Play Golden Axe (dos) Online

Golden Axe is a side-view beat 'em up game released for MS-DOS in 1990. Developed by Team Shinobi and published by SEGA of America, Inc., the game is set in a fantasy world where players choose one of three heroes to confront the villain Death-Adder, who has kidnapped the king and his daughter and taken possession of the legendary Golden Axe.

Players control either Ax Battler, a barbarian; Gilius Thunderhead, a dwarf; or Tyris Flare, an amazon warrior. The objective is to fight through a series of side-scrolling stages, defeating waves of enemies to ultimately confront Death-Adder. Each character possesses a unique magical attack, which is powered by collecting potions dropped by small blue creatures encountered in the levels. Players can also find green creatures that drop food to restore health. A notable gameplay feature involves certain enemies that ride on dragon-like or scorpion-like mounts; these enemies can be knocked off, allowing the player to take control of the creature and use its attacks against other foes.

The game supports cooperative play for up to two players on the same screen. Progression is linear, with players advancing through distinct environments, engaging in melee combat, and managing resources like magic and health. The MS-DOS version presents the core arcade experience of navigating these stages, utilizing character-specific abilities, and interacting with the various enemy types and mountable creatures found throughout the journey.