Altered Beast
From Sega Retro
Altered Beast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega System 16, Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Famicom, PC Engine, CD-ROM², Virtual Console, iOS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Sega, Sega, Asmik, Template:PCECD NEC Avenue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Team Shinobi, Sega, Interlink, Template:PCECD Bits Laboratory | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sound driver: Pre-SMPS Z80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Action | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CERO
Missing Parameter! |
- For the PlayStation 2 game, see Altered Beast (2005). For the home computer versions, see Altered Beast (home computers).
Altered Beast, called Juuouki (獣王記) in Japan, is a Sega System 16 arcade game released in 1988 by Sega. It was developed by the creator of Golden Axe, Makoto Uchida and shares many graphical similarities as a result. The game was notable as it allows the player to take on the form of various "Were Animals".
A year later it was ported to various consoles, including the Sega Mega Drive, which it was bundled with during the console's early years. There was a watered down port for the Sega Master System also, and several ports to non-Sega systems, including console rivals the Famicom and PC Engine. The Master System version is especially notable for receiving abysmal reviews.
Contents
Storyline and Gameplay
In Ancient Rome, the evil Demon God, Neff, has kidnapped Zeus' Daughter, Athena. Zeus revives a centurion from the dead to rescue his daughter. This is where the first stage starts, with Zeus saying the famous "Rise from your grave!" line. The centurion must kill the Wolf-like Demons that flash multiple colors (the Mega Drive version lacks the flashing effect and the characters stay blue instead). Killing them unleashes a spirit ball that the player must grab in order to transform. The first two increase muscle mass slightly while the third spirit ball will transform the centurion into a beast depending in what stage the player is in.
Once the player has changed into a beast he/she can then confront Neff who will appear and say "Welcome to your doom!" and create a smoke cloud which then disappears revealing a monster that also depends upon stage as well. If the player has not collected three spirit balls before reaching Neff the level will start over from the beginning. After each boss fight Neff's head appears from a hole in the ground and he steals all three of the player's Spirit balls causing the player to revert back to his/her normal state. The player the proceeds to jump down the hole continuing to follow Neff.
Stages
Here is a rundown of each stage. There are five stages in all:
Stage 1 - Werewolf | |
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This is a graveyard of sorts. The centurion, is revived from here by Zeus. Upon collecting three spirit balls, the player will transform into a Werewolf. The Werewolf has the ability to fire energy balls from its hands and do an energy kick that makes it fly across the screen damaging anything in the way without stopping until the player reaches the edge of the screen. Neff becomes a weird horned demon thing that can launch his head off and grow a new one instantaneously. As a result, Neff can fire up to five heads at the player at nearly the same time. The heads then fall straight to the ground. In the Arcade version of this stage Alex Kidd's name as well as Stella's are engraved on some of the destroyable tombstones. Zombies litter the place, including self destructing and hard punching Zombies. | |
Stage 2 - Weredragon | |
The player is inside a cave. An enemy who would later appear as a steed in Golden Axe is in this stage. (it acts the same too.) Weird Rattlesnake things jump from the ground and ceiling vertically. Strange blobby things will jump on the players head and suck their health away but is easily destroyed by moving the directional button once it is on the player's head. The player Transforms into a Weredragon, which uses electric attacks. Punching makes the Weredragon shoot lightening from its fist while kicking causes it to generate lightening all over its body. Neff changes into a multi-eyed thingy, who can fire eyes at the player which slowly hover across screen. | |
Stage 3 - Werebear | |
In this stage the player is in a canyon. There are bottomless pits which will cause an instant death for the player and any enemies who fall in. The player transforms into a Werebear in this stage. The Werebear can turn opponents to stone by pressing the punch button and can curl up into a ball and bounce with the kick button. Neff changes into a dragon with a snail shell. It must be attacked repeatedly to make its head come out of the snail shell in the arcade version if the player wishes to do any damage. Neff can also shoot slow moving Swirling fire to damage the player. (Hint: The Bouncing ability makes the fight easier in the Mega Drive version of the game.) | |
Stage 4 - Weretiger | |
The Player is getting closer to Neff's Lair. The player is now in some sort of sanctuary. Exploding Zombies make a reappearance in this stage. upon collecting three spirit balls the player changes into the Weretiger. The Weretiger is the same as the Werewolf except that all of its attacks are vertical. Neff changes into a floating dragon thing that shoots fire out of its belly and moves up and down as well as forward some. In the arcade version the fire can pretty much waste a single credit (3 lives) with one shot due to the knock down effect present in the game. He shoots Miniature red Weredragons from his body as well. | |
Stage 5 - Golden Werewolf | |
This is the underworld, complete with Unicorn men and Goat men as well as a host of other nasty new and old enemies. The player will turn into the Golden Werewolf, which as redundant as it is, is only slightly stronger than the regular Werewolf. That being said The attacks are the same. Neff takes on the form of a Rhino man who ironically was a statue that appeared in the background of Stage 4. This boss charges at the player with his horn extended forward or he tries to punch the player.Right before each attack, puffs of steam come out of his nose and he shakes a little. |
Ending - Basically in the arcade version, the ending acts like the whole game was a movie. Monsters and the main characters remove their costumes and celebrate the completion of their movie with a toast and mugs of beer. Then it shows a drawn version of each person involved with the game's creation except that a white bar appears over their eyes giving the impression that the don't want the player to see to actually see their faces. Typical Sega humor for that time period.
The Mega Drive version's ending is the same except that the movie cast sequence doesn't happen. Instead credits roll and the Centurion is standing off to the side of the screen with the background of stage 1 behind him. Interestingly the player can control the Centurion during this sequence. When he touches the words of the credits he acts like an enemy knocked him down. He will not die though. In addition to this, if the player decides to play the Mega Drive version again without turning off the power, they will start from the beginning of the game but there will be more powerful and dangerous enemies lurking in the earlier levels. (many of the ones that appeared in stage 4 and 5.) The boss fights also become more fierce. The ending remains unchanged. After the third playthrough loop, enemies and bosses don't become stronger anymore.
Sequels
Altered Beast, despite being heavily ported and widely distributed, did not see a sequel until Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms for the Game Boy Advance in 2002. This game was developed by the now defunct, 3d6 games and the game's concept is quite consistent with the original game's formula. There were also new beasts to transform into as well as power ups.
A second sequel called, Jūōki: Project Altered Beast was developed by WOW Entertainmentfor the PlayStation 2. This game is set in a more modern scenario and the story follows a "Genome-Cyborg" named Luke Custer. The game is heavily criticized for bad camera angles and some other crippling programming mistakes.
Production Credits
Arcade Version
Team Shinobi 1988 Summer: FU., TAK., MOR., TOS., NAK., KAW., SAT., UCH., HKR., HAS., HAG.
Mega Drive Version
Coordinate: No Nukes
Designer: Phoenix Rie, Udi
Programmer: Tasi, Healthy Tatsu, Momonga Momo
Sound: Nav
Special Thanks to: Team Sinobi
CD-ROM² Version
Executive Producer: Shigenobu Nanbu
Producer: Toshio Tabeta
Director: Takashi Ozama
Programmer: Hideki Mesuda
Graphic: Yasunori Takahara
Music: Metal Yamashita, Fumina Murohoshi
Assistant: Chieko Ochiai, Hiroshi Matsuda
Special Thanks To: Noriyuki Watanabe, Yoshiko Ishibashi, Fumiko Suzuki
Presented by NEC Avenue
©Sega 1988
Hints
Gallery
Promotional Material
Digital manuals
Physical Scans
System 16 Version
System 16, US | ||||
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Mega Drive Version
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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59 | |
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Based on 22 reviews |
Mega Drive, CA |
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Master System Version
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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49 | |
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Based on 14 reviews |
Famicom Version
PC Engine
PC Engine, JP |
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CD-ROM² Version
Sega Retro Average | ||||
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Template:PCECD | N/A |
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Based on 0 reviews |
CD-ROM², JP |
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Exernal Links
- Virtual Console page on Sega.jp (Japanese)
- Altered Beast on Xbox.com: US, GB
- Altered Beast on Steam
Games in the Altered Beast/Juuouki Series | |
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Altered Beast (home computers) (1988) | Electronic Altered Beast (1990) | Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms (2002) | Altered Beast (2005) | 3D Altered Beast (2013) | |
Altered Beast related media | |
Altered Beast (2017) | |
Sega Game Attack Manual Book Juuouki (1989) | |
Other | List of Altered Beast merchandise |
- ↑ File:Megatech UK 01.pdf, page 76
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 File:Segapro UK 01.pdf, page 19
- ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 18
- ↑ ACE, "November 1989" (UK; 1989-10-xx), page 144
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "February 1990" (JP; 1990-01-08), page 71
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 48
- ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 26
- ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 44
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 127
- ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 288
- ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 19
- ↑ Famitsu, "" (JP; 1988-1x-xx), page 1
- ↑ The Games Machine, "June 1989" (UK; 1989-05-18), page 17
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 90
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 79
- ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "November 1989" (JP; 1989-10-07), page 49
- ↑ MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 76
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 132
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Power Play, "7/89" (DE; 1989-06-12), page 54
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 52
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Sega Pro, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 19
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
- ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 13
- ↑ File:StheSegaMagazine_UK_09.pdf, page 12
- ↑ ACE, "June 1989" (UK; 1989-05-04), page 50
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 138
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-04-11), page 86
- ↑ The Games Machine, "May 1989" (UK; 1989-04-20), page 49
- ↑ Games Preview, "6 1989" (DK; 1989-xx-xx), page 50
- ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Marzo 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 96
- ↑ Popular Computing Weekly, "August 3 1989" (UK; 1989-08-03), page 15
- ↑ S: The Sega Magazine, "August 1990" (UK; 1990-07-05), page 12
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 55
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 70
- ↑ Tilt, "Juin 1989" (FR; 1989-xx-xx), page 60
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