Golden Axe: The Duel

n/a

ST-V NTSC-U/PAL NTSC-J
Golden Axe: The Duel
System(s): Sega Titan Video, Sega Saturn
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega AM1
Supporting companies: Three 8 Design Group (US) (packaging design)
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (24 tracks)
Genre: Fighting Action/Kakutou Action (格闘アクション), Action
Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code JP 1995-02 ¥? ? JP 1995-09-29 ¥5,8005,800 GS-9041 US 1996-06-27 $59.9959.99 81045 EU 1995-12 MK81045-50 DE 1995 MK81045-50 PT 199x STJSE0169 UK 1996-04-19 £39.9939.99 MK81045-50 PL 1996 219zł219 AU 199x FGOL16SSC BR 199x 192226

Golden Axe: The Duel (ゴールデンアックス・ザ・デュエル) is an entry in the Golden Axe series of games, and was initially released for Sega Titan Video arcade hardware in 1995. It later saw a port to the Sega Saturn.

Unlike other Golden Axe games, Golden Axe: The Duel is a 2D versus fighter. It would also be the last Golden Axe game to be released in arcades (and it would be fourteen years until another Golden Axe game was released, Golden Axe: Beast Rider).

Story

Introduction

Many years after the last war with Death Adder, the magical axe that Gillius Thunderhead used to slay Death Adder is rediscovered. Over time, the powers of the axe have grown. Numerous warriors fight to obtain the powerful axe.

Gameplay

Character select

Gameplay

In a departure from the beat-'em-up genre of the other Golden Axe arcade games, The Duel is a 2D versus fighter modeled after the Street Fighter series of games. As in those games, two combatants battle each other in a small stage, with the goal of draining the other fighter's health bar or having more health remaining when time runs out. Matches are fought to the best of three rounds. Like the Samurai Shodown games, the camera zooms in or out as the fighters move closer or farther apart. There are ten playable characters, all of them new to the game except for long-standing series villain Death Adder.

There is an arcade mode where a single player faces every other character in the game (including a match against a duplicate of the selected character) in a random order, ending in fights against Death Adder and the final boss, a physical manifestation of the Golden Axe. A second player can enter the game at any point with  START  to fight a match against the other player, with the winner continuing the game. There is also a dedicated two-player mode where both players choose a character and fight.

Characters move with and and crouch with . They hop back in retreat with or run forward with . They jump with and flip back and forth with and . They crouch with . Most characters are armed with weapons, and there are two types of attacks, slashes and kicks, each with three levels of strength. Slashes are done with (light), (medium), and (hard) and kicks are done with (light), (medium), and (hard). Harder attacks do more damage, but they are slower and leave the character vulnerable to counterattack for longer.

Opponents can be grabbed or thrown by holding or while standing next to them, then pressing a hard slash or kick button. Attacks, other than throws moves, can be blocked by holding the D-Pad away from the opponent. Blocking can be done while crouching, and low attacks cannot be blocked while standing. Each character has a selection of special moves that can be performed by pairing specific directional combinations with an attack.

As in the beat-'em-up titles of the series, little elven thieves occasionally appear and run across the screen in the middle of the battle. If either player attacks one of these thieves, they drop pieces of treasure. Blue thieves drop magical potions, while green elves drop pieces of meat that partially restore the character's health. Items are collected by walking over them.

When a character has gathered five potions, shown in the Magic gauge in a bottom corner of the screen, he or she can "power up" by pressing all three slash or kick buttons simultaneously. The character is invulnerable while powering up. The Magic gauge drains while the effect is active, and the character's attacks are empowered until the gauge is emptied. Each character has a powerful "Super" attack that can only be performed while powered up. These attacks are usually much more elaborate and damaging than the other special moves, and they require landing the first strike (without it being blocked or dodged) for the rest of the move to be performed.

There are three difficulty levels for the computer combatants (Easy, Normal, Hard, and Hardest), there are three speed levels (Slow, Normal, and Fast), and each player can choose from three strength settings (Normal, Strong, and Strongest). Players can change the amount of time allowed per round (40, 50, or 60 seconds or unlimited), toggle green elves and their health pick-ups (which are off by default), or change the starting number of potions for each fighter (between 1 and 5).

Characters

Move lists assume the player is facing right. If facing left, and should be reversed. S refers to any of the slash buttons, while K refers to any of the kick buttons.

Characters have three color schemes depending on whether they are selected with a light, medium, or hard attack button.

	Kain Blade
	Kain Blade is a barbarian who was orphaned by the war and raised by a famous warrior. After his patron was killed trying to rescue another child, Kain dedicated himself to perfecting his combat skills and wandered the land helping those in need. He seeks the Golden Axe in hopes of uniting the provinces of the continent and foiling the plans of his enemies, Zoma and Keel. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Power Blast S Kain shoots a fireball across the screen from his sword. Fire Edge S Kain rises into the air while holding his flaming sword in front of him. Rushing Kick K Kain leaps forward with a flying front kick. Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Fire Storm S Kain rises into the air while holding his flaming sword in front of him, followed by a trail of fire. If he hits his opponent, he plants his sword in the ground when he lands, which summons a pillar of fire around him, then waves of fire sweep the screen.
	Milan Flare
	Milan Flare is the princess of the Kingdom of Winwood and a descendant of Tyris Flare. She is the protector of the kingdom and a master of wind magic. She seeks the Golden Axe in order to protect her kingdom, which is the most scientifically advanced of all the provinces, and maintain peace in the land. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Rotor Sword Hold for 2 seconds, then +S Milan charges forward while twirling her sword in front of her like a helicopter blade. Air Strike Hold for 2 seconds, then +K Milan kicks, which shoots a projectile across the screen. Gyro Sword Hold for 2 seconds, then +S Milan rises into the air while twirling her sword above her like a helicopter blade. Bird of Prey Hold for 2 seconds, then +K, then S or +S Milan flies into the air and dives back down. While on her way down, this move can be followed up by the Talon Strike with S, where she crosses her fists for an overhead strike, or the Tornado Spin with +S, where she grabs and spins her opponent into a cyclone. The Tornado Spin can only be done if her opponent is on the ground. Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Tempest Hold for 2 seconds, then K, then +S Milan flies into the air and dives back down. While over her opponent's head (when the opponent is on the ground), she can grab the opponent with +S. Milan summons a large cyclone that takes her and her opponent high into the air, then they fall back down, with Milan slamming her opponent into the ground.
	Gillius Rockhead
	Gillius Rockhead is a dwarf who is descended from Gillius Thunderhead. Like his ancestor, he has mastered combat with the axe and become a renowned warrior. He seeks the Golden Axe in order to protect his town and prevent it from being used for evil. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Stone Crash S Gillius pounds his axe into the ground, causing a stone to fly out in front of him. Shoulder Charge K Gillius leaps forward while ramming his shoulder. Miner's Drill S Gillius somersaults into the air, then spins downward like a drill. If he hits his opponent on the way down, he spins on an axis, using the horns on his hat to gore his opponent. Stone Storm  HS  (close) Gillius performs a rapid series of palm strikes, each firing a stone projectile from his hands. Kick Fury  HK  (close) Gillius performs a rapid series of crouching kicks. Move list (Command normals) Name Command Description Rock Roll + HS  in midair Gillius spins downward diagonally while holding his axe out. Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Jawbreak S (close) Gillius pounds his axe into the ground, which creates a burst of dust. If he hits his opponent, a shower of stones fly across the screen, and Gillius increases in size and hits his opponent with a rising knee strike.
	Zoma
	Zoma is a dark mage who once served as the advisor to the King of Lustan. Because of his hunger for power, he was banished to the Southern Plateau, where he lives off the energy of his prisoners. He seeks the Golden Axe to satisfy his lust for power and rule the continent. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Changeling S Zoma rolls a crystal ball that explodes when it touches someone, transforming his opponent into a frog for 5 seconds or until the opponent is hit by an attack. Characters in frog form can still move and perform basic attacks. This move has no effect if the opponent is already a frog. Quick Staff SSSSS Zoma performs a flurry of quick strikes with his staff. Skull Charge S Zoma shoots a skull-shaped projectile diagonally downward in midair. Levitation K Zoma jumps into the air, then hovers in place for 5 seconds, until the player presses , or until he is hit by an attack. He jumps a short distance with  LK , a medium distance with  MK , or a far distance with  HK . He is invulnerable while jumping into the air. He can dash and perform the Skull Charge move while levitating. Move list (Command normals) Name Command Description Circle of Death + HK  in midair Zoma spins his staff in a circle. Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Dark Carnival S Zoma swings his staff upward. If he hits his opponent, he casts a spell where he levitates and bombards his opponent with magic rays.
	Jamm
	Jamm is a feral girl who was abandoned by her village when it was raided by an enemy army. A wilderness spirit named Degas found her and raised her in the wilderness, and she learned to fight from the beasts of the land. After Degas died, she began wearing his fur and claws. She seeks the Golden Axe in the hope that she can use it to revive Degas. She is always accompanied by her bear companion Corgon. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Beast Blast S Jamm shoots a fireball from her hands across the screen. She shoots a larger fireball when S is held for longer (up to 3 seconds for the largest fireball). Thundering Herd Hold for 2 seconds, then +S Jamm charges forward, then headbutts into the air. Cat's Paw KKKKK Jamm performs a rapid series of crouching kicks. Move list (Command normals) Name Command Description Snapping Tail + MK  Jamm kicks her opponent, then follows it up with a tail whip. Mule Kick + HK  Jamm spins around and kicks behind her. Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Spirit Summon Hold for 2 seconds, then S Jamm charges forward. If she hits her opponent, she headbutts into the air, then her animal pelt comes to life and blitzes the ground with a rolling fire wave.
	Death Adder
	Death Adder is a mysterious figure who is believed to be an evil spirit. He was believed to have been killed by Gillius Thunderhead generations ago, but he has again appeared to terrorize the land. If he obtains the Golden Axe, it is certain that he will plunge the continent into a new age of darkness. He is the recurring antagonist of the series and always appears as the second-to-last opponent of the game. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Dragon Breath S The dragon in Death Adder's shield breathes fire in front of him. He cannot use this move if his shield breaks (which can happen by taking too much damage from blocking). Death Wave Hold for 2 seconds, then +S Death Adder slams his shield into the ground, which causes an energy wave to ripple out along the ground in front of him. Move list (Command normals) Name Command Description Falling Sky + HK  in midair Death Adder falls backward to the ground. Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Soul Taker + all three S simultaneously (close) Death Adder grabs his opponent. A blast wave explodes out from them, and Death Adder holds his opponent in a beam of explosive power until both are thrown back by it.
	Keel
	Keel is an elf warrior who lives in the northern province of Crystal. He was encased in ice by his clan, but he was freed from his prison when Death Adder was revived. It is unknown why he seeks the Golden Axe, but it is believed that he has sinister intentions. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Ice Arrow S Keel swings his arm, sending an ice shard flying across the screen. Power Stab S Keel charges forward while holding his daggers out. Ice Slide K Keel slides forward along the ground with a kick that knocks his opponent over on impact. Freezing Bolt S Keel conjures a ball of cold air, which sends his opponent flying back on impact. Dematerialization K Keel sinks into the ground, reappearing somewhere else. He teleports to the middle of the screen with  LK , in front of his opponent with  MK , or behind his opponent with  HK . Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Insanity Winds S Keel thrusts a large ice dagger forward. If he hits his opponent, he sinks into the ground, reappears as a giant ice sculpture, and breathes a flurry of ice shards at his opponent.
	Doc
	Doc is a healer from the island of Miribar. He abandoned his studies to seek the Golden Axe. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Dashing Strike  HS  Doc dashes forward with a horizontal sword swipe. Scalpel Slash Hold for 2 seconds, then +S Doc jumps high into the air while swinging his sword up. Roundhouse S Doc hops forward while spinning, followed by a downward sword slash. Doc is invulnerable during the hop. If the player continues to hold S through the move, Doc follows up with a glowing palm strike. Roundhouse Feint K Doc hops forward while spinning, but he does not perform a sword slash. Doc is invulnerable during the hop. Triple Kick K Doc kicks three times in one rising motion. Head Shock S (close) Doc grabs then jabs his opponent with the hilt of his sword, which glows with energy. Move list (Command normals) Name Command Description Surprise Jump +K in midair when near the edge of the screen Doc jumps off the side of the screen, high into the air. Sliding Knee +K in midair when near the edge of the screen Doc drops diagonally off the side of the screen with a knee strike, sliding on the ground after landing. Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Shock Wave S Doc shoots a projectile forward. If he hits his opponent, he stabs his sword into the ground, unleashing an eruption of energy from the ground under his opponent.
	Green
	Green is a half-human, half-plant giant from deep in the continent's forests. He is the last of his kind, after the rest of his kind were exterminated by Death Adder. He escaped Death Adder's clutches with the help of a woman named Maria. He seeks the Golden Axe so he can face Death Adder and find Maria. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Back Breaker D-Pad in a 360° rotation, then K (close) Green lifts his opponent high into the air, then slams his opponent's back into his knee upon landing. Attack Feint Hold for 2 seconds, then +K Green dashes forward but does not attack. This move can be followed up by the Giant's Hook with +S, where he bashes his opponent into the air with his fist. Windmill Hold all three S or K for 3 seconds, then release Green rolls his arms around like a windmill while walking forward. He attacks more times if the buttons are held for longer (up to 8 seconds for 5 strikes). If the player has five potions, holding all three S or K simultaneously ordinarily powers up the Magic gauge, but this move can be charged instead if the buttons are pressed in the middle of an attack or jump. Mammoth Slam  HS  while jumping diagonally Green holds his hand out, which slams his opponent against the ground if it connects. Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Raging Forest D-Pad in a 360° rotation, then all three S simultaneously (close) Green wraps his opponent in vines, then performs a Back Breaker. The opponent bounces back into the air, then lands on Green's spiked arms.
	Panchos
	Panchos is an explosives expert from the volcanic province of Blo. His father was an inventor who taught him all about bombs. He seeks the Golden Axe for the sake of adventure. Move list (Special moves) Name Command Description Mini Bomb S Panchos tosses a bomb in an arc in front of him, which explodes and knocks over his opponent on impact. Mega Bomb , then hold and release K Panchos tosses a bomb in an arc in front of him. The bomb does not explode until shortly after the player releases the K button. Dyna Might K Panchos jumps into the air with a rising knee strike, followed by a diving knee strike, while glowing with burning energy that knocks his opponent over on impact. Move list (Super moves) Name Command Description Blast Wave S (close) Panchos jumps into the air with a rising knee strike, then performs cannonball rolling attack on his opponent that leave behind detonating duplicates of himself.

Unplayable

	Golden Axe
	A physical manifestation of the Golden Axe itself. He is the final boss of the game.

Stages

Every character has his or her own stage where matches are hosted, except for Jamm, who fights in her opponent's stage (or Wenpa Harbor when facing herself). Jamm's pet bear, Corgon, appears in the background of any stage when she is fighting.

Draconian Village

Stage of Kain Blade.

Windwood Castle

Stage of Milan Flare.

Guillegun's Cave

Stage of Gillius Rockhead.

Dark Island

Stage of Zoma.

Death Palace

Stage of Death Adder.

Crystal Haven

Stage of Keel.

Wenpa Harbor

Stage of Doc.

Urupagu Forest

Stage of Green.

Iron Lab

Stage of Panchos.

Death Palace

Stage of Golden Axe.

Versions

The Saturn version is missing some frames of animation and has slightly remixed music. The English text for the endings has been rewritten.

Production credits

Main article: Golden Axe: The Duel/Production credits.

Magazine articles

Main article: Golden Axe: The Duel/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

ST-V JP flyer

Print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1995-10: "October 1995" (1995-09-08)

Physical scans

Sega Titan Video version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score

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Golden Axe: The Duel

Sega Titan Video, JP
"Long" instructions "Long" instructions (2)
Cart Instuction card(s)

Saturn version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 576 KByte (HU) 76 CD Consoles (FR) 52 Consoles News (FR) PAL 88 Consoles + (FR) 89 Consoles + (FR) 87 Computer & Video Games (UK) 82 Digitiser (UK) PAL 58 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 61 GameFan (US) NTSC-U 79 Game Players (US) NTSC-U 63 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 65 GamesMaster (UK) NTSC 80 Game Informer (US) NTSC-U 56 Hobby Consolas (ES) PAL 91 Intelligent Gamer (US) NTSC-U 67 Joypad (FR) 85 MAN!AC (DE) NTSC-J 67 Maximum (UK) 50 Mega Force (FR) PAL 83 Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-J 86 Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-J 85 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 84 Next Generation (US) NTSC-U 50 neXt Level (DE) 70 Player One (FR) 82 Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J 69 Sega Magazin (DE) PAL 86 Sega News (CZ) 81 Sega Power (UK) NTSC-J 70 Sega Pro (UK) NTSC 84 Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) PAL 85 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 70 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 70 Última Generación (ES) 72 VideoGames (US) NTSC-U 70

	74
Based on 35 reviews

Golden Axe: The Duel

Saturn, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc

Saturn, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Saturn, EU
Cover

Saturn, DE
Cover

Saturn, PT
Cover

Saturn, AU

Saturn, BR
Cover

Technical information

Main article: Golden Axe: The Duel/Technical information.

External links

• Sega of Japan catalogue page (Japanese): Saturn