Golden Axe Steam Version: Keyboard Controls, Magic and 8-Stage Arcade Mode

Keyboard Controls and Pad Compatibility

The default keyboard layout maps each arcade button to a letter. The A button sits on A, B on S, C on D, X on Q, Y on W and Z on E, while the Start button is Enter and the D-button is the directional keys. Players select the game controller for Player 1 or Player 2 from a drop-down menu, then click the Assign controller mapping button. The game asks for presses in the order A, B, C, X, Y, Z, Start and Mode. If a pad has fewer than eight buttons, the X, Y, Z and Mode buttons are not available for assignment.

On the pad, the D-button walks in all directions, and pressing it twice runs; the Start button starts the game. For compatibility, any Windows-compatible game controller can be used with the Sega Mega Drive Classics games, provided it has a D-pad and a minimum of four other assignable buttons. The game recognizes any number of connected controllers, so two players can each pick a pad from the Player 1 or Player 2 drop-down before mapping buttons.

Walking, Running and Advanced Attack Moves

Walking is handled by the D-button, which moves the character in all directions. Pressing that same direction twice makes the warrior run. Beyond plain movement, the advanced controls combine buttons for different moves. Pressing Attack while jumping produces a downward slash with the equipped weapon. Pressing Attack while running triggers a body slam, kick or head butt, and which one appears depends on the chosen warrior, so the same input yields different results across characters.

Jump and Attack pressed together execute a special skill attack, while the Magic button launches a magic attack. Each warrior carries unique skills, so a move available to one may be unavailable to another; experimenting with Jump and Attack reveals what each fighter can do. Positioning matters as well: players are advised to always face enemies, because stabs in the back are lethal. Jumping and twirling can get behind an attacker, and watching the Hit Meter and Life Counter helps decide whether to retreat rather than attack.

Magic Pots and Mounted Combat

Magic Pots fuel magic attacks, so the supply needs care: the game advises using them wisely because more may be a while away. After a magic attack lands, stay on guard, since some enemies are strong enough to revive. Battlefield position also shapes the fight. On cliffs, near the sea or on a terrace, tumbling off is a real hazard, so the recommended approach is to lure enemies toward the edge and let them fall, with a little push as an option.

Bizarrians, the rideable monsters, should be mounted whenever possible: the creature absorbs incoming hits while the enemy's weapon swipes stay away from the rider. On foot, learning each enemy's shortcomings lets players target vulnerable spots, and assessing a situation decides whether to retreat to a better position or close in. Jumping and twirling gets behind an attacker so the warrior can face the foe, since stabs in the back are lethal. Some platforms can only be climbed from a secret spot that must be found.

Arcade, Beginner and Duel Modes

From the title screen, the Start button on Controller 1 begins a one-player session, while Controller 2 begins a two-player session. Controller 1 then selects among the modes. Arcade runs the arcade version of the game, with the journey spread over eight stages. Beginner offers a simplified version in which the game ends at stage 3, following a battle with Death Adder Jr. Selecting a mode leads to the Select Player screen, where the D-button cycles through the available warriors.

The Duel pits a player against other game characters. In a single-player game, opponents are faced one by one: twelve of Death Adder's soldiers, each stronger than the one before, and losing a duel ends the battle. In a two-player game, the two players fight each other until one warrior defeats the other. A separate rule applies to the cooperative campaign: partners must not attack one another, since the blows can hurt the partner.

Lives, Continues and Options Setup

Survival in Arcade and Beginner rests on two separate counters. The Life Meter controls how many hits a warrior can absorb before falling, and the Options screen reached from the title screen lets you adjust it between three and five. Credits are the number of times a defeated player may continue in Arcade or Beginner, and that number cannot be changed. A single-player game permits three continues, and in a two-player game each player separately receives three, so one partner's defeat does not use up the other's reserve.

Mode selection also determines how long a run lasts. Arcade presents the arcade version of the game across eight stages, while Beginner is a simplified version that ends at stage 3 after a battle with Death Adder Jr. Once a mode is chosen, the Select Player screen uses the D-button left or right to cycle through the three warriors, and releasing the button confirms the pick. The Duel instead pits a single player against twelve of Death Adder's soldiers one by one, each stronger than the last, with defeat ending the battle; in a two-player game the two players fight until one warrior defeats the other.

First published Oct 19, 2026.