![]() Don't get us wrong, there are some nice ideas here – like the little thieves from the original game running around the arena dropping items – but Golden Axe: The Duel feels like a second-rate fighting effort from a period which was flooded with much better alternatives, and it carries the additional stigma of not being Revenge of Death Adder, the game fans actually wanted.ĭespite the frosty reception afforded to it at the time of release (it didn't get a physical release in the west and was only available in North America via the Sega Channel), there's actually a lot to like about Golden Axe III. The issue is that The Duel isn't a particularly great example of this sort of game while the visuals are fantastic, the cast of characters is uninspired, and the gameplay mechanics feel lightweight compared to what Capcom and SNK were pumping out at the time. ![]() Looking at it from a business viewpoint, that was the smart move – Street Fighter's success had made the one-on-one brawler the genre of choice, while belt-scrolling fighters were very much out of fashion. The amazing arcade sequel Revenge of Death Adder had been released a few years previously but hadn't been ported instead, Sega put its energies into The Duel. ![]() Golden Axe: The Duel was, in the eyes of many fans, the wrong game at the wrong time. The mid-'90s saw one-on-one fighting game fever reach boiling point, and even Sega wasn't above shoe-horning its existing properties into such a title. A sequel was apparently in development when the plug was pulled on Sega Studios San Francisco on the evidence of this game, fans were spared further ignominy. Worst of all, there's no multiplayer mode, which seems foolish considering how much fun the arcade original is with two people. The problem is that there's so much wrong with Beast Rider that it's impossible to truly enjoy it there's no lock-on system so actually connecting your attacks is frustrating, and Tyris Flare is the only playable character, which limits variety. Coded by American studio Secret Level (which later became Sega Studios San Francisco before being closed in 2010), this attempt to update the Golden Axe concept in 3D has some redeeming features the combat system (when it works) can be fun, and there are some cool nods to the original thrown in for good measure. While we got the excellent OutRun 2, we also got dross like the PS2 update of Altered Beast (so bad it was never released in North America) and Golden Axe: Beast Rider. In the 2000s, Sega went through a phase of trying to resurrect some of its classic franchises. We've not gone as far as including the myriad home computer conversions, though, because we'd be here all day if we did. However, in recent years, the series has been somewhat forgotten – which means now is the ideal time to dust it off and talk about how great it was (well, apart from the rubbish bits, like Golden Axe: Beast Rider).īelow, we've ranked all of the main Golden Axe entries and have included multiple entries for the first game, mainly because it was the most-ported entry and each of the console versions is somewhat distinct. Sega followed up with sequels and spin-offs across several platforms, cementing Golden Axe's position as one of the firm's most recognisable properties. ![]() Alongside Altered Beast – which, coincidentally, shared the same lead designer in Makoto Uchida – Golden Axe would spearhead the Mega Drive's push for domestic supremacy by showcasing how accurately the console could replicate the arcade experience at home. It arrived in arcades in 1989 in the middle of an explosion of side-scrolling fighters, competing successfully with the likes of Double Dragon, Final Fight and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Made by PTKickass and UltimateDarkman.Once upon a time, Golden Axe was a key franchise for parent company Sega. Ultra Low End Mod and PS2/Wii Unleashed Sonic are mods for Sonic Generations which can give the game a PS2 look if used together and played on a standard resolution. ![]()
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