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System:
Mega Drive/Genesis
Genre:
Beat 'Em Up
Publisher:
SEGA
Developer:
-
Players:
1-2
Release date/year:
12/23/1989
Other systems:
Arcade
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- Golden Axe
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1989 SEGA - Mega Drive/Genesis
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Golden Axe will always have a place in my heart for being a game that features some low down hacking and slashing as well as adding in some killer magic just for the hell of it. Back in control of Gilus Thunderhead, Tyre Flare and Axe Battler, you raise hell through several stages of skeletons, demons and all some hella hard bosses! Golden Axe features some of the coolest action and adventure gaming out there, and there is nothing like boot kicking an annoying thieving midget who is stealing your goods. The Genesis did an alright job porting over the arcade version, but like most systems of its time, you'll still have your fair share of problems, as listed below.
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-Game Play 7/10-
It's good old Golden Axe, in which you take one of three characters through several stages of ass kicking mayhem. In this you'll fight a wide variety of enemies that are either exceptionally easy to fight, or cheap and surround you! The different characters represent a different form of magic, revolving around earth, thunder and fire, all of which wipe out the screen of enemies, and all of which change depending on the amount of magic jars you might have in your inventory. The action is relatively easy to follow, and you'll find that challenge really doesn't get on your nerves until the later stages when the bad guys finally figure out that they should be coming up on either side, and beating you down!
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-Control 7/10-
With the Genesis control, you'll find that all of the buttons are laid out at your fingertips and with a little practice, using the different attacks during the various battles, and firing off your magic shouldn't be too much of a problem! You have an attack button, which serves you as your main offense, a jump button with allows you to jump up to different levels {if there happens to be one} and a magic button which will activate an attack that lays waste to everything on screen!
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-Visuals 7/10-
With the Genesis hardware, there is only so much that can be done, but what does get done is a pretty decent translation from Arcade to home system. Each stages is still well drawn and very well detailed, as well as the enemies and characters, all of which have a personality unique to each of them! The magic attacks haven't been toned down one bit, and all of the visual flare of unleashing a dragon, or raining lightning is reproduced as well as the overall speed of the game. Nothing was left to spare!
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-Audio 7/10-
That adventurous music that was so well known from the arcade version is back! The different grunts and groans as well as the chittering of skeletons coming to life, and the magic attacks all sound good. However, you'll notice that the music as well as the sound effects clash together at times with the tinny sound that can only come from a hard working system like the Genesis. You really won't find too much to complain about if you keep the volume low, and if you're listening close, you'll find that it all matches the arcade version.
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-Overall 7/10-
While not a masterpiece, you'll find that Golden Axe for the Genesis is as close as you'll get to the arcade version. With all of the magic, the action, the steroid elves and scantly clad amazons that you'll find here, it's like taking a walk down a good part of memory lane! If you can get past the somewhat dulled visuals and the overall lower quality sound, you'll find that Golden Axe has a good spot right next to Phantasy Star 2 and Eternal Champions. Those who are more into thumb busting action may want to look elsewhere for something a little different, cause Golden Axe is for classic gaming buffs only!
//KasketDarkfyre
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