Golden Axe III

Side-scrolling beat 'em up where you pick one of four heroes to stop the Prince of Darkness and reclaim the Golden Axe. You fight through enemy hordes using melee combos, magic attacks, and rideable beasts that trample foes or breathe fire. Each character has distinct stats and magic types—some favor close-range brawling, others lean on ranged spells. Branching paths let you choose routes between stages, affecting which levels you see and how the story unfolds. Magic depletes a meter you refill by collecting potions dropped from enemies. Boss fights cap most stages. It's straightforward arcade action with light RPG touches in the character variety and path choices.