Genesis
Stage Select
This only works in Arcade Mode. At the character select screen, hold Down-Left and press B+Start. If done correctly a small number will appear in the top-left of the screen. Change it using up and down, and then choose your character (using left and right instead) and press Start.
9 Continues
This only works in Arcade Mode. At the character select screen, hold Down-Left, press A+C and then release all the buttons. Continue choosing your character as usual.
Game Genie
| BB0A-AA8E | Infinite life bars |
| RF7A-A6WA | Infinite magic |
| KB7T-AA4A | Infinite lives |
| AJTT-AA8L | Infinite credits |
| AJ6T-BA6T | Start with 2 credits |
| A26T-BA6T | Start with 6 credits |
| BA6T-BA6T | Start with 8 credits |
| AATT-ACHJ | Start with 1 life after each credit |
| AATT-ALHJ | Start with 5 lives after each credit |
| AATT-ARHJ | Start with 7 lives after each credit |
| AATT-AWHJ | Start with 9 lives after each credit |
| ABAA-ACFW | Start with 1 life, only on the 1st credit. |
| ABAA-ALFW | Start with 5 lives (only on the first credit) |
| ABAA-ARFW | Start with 7 lives (only on the first credit) |
| ABAA-AWFW | Start with 9 lives (only on the first credit) |
| ABAA-AEF2 | Start with 2 magic pots |
| ABAA-AJF2 | Start with 4 magic pots |
| FGXA-BJX6 | magic pot worth 2 |
| FGXA-BNX6 | magic pot worth 3 |
| SA7A-BEYL | Start on Stage 2 |
| SA7A-BJYL | Start on Stage 3 |
| SA7A-BNYL | Start on Stage 4 |
| SA7A-BTYL | Start on Stage 5 |
| SA7A-BYYL | Start on Stage 6 |
| SA7A-B2YL | Start on Stage 7 |
| SA7A-B6YL | Start on Stage 8 |
| BB1A-AA78 | Infinite hit points |
| RF8A-A6W6 | Infinite magic |
| KB8T-AA46 | Infinite lives |
| AJVT-AA2T | Infinite credits |
| AJ7T-BA28 | Start with 2 credits |
| A27T-BA28 | Start with 6 credits |
| BA7T-BA28 | Start with 8 credits |
| ABBA-ACC4 | Start with 1 life (only on the first credit) |
| ABBA-ALC4 | Start with 5 lives (only on the first credit) |
| ABBA-ARC4 | Start with 7 lives (only on the first credit) |
| ABBA-AWC4 | Start with 9 lives (only on the first credit) |
| AAVT-ACBR | Start with 1 life after each credit |
| AAVT-ALBR | Start with 5 lives after each credit |
| AAVT-ARBR | Start with 7 lives after each credit |
| AAVT-AWBR | Start with 9 lives after each credit |
| ABBA-AEDA | Start with 2 magic pots |
| ABBA-AJDA | Start with 4 magic pots |
| FGYT-BJVY | Each magic pot is worth 2 |
| FGYT-BNVY | Each magic pot is worth 3 |
| SA8A-BET2 | Start on Stage 2 |
| SA8A-BJT2 | Start on Stage 3 |
| SA8A-BNT2 | Start on Stage 4 |
| SA8A-BTT2 | Start on Stage 5 |
| SA8A-BYT2 | Start on Stage 6 |
| SA8A-B2T2 | Start on Stage 7 |
| SA8A-B6T2 | Start on Stage 8 |
Dreamcast
Action Replay codes
| 7475D92B00000303 | Player 1 has infinite lives |
| 3D612E6F00000303 | Player 2 has infinite lives |
| ADAB5BB800005050 | Player 1 has infinite health |
| 6043616900005050 | Player 2 has infinite health |
| 54877D7F00000404 | Player 1 Gilius Thunderhead has max. magic |
| A21B5BB900000404 | Player 2 Gilius Thunderhead has max. magic |
| 54877D7F00000606 | Player 1 Ax Battler has max. magic |
| A21B5BB900000606 | Player 2 Ax Battler has max. magic |
| 54877D7F00000909 | Player 1 Tyris Flare has max. magic |
| A21B5BB900000909 | Player 2 Tyris Flare has max. magic |
Code Breaker codes
| 01309BFC + 00000303 | Player 1 has infinite lives |
| 01309C0C + 00000303 | Player 2 has infinite lives |
| 01309BFE + 00005050 | Player 1 has infinite health |
| 01309C0E + 00005050 | Player 2 has infinite health |
| 0D309C02 + 00000200 + 01309C00 + 00000404 | Player 1 Gilius Thunderhead has max. magic |
| 0D309C12 + 00000200 + 01309C10 + 00000404 | Player 2 Gilius Thunderhead has max. magic |
| 0D309C02 + 00000000 + 01309C00 + 00000606 | Player 1 Ax Battler has max. magic |
| 0D309C12 + 00000000 + 01309C10 + 00000606 | Player 2 Ax Battler has max. magic |
| 0D309C02 + 00000100 + 01309C00 + 00000909 | Player 1 Tyris Flare has max. magic |
| 0D309C12 + 00000100 + 01309C10 + 00000909 | Player 2 Tyris Flare has max. magic |
MS-DOS
Kill Death Adder instantly
On Stage 6, use your magic as soon as Death Adder comes through the big doors. If done right he'll fall through the doorway and into the ground, killing him instantly.
Due to timing differences this may or may not work on faster computers or via emulation.
Level Select
After choosing a character, press and hold a number key on the top row (not the number pad) between 1 and 8 to begin on that stage, then release when the level finishes loading. In The Duel this will take you to the round with that number.
Play as enemies
DWARF.SPR |
Gilius Thunderhead |
HERO.SPR |
Ax Battler) |
AMAZON.SPR |
Tyris Flare |
BTHIEF.SPR |
Blue Thief |
GTHIEF.SPR |
Green Thief |
BIGGUY.SPR |
Bad Brother |
CHICKEN.SPR |
Chicken Leg |
DEATH.SPR |
Death Adder |
DRAGON.SPR |
Dragon |
EVILLADY.SPR |
Amazon |
HENINGER.SPR |
Heninger |
LONGMOAN.SPR |
Longmoan |
SKELETON.SPR |
Skeleton |
Some abandonware sites distribute a cracked version known as "Super Golden Axe". This version includes a batch file that allows you to play as various enemies. This trick works with any MS-DOS version, however. The files are listed to the right.
Simply swapping a playable sprite for an enemy sprite makes that enemy replace that character completely. Since this was never an intended game feature there are some snags: enemies have no magic, and can't use attacks they don't normally have. They will also change color as differently-colored enemies of the same type approach, and their palettes corrupt entirely on levels they do not appear on. The Thieves also have their usual "wander" behavior when a direction is pushed.
Amiga
Continue Game
When you reach a Game Over hold I and II and press RUN to continue playing.
Extra life
Begin a single player game with two joysticks plugged in. After losing a life press Fire on joystick two to get three additional lives.
Commodore 64
Unlimited Lives
Load or reset the game, then use the BASIC command POKE 13158,173, then start or reset the game. If done correctly you will have unlimited lives.
Master System
Extra Continues
At the Game Over screen hold 
+File:Sms-Dpad-2.png to get extra continues.
Extra Lives
At the Game Over screen hold +
+
.