Article

What Is It?
Golden Axe was a Double Dragon-style arcade brawler that took the world by storm in the late 1980s. Instead of featuring rough street fighters cleaning up the gang-infested streets, Golden Axe decided to turn the brawler genre on its side and feature three rough characters fighting their way past trolls, gnomes, wizards and dragons. Although Golden Axe is best known for its original arcade game and the 1989 Genesis port, the series has actually spawned a number of sequels and updates, including a "next generation" reimagining that is set for 2008. This Xbox Live Arcade port features everything you came to love in the arcade version, as well as online multiplayer, leader boards and achievements. This was released at the same time as Sonic the Hedgehog, marking the first real push from Sega on the Xbox Live Arcade. 

 

Does It Still Hold Up?
Like Final Fight, Streets of Rage and Double Dragon, Golden Axe suffers from the fact that the gameplay is largely repetitive. You fight through every level by mashing the same button and trying to avoid getting hit from the constant barrage of characters (most of which look the same). Golden Axe does manage to introduce a few new elements to the tried and true brawler formula, such as animal-like creatures you can ride and magic you can use to clear the screen. These new elements are nice, but they won't keep you from realizing that you're essentially doing the same thing in every level of this game.

 

Is It Worth the Money?
Unlike Sonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe is one of those titles that hasn't been in a lot of Sega collections. While you could conceivably pick up the Sega Genesis Collection, this arcade-port is actually a bit stronger of a title and offers a few gameplay twists that are worth the money ... assuming you're into this kind of game. It's fun to play the game online with a friend, but keep in mind that the game is extremely short and repetitive. Still, this game is only five dollars (three dollars cheaper than the Virtual Console port released earlier in the year). If you're one of those people who loves a good brawler or just has good memories of Golden Axe, then this version is worth checking out. However, if you're the type of person that got bored while playing Double Dragon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles then you should stay far, far away from Golden Axe!

 

 

What Is It?
While Street Fighter II was hardly the first fighting game, many consider it the genesis of the modern era of one on one fighting. Before Street Fighter II we had terrible games where the characters were hard to control, the special moves weren't very special and the battles were a mess. Thankfully Capcom stepped in and turned everybody around, showing the rest of the game industry exactly what you have to do to make a successful fighting game. Unfortunately Capcom's intervention didn't come in time for Yie Ar Kung Fu, the Konami one on one fighting game originally released in 1985. While Yie Ar Kung Fu did manage to lay the groundwork for better fighters, it was a mess of a fighting game that is almost unplayable by today's standards. The good news is that Konami's fighter was the first to do a lot of things. For example, it was the first fighting game to feature female characters (Star and Fran). This Xbox Live Arcade game is a good reminder of what the fighting landscape looked like pre-Street Fighter II. But since there are so many better fighting options on the Xbox 360 it's hard to justify actually spending the $5 on this archaic game.

 

Does It Still Hold Up?
As is the case with most fighters from the 1980s, Yie Ar Kung Fu is almost impossible to control, doesn't really feature any special moves, and is no fun whatsoever. Like so many other classic games, Yie Ar Kung Fu has been made obsolete by modern fighting games. And not just the new fighters, either. The moment Street Fighter II hit the scene there was no reason for anybody to play Yie Ar Kung Fu. Couple in the fact that fighting games have come a long way in the 15 years since Street Fighter II and you are left with a game that not only looks outdated, but IS outdated.

 

Is It Worth the Money?
If you're one of those older gamers who grew up playing this fighting game you may have a good time with it, but I can't imagine getting much more than a few plays out of Yie Ar Kung Fu. Even five dollars feels too much for this outdated fighter. If you want to waste a few quarters (or buy it in one of Konami's collections) that's one thing, but $5 is a bit much for a fighting game that is absolutely no fun anymore. As much as I love a good fighting game, this is one I would definitely pass on.

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