Play Athena-mame Online

Game Overview

Athena-mame is one of those weirdly charming arcade games from the '80s where you play as a sword-wielding princess in a toga—because why not? You jump between floating platforms, slash at monsters that look like they escaped from Greek mythology gone wrong, and occasionally pick up power-ups that turn your weapon into something ridiculous like a giant mallet. The controls are stiff in that classic arcade way, but once you get used to it, there's something satisfying about the sheer absurdity of it all.

The pixel art holds up surprisingly well, especially Athena’s animations when she takes a hit—she does this dramatic little stumble that makes you feel bad for her. And good luck with the later levels; some of those jumps require pixel-perfect timing. It’s the kind of game where you’ll die a lot, but each run feels just short enough that you’ll keep mashing the coin button to try again.

If you’ve got a soft spot for janky retro platformers with personality, this one’s worth a few rounds.