Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder (US, Rev A) - MAME machine

Arcade Video game published 32 years ago:

Golden Axe - The Revenge of Death Adder © 1992 Sega.

Like it's legendary prequel, 1989's "Golden Axe"; 'Revenge' is sideways scrolling beat-em-up set in a traditional fantasy world, in which the evil 'Death Adder' has arisen to take over the lands. The game supports simultaneous four-player gameplay, with each player taking on one of the game's characters. The four available characters are 'Sternblade' (a barbarian warrior), 'Dora' (a female centaurian), 'Goah' (a giant with a dwarf sitting atop his shoulders) and 'Little Trix' (an agile, oriental-style warrior).

As with 'Golden Axe', as well as standard weapon attacks, each character has a special attack move that is activated by pressing both JUMP and ATTACK at the same time. Also, double-tapping the joystick right or left will cause the player to charge and smash into opponents. At certain points during the game, players will come across certain creatures and contraptions (such as dragons, giant scorpions and catapults) which, once the original occupier has been removed from the saddle, can be mounted and ridden/utilized to attack the enemy.

At certain points during a level, as well as at the end of each level, dwarfs appears carrying a sack on their back. Players can hit the dwarfs causing them to drop food and magic potions. During the course of the game, players will also come across numerous trapped prisoners. These can be released by either opening their cages (by pulling a rope or similar) or hacking at their foot manacles.

Unlike the linear level layout of its prequel, 'Revenge' offers the player a branching route through the game, adding to its variety and longevity.

TECHNICAL
Runs on the Sega "System 32" hardware.

Players: 4
Control: 8-way joystick
Buttons: 3

TRIVIA
Golden Axe TRODA was released in July 1992.

Gilius, the dwarf of the first episode is not directly playable on this sequel, but appears on the back of a giant named Goah.

Each time when you win a stage a map screen shows up. That map screen actually contains ancient Greek words, which translate as follows:

• The word at the bottom means 'river'.
• The bottom-left word means 'cave'.
• The bottom-right word means 'forest'.
• The word in the center means 'town'.
• The upper-left word means 'graveyard'.
• The word in the upper-right corner means 'sea'.
• And finally the word on top is the name of an ancient Greek mythological monster.

Wave Master released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Golden Axe The Music - WM-0595~7) on 21/02/2008 containing music from the original arcade and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis series.

UPDATES
The Japanese version has some differences:

• Has 5 scenes (levels) instead of 7.
• Is a 2 players game only instead of 4.
• You have 2 lives and 24 of energy instead of 1 live and 40 of energy.

The US version has some differences:

• Forces the player to play all the 7 scenes (stages) of the game in a single play-through, while other versions present two intersections (both 2-ways) during the game to the player to choose from, so he/she can only see 5 scenes in a single play-through. Needless to say the latter make more sense.
• Is a 4-player game while other versions are 2-player.
• You have 1 live and 40 unit of energy while other versions have 2 live and 24 unit of energy.
• Has the "Recycle It, Don't Trash It!" and the "Winners Don't Use Drugs" screen.

TIPS AND TRICKS

• When 2 or more people are playing, it's possible to grab an enemy in a body slam technique by attacking the enemy simultaneously, which can cause a lot of damage.
• In the PIER level, when the tentacles appear, attacking them will chop the tentacle's tip off. The tip can then be picked up (and eaten) and will increase the player's health, having the same effect as the dwarf's food powerup.

SERIES

• Golden Axe [Model 317-0110] (1989, ARC)
• Golden Axe Warrior (1990, SMS)
• Ax Battler - A Legend of Golden Axe (1991, Game Gear)
• Golden Axe II (1991, ARC)
• Golden Axe - The Revenge of Death Adder (1992, ARC)
• Golden Axe III (1993, MD)
• Golden Axe - The Duel [Model 610-0373-01] (1994, ARC)
• Golden Axe - Beast Rider (2008, PS3/360)

STAFF
Composers: Masanori Takeuchi, Tomoyuki Kawamura

CONTRIBUTE
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