first picture of SEGA's Golden Axe I ever saw - in GamePro

[parallaxscroll]

GamePro's 'Hot At The Arcades' segment was one of the best features in the early days of the magazine.

The first time I ever saw a pic of SEGA's Golden Axe arcade was here

http://www.imagepup.com/up/vFBr_1199742947_GameProNov1989.jpg

GamePro November 1989, pages 16-17


I remember being extremely impressed with this then-new scrolling hack n slash / beat 'em up game. the eagle-bridge in the background look amazing, as did the warrior you played, Axe Battler, and that skeleton that layed flat, in pieces. wow. not long after I saw this, I actually got to play Golden Axe arcade. I was absolutely impressed. so much better than Double Dragon or even DDII (and Final Fight had not yet arrived here).

In late 1989, a few months after Genesis launched, the Genesis translation of Golden Axe arrived in stores. I didn't get a chance to play it until July or August of 1990. I was pretty impressed with this translation. even though it wasn't as nice as the arcade, it seemed decent enough.

Anyway, just wanted to share this videogame memory with you.

[heybtbm]

Speaking of Golden Axe, has anyone ever done a comparison (or read of one) between the Arcade, Genesis, Sega Genesis Classics (PS2), and XBL versions of the game? We won't even mention the SMS.

[Neil Koch]

Love the Protip: "Time your swings to hit them first" :/

Besides the downgraded audio and visuals, the Genneis version of Golden Axe was really solid. It even added in a few extra levels and a "duel" mode. Though there was a really crappy glitch in the first batch of carts that would cause the screen to go all gibberish when Death Adder used Tyris' dragon attack on you.

Anyway, I still play the game occasionally via one of those plug and play units. I have the Genesis PS2 version, but I don't like that one since the sound effects are messed up (every enemy has the same death scream).


Speaking of Golden Axe, has anyone ever done a comparison (or read of one) between the Arcade, Genesis, Sega Genesis Classics (PS2), and XBL versions of the game? We won't even mention the SMS.

There's also the Sega CD version of the game, which was the same, but with a nice CD soundtrack. On the filp side, the version on the Sega Smash Pack (Dreamcast) has a really horrible version of the soundtrack IIRC.

For GA info, Death Adder's Castle is probably the best site out there:

http://goldenaxe.classicgaming.gamespy.com/

[parallaxscroll]

the Sega Genesis Collection (PS2, PSP) use an emulation of the Genesis Golden Axe.
pretty much the same for the Golden Axe in Sega Smash Pack for Dreamcast and PC.

the GBA version is a slightly modified version of the Genesis game.

I haven't played the XBLA Golden Axe, but it's a direct port of the arcade, with extras like achievements and such. the XBLA version is the FIRST time that the actual System16-based arcade Golden Axe has been brought to any home platform.

[diskoboy]

I have that issue right here, on my shelf.

Our local Aladdins Castle (as it was known at the time) had Golden Axe before I ever saw it in any magazine. At the time, Sega was just pumping out one game, after another. Our local AC always had the new games, without fail.. Ususally before I ever even heard of most of them.

They got Shinobi and Golden Axe, about the same time, and had them set up right next to each other.

[Mr. Wardner]

The XBLA version is definitely the best looking, since it runs in HD resolutions and has enhanced graphics which smoothes out the rough edges. I also like how you can save and load anywhere, anytime (like all other Sega XBLA releases).

Anyone ever play Golden Axe 2 (Revenge of Death Adder)? It's still one of my favorite arcade games (so much that I bought the PCB). Sega should be bringing more recent games like this to Live Arcade!

[heybtbm]

the XBLA version is the FIRST time that the actual System16-based arcade Golden Axe has been brought to any home platform.

Ah, that's exactly what I was wondering.