Golden Axe III GENESIS

Golden Axe III is Sega’s 1993 beat-’em-up sequel, released as a cartridge exclusively in Japan that June, with its only North American release coming via the Sega Channel’s online download service in 1995 rather than a retail cartridge. It introduces new warrior characters alongside series mainstays, continuing the fantasy hack-and-slash formula against a new threat to the land of Yuria.

Designed by Kazuma Fujii and Takashi Iizuka, it adds character-specific special techniques and a friendship/rage meter system that powers up attacks the longer a fight continues, building on the beast-mount and magic mechanics of the earlier games. Its Japan-only cartridge release made it one of the more obscure entries in the series for Western players until later compilation re-releases brought it to wider audiences.