Golden Axe is a multiplayer action, casual, hack'n'slash, arcade, beat 'em up, fighting game in which players progress through levels by fighting enemies such as men armed with clubs and maces, skeleton warriors, and knights. Players can attack with weapons, jump, and cast spells that damage all enemies on the screen, with magic power determined by collected bars filled by kicking sprites. Each character has unique magic spells and attack ranges, including earth, lightning, and fire magic. In this game, the setting is the fictional land of Yuria, a high fantasy medieval world where an evil entity named Death Adder has captured the King and his daughter, threatening to destroy the Golden Axe and the royal family unless he is accepted as ruler. Three warriors—a dwarf named Gilius Thunderhead, a barbarian Ax Battler, and an amazon Tyris Flare—embark on a quest to rescue Yuria and avenge their personal losses caused by Death Adder. It stands out with its fantasy themes, featuring various steeds called bizarrians that can be ridden, including a tail-swipe Cockatrice and a fire-breathing dragon. The game offers advanced gameplay elements such as riding steeds, casting different magic spells, and battling through diverse environments, culminating in a final confrontation with Death Adder and his mentor, Death Bringer, with the reward of a magical golden axe that grants immortality.