Golden Axe (J)

Golden Axe (J) brings the classic 1989 arcade beat 'em up to the WonderSwan handheld. Released exclusively in Japan, this is a port of Sega's original coin-op hit, where you pick one of three warriors - a dwarf, a barbarian, or an amazon - and fight through side-scrolling levels to overthrow the evil Death Adder. The WonderSwan version retains the core combat and magic system, though the smaller screen and limited buttons mean some adjustments from the arcade original.

You guide your chosen hero through a series of forest, castle, and mountain stages, hacking and slashing waves of enemies like skeletons, knights, and thieves. The two-button layout on WonderSwan handles attack and jump, while magic attacks are charged by collecting blue potions from fallen foes. Each character has a different mix of speed, power, and magic effectiveness. Players must also watch for small animals that can be ridden for temporary extra attack power.

Golden Axe on WonderSwan is a neat curiosity for fans of the series who want a portable version that predates modern compilations. It's not as smooth or detailed as the arcade game, but it faithfully recreates the feel of the original within the hardware limits. If you enjoy short, punchy arcade brawlers and own a WonderSwan emulator, this is worth a look especially as a import-only release that hasn't seen a worldwide reissue.