TurboGrafx-16

The Legendary Axe

Put simply, The Legendary Axe is a perfectly executed crescendo -- and that's not idle hyberbole, as much as it might read that way. The game reeks of quality, from Gogan glowing different colours as he powers up, right down to the exceptional storybook-like cover art. I cannot recommend more what I consider to be one of the great platform games of all time. The look, sound, feel, technique and difficulty are all, just as they should be.

The Legendary Axe was one of the Turbo's first (and, sadly, few) gotta-have games. If you're building a Turbo collection now, it is still an absolute must for your library. You'll have a great time revisiting an action game without a billion button-combo super moves. Just run to the right and cleave everything with your axe. Purity is a healthy thing every once in a while. Not only is it simple fun, but it gives you great perspective at how the action genre -- and vids in general -- have truly evolved over the last few generations.

The graphics are superb, with large characters and detailed environments. You encounter dozens of interesting creatures, each with their own distinct style of attack. The controls are responsive enough, but the gameplay is marred by a petty annoyances. For one thing, little creatures like bats never seem to leave you alone, and they serve no useful purpose at all. The cave stages have multi-layered scenery that can obstruct your view at the worst times. Most creatures require plenty of hacks to kill, leaving you exposed to a lot of cheap hits. Finally, power-ups are practically required if you want to have a chance against any of the bosses. The background music is absolutely outstanding however, and you get three continues to keep your quest going.