Sega Genesis: Golden Axe II
October 1, 2008 - 8:28 am - Posted by Sean R.
I really love this game. Golden Axe II surpasses its predecessor in every way, although both play pretty much the same.
The same three characters are back (Warrior, Amazon Babe, and Dwarf), but the enemies are much more interesting this time around. Skeletons rise from their graves and large demonic creatures tower overhead.
The graphics are slightly refined, as are the controls. You can now aim left or right when performing throws, adding a bit more strategy.
Another new feature is controlling the “strength” of your magic attack. By holding down the magic button for a certain duration, a visual meter displays the degree of carnage you’re about to unleash.
The medieval scenery looks great and the musical score is first-rate.
Golden Axe 2 is fun enough with one player, but the two-player mode is where it really shines.
Fans of the first Golden Axe should feel right at home with this one.
4 Responses to “Sega Genesis: Golden Axe II”
If you like this post, then please consider subscribing to our full RSS feed.
I can’t wait to see what you think of Golden Axe 3. Me? I try not to think about it…
@Luke: Looking through my Genesis collection, I don’t seem to own Golden Axe 3, so I can’t review it. I know you try not to think about it, but what’s so bad about it anyway?
Just about everything that usually goes wrong when you make too many sequels to a series, but mainly new characters that don’t have the benefit of nostalgia and little tweaks to make the gameplay fresh that just make it subpar (like a panther-man and a level on the back of a moving cart, respectively).
Also, riding snails just aren’t as cool as riding dragons.
Apparently the Genesis version didn’t get released outside of Japan, but I have it on a Sega collection for PS2; I think you can emulate it on the Wii as well.
@Luke: I agree that sometimes too many sequels is a bad thing. I also agree with you that riding a dragon would be cooler then riding a snail.
I was thinking, didn’t the movie ‘The Never Ending Story’ have a super fast snail that Atreyu road around on at some point?
Since you mentioned it, I’ll check the Wii Virtual Console tonight and see if Golden Axe 3 is available. If so, I’ll check it out.