1980s
Altered Beast
1988 · Beat 'em up · Arcade
Overview
Altered Beast is a classic 1980s beat 'em up game developed by Sega for Arcade.
Deep Dive
Altered Beast is a classic 1980s beat 'em up game developed by Sega for Arcade.
Developer Story
Altered Beast was developed by Sega in 1988. Players collected spirit balls to transform into powerful beasts — werewolf, werebear, weretiger, weredragon, and golden wolf — for boss fights. The transformation power fantasy, with accompanying voice samples ("RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!"), made it memorable. Altered Beast was the pack-in game bundled with the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in North America, ensuring it was played by millions.
Did You Know?
- "RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!" and "WELCOME TO YOUR DOOM!" became instantly recognisable voice samples due to the game's Genesis bundle status.
- Altered Beast was the first game most Genesis owners played, making it one of the most culturally significant games of the 16-bit era despite mixed reviews.
- The five transformation types each had distinct visual designs and attack patterns, created by the same Sega art team as Space Harrier.
- Two-player co-op let one player control the hero and the other a clone — both could transform independently.
