Altered Beast
Altered Beast is a 1988 beat 'em up developed by Sega, originally an arcade release and later bundled with the Genesis as an early pack-in title that helped introduce the console. Resurrected by the god Zeus, the player fights through the underworld to rescue his daughter from the demon Neff.
The signature mechanic was transformation: collecting spirit orbs dropped by certain glowing white wolves powered up the hero until he morphed into a mythical beast such as a werewolf, weredragon, or weretiger, each with its own powerful attacks. Reaching full beast form was key to surviving each stage's boss, and cooperative two-player action let a friend join the fight.
Its digitized speech, including the memorable "Rise from your grave" line, and its were-creature theme made it a memorable showcase for the young Genesis. Though later titles surpassed it, the game holds nostalgic significance and remains available in Sega compilations and on classic-game services.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Altered Beast, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fight'N Rage Indie | € 19,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| SEGA Genesis Classics | € 29,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| Streets of Rage 4 | € 24,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| Slave Zero X Indie | € 24,50 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| Bloodroots Indie | € 16,79 | Steam Deck Playable | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
Fight'N Rage Indie
€ 19,99A retro indie brawler with transformation-style power moves and combos.
Fight'N Rage runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet.
SEGA Genesis Classics
€ 29,99The official collection includes the pack-in classic Altered Beast.
SEGA Genesis Classics runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet.
Streets of Rage 4
€ 24,99A modern side-scrolling brawler in the Sega arcade tradition.
Streets of Rage 4 runs on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet.
Slave Zero X Indie
€ 24,50A grim 2.5D transformation brawler with heavy combo combat and a strong arcade lineage.
Slave Zero X runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet.
Bloodroots Indie
€ 16,79A frantic one-hit-kill action game where everything becomes a weapon, pure arcade momentum.
Bloodroots runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet.
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