Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Axe

Game Details:

Developed by Aspect Co. and published by Sega, this game was released in Japan in November 1991 and in North America and Europe in March 1992. The main story revolves around the barbarian Ax Battler fighting against Death Adder, with maps covering landscapes such as forests, caves, and glaciers. Players move on the world map and in towns in a top-down view, and when encountering enemies, they switch to a side-scrolling screen for battle. Players can obtain magic bottles as magical currency through battles, and release earth, lightning, and fire magic. They can also learn special skills such as high jump, mid-air swing, and dash attack in the town dojo. The game uses a password save system and does not have a built-in storage battery. Although positioned as an action-adventure platformer, it incorporates obvious RPG elements, with a style similar to "The Legend of Zelda II". The game received mixed reviews: magazine scores reached as high as 87%, but some critics criticized its monotonous combat mechanics and abrupt difficulty.

Editor's Recommendation:

As a fan of "Golden Axe", this spin-off offers a unique experience. It breaks away from the series' traditional side-scrolling hack-and-slash rhythm, turning towards adventure solving and RPG-like growth mechanisms. It features map exploration, as well as town NPC interactions and special skill learning, providing rich and diverse gameplay. The graphics on the Game Gear are delicate, and the hardware performance is commendable, with atmospheric music. On a handheld console, you can experience the action-adventure style of Zelda II, combined with the magic of Golden Axe and the barbarian style, making it a masterpiece among handheld action-adventure games. Although there are controversies over difficulty and system design, it is still a classic worth revisiting.

Game Guide:

1. Resource Management and Magic Usage

Magic bottles are both loot and currency. Maintain at least 4-8 bottles in random battles in the top-down view to release "lightning" or "fire" magic at critical moments. Upon death, all magic bottles will be lost, and you will respawn in the town password house, so conserving magic bottles is extremely important.

2. Keyword Trigger Skills

Each town training house can learn a new skill: high jump, aerial slash, super swing, dash attack, etc. You can learn it after completing specific training enemy battles. It is recommended to prioritize practicing "high jump" (breaking through terrain) and "dash attack" (obstacle assistance), which helps in side-scrolling level solving and battles.

3. Reasonable Use of Town Facilities

When entering a town, first use the inn to restore体力, then learn skills at the training house, and finally back up the progress with a password. When resources are insufficient, prioritize practicing skills, and once you master the level skills, then farm magic bottles and restore health bars.

4. Map and Item Collection

Explore the necessary locations in order:

• Spooky Cave: First get the bomb, used to break mountain walls;
• Peninsula Tower: Get the crystal for advancement;
• Maze Wood: Work hard to get fruit, paving the way for the subsequent eagle back level;
• Ice Cliffs/Death Adder Castle: Need all skills to cooperate to pass.

5. Level Tactical Suggestions

Side-scrolling battles deal high damage, and enemies have many tricks. It is recommended to:

• Use "super swing" and "aerial swing" for high output;
• Use magic to clear the field in advance when encountering elite monsters;
• Falling traps often appear in side-scrolling platform levels, move slowly, jump while observing the enemy's attack rhythm.

6. Rhythm and Mentality

The difficulty of this game is abrupt, and the failure rate is high in random battles without prompts. It is recommended to save the password and try calmly. Passing a town each time will bring obvious growth. Replay early areas appropriately to practice skills and farm magic bottles to improve fault tolerance.