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The Astyanax
阿斯特亚那克斯
The Astyanax is an action platformer released by Jaleco in 1989. Players control a young hero wielding a magical axe through multiple side-scrolling stages filled with enemies and obstacles. The game features sword-like melee combat with the axe as the primary weapon, along with magic spells that can be acquired during gameplay. Players navigate left and right across each level, defeating enemies and avoiding hazards to reach the stage's end. The axe provides close-range attacks, while magic adds variety to combat options. The game consists of several sequential levels with increasing difficulty, requiring players to master timing and positioning to progress.
- Developer
- Jaleco
- Released
- 1989
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 (4.4K)
- Last updated
The Astyanax Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for The Astyanax on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
The Astyanax Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of The Astyanax on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"The Astyanax" Arcade longplay 1989
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was The Astyanax released?
The Astyanax was released in 1989 for the Arcade.
Who developed The Astyanax?
The Astyanax was developed by Jaleco, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
What type of game is The Astyanax?
The Astyanax is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play The Astyanax for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — The Astyanax runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play The Astyanax in the browser?
No. The Astyanax streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in The Astyanax?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does The Astyanax work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play The Astyanax this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of The Astyanax. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
