Introduction

Golden Axe is an arcade beat em up from the late 80s. Along with its charming Conan the Barbarian style and hack and slash gameplay, it pioneered the beat em up "super" attack in the form of collectable magic. It's a nostalgic classic and one of my favorite video games of all time.

Game Objectives

  • Emulator used: FBA-RR 0.0.4.02
  • Rom used: Golden Axe (set 6, US, 8751 317-123A)
  • Aims for fastest time
  • Damage taken for entertainment

Comments

Overview

The game consists of 5 full size stages with 4 bonus stages in between for replenishing magic and HP. Gameplay consists of slicing bad guys up with weapons, riding mounts that breath fire, and casting magic spells. The main attacks used throughout speedruns are the down stab(running jump attack) and the back attack(attack and jump pressed at the same time) due to the basic attack string being very weak in comparison. The basic dash attack does come in handy for the little gnomes who carry magic and food. The game is essentially free of RNG, so in this case, it's a beat em up where strats are actually strats and not a dice roll. The AI is also very simple and easy to manipulate.

Characters

Ax Battler

  • Basic hitbox: Good
  • Down stab hitbox: Good
  • Dash attack hitbox: Meh
  • Magic damage: Good
  • Magic speed: Slow
  • Magic refill: Slow

Tyris Flare

  • Basic hitbox: Poor
  • Down stab hitbox: Good
  • Dash attack hitbox: Good
  • Magic damage: Great
  • Magic speed: Good
  • Magic refill: Slow

Gilius Thunderhead

  • Basic hitbox: Good
  • Down stab hitbox: Bad
  • Dash attack hitbox: Meh
  • Magic damage: Good
  • Magic speed: Fast
  • Magic refill: Fast
Characters don't seem to do different damage from physical attacks, so the main factors in character choice are magic (damage, animation speed, and refil speed). Basically, Gilius saves some time by killing a few groups of standard enemies with his fast level 3 magic, and the last input of the movie is Tyris's level 6 dragon magic.

Stage comments

I'll refer to the main 5 stages here, not by the in-game stage numbers.

Stage 1

The first few enemies have really slow movement so they are easily down stabbed. One of the characters needs to jump up on the ledge to make sure no time is wasted despawning the gnome. The next few enemies are weak enough to die from 1 back attack. The Bad Bros bosses die after 2 down stabs or 1 down stab and a level 3+ magic spell. I went with Gilius's magic here as it has a short animation. The trade off is getting rid of extra time spent killing the extra mook enemy and the gnome taking 1 more hit on the first bonus stage(he steals Gilius's magic bottle).

Stage 2

Some more dudes get down stabbed. Making the dragon mount breathe fire at the same time as the villagers are running on screen results in some lag, but rushing the screen and down stabbing the enemies is still the fastest thing to do. Gilius's level 3 magic is used again after the gnome guy is hit twice(he has to be stricken 3 times to go away). The girls who spawn after the magic are easy, die in 1 down stab each. The skeleton after them has more HP, and it's a pretty tight timing to switch the direction of the down stab and keep him on screen. I don't collect magic at this bonus stage because it only wastes time to use it on the next stage, and will make the next bonus stage take longer when the gnome steals it from you.

Stage 3

The first few guys here can be killed with 1 back attack. I kill the last wave of enemies before the bridge with 2 back attacks from Gilius, which might be a small time loss eaten, assuming you can manage to down stab them without being hit. After the bridge you face clones of the Bad Bros, not much to say about them. Both of the gnomes have to be despawned in order for the final enemy to spawn during the Sgt. Bitter boss, so I get rid of them real quick but don't collect any magic as it will make the bonus stage take longer.

Stage 4

The first enemy can be stubborn and dodge down stabs, so some teamwork is used to get him. The next guys run right into em though. All the skeletons on this stage die in 1 down stab, and are killed on the exact frame they spawn. The shadow guys can be killed in 2 down stabs or 1 down stab + 1 back attack. Magic is collected on this bonus stage for the final boss.

Stage 5

Stupid skeletons march to their death. After the mount rider and the first red mook, a swarm of more red mooks come, but they're pretty stupid and easily down stabbed. The Bitter clones come next and Tyris dodges a sword swing to get a setup for down stabs. Once on the final screen, I had to find a way to get all the magic from the gnomes without stopping the screen from scrolling. The final boss is meant to screw you over, but he's really easy with the right timing and gets looped in downstabs. Tyris has some fun with the enemy AI for a moment before finishing everyone off with the dragon magic.

Other Comments

There could be a few moments in this movie that I could improve some day if I really grind it out. For the time being, this game is a classic that deserves and sorely lacks a decent TAS, so I wanted to make one that was at least a little bit entertaining.

feos: Judging...
feos: While this run looks suboptimal in a few places, that's just an impression, because of how the game's mechanics work, which is explained in details by the author here and here. Otherwise it's quite well done.
The movie is also short, uses 2 players that like moving in sync, and contains voice samples that I personally find hilarious, thanks to how short the run is. The viewer response is average, but has no serious accusations regarding entertainment, and I see no ground for them either. Accepting to Moons.
fsvgm777: Processing.


TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #5314: galedog's Arcade Golden Axe in 04:55.93
Spikestuff
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For future reference. v0.0.4.02 is out of date. v007 is the latest version from the location you grabbed it from. For whoever is Judging this. The specific version was used was the Set 6, US version. That is the version that synced for me, as the author doesn't mention it.
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Spikestuff wrote:
For future reference. v0.0.4.02 is out of date. v007 is the latest version from the location you grabbed it from. For whoever is Judging this. The specific version was used was the Set 6, US version. That is the version that synced for me, as the author doesn't mention it.
Hi. version 007 actually wouldn't download when I tried. I added the rom name under game objectives.
mklip2001
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This looks pretty cool; hooray for a 2-player run of Golden Axe. It seems like this is a lot shorter than the Genesis port; is there a harder difficulty in this version with any more stages? This doesn't feel quite as optimal to me as the Genesis run, with a few downstabs that look like they happen late in the early stages. However, that's just a gut feeling as opposed to any concrete numbers I can test. Apart from that, the run looks good, with a bit of comedic timing as well.
Used to be a frequent submissions commenter. My new computer has had some issues running emulators, so I've been here more sporadically. Still haven't gotten around to actually TASing yet... I was going to improve Kid Dracula for GB. It seems I was beaten to it, though, with a recent awesome run by Hetfield90 and StarvinStruthers. (http://tasvideos.org/2928M.html.) Thanks to goofydylan8 for running Gargoyle's Quest 2 because I mentioned the game! (http://tasvideos.org/2001M.html) Thanks to feos and MESHUGGAH for taking up runs of Duck Tales 2 because of my old signature! Thanks also to Samsara for finishing a Treasure Master run. From the submission comments:
Shoutouts and thanks to mklip2001 for arguably being the nicest and most supportive person on the forums.
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mklip2001 wrote:
This looks pretty cool; hooray for a 2-player run of Golden Axe. It seems like this is a lot shorter than the Genesis port; is there a harder difficulty in this version with any more stages? This doesn't feel quite as optimal to me as the Genesis run, with a few downstabs that look like they happen late in the early stages. However, that's just a gut feeling as opposed to any concrete numbers I can test. Apart from that, the run looks good, with a bit of comedic timing as well.
The genesis port has an extra level not present in the arcade so that's mostly why it's shorter(it is overall much easier too). The only changes in DIPS are player health bar and credits required. I just left DIPS on default as neither of those settings would change anything(unless I found more time for Tyris and Gilius to beat each other up). This version also kinda feels slower and has more downtime so that's a factor too. As for down stab timing, could you mention which ones with a timecode from the youtube encode? Basically, the player character hitboxes can't actually reach the edge of the screen so sometimes you have to wait for enemies to really get in there, as well as figuring out a timing that doesn't allow them to detect your down stab hitbox and move out of the way. The actual biggest example of this is near the beginning of the third stage where I keep using the back attack with Gilius. It was like pulling teeth trying to get other things to work, so I potentially ate a small time loss there. You also cannot run against the screen edge, it makes your character walk if you touch it.
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Wihile shorter this version is overall more difficult. the AI is smarter compared to the genesis version, and the monsters have moves they don't have on Genesis. Run RTA without amazing skill if you try the stunts that are so easy in the genesis version you will get murdered. On genesis all you have to be do is be JUST above bottom and down stab and enemies try to dodge low. they are smart enough to dodge hig hin arcade. the slow slice exploit also doesn't work in arcade which accurately tracks your swings at all times. This TAS make it look easy. it's NOT. In non TAS conditions, most players will abuse the ridable animals and magic, and this will easily get you to level 4. Then it starts getting tricky.
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zaphod77 wrote:
Wihile shorter this version is overall more difficult. the AI is smarter compared to the genesis version, and the monsters have moves they don't have on Genesis. Run RTA without amazing skill if you try the stunts that are so easy in the genesis version you will get murdered. On genesis all you have to be do is be JUST above bottom and down stab and enemies try to dodge low. they are smart enough to dodge hig hin arcade. the slow slice exploit also doesn't work in arcade which accurately tracks your swings at all times. This TAS make it look easy. it's NOT. In non TAS conditions, most players will abuse the ridable animals and magic, and this will easily get you to level 4. Then it starts getting tricky.
I do RTA runs of this game. The timings are much less precise, and the same trick for down stabs actually works here, except you can just touch the bottom of the screen for it. The biggest reason why this version is easier is because you can skip the skeletons at the final boss, which I do both in this TAS and in RTA runs. Maybe for general play the Genesis version could be easier? I don't personally feel that way, but for speedruns the arcade version is really not very demanding timing-wise. 01garland01 has the current Genesis record and I'm willing to bet he'd confirm it for you if asked, it's reset purgatory.
Joined: 1/13/2007
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I got pretty fast at the genesis one, using combination of downstab abuse and knock off the edge abuse. I will accept that at really high level the genesis one is probably harder to squeeze time out of, but a decent run is much easier on genesis than on the arcade. and playing for survival the genesis one is a TON easier. enemies are a lot easier to charge attack (unless you are axe battler), a lot easier to special attack and a lot easier to down stab reliably. he knight can reliable be charhe attacked by the other two characters on the enesis. in arcade he will swing his sword earlier. Only death bringer is any challenge, and that mainly because of the invincible skeletons.
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This was....ok? Dunno how to feel about it compared to the Genesis run. Not a fan of the voices.
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arandomgameTASer wrote:
This was....ok? Dunno how to feel about it compared to the Genesis run. Not a fan of the voices.
Who gives a shit about voices? Your vote is based on the fact that this version has voices rather than objectively judging the completion of the game, holy shit what has this site become? Yes vote from me, the optimization in this TAS is A+, it may not be the most exciting game to watch but there really isn't much to Golden Axe and that isn't the authors fault.
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arandomgameTASer wrote:
This was....ok? Dunno how to feel about it compared to the Genesis run. Not a fan of the voices.
Ok, but what does the genesis run have to do with anything? It's a completely different game, none of the strats or inputs are comparable at all.
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Pasky13 wrote:
Who gives a shit about voices? Your vote is based on the fact that this version has voices rather than objectively judging the completion of the game, holy shit what has this site become?
Voting is based on how entertaining you found a run, yes? I feel that the voices in this version are much more exaggerated and prolonged then the Genesis port, which in my opinion detracts from the run. Clearly this run is well done from a technical standpoint. I know from experience that making a run with 2 players that does entertaining things during the downtime isn't very easy.
galedog wrote:
Ok, but what does the genesis run have to do with anything? It's a completely different game, none of the strats or inputs are comparable at all.
I compared it to the currently published Genesis run because, well, they look pretty similar. Both have 2 players, and only 1 stage is different between them. I'm just a casual viewer, so I wouldn't really understand the subtle differences. Anyway, apologies if I made anyone angry with my comment. That wasn't my intention.
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Samsara
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Pasky13 wrote:
Yes vote from me, the optimization in this TAS is A+, it may not be the most exciting game to watch but there really isn't much to Golden Axe and that isn't the authors fault.
Who gives a shit about optimization? Your vote is based on the fact that this run is optimized rather than objectively judging the entertainment value of the run, holy shit what has this site become?
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mklip2001
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I get where arandomgameTASer is coming from. He was commenting on entertainment, and that's ultimately a personal decision. By also explaining his vote, he also made it easier for a judge to look at the voting feedback and interpret it appropriately for judging. I'd rather have him put up that opinion, even if it's a minority opinion, than to have unexplained No votes or to drive people away from leaving any negative feedback. Anyway, galedog, one instance I found of a questionable jump was at 1:20 in the encode, on the left side of the screen. Now that you mention it, it does seem like the margins on the left are not as forgiving as on the right. Others: * At 1:30, couldn't you jump sooner to hit the enemies dashing in earlier? * The beginning of Stage 3 does come to mind... for the first enemy Tyris kills, couldn't you start the back attack before the enemy is visible on screen? * At 3:00, around the beginning of Stage 4, it looks like Gilius should be able to dive that enemy sooner. In any case, these look pretty minor, and this is still a great first attempt at this run!
Used to be a frequent submissions commenter. My new computer has had some issues running emulators, so I've been here more sporadically. Still haven't gotten around to actually TASing yet... I was going to improve Kid Dracula for GB. It seems I was beaten to it, though, with a recent awesome run by Hetfield90 and StarvinStruthers. (http://tasvideos.org/2928M.html.) Thanks to goofydylan8 for running Gargoyle's Quest 2 because I mentioned the game! (http://tasvideos.org/2001M.html) Thanks to feos and MESHUGGAH for taking up runs of Duck Tales 2 because of my old signature! Thanks also to Samsara for finishing a Treasure Master run. From the submission comments:
Shoutouts and thanks to mklip2001 for arguably being the nicest and most supportive person on the forums.
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arandomgameTASer wrote:
Not a fan of the voices.
That's Emmy nominee David Caruso as "Mitch" in sound samples from First Blood.
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mklip2001 wrote:
Anyway, galedog, one instance I found of a questionable jump was at 1:20 in the encode, on the left side of the screen. Now that you mention it, it does seem like the margins on the left are not as forgiving as on the right. Others: * At 1:30, couldn't you jump sooner to hit the enemies dashing in earlier? * The beginning of Stage 3 does come to mind... for the first enemy Tyris kills, couldn't you start the back attack before the enemy is visible on screen? * At 3:00, around the beginning of Stage 4, it looks like Gilius should be able to dive that enemy sooner. In any case, these look pretty minor, and this is still a great first attempt at this run!
at 1:20, the amazon enemy hurtbox might be available sooner than I hit it(I doubt it), but there's really no way for me to get Gilius down there any faster after hitting the one on the mount. as for 1:30 and the beginning of stage 3, your position determines where and when the enemies start running, so it's not that simple, however something else could maybe be found? something to keep in mind too is that even if Tyris goes down/right and hits that first guy earlier, it will take her longer to reach the next enemy on the left and hit him. at 3:00, I'm assuming you mean the second enemy Gilius hits? the first one definitely can't be done sooner. As for the second one, Gilius's position was a determining factor in the top guy running again. But it's something to keep in mind for future reference. Also yeah it's fine if argt isn't a fan of this one, but a completely different game on a different platform doesn't really have anything to do with it, that's all I was saying.
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Samsara wrote:
Pasky13 wrote:
Yes vote from me, the optimization in this TAS is A+, it may not be the most exciting game to watch but there really isn't much to Golden Axe and that isn't the authors fault.
Who gives a shit about optimization? Your vote is based on the fact that this run is optimized rather than objectively judging the entertainment value of the run, holy shit what has this site become?
What an argument, entertainment value = voice samples. It's like voting no on super mario sunshine because everytime mario jumps he says something instead of a *boing* sound like super mario world. Entertainment value comes from how the run is played out, not the lack of or inclusion of audio clips.
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This is one of those times where you actually have to play both to appreciate the differences. the genesis version seems convincing until you go back and play the arcade. And i'm getting the feeling this was intentional, to rudely surprise people intending to coast through the arcade on credit after mastering the home version.
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Pasky13 wrote:
Entertainment value comes from how the run is played out, not the lack of or inclusion of audio clips.
Entertainment value is not just the quality of the run. You're also judging the game itself that's being run, and audio's a part of that. The voices are really, really annoying, so I voted "meh."
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I've played the Genesis version first, but I have no gripes about the Arcade version's voice clips. Link to videoI'm curious as to what voice clips in particular are annoying.
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That was a lot of fun to watch. I especially like what you did in the waiting time, synchronizing the players' movements, or having them fight each other. Also, having Tyris play around with the two minions at the end was neat to watch. Definite yes vote from me.
Spikestuff
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mklip2001 wrote:
is there a harder difficulty in this version with any more stages?
I ain't going to check far into it, but apparently the harder difficulty is down to the switches behind the machine, so you don't have to go through the game machine settings itself. There's also a video of someone playing (and confirming they're using) the hardest difficulty, however there doesn't seem to be an extension of anything to it.
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Spikestuff wrote:
mklip2001 wrote:
is there a harder difficulty in this version with any more stages?
I ain't going to check far into it, but apparently the harder difficulty is down to the switches behind the machine, so you don't have to go through the game machine settings itself. There's also a video of someone playing (and confirming they're using) the hardest difficulty, however there doesn't seem to be an extension of anything to it.
The difficulty switch just changes the player health bar. (Thus 2 bars instead of 3+ in that video)
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mklip2001 wrote:
This looks pretty cool; hooray for a 2-player run of Golden Axe. It seems like this is a lot shorter than the Genesis port; is there a harder difficulty in this version with any more stages?
Nope. The Genesis port (and PC and Amiga ports, really) have much less detailed animation than the Arcade, presumably because of memory constraints. To compensate for that, they added two more levels to the end, so instead of just fighting Death=Adder you fight Death=Adder's son first and then the real one (PC/Amiga) or fight the real Death=Adder followed by his master Death=Bringer (Genesis); in all cases this is a palette swap with more hit points.
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [3283] Arcade Golden Axe "2 players" by galedog in 04:55.93