You can choose from three classic heroes, each with different magic strengths:
Casting a spell right as an enemy's body hits the floor can sometimes count as a double kill, boosting your end-game strength score.
Are you playing the or are you going for achievements in the SEGA Mega Drive Classics collection?
On "Easy" difficulty, you can use the level select to skip to Stage 6 (The Castle), where you only have to fight three skeletons.
Jump and then press Down + Attack. It is one of the most powerful moves and can one-shot simpler enemies.
Use the "Special Attack" (Attack + Jump simultaneously) to hit enemies both in front of and behind you when you are surrounded.