Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Size: 4 megs
No. of players: 2(simultaneously)
Got it for: Came with my Genesis unit!
Brought back from death, Zeus has resurrected you to rescue his daughter who has been taken by resident cue-ball Neff. Gathering Spirit Balls you power yourself up to the point of physical transformation, and into one of the various beasts. This game screams "Whip Ass!!!", and it is with great pleasure I bring you my short review for the masterpiece that is Sega's Altered Beast.

What's it all about?
Sort of fighter-style side scroller, you move(or, more accurately, are moved by the auto-scrolling) through each level kicking and punching the (un)living hell out of the dead in your path. Along the way, you get to power up and eventually turn into one of the beasts. From there your attributes change as you can now shoot fireballs, shock with electricity and freeze enemies. Each level is concluded by a fight with Neff, who will transform into various demons and do his best to amuse...er, kill you.
Graphics - Damn good! All of the characters are large, and very detailed....and the enemies look amazingly good with the amount of work put into them. The levels are absolutely gorgeous, and have multiple layers of parallax as well as some gory scenery.
Sound - The game kicks off with an inspiring piece for the Acropolis graveyard and keeps it going with moody bits of music for the rest of the levels; also, the boss music is especially nice. Sound effects consist of basic punch, kick and other noises, and all sound great, but the various bits of voice really steal the show.
Control - Slick. No matter what form you are in, the quick response to your commands is always there.
AI - Some enemies come after you with a vengeance, and some will just ignore you. Most are just there for you to kick around.
Replay value - High. Though short, it's a true arcade-like experience with its fast, furious gameplay and multiple short levels.
Tips for better gaming experiences:
For kicks, try the Beast Select code. This will allow you to specify which beast you want to morph into on each level. Also, while playing on hard, or with a buddy, you can use the little known Continue code. It will start you at the beginning of the last level you died on.

Beast Select:
At the title screen, hold A+B+C+Down/Left and then press start. A menu will then come up letting you specify the beast transformations.

Continue:
After dying, at the title screen, hold A and press start. 
Game Genie:
Wanna *really* alter your beast, I know a genie who can help make it happen...

My rating: 91(out of 100) - Though incredibly short, this game rocks all the way through. An amazingly good side scrolling beat'em up with twist and some great graphics.
Game Informer gave it: 7.5(out of 10)
Cat's review: Incredibly short, but I love it....wish I could turn into a tiger! I think Bel's rating is a bit affected by his nostalgia...91, for a game that's 10 minutes long!? That's kitty-crazy!


...and now, for your homo-erotic pleasure...
Shocking! Alright, that was dumb...
"Wise from your gwave..."
The Tiger: He's greeeaaaaatttt....alright, that was also dumb.
It's about damn time:
Finally, more than 10 years after its debut on the Genesis, an Altered Beast sequel has been made. Though it's unfortunate that it's only on Nintendo's GameBoy Advance, Altered Beast: Guardians of the Realm is everything you'd expect from a sequel to the original game: More enemies, more levels and more beasts to transform into! I picked it up for $9.99, new and get to play it from time to time, when I can get my girlfriend off her damn GBA...
Click above for a larger view of the box, and here for a scan of the poster that came with the game.