A dead Roman soldier rises, grows fur and fangs, and discovers that becoming a monster was the only way to win.
Sega's 1988 arcade hit opens with one of gaming's most famous lines, 'Rise from your grave!', as Zeus resurrects a fallen centurion to rescue his daughter Athena from the demon Neff. Collect three spirit orbs and the soldier swells into a werewolf, weredragon, werebear or weretiger — the rare thrill of watching yourself become something larger than human. The Mega Drive port made it a console icon, and in 1989 NEC Avenue brought it home to the PC Engine in Japan on both HuCard and the still-young CD-ROM² format. You play a hero who only gets to be heroic by stopping being a man.
About this game
Altered Beast is a beat 'em up for the PC Engine, from Sega. Part of Enjoy Game Japan Museum's record of Japanese originals.
Gallery
Tricks & Tales
The Japanese title 'Jūōki' means roughly 'Chronicle of the Beast King.' Its lead designer, Makoto Uchida, went on to create Sega's Golden Axe. Altered Beast was the original pack-in game bundled with the Sega Genesis in the West, before Sonic the Hedgehog replaced it in 1991 — yet in Japan it was never the Mega Drive's pack-in, so designer Uchida said he never got to see his game shipped with the console. On PC Engine the game arrived in 1989 in two forms — a HuCard and a CD-ROM² disc — making it one of the early titles released on Japan's then-new CD game format.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The PC Engine (Japan) and TurboGrafx-16 (North America) share the same physical HuCard slot shape but are not compatible with each other's software. NEC deliberately reversed the data bus wiring between the two regions: data pin D0 on the PC Engine corresponds to D7 on the TurboGrafx-16, and so on through all eight lines. Beyond the hardware wiring difference, most North American HuCards contain region-checking code that detects a Japanese console and immediately crashes. Converters that electrically flip the data bus do exist and allow cross-region play. CD-ROM² discs themselves carry no region protection and play freely on both systems—however, the System Cards required to boot CD software are region-locked in the same way as HuCards, so a Japanese System Card cannot be used in a TurboGrafx-16 and vice versa.
Maintenance Tips
HuCard contacts are the most common maintenance point on the PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16. The card's edge connector oxidizes over decades of storage, causing failure-to-read and graphical glitches. Cleaning with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab—gently wiping the gold contacts on the card itself—resolves most contact issues; stubborn oxidation responds to dedicated contact cleaners such as DeoxIT. Never blow into the card slot with your mouth, as moisture accelerates the very corrosion you are trying to remove. On systems equipped with the CD-ROM² or Super CD-ROM² add-on, the optical drive is subject to the same age-related laser and sled degradation seen in any CD system of that era; the laser assembly uses a KSS-220a-type unit on the Super CD-ROM² and replacement parts remain available.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Altered Beast copies regularly.
Is the PC Engine release a HuCard or a CD?
Both exist. Altered Beast / Jūōki came to PC Engine in 1989 as both a HuCard and a separate CD-ROM² disc, so confirm which format a listing is for before buying.
Does the CD-ROM² version need a special System Card?
The CD-ROM² version runs on the original System Card. You need a CD-ROM² unit plus the system card; it is a Japan-only release, so it requires a Japanese PC Engine or compatible setup.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Altered Beast
A short checklist for buying used PC Engine software wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Make sure it fits your console
Japanese PC Engine HuCards and CDs are not compatible with the North American TurboGrafx-16 — the formats differ. Use a Japanese PC Engine system.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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HuCard or CD-ROM² — know which you're buying
PC Engine games come on HuCard chips or on CD-ROM². CD titles also require the right CD system and a working System Card.
Confirm the format in the listing, and for CDs check the disc surface and that saves are supported.
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Check that the contacts are clean
Dirty edge contacts are the most common cause of startup and sound trouble in cartridges of this age.
Choose a seller who cleans the contacts before shipping. A note that it was tested and cleaned means the basics were handled.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
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Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where Altered Beast sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
This is a young museum, and this page is still waiting for its first voices. The memories people send reach Taisei personally, and the ones that move him find a home here over time — always with the writer's blessing. Yours could be the very first for this game.
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