Summary
Goden Axe is the iconic beat ‘em up series all about riding around on mythical beasts, bullying imps for their magic potions, and playing as gaming’s greatest short king, Gilius Thunderhead. It was a staple of the arcades during the peak of the beat ‘em up craze, found mainstream success on the Mega Drive, and enjoyed some wonderfully bizarre spinoffs for some of Sega’s other retro systems.
And while Golden Axe has struggled to find an identity for itself in the modern gaming landscape, its relevance has never entirely diminished with the promise of a new game on the horizon. Whether you enjoyed playing these games back in the good old days, or you’re a younger player who has only recently discovered the series, the Golden Axe series may be small but, just like Gilius Thunderhead, it packs quite the punch.
8Golden Axe: Beast Rider
A Swing And A Miss
It was meant to be the grand comeback. Golden Axe was finally returning after a long hiatus, this time with a modern facelift and combat that more resembled God of War than Double Dragon. Just one problem. Golden Axe: Beast Rider is a bit of a broken mess.
The utterly soulless combat and design results in an experience that barely reaches the level of mediocrity. It was as if all the usual complaints about retro beat ‘em ups – mind-numbingly basic gameplay and over-sexualised female characters – were applied to a 3D game. You also can’t play as Gilius Thunderhead. Give this one a miss.
7Ax Battler: A Legend Of Golden Axe
A Quaint Game Gear Spinoff
While it’s true that Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Axe has you playing as the main sword-wielding character of the same name and not Gilius Thunderhead, this shouldn’t be held against the game at all. Golden Axe: Beast Rider aside, there’s a really healthy standard level of quality applied to the rest of this series, with this novelty Game Gear spinoff being no exception.
The game often gets compared to Zelda 2, and for good reason. The mix of overhead exploration and side-scrolling action arguably works better here than it did in the oft-maligned NES sequel, as the short and snappy battle sequences fit perfectly with the Game Gear’s handheld nature.
6Golden Axe: The Duel
Duel Of The Fates
Golden Axe: The Duel is a game where you get to play as Gilius Thunderhead’s great-grandson, Gilius Rockhead, and ten other characters in a one-on-one fighting game that honestly stands up pretty well. Released in 1995, Golden Axe: The Duelcertainly had some hefty competition in the arcades, but it managed to stand out from the crowd thanks to some of its unique ideas.
One such concept was its take on the power meter which only fills up if you are able to hit the little gnomes that appear throughout fights – a nice little call-back to the original game. The sprite work is honestly some of the best from any Sega game and also enjoyed a faithful port on the Saturn.
5Golden Axe Warrior
A Worthy Zelda-Clone For The Master System
Golden Axe Warrior was meant to be Sega Master System’s answer to The Legend of Zelda. And while the game itself didn’t enjoy anywhere near the same level of cultural cut-through as Nintendo’s classic, this is still a really solid alternative for Master System players to enjoy andone of the best games for the console.
Everything that you would want in a Zelda clone is present in Golden Axe Warrior – a large overworld filled with secrets, dungeons that really test out your skills, and combat that is simple, yet satisfying. The actual Golden Axe references are few and far between – including a tragic lack of any Gilius Thunderhead – but the big bad guy is indeed the one and only Death Adder from the original game, so it at least has that going for it.
4Golden Axe 2
An Iterative Sequel
Unlike the first game, Golden Axe 2 was developed with the Mega Drive in mind. And while it does sprinkle in a few new ideas, there is a strong “more of the same” vibe to Golden Axe 2 that holds it back from the same heights as its predecessor.
Of course, this is still a tightly designed fantasy beat ‘em up with hack ‘n slash combat that is still a blast to engage with all these decades later. Gilius Thunderhead is still the obvious best character, but Tyris Flare is noticeably more dynamic than in the first game. You can still skip out on Ax Battler, though.
3Golden Axe 3
A Great Conclusion To The Trilogy
Despite committing the cardinal sin of not having Gilius Thunderhead as a playable character (he does, however, show up as an NPC), Golden Axe 3 is still a really strong game that often gets overshadowed by the two games that preceded it. The new character roster – Gilius snub aside – adds a lot of diversity, with Proud Cragger and Chronos Lait being especially interesting additions.
The main selling point of Golden Axe 3 is its semi-non-linear progression. Similar to a game like Castlevania 3 for the NES, you get to choose between two different stages after completing a level, helping to add a strong sense of replay value to the overall experience.
2Golden Axe: The Revenge Of Death Adder
An Arcade Hidden Gem
While it may not be remembered much these days, it’s easy to make a case that Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder is the best Golden Axe game. This arcade sequel feels like a more worthy follow-up to the original, bringing a new level of technical prowess and creative design ideas to the series.
From the gorgeous sprite work to the incredibly fun beast mounts, The Revenge of Death Adder plays with a flavour of innovation and self-confidence that the series has never tasted since. Also, you can play as Gilius Thunderhead riding around on a giant called Goah. That’s reason enough for this game to be considered one of thegreatest beat ‘em ups of all time.
1Golden Axe
The One That Started It All
While The Revenge of Death Adder may be the best in the Golden Axe series in terms of pure gameplay, there will always be something about the original 1989 classic. Combining the beat ‘em-up action of a game like Double Dragon with the gritty fantasy aesthetic of Conan the Barbarian, Golden Axe tapped into the imaginations of gamers around the world and continues to do so thirty-five years later.
Whether you’re talking about the fantastic arcade original or the popular port for the Mega Drive, Golden Axe is an all-time great of its genre and stands as one of the best games Sega has ever developed. It also introduced the world to Gilius Thunderhead and, for that, we should all be thankful.
