Golden Axe is a sideways scrolling beat-em-up set in a traditional fantasy world, in which up to three warriors take up arms to rescue the kidnapped King and his Queen from the evil Death Adder. The game's three different playable characters are an Amazonian warrior named Tyris Flare, a Barbarian hero named Ax Battler, and a Viking dwarf named Gilius Thunderhead. Each character has a special attack move that is activated by pressing both JUMP and ATTACK at the same time. Also, double-tapping the joystick right or left will make the character charge and smash into opponents.