Juuouki (Japan) (v1.1)
Getting to Know Juuouki (Japan) (v1.1)
Juuouki is the Japanese title for Altered Beast, a side-scrolling beat 'em up that originally appeared in arcades in 1988 before landing on the SEGA Mega Drive (the Japanese equivalent of the Genesis) later that same year. Published and developed by Sega, this version carries a v1.1 revision label, indicating a minor update from the initial retail release. For fans of classic arcade ports, this is the closest you get to the original Japanese experience on a 16-bit console.
The player controls a resurrected warrior who fights through five stages packed with zombies, demons, and other mythological horrors. By collecting glowing spirit balls dropped by enemies, your character can transform into powerful beast forms - a wolf, a dragon, a bear, a tiger, and eventually a golden beast - each with unique attacks and increased abilities. The game is pure arcade action: move left to right, punch and kick foes, and time your jumps to avoid pits and projectiles. A second player can join in for co-op, which makes the chaos even more fun.
Juuouki holds a special place in the Genesis library as one of its earliest titles and a key launch game for the system. It's not as deep or refined as later entries in the genre, but its straightforward, no-frills gameplay and two-player co-op make it a nostalgic hit for anyone curious about the early days of 16-bit gaming. If you grew up on the American version, trying the Japanese original reveals what the first wave of Mega Drive owners experienced.
How to Play Juuouki (Japan) (v1.1) Online
When the game starts, you will see a title screen with Japanese text. Press Enter to proceed to the main menu where you can choose 1-Player or 2-Player mode using the D-Pad and confirm with X. Once in the game, you control a warrior moving left to right. The goal is simple: fight every enemy you encounter. Punch and kick by pressing S (B button) to defeat zombies, demons, and skeleton knights. Jump over obstacles and across gaps using X (A button). Collect the white spirit balls that enemies sometimes drop - when you collect three, your character transforms into a more powerful beast form. Each beast has different abilities, so experiment with attacks. The game ends when you run out of lives, but you can continue by pressing Start on the game over screen. Menus are entirely in Japanese, but they are minimal: you mostly just move and attack. If you are playing on an emulator, save states can help you practice tough sections.
Juuouki (Japan) (v1.1) Keyboard Controls
Controls
- Arrow Keys: D-Pad / Movement
- X: A button
- S: B button
- Z: C button
- A: X button (6-button pad)
- Q: Y button (6-button pad)
- E: Z button (6-button pad)
- Enter: Start / Mode
Comments (0)