Astyanax
Astyanax is a side-scrolling platform action game set in a fantasy world. The hero sets out to kill the evil wizard who is terrorizing the land. He is armed with an axe and also has a magical lightning spell that can be recharged twice. Magic upgrades and health potions can be found in small stone pillars. The player must defeat monsters in various locations, jump over pits and fight bosses at the end of the stages. Co-op mode with two players is supported, whereby the second player can swap the palette of player 1. The game was designed by Tokuhiro Takemori, who previously worked on Legendary Axe, and the basic gameplay mechanics are similar - to perform a heavy blow with the axe, the player must stop swinging it for a while. The NES version, which was released after the arcade game, has broadly the same gameplay but completely different level layouts, enemy designs and story.
Story
In the arcade version, the plot is fairly typical - there is a battle between demons and humans, and the humans are unable to stand up to the demons. One day, a brave young man named Roche receives a divine revelation from God and a mythical fire axe. Roche embarks on a journey to the castle of Algerine to defeat the evil demon ruler Argos and bring peace and happiness to the world. The plot of the NES version is very different from that of the arcade version. Astyanax is a 16-year-old boy who attends Greenview High School. He has a recurring dream in which a young woman calls his name. One day, on his way to class, Astyanax is transported to another dimension. He meets the fairy Cutie, who tells him that he has been summoned to rescue the ruler of the kingdom of Remilia, Princess Rosebud, who has been captured by the evil wizard Blackhorn. Armed with the legendary fire axe, Astyanax makes his way to Blackhorn's lair to rescue Rosebud.