Golden Axe on the #SEGA Genesis is overrated in my opinion.

There’s better beat-'em-ups on the platform. People remember it, though, because Golden Axe was a huge arcade hit, and the Genesis port—released in 1989—was a great demo of the oncoming 16-bit era.

An NES couldn’t do this. Certainly not SEGA’s own Master System either. Not even close.

However, there are better home conversions.

The PC Engine CD version—only released in Japan—is so much better. Has this come out in the West for the Turbo Duo so many more people would have got that console. Or maybe that’s wishful thinking on my part.

What isn’t wishful thinking is that Golden Axe also got a DOS port with VGA graphics and Sound Blaster support. And that version is revelatory because, yet again, it bursts the myth that PCs couldn’t do proper sidescrolling until Commander Keen was made. Also, in terms of pure playability, it’s simply better than the Genesis version.

With all that in mind, Golden Axe is one of those cases where the sequels and spin-offs are superior but for whatever reason, don’t get as much recognition as the original.

@atomicpoet From memory, the thing about Golden Axe was just its impact as a statement of intent as to what the Megadrive could do, rather than its merits as a game. As a game, it’s obviously nowhere near as good as, say, the Streets of Rage series that came later. But I still recall seeing Golden Axe on the Megadrive for the first time and being gobsmacked by it.