Games Like Altered Beast
Quick Answer
The closest games to Altered Beast are Golden Axe, Streets of Rage 2, Splatterhouse, Rastan and Fight'N Rage. Below are 9 picks with the reason for each — what carries over from Altered Beast, and what does not.
What Made Altered Beast Work
Altered Beast is an arcade side-scrolling brawler with one idea worth remembering: collect enough orbs and you transform into something better. It is short and simple by arcade design. The games worth suggesting keep the transformation or keep the arcade brevity.
Altered Beast is Sega's 1988 arcade game, ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis and bundled with the console in North America. Zeus raises a Roman centurion from the grave to rescue his daughter, and collecting spirit balls turns the hero into a werewolf, dragon, bear or tiger. It is a short side-scrolling brawler with a memorable transformation gimmick. Fans usually want either Sega arcade brawling or a character who transforms mid-level.
9 Games Like Altered Beast
1.Golden Axe
The other Sega arcade brawler, and a better game.
Why it fits: Sega's 1989 arcade brawler, also ported to the Mega Drive, uses magic and rideable creatures in a fantasy world.
What is different: Three heroes to choose from and magic instead of beast forms; you ride creatures rather than become them.
Where to play it: Arcade and Mega Drive/Genesis.
Games like this →2.Streets of Rage 2
The Genesis brawler that actually holds up.
Why it fits: Sega's 1992 Mega Drive brawler is regarded as the 16-bit genre high point, with two-player co-op and a Yuzo Koshiro soundtrack.
What is different: A city street brawler with no transformations, far deeper combos and a much smoother difficulty curve.
Where to play it: Mega Drive/Genesis.
Games like this →3.Splatterhouse
Same era, same horror-brawler shape, more violent.
Why it fits: Namco's 1988 arcade game is a horror side-scroller where Rick, wearing the Terror Mask, beats monsters with his fists and weapons.
What is different: Horror rather than myth; the mask makes you strong, but you never change form, and it is gorier.
Where to play it: Arcade and TurboGrafx-16.
More about this game →4.Rastan
Arcade fantasy side-scrolling from the same moment.
Why it fits: Taito's 1987 arcade game is a fantasy side-scrolling action game with a barbarian hero, from the same period.
What is different: More platforming, with ropes and pits, and a single barbarian with a sword rather than a power-up to a beast.
Where to play it: Arcade and Master System.
More about this game →5.Fight'N Rage
A modern arcade brawler with transformation-style unlocks.
Why it fits: SebaGamesDev's 2017 brawler has multiple characters, branching routes and a lot of unlockable content.
What is different: A modern brawler with many more moves, routes and unlocks; it is harder and much longer than Altered Beast.
Where to play it: PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
More about this game →6.Streets of Rage 4
The best modern beat-em-up, full stop.
Why it fits: Dotemu, Lizardcube and Guard Crush Games' 2020 brawler brings the Sega series back with hand-drawn art and up to four players.
What is different: Modern combo-driven fighting and up to four players, with no transformations and a city setting.
Where to play it: PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
More about this game →7.Castlevania Bloodlines
Genesis action-platforming with the same gothic tone.
Why it fits: Konami's 1994 Genesis game is a side-scrolling action game with a gothic tone, made for Sega's console.
What is different: A platformer with a whip and sub-weapons, not a brawler; you explore stages rather than walk right and punch.
Where to play it: Mega Drive/Genesis; also in the Castlevania Anniversary Collection.
More about this game →8.Dragon's Crown
Fantasy brawling with real depth.
Why it fits: Vanillaware's 2013 fantasy brawler for PS3 and PS Vita has six classes, loot and up to four-player co-op.
What is different: Loot, levels and classes, with long dungeons to replay; it is an RPG as much as a brawler.
Where to play it: PS3 and PS Vita; also on PS4 as Dragon's Crown Pro.
More about this game →9.Kung Fu Master
The template all of these are built on.
Why it fits: Irem's 1984 arcade game is often credited as the first side-scrolling beat-em-up.
What is different: One corridor per floor, one hero and no transformations; it is simpler and older still.
Where to play it: Arcade; NES as Kung Fu.
More about this game →
Where to Start
Golden Axe is the best next step — another Sega arcade game from the same years, and better. Streets of Rage 4 is the pick if you want a modern brawler. Splatterhouse is the one to try if the horror-tinged tone was what stuck with you.
How We Picked These Games
Every pick is a side-scrolling brawler or action game from the arcade tradition, or a modern game built in that style. We favoured Sega's own brawlers and games from the late-1980s arcade era, as well as modern beat-em-ups that are still easy to buy.
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How These Picks Match Altered Beast
Altered Beast is catalogued here as a beat 'em up on the Sega Genesis. All nine picks share at least one of its genre tags — eight arcade games and eight action games among them.
Going by the "where to play it" notes, two can be played on PC, three can be played on a PlayStation, three can be played on a Nintendo system and two can be played on an Xbox. Fight'N Rage is from a small or self-published studio.
| Game | Genre | Shares with Altered Beast | Where to play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Axe | Fighting, Arcade, Action | Action, Arcade | Arcade and Mega Drive/Genesis. |
| Streets of Rage 2 | Fighting, Arcade, Action | Action, Arcade | Mega Drive/Genesis. |
| Splatterhouse | Fighting, Arcade, Action | Action, Arcade | Arcade and TurboGrafx-16. |
| Rastan | Platformer, Arcade, Action | Action, Arcade | Arcade and Master System. |
| Fight'N Rage | Fighting, Arcade, Indie | Arcade | PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch. |
| Streets of Rage 4 | Fighting, Arcade, Action | Action, Arcade | PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch. |
| Castlevania Bloodlines | Platformer, Action, Arcade | Action, Arcade | Mega Drive/Genesis; also in the Castlevania Anniversary Collection. |
| Dragon's Crown | Fighting, RPG, Action | Action | PS3 and PS Vita; also on PS4 as Dragon's Crown Pro. |
| Kung Fu Master | Fighting, Arcade, Action | Action, Arcade | Arcade; NES as Kung Fu. |
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