Altered Beast (1988) gameplay screenshot
Year1988
Decade1980s
PlatformArcade
DeveloperSega
PublisherSega
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.