Proto:Golden Axe II (Genesis)

The only known prototype of Golden Axe II. It is very similar to the final version, but all the text is different. The game is fully playable.

Leak date unknown, all the text is in engrish, likely a rough translation by a Japanese person at Sega. There are many minor graphical changes, also several bugs not in the final version are present.

The main menu does not offer the two player option. The level select cheat is also activated permanently.

The player starts with 3 lives, and descends 3, 2, 1 then death. Unlike the final that starts at 2, then descends 2, 1, 0 then death.

All the ranking screens have a black background.

The always on level select also goes up to 8 and 9. 8 gives a completely glitched level, 9 loads the duel screen but there's nothing there.

All enemies use the same death sound.

The options screen is also missing a title. Two sound effects missing, death sounds 34 and 35. 34 is old man death, and 35 is large wolf death. Menu does not have looping (Z to A) option either.

If LEFT+RIGHT buttons are pushed at the same time, the character walks to the right side of the screen at extremely high velocity.

At the end of Dragon's Throat stage, you are given a single cerberus to fight. When he is killed, the boss music starts and you get another cerberus with the two lizards.

The credits are also missing, placeholders are only there. ABCDEF.