Altered Beast

aka: 3D Altered Beast, Altered Beast Classic, Jūōki
Moby ID: 2019
Arcade Specs
Buy on Commodore 64
$36.00 used, $329.99 new on eBay
Buy on Genesis
$20.50 used on eBay
Buy on Windows
$0.99 new on Steam
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Description official descriptions

You are a hero raised from the dead by the god Zeus to rescue his daughter Athena. With scenery inspired by Ancient Greece, you have to fight hordes of undead and demons, with a boss at the end of each level until you meet the god Neff, who holds the girl captive.

The Altered Beast title refers to your shapeshifting abilities. In this platformer, you can collect spirit balls by defeating two-headed wolves, allowing you to mutate into different beasts such as a werewolf, a dragon, a tiger, a bear and others depending on the version. Each form, tied to a level, comes with special abilities such as flight and powerful attacks, easily superseding the basic set of punches and kicks in your human form.

The game can be played in single player mode, or in same-screen multiplayer co-op mode.

Spellings

  • 兽王记 - Chinese spelling (simplified)
  • 獣王記 - Japanese spelling

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Credits (Arcade version)

11 People

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Reviews

Critics

Average score: 60% (based on 58 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.1 out of 5 (based on 221 ratings with 10 reviews)

A cult classic

The Good
I really like this game, very much, It kept me interested right from when you hear Zeus say "Rise From Your Grave" to the final fight against Neff. Very action packed, and I really liked it how you can transform into a type of animal, for instance the Werewolf, which was one of my favorites, I liked that. Plus when you get the orbs, you get tougher and tougher. I really think that was cool

The Bad
It was too short, I wish they would of had a little more to the storyline, I mean 5 levels? That is a short game. I could go for a lot more levels, maybe more animals to transform into, and the bosses were really easy to defeat

The Bottom Line
Altred Beast is a game were you are risin from the Grave by Zeus to save his daughter Athena from the evil god Neff, you go through 5 levels and defeat bosses at each level who try to stop you from getting to Neff, You have to collect 3 orbs to get transformed into a animal.

Genesis · by AaronGamer (29) · 2007

Welcome to your doom

The Good
In Altered Beast, you play a human, who is resurrected by Zeus to rescue his kidnapped daughter Athena. To do this, you need to go through five stages, defeating zombies, both air- and ground-based, with your punches and kicks. On your travels, you can obtain power-ups that are left behind by pumas. Get three of these power-ups, and you transform into a wild beast that has strength needed to defeat the boss at the end of each stage.

The beast that you turn to depends on what stage you're on. For instance, the first stage has you turning into a werewolf. Subsequent stages include a were-dragon, were-bear, and were-tiger. Out of all these, I enjoy playing as were-dragon, since you are not confined to the ground the way the other beasts are. But although most of the beasts can jump high in the air, this isn't the same.

Out of all the versions of Altered Beast that I have played so far, the Genesis version of the game looks and feels like the coin-op version. Similar sounds are played between the two. My favorite sound would be when your character says “Power Up”. It makes him sound like Thor. The graphics come just as close. The environments that are portrayed in the last three levels are well done. The controls act like they should.

The Bad
Unfortunately, the music doesn't even come as close to that of the coin-op version. The music in the Genesis version sounds as if the person who composed it only used one finger. The coin-op version has much better music, which blends in with the next piece very well. A thing missing is the Continue option, which lets you continue the game after you lose all your lives.

The Bottom Line
The Genesis version of Altered Beast has graphics that come close to the coin-op version as possible. The Genesis version is the best of the other versions that I have played so far. The only complaint about the game is the music, which sounds crap when it is compared to the coin-op version. If you have a Genesis, or a Genesis emulator, then Altered Beast is worth a look.

Genesis · by Katakis | カタキス (43092) · 2005

Decent platform beat 'em up with impressive werebeast, greek mythology theme

The Good
Mostly the idea of, in each stage, becoming a new werebeast, each with its own special attacks. I also liked the involvement of Greek mythology like Zeus, Athena and the underworld(i.e Hades). So I understand, Team Shinobi's original backstory was, a race of werebeasts had risen above the the other races, becoming god-like, so Zeus, deciding they had become too powerful, turned them all to stone. When his daughter Athena was kidnapped by "Neff"(the bald-headed antagonist appears to have been originally unnamed), Zeus decided to revive one of the wearbeasts for a rescue mission i.e his lightning bolt breaking you out of the stone block at the start. Other versions of the game had you as a dead Roman centurion bought back to life(by a Greek god!).

The game is good to watch, the large combatants and the facial view of your transformation into a werebeast in each stage. "Neff" is a pretty cool villain, transforming into monster-bosses("Welcome to your doom!"). Good background music too, haunting, with a rocking beat. Another thing I link is the feeling of power when you go from being a strong yet vulnerable man, fighting only with his fists and feet, to a werebeast, almost invincible with fire and electricity attacks....until the boss arrives and puts you back on the defensive.

The Bad
It plays only averagely. Of course it's perfectly common for an arcade game to look great, but not be particularly easy to get the hang of, lest you get too much for your money. So, fighting as an unarmed muscleman, it's pretty easy to get knocked down. Fighting the bosses as a werebeast is pretty tough too, there are strategies for winning, but they still take a bit of luck and effort. However, there is no backtrack-penalty for losing a life or getting a game over i.e at the arcade you can win if you're willing to spend the money.

The Bottom Line
The original arcade version is the best I've played and it's worth the money and/or time that it takes to complete it, even a few times. It can be a great feeling, becoming a werebeast ;)

Arcade · by Andrew Fisher (697) · 2018

[ View all 10 player reviews ]

Discussion

Subject By Date
Steam release (2010) is Mega Drive/Genesis version Andrew Fisher (697) Nov 28, 2022
Back story, Japanese vs. rest of world Andrew Fisher (697) Nov 16, 2022
Short review(arcade, MD/Gen, SMS) Andrew Fisher (697) Oct 6, 2022

Trivia

Compilation

A version of Altered Beast is included in Sega's Smash Pack compilation CD.

Genesis pack-in game

This game was the first pack-in game to come with the Genesis when it first came out in 1989.

Megadriver

The Brazilian Heavy metal band Megadriver, specialized in SEGA MegaDrive music, did a cover of the first level theme, complete with one of the band members saying "Rise from your grave".

References

The ride-able lizard-birds from Golden Axe make a cameo appearance in the second stage. Bizarrian, a hybrid between an amphibian and a parrot, is also present in Golden Axe.

Version differences

The NES version adds 3 new stages and 2 unique transformations: a shark, and a bird. On the other hand, the SMS version removes the tiger level. The Zodiac release is an emulation of the Genesis version, but for one player only.

Awards

  • Power Play
    • Issue 01/1990 - Biggest Failure of 1989

Information also contributed by Mad_Griffith, Matthew Melbourne, Robbb and Zovni

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Luiz Pacheco.

Android added by mars_rulez. Nintendo 3DS added by GTramp. Commodore 64, NES, SEGA Master System, Genesis added by PCGamer77. PlayStation 3 added by Lain Crowley. Nintendo Switch added by Rik Hideto. Wii added by Guy Chapman. iPad, Zodiac added by Sciere. TurboGrafx CD added by Zovni. Windows, Linux, Macintosh added by Foxhack. ZX Spectrum added by Martin Smith. Atari ST added by ZZip. TurboGrafx-16 added by Terok Nor. Arcade added by The cranky hermit. iPhone added by Scaryfun. Xbox 360 added by Ben K. MSX added by koffiepad. Amstrad CPC added by Katakis | カタキス. Amiga added by Syed GJ.

Additional contributors: Rogee, Unicorn Lynx, Sciere, lugnut, Игги Друге, LepricahnsGold, MegamanX64, Patrick Bregger, Starbuck the Third, GTramp, Kennyannydenny, Harmony♡, heather sturmer.

Game added July 21, 2000. Last modified March 4, 2024.