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Altered Beast is an arcade and Genesis classic, but the Master System version is woefully inferior. Horrible graphics and sound, reduced stages and gameplay elements, and poor control make this one beast that deserves to be put down. Do yourself a favor and get the superior Genesis version instead.
When you think of the Genesis, one of the games that instantly comes to mind is Altered Beast, even though few people generally have anything positive to say about it today. Why is it then, that this particular title is etched in our minds whenever the topic comes up? Is it that it was included with the console for free and was thus the first Genesis experience for most people who bought the console at launch? Probably, and what’s really interesting is that most people don’t tend to associate the simple and repetitive gameplay with a deep marketing strategy. Believe it or not, Altered Beast was probably the perfect game to include as a pack-in, from a marketing standpoint at least.
It’s been fifteen years since Altered Beast was originally released, and it has aged poorly. Its very simple gameplay consists of a screen scrolling from left to right (forcibly) and punching and kicking a small selection of monsters. Two players can fight simultaneously but the large sprites make it uncomfortable at times.
With enhanced graphics, more levels, power ups, and a save feature, the GBA version appears to be better than the Genesis cart we all remember. I only wish that meant more than it does. I guess the most important thing to consider here is whether or not the new version retains the feel and game play of the original. In this case, it does. The problem is, the gameplay of the original was nothing to get excited about.