‘Golden Axe’ Review: Sega’s Classic Game Gets a Fun Saturday-Morning Makeover

It’s the early ’90s; you just had your bowl of cereal and watched your favorite Saturday morning cartoons. Now it is time to play some video games. You turn on your Sega Genesis, blow on your cartridge and begin to play the Golden Axe video game.

The original Golden Axe was released in 1989 and featured unique storytelling of magic, dragons, and barbarians. You got to ride mythical creatures and fight skeletons with a sword. This was different than games kids were used to and completely transported you into a fantasy land.

If you were hoping to revisit that world again as an adult in your 40s, well you are in luck. Paramount+ has revived a favorite childhood game into an animated series. You get to join your favorite heroes, Ax Battler, Tyris Flare and Gilius Thunderhead as they embark on a hero’s journey to stop the evil Death Adder, their arch nemesis.

Joining them on this quest is new character Hampton Squib voiced by Danny Pudi. I appreciated his character. The series is relying heavily on nostalgia but throwing in someone new gives newcomers someone to relate to. You as the viewer are essentially Hampton Squib, learning about the already established trio through the eyes of a new companion.

Now, full disclosure, I either never played Golden Axe or simply don’t remember playing it. I do remember the visuals. Going into a screening blind is my favorite way to watch. The immediate draw is the voice cast. Liam McIntyre (Spartacus) absolutely had my ears perked up. You hear a bit of Spartacus in his Ax Battler but besides the characters both being warriors, they could not be more opposite. This role has given McIntyre a lot of comedic opportunities and he rises to the occasion. The man is funny.

Matthew Rhys (The Americans) is unrecognizable as Thunderhead and carries the series. I am sure this show is meant to be an ensemble, but Thunderhead is the standout. His delivery and personality knocked it out of the park for me. I won’t touch on each voice actor, but the chemistry is there. There was not one character or voice that didn’t fit.

The animation gives old-school vibes with the character design, the colors and the action. Plus, the episodes are short and easy to get through. Now, not being a purist, I can’t speak too much on whether the lore is 100% accurate, but I enjoyed the series. It’s adult enough for us to get through but also fun enough for older kids. This is not for the little ones. There is foul language and innuendos meant for a viewer that has spun the block a bit. Not to mention the violence.

Also starring Lisa Gilroy as Tyris Flare and Carl Tart as Chronos ‘Evil’ Lait, the series definitely had me eating my bowl of Captain Crunch and hitting play on the next episode. It’s a fun, goofy, kick-back-and-relax Saturday morning good time. The series drops on September 16.  

Grade: B