From the Title Screen, press the Start button on Controller 1 for one player, or Controller 2 for two players. Use Controller 1 to select from the following modes:

Arcade
Play the arcade version of Golden Axe. Your journey takes placeover eight stages. 

Beginner
Play a simplified version of Golden Axe. In this mode, the game ends at stage 3, after a battle with Death Adder Jr.

The Duel
Test your skill against other game characters. In single-player games, you fight one-by-one against 12 of Death Adder’s soldiers, each one more powerful than the last. The battle ends if you lose a duel. In two-player games, the two players fight each other until one warrior defeats the other. Once the game mode is selected, select a warrior to play via the Select Player screen.