Golden Axe III

Golden Axe III continues the series' beat 'em up format, where players combat evil across a fantasy landscape. The central conflict involves Damud Hellbringer, a dark prince who has stolen the Golden Axe and placed a curse upon the land's warriors. The narrative follows a hero who breaks free from this curse and embarks on a quest to defeat the villains, lift the affliction from others, and retrieve the axe.

Four playable characters are available, including two returning archetypes renamed as Kain Grinder and Sahra Burn. They are joined by new additions: Chronos Raid, a panther warrior, and Proud Cragger, a giant. Guidance is provided by the non-playable dwarf Gilius Thunderhead. While the core hack and slash gameplay remains familiar, it incorporates several new combat options such as blocks, grapples, sweeps, and team attacks.

Progression through the game is not strictly linear, as players encounter junction points that allow for path selection. Resource management is tied to magic spells, which are unique to each character but operate under a shared system. The potency of a spell is directly linked to the number of magic potions in the player's possession, and consuming all available potions for a more powerful effect is mandatory. These potions, along with health restoratives, are obtained by kicking gnomes that appear during intermissions.