega of Japan catalogue pages (Japanese): PlayStation 3 (PlayStation Network version)
- SCEJ catalogue pages (Japanese): PlayStation 3
- Golden Axe on Xbox Marketplace: GB, US, JP
- Golden Axe on PlayStation.com
- Golden Axe on iTunes: UK, JP (offline)
- Golden Axe on Steam
- Bandai's page for the WonderSwan version
References
NEC Retro has more information related to Golden Axe
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- ↑ File:VG&CE US 18.pdf, page 50
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 File:ACE UK 33.pdf, page 63 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ http://www.4gamer.net/games/094/G009436/
- ↑ http://www.polygon.com/2015/5/18/8622645/sega-pulls-games-from-itunes-app-store-google-play
- ↑ File:CVG UK 093.pdf, page 89
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 File:ASM DE 1990-03.pdf, page 77 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 03.pdf_p41" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 89
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "February 1990" (JP; 1990-01-08), page 70
- ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume Two" (UK; 1990-04-xx), page 100
- ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 47
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 130
- ↑ Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 92
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "March 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 22
- ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 319
- ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 3, "" (RU; 2000-xx-xx), page 80
- ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 52
- ↑ Famitsu, "1990-01-05,19" (JP; 19xx-xx-xx), page 20
- ↑ Igry Sega Luchshiye iz luchshikh. Vypusk 2, "" (RU; 2001-08-27), page 181
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92
- ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "December 1990" (JP; 1990-11-08), page 79
- ↑ Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 64
- ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Diciembre 1990" (ES; 1990-1x-xx), page 60
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 139
- ↑ Power Play, "4/90" (DE; 1990-03-16), page 120
- ↑ Sega Power, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-11-01), page 20
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 65
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 59
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
- ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 16
- ↑ Zero, "April 1990" (UK; 1990-0x-xx), page 74
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 File:CGtC UK 04.pdf, page 98 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 03.pdf_p19" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Avril 1990" (DE; 1990-03-30), page 56
- ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume Two" (UK; 1990-04-xx), page 28
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 141
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "March 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 16
- ↑ Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 81
- ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Junio 1990" (ES; 1990-0x-xx), page 60
- ↑ Power Play, "1/90" (DE; 1989-12-15), page 82
- ↑ S: The Sega Magazine, "March 1990" (UK; 1990-02-01), page 6
- ↑ Sega Power, "March 1991" (UK; 1991-02-07), page 44
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 57
- ↑ Sega Power, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-10-30), page 40
- ↑ Sega Pro, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-08), page 24
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71
- ↑ Software Gids, "Sept./Okt. 1990" (NL; 1990-09-xx), page 38
- ↑ Zero, "April 1990" (UK; 1990-0x-xx), page 75
- ↑ File:Joystick FR 006.pdf, page 88
Golden Axe series of games | |
---|---|
Golden Axe (1989) | Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder (1992) | Golden Axe: The Duel (1994) | Golden Axe (slot machine) (2010) | |
Golden Axe (1989) | Golden Axe II (1991) | Golden Axe III (1993) | |
Golden Axe (1989) | Golden Axe Warrior (1991) | |
Golden Axe (1990) | |
Electronic Golden Axe (1990) | |
Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Axe (1991) | |
Golden Axe: The Duel (1995) | |
Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 5: Golden Axe (2003) | |
Golden Axe: Beast Rider (2008) | |
Golden Axe (2009) | Golden Axe (2017) | |
Sega Vintage Collection: Golden Axe (2012) | |
Golden Axed: A Cancelled Prototype (2020) | |
Golden Axe related media | |
Golden Axe I & II (2016) | |
Sega Mega Drive Attack Manual Book Tatsujin & Golden Axe (1990) | Golden Axe (1992) | Golden Axe: Beast Rider Official Strategy Guide (2008) | The Art of Golden Axe: Beast Rider (2008) |
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