That's the plan. But there could be a suprise ending!
--From the Sega Genesis Golden Axe instruction manual.

Golden Axe is a true arcade classic. It was created by the same developer as Altered Beast and the two game engines have a similar feel. The artwork in the game is well done and reflects the war torn fantasy world in which the story takes place. The background art, level design and enemy artwork all fit well together and present a united image. The musical score and sound effects also play their part in setting the mood. When the game starts you are given three play options: Arcade mode gives you the full game at normal difficulty. Beginner mode gives you the full story, but it's a much easier play experience. Dual mode could almost be considered combat practice. During each round you face an enemy or enemies that you have to beat within a certain amount of time. As the rounds progress the enemies get harder and harder. You can also adjust your life meter and remap your controls under the options menu. Which was rather groundbreaking at the time. Golden Axe sports three playable characters which actually offer slightly different styles of play. There is a male barbarian known as Ax Battler, a female amazon named Tyris Flare, and the male dwarf Gilius Thunderhead. Each of them seem to do a different amount of damage and each certainly use magic in their own way. Gilius maxes out his magic the most quickly and uses earth spells. Ax is in the middle and uses the power of wind. Tyris uses fire and takes a high number of magic potions to reach her full potential. Magic is recharged in the game by getting magic potions from sprites that you encounter throughout the game. You have to strike them in order to get them to drop a potion. Then you merely walk into it to pick it up and add it to you magic bar. Life is regenerated in much the same way. Certain sprites drop food when they are hit. Walk on the food to pick it up and refill your health bar. There are a number of mounts that you will encounter in Golden Axe. In some cases the mount will just be sitting there waiting for a rider. However, in most cases you will have to knock the current rider off and take their place. There is a cockatrice that uses it tail to strike at enemies. There are also two kinds of dragon. The first, and most common, shoots a spout of flame right at the ground in front of it. The second actually shoots a ball of flame across the screen. All of the mount attacks will immediately knock both heroes and villains off their feet. In order to really shine at this game you have to master all the different attacks that you can utilize. The first of these is the combo. Once you've struck an enemy keep pressing the attack button to beat them down. Once an enemy is stunned you can throw them by moving in close and pressing the attack button. The jump attack is probably the most useful in the game simply because it is so easy to do and knocks enemies off their feet with a single hit. It is particularly useful for knocking riders off their mounts. To do a jump attack simply jump toward an enemy then press the attack button. The dash is also very good at getting enemies off of you. Just press either the left or right button twice to start your dash and then press the attack button. Combining these two moves give you the death jab. Rush at an enemy then jump and attack to drop down from above and put your weapon through his head. Finally the special attack will take out enemies creeping up behind you. Just press the attack and jump buttons at the same time. The game inspired a number of sequels and spin off games. The Genesis offered both Golden Axe and Golden Axe 2. The Master System offered a Zelda like spinoff called Golden Axe Warrior and the Game Gear gave us Ax Battler. So far the latest in the series is Golden Axe: Beast Rider which was released in 2008. The series has a long and successful history. If you enjoy arcade style game play it is certainly worth giving a try.

It's time to start the long journey through enemy-infested territory. Don't let the strange reptilian enemy creatures frighten you, because you'll need every ounce of courage you can muster. Fight onward until you reach the final showdown, a battle with Dark Guld himself!
--From the Sega Genesis Golden Axe 2 instruction manual.