<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
( 魔境伝説	O
Makyō	O
Densetsu	O
in	O
Japan	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
horizontal	O
platform	O
video	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
and	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
as	O
a	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
launch	O
title	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
Gogan	O
,	O
a	O
barbarian	B-Application
whose	O
girl	O
,	O
Flare	O
,	O
was	O
kidnapped	O
by	O
the	O
cult	O
of	O
Jagu	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
must	O
navigate	O
through	O
six	O
platforming	O
levels	O
,	O
armed	O
with	O
a	O
legendary	B-Application
axe	I-Application
named	O
"	O
Sting	O
"	O
to	O
defeat	O
Jagu	O
and	O
his	O
minions	O
and	O
rescue	O
Flare	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
received	O
high	O
praise	O
and	O
accolades	O
among	O
video	O
game	O
reviewers	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
received	O
positive	O
preview	O
coverage	O
in	O
anticipation	O
with	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
'	O
s	O
launch	O
,	O
showcasing	O
the	O
new	O
console	O
's	O
capabilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
won	O
the	O
"	O
Best	O
 [ TurboGrafx-16 ] 	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Video	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
(	O
for	O
all	O
consoles	O
)	O
awards	O
from	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
and	O
VideoGames	O
&	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
respectively	O
for	O
1989	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
continued	O
to	O
receive	O
praise	O
from	O
reviewers	O
years	O
after	O
its	O
release	O
for	O
its	O
simple	O
gameplay	O
and	O
game	O
design	O
that	O
showed	O
the	O
performance	O
and	O
capabilities	O
of	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
a	O
faraway	O
land	O
,	O
where	O
its	O
inhabitants	O
have	O
been	O
under	O
the	O
control	O
of	O
the	O
cult	O
of	O
Jagu	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
village	O
elders	O
hand	O
Gogan	O
the	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
named	O
"	O
Sting	O
"	O
which	O
gives	O
him	O
great	O
strength	O
to	O
fight	O
the	O
evil	O
cult	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
is	O
a	O
side-scrolling	O
action/platform	O
video	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
assumes	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
Gogan	O
,	O
who	O
sets	O
out	O
through	O
six	O
differently-themed	O
levels	O
(	O
called	O
"	O
zones	O
"	O
)	O
including	O
jungles	O
,	O
caves	O
,	O
and	O
mountains	O
;	O
the	O
object	O
is	O
to	O
defeat	O
creatures	O
such	O
as	O
"	O
frog	O
men	O
"	O
,	O
bears	O
,	O
and	O
giant	O
spiders	O
with	O
his	O
Legendary	B-Application
Axe	I-Application
"	O
Sting	O
"	O
;	O
eliminate	O
Jagu	O
and	O
his	O
cult	O
;	O
and	O
rescue	O
Flare	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
ends	B-Application
when	O
players	O
have	O
lost	O
all	O
their	O
lives	O
,	O
but	O
they	O
get	O
four	O
continues	O
in	O
which	O
they	O
can	O
restart	O
the	O
game	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
section	O
in	O
which	O
they	O
have	O
lost	O
all	O
their	O
lives	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
zones	O
in	O
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
consist	O
of	O
different	O
environments	O
;	O
they	O
range	O
from	O
dark	O
forests	O
to	O
caverns	O
to	O
mountain	O
plateaus	O
to	O
fortresses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Victor	O
Musical	O
Industries	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
under	O
the	O
title	O
Makyō	O
Densetsu	O
in	O
Japan	O
for	O
the	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
by	O
the	O
same	O
company	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
its	O
North	O
American	O
release	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
retitled	O
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
and	O
was	O
displayed	O
with	O
the	O
other	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
games	O
and	O
the	O
console	O
itself	O
at	O
the	O
1989	O
International	O
Winter	O
Consumer	O
Electronics	O
Show	O
in	O
Las	O
Vegas	O
,	O
Nevada	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
in	O
1989	O
,	O
NEC	O
retooled	O
Hudson	O
Soft	O
's	O
console	O
and	O
renamed	O
it	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
for	O
its	O
imminent	O
North	O
American	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
as	O
a	O
launch	O
title	O
for	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1990	O
,	O
Victor	O
published	O
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
II	I-Application
(	O
Ankoku	O
Densetsu	O
,	O
roughly	O
translated	O
as	O
"	O
Dark	O
Legend	O
"	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Intended	O
as	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
the	O
titular	O
axe	O
is	O
not	O
the	O
main	O
weapon	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
"	O
strength	O
meter	O
"	O
gameplay	O
mechanic	O
has	O
been	O
removed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
received	O
positive	O
coverage	O
upon	O
its	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
an	O
overview	O
of	O
the	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
,	O
VideoGames	O
&	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
referred	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
characteristic	O
of	O
the	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
's	O
advanced	O
sound	O
,	O
graphics	O
and	O
game	O
play	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ed	O
Semrad	O
said	O
it	O
"	O
is	O
how	O
[	O
a	O
platform	O
game ]	O
should	O
have	O
been	O
done	O
"	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
should	O
be	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
owners	O
should	O
buy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jim	O
Allee	O
repeated	O
Semrad	O
's	O
observation	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
Rastan	B-Device
but	O
with	O
better	O
graphics	O
;	O
he	O
praised	O
its	O
detailed	O
sprites	O
,	O
the	O
diverse	O
music	O
and	O
gameplay	O
,	O
and	O
difficulty	O
level	O
and	O
concluded	O
that	O
it	O
"	O
is	O
everything	O
you	O
could	O
want	O
in	O
a	O
game	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
received	O
several	O
awards	O
and	O
accolades	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthlys	O
"	O
Best	O
and	O
Worst	O
of	O
1989	O
"	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
won	O
"	O
Best	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
honors	O
for	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
magazine	O
cited	O
a	O
"	O
perfect	O
blend	O
of	O
action	B-Application
and	O
adventure	O
"	O
and	O
outstanding	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
received	O
an	O
award	O
for	O
"	O
Coolest	O
Boss	O
Attackers	O
"	O
for	O
its	O
final	O
boss	O
Jagu	O
–	O
an	O
award	O
that	O
was	O
shared	O
with	O
1989	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
"	O
Best	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
Ghouls	B-Application
'	I-Application
n	I-Application
Ghosts	I-Application
for	O
its	O
final	O
boss	O
"	O
Loki	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
has	O
a	O
little	O
of	O
everything	O
:	O
loads	O
of	O
axe-swinging	O
action	B-Application
,	O
layer	O
upon	O
layer	O
of	O
high-quality	O
music	O
and	O
smooth	O
,	O
colorful	O
animation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
combination	O
of	O
these	O
elements	O
brought	O
this	O
action	B-Application
adventure	O
to	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
video-game	O
heap	O
like	O
rising	O
cream.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
continued	O
to	O
receive	O
praise	O
from	O
reviewers	O
years	O
after	O
its	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
his	O
overview	O
of	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
'	O
s	O
history	O
,	O
IGN	O
's	O
Levi	O
Buchanan	O
pointed	O
out	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
made	O
the	O
console	O
"	O
an	O
easy	O
sell	O
"	O
for	O
buyers	O
and	O
showed	O
the	O
superior	O
performance	O
of	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
over	O
the	O
Nintendo	O
Entertainment	O
System	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
said	O
that	O
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
"	O
made	O
the	O
NES	O
look	O
downright	O
ancient	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
separate	O
full	O
review	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
Buchanan	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
an	O
improvement	O
over	O
the	O
console	O
's	O
pack-in	O
game	O
Keith	B-Application
Courage	I-Application
in	I-Application
Alpha	I-Application
Zones	I-Application
;	O
he	O
said	O
that	O
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
was	O
more	O
fun	O
and	O
had	O
good	O
action	B-Application
compared	O
to	O
the	O
former	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
remained	O
enjoyable	O
almost	O
20	O
years	O
after	O
its	O
release	O
because	O
of	O
its	O
simple	O
platforming	O
gameplay	O
compared	O
to	O
more	O
complicated	O
modern	O
video	O
games	O
like	O
Mass	B-Application
Effect	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
smooth	O
animation	O
,	O
innovative	O
and	O
detailed	O
backgrounds	O
,	O
enemy	O
designs	O
,	O
and	O
soundtrack	O
–	O
saying	O
that	O
"	O
any	O
classic	O
game	O
tune	O
nerd	O
would	O
enjoy	O
having	O
[	O
the	O
music ]	O
on	O
their	O
iPod	B-Device
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
was	O
not	O
released	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
service	O
,	O
and	O
IGN	O
's	O
Lucas	O
Thomas	O
rated	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
the	O
3rd	O
best	O
in	O
a	O
list	O
of	O
"	O
Top10	O
unreleased	O
TurboGrafx	B-General_Concept
Titles	O
"	O
for	O
the	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
said	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
shocked	O
to	O
find	O
that	O
this	O
game	O
was	O
not	O
on	O
the	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
,	O
given	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
'	O
s	O
flagship	O
titles	O
that	O
were	O
heavily	O
advertised	O
when	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
UK-based	O
magazine	O
Retro	O
Gamer	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
look	O
back	O
to	O
video	O
gaming	O
in	O
January1989	O
,	O
made	O
a	O
similar	O
comparison	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
Rastan	B-Device
,	O
"	O
with	O
a	O
lot	O
of	O
sword	O
slashing	O
and	O
platform	O
jumping	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Legendary	I-Application
Axe	I-Application
in	O
Japan	O
was	O
what	O
caused	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
launch	O
title	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
