Altered Beast
This iconic launch title for the Genesis follows a resurrected Roman centurion who transforms into mythical beasts to rescue Zeus' daughter Athena from the underworld god Neff. Features groundbreaking morphing animations and a legendary voice sample: "Wise fwom your gwave!"
Platform
Genesis
Year
1988
Genre
Beat 'em up
Developer
Sega
Controls
About This Game
Originally an arcade hit, Altered Beast was adapted as a pack-in game for the Genesis in North America, showcasing the console's graphical capabilities with its detailed sprite animations and multi-layered parallax scrolling.
The transformation system allows players to collect three Spirit Balls from defeated enemies to evolve into five different creatures: Werewolf, Werebear, Weretiger, Weredragon, and Golden Wolf - each with unique attacks and abilities.
Notable for its Greco-Roman mythology setting mixed with horror elements, the game spans five stages featuring undead warriors, Cerberus, and Neff's bone dragon. The soundtrack combines orchestral samples with synth-rock.
While criticized for short length and repetitive gameplay, it remains culturally significant as one of the first games to demonstrate the Genesis' power, and spawned a 2005 3D remake for PlayStation 2.
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