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Golden Axe Warrior

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Golden Axe Warrior
Cover art
Developer(s)Sega
Publisher(s)Sega
Designer(s)Okaru (planner)
Gen Adachi
Takako Kawaguchi
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Programmer(s)Pochi Nakamori
Com
Blue
Composer(s)Chikako Kamatani
SeriesGolden Axe
Platform(s)Master System,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360
Release
Genre(s)Action-adventure,Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Golden Axe Warrioris anaction-adventurerole-playing video game,developed and published bySega.It was released on theMaster Systemin 1991 as a spin-off of theGolden Axevideo game series. The game follows a young warrior who tries to avenge the death of his parents by exploring ten labyrinths, collecting nine missing crystals and battling with the evil tyrant Death Adder. Players must cross a large world, fight enemies, seek mysterious labyrinths, fight Boss es, and obtain the crystals that are guarded by many monsters. All the playable characters from the originalGolden Axemake cameo appearances.[1]

The game has drawn comparisons toNEStitlesThe Legend of Zelda[2][3]andWillow,[4]as well as Master System titlesYs I: Ancient Ys VanishedandLord of the Sword.[5]Golden Axe Warriorreceived a positive to mixed reception upon release. It received positive reviews from American, French and German magazines, but was criticized by British magazines for having little to do with the arcade original.

Plot[edit]

The evil giant, Death Adder, has invaded the countries of Firewood, Nendoria and Altorulia and killed the royal families. A young hero from Firewood sets out on a quest to destroy the giant. To counter Adder's evil magic he needs to find the nine crystals of the royal family from Firewood. These crystals warded off Death Adder until the king was betrayed by a minister who sold the crystals to Adder.[3]Death Adder has hidden the crystals in nine labyrinths. On his quest the hero visits numerous villages and discovers numerous people hiding from Death Adder. He can learn the Thunder, Earth, Fire and Water magics. He learns that the princess of Firewood is still alive and that he is the son of the king of Altorulia. After finding all nine crystals the hero is able to enter the tenth and final labyrinth where he must find the mythical Golden Axe, the only weapon that can harm Death Adder, before facing the giant himself.

Gameplay[edit]

Players take control of the game's hero, who can be named at the start of a new quest.[1]The game features a largeoverworldwith over 200 unique screens and many enemies. Players must retrieve each of the game's nine crystals by locating hidden labyrinths. Each labyrinth is guarded by monsters and full of puzzles that must be solved in order to reach theBossand retrieve the crystal. Throughout the game, players collect various items and abilities that allow access to previously unreachable areas.[5]The tenth labyrinth is only accessible after collecting the nine crystals. Players must then find the Golden Axe and use it to defeat Death Adder.[1]

Weapons and armor can be upgraded and several magic abilities can be learned.[6]Using magic requires the use of pots which are depleted after every use. The game's currency is horns collected from enemies; these horns can be spent in towns throughout the game.[5]Hidden areas can be uncovered by chopping down trees with an axe or clearing rocks using Earth magic.

Development and release[edit]

The game is considered to be one of the system's rarest games.[7]It is included as an unlockable game inSonic's Ultimate Genesis Collectionfor thePlayStation 3andXbox 360.[8]

Reception[edit]

Golden Axe Warriorreceived a positive to mixed reception upon release. American magazineGameProscored it 5 out of 5, comparing it to NES titlesLegend of ZeldaandWillow,concluding thatGolden Axe Warrioris "a great game".[4]It also received positive reviews from French magazinesJoystickandPlayer One,each scoring it 88%,[10][11]and German magazineVideo Games,which scored it 81%.[13]However, it received mixed reviews from British magazines, which pointed out that the game was vastly different from the originalGolden Axe,including one inSega Pro,which ratedGolden Axe Warriora 67%;[12]Computer and Video Gamesalso pointed out the difference, calling it an "incredibly dull RPG."[6]Reviewers inMean Machinescalled it "boring" and "tedious", recommendingYsandLord of the Swordinstead.[5]

IGNmentioned the game in its article "A History of Gaming's Most Shameless Rip-Offs", calling it a rip-off ofThe Legend of Zelda.They noted similarities in enemies and map designs, and called the soundtrack "eerily similar" toZeldabut without any of the personality.[2]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcBuchanan, Levi (September 25, 2008)."Golden Axe Retrospective".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on December 20, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 29,2013.
  2. ^abGrayson, Nathan (February 28, 2012)."A History of Gaming's Most Shameless Rip-Offs".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on February 25, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 29,2013.
  3. ^abSutyak, Jonathan."Golden Axe Warrior – Overview".Allgame.Rovi. Archived fromthe originalon November 14, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 29,2013.
  4. ^abcGamePro,issue 22 (May 1991), page 40
  5. ^abcde"Golden Axe Warrior".Mean Machines.April 1991. p. 72.
  6. ^abc"Golden Axe Warrior".Computer + Video Games: The Complete Guide to Sega:98.Retrieved22 June2023.
  7. ^"Sega Master Rarity Guide".Archivedfrom the original on 2015-07-26.Retrieved2012-08-02.
  8. ^Miller, Greg (February 12, 2009)."Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection Review".Archived fromthe originalon August 1, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 29,2013.
  9. ^"Lancamentos internationais".Ação Games(in Portuguese). July 1991. pp. 42–43.
  10. ^abJoystick,issue 17, page 128
  11. ^abPlayer One,issue 12, pages 54-55
  12. ^ab"Golden Axe Warrior".Sega Pro.1991.Old Death Adder is back, but before you try to defeat him, remember that there's no arcade action – just lots of adventuring.
  13. ^ab"Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Videogames 2/1991".Archivedfrom the original on 2016-03-04.Retrieved2015-08-14.

External links[edit]

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