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Altered
Beast is cursed. It is despised all around
the world, and will remain so for eons to come.
The reason? Well, the Mega Drive version was included
as a pack-in bundle with the first European and
American machines, and that was a crucial mistake.
This is not a mass appeal game, far from it -
but it is an arcade classic of sorts, that made
a reasonable splash upon its release in 1988.
Staged in an era similar to that of the Greek
myths, the game features two nameless warriors
who must battle their way through a scrolling
screen and collect 3 power-up pills. This transforms
the player into a souped-up man-beast, who can
then blaze through the rest of the stage. It was
a massive hit in its day, and was ported onto
every single computer format under the sun. The
transformation sequence (below right) is undeniably
one of the most iconic images of 80s videogaming.
But using it as a promotional pack-in title for
a new piece of hardware? I think not... Golden
Axe, The
Super Shinobi, or Daimakaimura
would have been far better choices, but hey -
what's done is done, and Jyu Oh Ki is
forever buried under a landslide of bitter spite.
Which is a shame, because as a straight-up 2-player
80s arcade fix, it's actually quite good. |
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Arcade
Instructions |
Mega
Drive - At the title screen (above left) hold B and
press START to access the Options screen
Set your options, then hold A and press START to begin
the game with the options activated. |
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DETAILS
| Format |
Mega
Drive |
| Released |
27
Nov 1988 |
| Publisher |
Sega |
| Product
ID |
G-4001 |
| Size
(cm) |
17.8
x 12.8 x 2.5 |
| Weight
(kg) |
0.18 |
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If
anything this is a relatively
good conversion of the arcade
smash. As a hardware showcase,
it is an absolute disaster.
One of Sega's most grotesque
PR blunders; as loved as it
is loathed.
Standard MD case, 4Mbit cartridge,
colour booklet. |
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Jyū
Oh Ki
獣王記
PC ENGINE CD-ROM² |
DETAILS
| Format |
PC
Engine |
| Released |
22
Sep 1989 |
| Publisher |
NEC
Avenue |
| Product
ID |
HACD-9001 |
| Size
(cm) |
14.2
x 12.4 x 1 |
| Weight
(kg) |
0.10 |
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The
PC Engine CD-ROM² version
features enhanced sound effects
and an original introduction
sequence, but remains an exceptionally
patchy version: it's 1-player
only and freezes to load in
mid-level.
It was a very early release
on the CD-ROM² format,
but that's still no excuse.
CD case, PC Engine CD-ROM²
disc,
4-page colour booklet, spine
card. |
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DETAILS
| Format |
PC
Engine |
| Released |
29
Sep 1989 |
| Publisher |
NEC
Avenue |
| Product
ID |
H68G-1006 |
| Size
(cm) |
14.2
x 12.4 x 1 |
| Weight
(kg) |
0.10 |
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Released
one week after the CD-ROM²
edition, the HuCard version
is inexplicably superior:
the game runs smoother, it
doesn't stop to load, and
most importantly of all it
has the 2-player mode restored.
Weird.
Standard PCE case, 4Mbit HuCard,
colour booklet. |
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DETAILS
| Format |
Famicom |
| Released |
20
July 1990 |
| Publisher |
Asmik |
| Product
ID |
ASM-9J |
| Size
(cm) |
14
x 9.5 x 2 |
| Weight
(kg) |
0.12 |
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Asmik's
Famicom version is an odd
one: it remixes the original
game by adding a few extra
stages and transformations,
but technically it's just
not up to scratch. It's so
patchy it almost feels like
an Amiga game. And that's
not a good thing.
Standard FC packaging, 2Mbit
cartridge, colour booklet. |
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'Jyu
Oh Ki', 'Altered Beast', 'Mega Drive' and 'Sega' are registered
trademarks of Sega Corporation
'PC Engine' and 'NEC' are registered trademarks of NEC Corporation
'Famicom' and 'Nintendo' are registered trademarks of Nintendo Co.,
Ltd.
Jyu Oh Ki TM & © 1988 Sega All Rights Reserved
Page content, design & layout © 2008 www.Jap-Sai.com |
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