Golden Axe III

Golden Axe III

Overview & History

Released exclusively in Japan in 1993 for the Mega Drive via Sega's innovative Sega Net-Tower service—and later appearing globally on various compilation cartridges—Golden Axe III serves as the darker, overlooked chapter in Sega's legendary fantasy beat-'em-up trilogy. The narrative introduces a malevolent entity known as the Prince of Darkness, who has cursed the land and imprisoned the four legendary heroes. To counter this evil, four new champions step forward to wield the mythical Golden Axe: Kain Grinder the barbarian, Sarah Burn the amazon, Chronos "Evil" Lambo the panther-man, and Proud Blade the giant centaur. Unlike its arcade-born predecessors, this installment was built entirely for home consoles, resulting in branching paths on the world map that allow players to choose their own routes and uncover multiple endings, adding much-needed replay value to the side-scrolling genre.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Golden Axe III refines the cooperative brawler formula by introducing a heavier emphasis on character diversity and combo potential. Gone are the generic dual-button setups; instead, the game implements a nuanced combat engine where players can dash, execute running attacks, perform overhead leaps, and hurl enemies across the screen. Each of the four playable characters boasts a completely distinct spellcasting system—powered by collecting blue magic pots—ranging from elemental firestorms to localized lightning strikes. A standout mechanic is the ability to freely cooperate with a partner to execute tandem throws or share life energy during critical moments. Additionally, players can once again mount ferocious beast companions like the dragon-like *Bizarrians*, which now feature unique projectile attacks and devastating tail whips to clear out on-screen hordes of monstrous thugs, skeletons, and armored knights.

Keyboard Controls

• Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move
• Action Keys: Attack / Jump
• Enter: Start / Pause