I've been playing Altered Beast on the PC Engine, and it's pretty awful. I played the Megadrive version, ohh, many many years ago (1991), and I can't remember whether it was as "good" as the PC Engine one. I'm sure others here will be more familiar with it and can tell me now it compares. So which was the better conversion, PC Engine or Megadrive?
I still don't understand why PCE Altered Beast gets such a bad rap. I wouldn't classify it anywhere near "awful". Graphically it's probably closer to the arcade than any of the other ports. The music is pretty good, too. Yeah, the game is tough and can be frustrating, but that's why we like video games, right?
I'd say the pc engine version is better. It is closer to the arcade as nat said. I even prefer the animations on it over genesis. The pc engine was just superior 8)
Déjà vu all over again! If you haven't already, go read the Graphics: Turbo vs. Genesis - ye old debate thread for some interesting commentary on the differences between the HuCard, CD, and Genny versions. Not a damn one of them is all that and a bag of chips in my book.
Yea,was that the thread I tossed up pics on comparing the 2 ports of this game?
Check out this part of the thread... it's got the pics from the Arcade, MD & PCE.
https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=3663.255
We did one long ago before that, and I posted a lot of pics too, and pointed out some things. We also talked about other ports too, and the differences between them. Here are the old pics I put up.
i9.photobucket.com/albums/a66/Amakusa666/alteredbeastcompare.png
i9.photobucket.com/albums/a66/Amakusa666/outruncompairtops.png
I haven't compared the PCE versions to the Genesis version in years, I think they're all kinda alright, but nothing special.
It is cool that the HuCard and CD games have different graphics.
They do? Did I miss something? Does anybody have comparison pics between the hucard & cd versions?
Quote from: ParanoiaDragon on 10/20/2007, 02:10 AMThey do? Did I miss something? Does anybody have comparison pics between the hucard & cd versions?
Some of the backgrounds were subtly changed. I don't know how much you'd actually notice this while playing. I only have the cart and it seems fine and dandy enough for me.
Someone posted comparison shots of the CD vs. the cart here recently. The differences are minor IIRC, like the trees in the background in stage 1 are a slightly different shade or something.
The thought of pausing your play to load MID-LEVEL is enough to turn me off of the CD version, considering it's only perks are different colored trees and a visual "prologue" before you play. Oh, and I guess you can turn down the difficulty. But the cart isn't
that hard once you get the hang of the controls.
Quote from: ParanoiaDragon on 10/20/2007, 02:10 AMThey do? Did I miss something? Does anybody have comparison pics between the hucard & cd versions?
https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=3663.270
Let me save you dudes some time and just tell you now that the pc engine versions pwn the genny :wink:
Let me save you dudes some time and just tell you now that the pc engine forum is quite reapeating itself recently.
What about the actual gameplay though? Does the PC Engine version control as well, or is it sluggish. Also, is the Genesis version easier?
The Genesis version totally PWNZ teh PC Engine version because the PC Engine is only 8-bit. Duh. Both versions control poorly, but the Genesis actually has a jump button since it was a far more advanced console than the PC Engine and could actually accommodate more than two buttons using space-age technology from the future. The Genesis version is indeed easier.
Here's my breakdown:
1. Megadrive version plays the best, but grafx aren't up to par with the other two.
2. HuCard - Hard as hell.. graphics are more crisp, colorful and have better animations than Megadrive.
Digitized voices are muted for the most part, save for your dying scream.
3. CD-ROM2 - A little less difficult, looks a tad better than HuCard in some areas, worse in others.
The game has to pause periodically to load more of the game(during play) and can
get annoying. Digitized voices are all there.. but BGM is same as the HuCard.
There you have it.
So for the exclusively hucard players like myself (which of course are the true PC Engine games), how do you get past the face spitting monster at the end of stage one?
Quote from: Spector on 10/21/2007, 12:41 PMSo for the exclusively hucard players like myself (which of course are the true PC Engine games), how do you get past the face spitting monster at the end of stage one?
If you're already having trouble and you aren't even out of stage 1, there isn't much hope for you and this game.
Seriously, though, you just need to fly back and forth from the left side of the screen straight into the monster as the werewolf using your fly-kick. Watch the pattern that he throws the heads and develop a system to time your fly-kick so that you never land where a head is falling. If there are heads in your way as you fly, it's no big deal since you will obliterate them as you fly by. Once you get it down, it is really very simple, and you should be able to pass him without losing a single life bar.
Quote from: WoodyXP on 10/21/2007, 09:04 AMHere's my breakdown:
1. Megadrive version plays the best, but grafx aren't up to par with the other two.
2. HuCard - Hard as hell.. graphics are more crisp, colorful and have better animations than Megadrive.
Digitized voices are muted for the most part, save for your dying scream.
3. CD-ROM2 - A little less difficult, looks a tad better than HuCard in some areas, worse in others.
The game has to pause periodically to load more of the game(during play) and can
get annoying. Digitized voices are all there.. but BGM is same as the HuCard.
There you have it.
The Megadrive version also has a bunch of voices, debug mode and a jump button. It also has exclusive parallax scrolling. If you're the kinda person who judges graphics by stuff like that instead of the actual graphics, then the MD version is easily the best overall.
Either way, the graphics are pretty much even overall between the three versions. No version is a big leap over the others.
Personally, I prefer pressing "UP" for jumping in Altered Beast. It gives it more of an arcade/beat 'em up feel to it. Having an actual jump button is just.... wrong.
I think I would like pressing up the jump more if I was using a joystick. I usually don't mind pressing up the jump in games anyways, but the controls in the PCE Altered Beast for jumping feel really stiff. I think that's the main reason why the game is harder for some people.
Quote from: nat on 10/21/2007, 01:11 PMIf you're already having trouble and you aren't even out of stage 1, there isn't much hope for you and this game.
Seriously, though, you just need to fly back and forth from the left side of the screen straight into the monster as the werewolf using your fly-kick. Watch the pattern that he throws the heads and develop a system to time your fly-kick so that you never land where a head is falling. If there are heads in your way as you fly, it's no big deal since you will obliterate them as you fly by. Once you get it down, it is really very simple, and you should be able to pass him without losing a single life bar.
Word.. I do sort of the same thing. I like to stand back at the left side for as long as I can, shooting fire balls. Just as the head is about to drop on top of me
I'll jump forward with the fly kick and hit the tree.. then fly kick back and repeat.
Quote from: Keranu on 10/21/2007, 06:05 PMI think I would like pressing up the jump more if I was using a joystick. I usually don't mind pressing up the jump in games anyways, but the controls in the PCE Altered Beast for jumping feel really stiff. I think that's the main reason why the game is harder for some people.
I think that Altered Beast PCE would be a lot harder to control jumping wise if SFII hadn't become such a big hit.
Quote from: guest on 10/21/2007, 07:44 PMQuote from: Keranu on 10/21/2007, 06:05 PMI think I would like pressing up the jump more if I was using a joystick. I usually don't mind pressing up the jump in games anyways, but the controls in the PCE Altered Beast for jumping feel really stiff. I think that's the main reason why the game is harder for some people.
I think that Altered Beast PCE would be a lot harder to control jumping wise if SFII hadn't become such a big hit.
Good point ;) .
I think that Altered Beast PCE would be a lot easier to control jumping wise if people weren't spoiled with a jumping button on smb and other such nes games.
I think whiney butt people who need a jump button should just take a ave pad 3 and cut some traces,and mod it so button 3 works as directional button up.
Quote from: PCEngineHell on 10/21/2007, 09:17 PMI think whiney butt people who need a jump button should just take a ave pad 3 and cut some traces,and mod it so button 3 works as directional button up.
There ya go! Michael's got the idea.
Jump buttons are fucking stupid. Only a god damned motherfucker would like a jump button. Seriously, a jump button? Please. The jump button totally destroyed Legendary Axe 1 and 2. And Shinobi. Fuck that. Ghouls 'n Ghosts was also super fucktastic with its jump button. Why does anyone need a jump button when we have the up direction to press? That's why Atari 2600 controls ruled. Just imagine how much better Legendary Axe 1, 2, Shinobi, Ghouls 'n Ghosts and hundreds of other games would play with an Atari Joystick. The Turbo is a better system than the Genesis because it has FEWER BUTTONS! Yeah. I can rationalize any weakness into a strength if you give me the chance. Do not underestimate my fanboyism.
Seriously though, I think the Genesis version of Altered Beast wins in the backgrounds department (with the exception of them not becoming black and white during boss fights), and the PCE Altered Beast wins in the sprites department.
I think the genesis version is definitely the better game, with better sound and gameplay, the pc engine version is a bit to difficult and it takes forever to regain control after being hit.
I do like the overall presentation in the pc engine game better though, such as a more colorfull, less washed out look than the genesis game, better or more animations, large breakable objects in a few of the levels, the boss scaling up in size before turning into a beast and a cooler looking effect when you turn from a beast back to your human form at the end of each level.
The genesis version has parallax scrolling and some of the art work is better.
| Sega Genesis | | NEC PC Engine |
| (https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3873.0;attach=5125;image) | | (https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3873.0;attach=5127;image) |
| (https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3873.0;attach=5129;image) | | (https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3873.0;attach=5131;image) |
| (https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3873.0;attach=5133;image) | | (https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3873.0;attach=5135;image) |
https://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/awack/AlteredBeastUEREV02_008.jpg
https://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/awack/JuuoukiJ-010.png
https://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/awack/AlteredBeastUEREV02_005.jpg
https://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/awack/JuuoukiJ-009.png
https://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/awack/AlteredBeastUEREV02_003.jpg
https://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/awack/JuuoukiJ-005.png
I like the detail in the pc engine one better. In the Genesis version the wolves look like retarded cows, lol. I know that people are ranting about parallax and such, but that was just added to make the game look like it could compete against the pc engine and arcade. If you think about it, that parallax isn't even supposed to be there.
Quote from: turbo D on 10/22/2007, 05:57 AMI like the detail in the pc engine one better. In the Genesis version the wolves look like retarded cows, lol. I know that people are ranting about parallax and such, but that was just added to make the game look like it could compete against the pc engine and arcade. If you think about it, that parallax isn't even supposed to be there.
I'm not a fan of unnecessary parallax, but the Genesis Altered Beast does it the good way. Some of the bg artwork sections look better on Genesis, some not as good, but the consistency is nice, even if overall the graphics are more detailed and colorful on PCE.
A guy on youtube calls the wolves sheep. I wonder how many other people who didn't read the manual couldn't figure out that they're supposed to be two-headed wolves? At least, I've always assumed they're supposed to be two-headed wolves... :P
Hm, the Genesis graphics look much better in those screens that awack posted. I hope the PCE one has decent music.
QuoteGhouls 'n Ghosts was also super fucktastic with its jump button.
Well, though I generally agree that jump buttons are generally superfluous and can be awkward, I would have to disagree with Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Particularly Ghouls 'n Ghosts and not Ghosts 'n Goblins. And only because you have the ability to shoot up (by pressing up on the d pad). It would suck ass if every time you wanted to shoot up you jumped as well. ](*,)
Quote from: ceti alpha on 10/22/2007, 01:34 PMQuoteGhouls 'n Ghosts was also super fucktastic with its jump button.
Well, though I generally agree that jump buttons are generally superfluous and can be awkward, I would have to disagree with Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Particularly Ghouls 'n Ghosts and not Ghosts 'n Goblins. And only because you have the ability to shoot up (by pressing up on the d pad). It would suck ass if every time you wanted to shoot up you jumped as well. ](*,)
Yeah.... Joe couldn't possibly have been more sarcastic. [-(
QuoteYeah.... Joe couldn't possibly have been more sarcastic. Not talking
HAHAHA!!! Ok, I'll get his sarcasm someday. #-o Good grief. :|
Quote from: ceti alpha on 10/22/2007, 01:40 PMQuoteYeah.... Joe couldn't possibly have been more sarcastic. Not talking
HAHAHA!!! Ok, I'll get his sarcasm someday. #-o Good grief. :|
He was being sarcastic, but he completely missed the point I was trying to make about pressing UP to jump in Altered Beast. Fuck yeah, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Legendary Axe and other platformers would suck without a jump button. But Altered Beast is kind of more of a beat 'em up, and I prefer/am used to pressing up to jump in beat 'em ups and fighters.
It has nothing to do with "
The Turbo is a better system than the Genesis because it has FEWER BUTTONS! Yeah. I can rationalize any weakness into a strength if you give me the chance. Do not underestimate my fanboyism."
QuoteDo not underestimate my fanboyism."
hehe. Note taken. :mrgreen:
Quote from: guest on 10/22/2007, 07:55 AMA guy on youtube calls the wolves sheep. I wonder how many other people who didn't read the manual couldn't figure out that they're supposed to be two-headed wolves? At least, I've always assumed they're supposed to be two-headed wolves... :P
Actually we've been calling them pigs here our whole life. :P
I played the Megadrive version on an emu today and I have to admit it's a much better game than the PCE version. The gameplay is far more forgiving and a lot less unfair. Great speech too.
The megadrive version is too easy. There is no challenge. I've beat it like 5 or 6 times in a row on the hardest setting without losing.
Post a Youtube video of that.
QuoteHm, the Genesis graphics look much better in those screens that awack posted. I hope the PCE one has decent music.
I think that goes to what i and CrackTiger were saying about some of the art work being better in the genesis version, to be fair, the genesis one wont look so hot compared to the pc engine Altered beast on a TV due to the fact, for example the screenshots i posted have color counts for the pc engine AB of 63, 60 and 46, the genesis AB are 38, 36 and 27...so the genesis will look a bit washed out.
I remember when Altered Beast was just a twinkle in the eye of a PCE programmer... ok maybe not. I like the Genesis controls over the PCE, plus it's easier. That being said, I wonder (don't we all?) if those two problems were fixed how the games would measure up.
Quote from: awack on 10/22/2007, 11:01 PMQuoteHm, the Genesis graphics look much better in those screens that awack posted. I hope the PCE one has decent music.
I think that goes to what i and black tiger were saying about some of the art work being better in the genesis version, to be fair, the genesis one wont look so hot compared to the pc engine Altered beast on a TV due to the fact, for example the screenshots i posted have color counts for the pc engine AB of 63, 60 and 46, the genesis AB are 38, 36 and 27...so the genesis will look a bit washed out.
I've owned the Genesis version since it was first released, so I'm pretty content with its visuals at this point. I'm sure the PCE one has nicer colors, but man, in those screens you posted, the PCE's stage 4 background and those rocks in stage 3 look rudimentary and absolutely awful.
For what it's worth, I don't think AB is a good game to begin with. The only reason I've held on to the Genesis cart is because I like the music and it has just a bit of nostalgia value for me. The more I read and see of the PCE version, the less interested I am in getting it. But curiosity will eventually win out.
Quote from: runinruder on 10/23/2007, 08:07 AMFor what it's worth, I don't think AB is a good game to begin with. The only reason I've held on to the Genesis cart is because I like the music and it has just a bit of nostalgia value for me. The more I read and see of the PCE version, the less interested I am in getting it. But curiosity will eventually win out.
Same here. I'll eventually buy the CD version just because it needs a 1.0 system card to run properly, not because I really want to play it.
whether you attribute it to the jump button or not the play control is shitty on the pce engine version - challenging and aggravating are two different things, and the pce version was aggravating to me. Play control can be very underrated as it is one of the big things the turbo had going for it over the genesis. the genesis controller was sluggish, while the controller and the feel of the controls (play control)made the turbo games more fun to play in many cases (just not in this one)- in fact play control is almost right up there with PARALLAX SCROLLING!!! :-"
Too bad they did'nt take advantage in this port...
I agree with that - one of the most annoying things about Altered Beast on the PCE was that if you got hit with the white wolf, that was it. Before you could get up, you would be hit again, and again until you lost a life. Now that's frustrating. The MD version doesn't have that.
I've been very pleased with what I've seen from the PC Engine in the last year that I've been playing the actual console, and conversions like Space Harrier, Gradius and Pacland have me coming back again and again. Altered Beast on the other hand, seems like a missed opportunity, though not a big one when you consider that the original arcade game wasn't that hot to begin with.
I loved Altered Beast SO much in 1989-1990 that I could not even stand the Genesis version. Altered Beast was THE game that got me comparing arcade games to home versions, noticing the differences.
my first glimpse of the Genesis version came when in summer 1989 when I was downtown in Chicago at B Dolton's Bookstore, downstairs thy had a Software Etc store. I picked up an issue of the multi-platform Game Players magazine. they had screen of the Werewolf doing his flaming kick, except it looked all wrong, it was like an arrow or triangle. I said to myself, that's not like the arcade. a few months later I really got to see the difference. I was at TRU and they had the Genesis on display with Altered Beast running. I watched it run through the attract screen, I notice immediately that the graphics were not as good as the arcade, I was quite disappointed. even though months later I would get a Genesis. there had been plenty of magazine coverage of the new 16-bit systems including pictures of Genesis Altered Beast next to the Master System version, highlighting the difference but no comparison between Arcade and Genesis.
in 1997 I bought my own Altered Beast arcade machine so I didn't have to deal with the inferior home versions.
just this past September I bought PS2 Sega Genesis Collection which contains both the Genesis and Arcade versions.
In my humble opinion, Sega should have based the Genesis DIRECTLY on the System 16B board. note that this board is NOT one of Sega's highend "Super-Scaler" boards, but a midrange board that could've been shrunk down into a console. commen misconception is that Genesis is basicly System 16 technology, it's not, other than the fact that both use the 68000 CPU.
How do you feel about the PCE Altered Beast?
Quote from: handygrafx on 10/26/2007, 03:04 PMIn my humble opinion, Sega should have based the Genesis DIRECTLY on the System 16B board.
Word life. But if they did that I would have been a shut-in for the next 10 years. :lol:
Haha, well we got the official NOT ARCADE PERFECT nod from handygrafx in regards to Altered Beast. As usual, thanks for your expertise, handy! :mrgreen:
What? I thought Altered Beast was arcade perfect! I could have sworn it was. Are my dreams being crushed?
Yea well they said Strider on Genesis or Mega Drive was near perfect,but that was bullshit. I played through both the Mega Drive and Genesis cart plenty,the MegaDrive does have Striders voice like the japanese game pcb,but still at any rate both carts have very reworked graphics,and Strider himself looks funny compared to the jamma pcb. Honestly after playing the PcEngine port all the way a few times I like it much more. Yea a tad more flicker in areas,but its a more solid port. I like the sprites and colors more on it,and the extras thrown in to balance what they could not do make it great,in my opinion.
Quote from: nat on 10/26/2007, 03:05 PMHow do you feel about the PCE Altered Beast?
well, I think the programmers TRIED harder to mimic the arcade more than Sega did with their own Genesis translation.
I mean, neither version compares to the arcade, but the sprites of the PCE Altered Beast look more like the arcade even though they lack enough color & definition. overall I like PCE version. it's much more challenging than the Genesis and even the arcade.
I agree with everything you just said.
Quote from: nat on 10/27/2007, 05:23 PMI agree with everything you just said.
But do you agree that if Arthur's foot isn't shown hiding behind tall grass when crouching down ruins the arcade perfection?
LOL That's the reason why I hate the Saturn version. Because of that it seems like a completely different game than the arcade.
The Genesis version is 100% pixel-perfect. It's the arcade that isn't Genesis-perfect.
Quote from: Joe Redifer on 10/27/2007, 07:12 PMLOL That's the reason why I hate the Saturn version. Because of that it seems like a completely different game than the arcade.
That and the different ending music.
Yeah, the difference between the saturn and the arcade is like the difference between Tetris and Contra. Ghouls N Ghosts has no business being on the Saturn.
QuoteIt's the arcade that isn't Genesis-perfect.
LMFAO! :)
I'm going to revive this thread, as I've done some homework in researching these games. The reason the PCE and PCE-CD versions SUCK is a minor but glaring flaw and is as follows. When you press jump, you crouch DOWN for a full 18 vblank ticks (that's .3 seconds) before you take to the air. That's ridiculous! The arcade and Genesis versions don't have that lag at all. Also, the recovery time after you are hit in the PCE and PCE-CD versions seems to be either short or non-existent, so that if you get surrounded, enemies can juggle you back and forth endlessly until you die. Oh yea, and using Run for jumping would have been nice, at least for an option. These all really seem like minor things to fix. Would anybody here be willing to take a look at the ROM and ISO of these games and see how easy manipulating these values would be?
A number of years back, I created a hack for the rom version. It replaced 'up' with select for jump. For people with the 3 button avenue pad. It played like the arcade and genesis version, IIRC, in that the jump button only jumped so high; you still needed to press up along with the jump button (in this case select button or button III on the ave pad) to get the high jump. I handed it out to a few people here, but it's been so long that I don't remember who.
I can't remember if I looked into the CD version or not, to alter the jump controls.
Quote from: TurboXray on 01/21/2012, 03:44 PMA number of years back, I created a hack for the rom version. It replaced 'up' with select for jump. For people with the 3 button avenue pad. It played like the arcade and genesis version, IIRC, in that the jump button only jumped so high; you still needed to press up along with the jump button (in this case select button or button III on the ave pad) to get the high jump. I handed it out to a few people here, but it's been so long that I don't remember who.
I can't remember if I looked into the CD version or not, to alter the jump controls.
I think I vaguely remember that hack. Would you be willing to expand on that ROM hack and screw around with the jump timing and/or recovery timing?
Altered Beast is boring, but it's slightly less boriing on the MD
fragmare: PM'd :)
Quote from: soop on 01/22/2012, 05:54 AMAltered Beast is boring, but it's slightly less boriing on the MD
+1 outside of the nostalgia for this game, I dont understand the affinity for it.
I like this game. The beef with the pc engine CD version is lack of two player support. Just like Riot zone...
I`ve never understood the whole concept of Altered Beast.Are you some shape shifting zombie,that can transform into weird animals and stuff to save some woman.Is that pretty much it in A nutshell?.
Quote from: turbofan1 on 01/22/2012, 11:08 PMI`ve never understood the whole concept of Altered Beast.Are you some shape shifting zombie,that can transform into weird animals and stuff to save some woman.Is that pretty much it in A nutshell?.
It's just a bad B-Movie, like Sex Girl Patrol. It's not supposed to make sense.
Altered Beast still makes more sense than Sonic and Mario games though. :wink:
Muscle bound naked freak with severe case of lupis, gold ring crazed blue hedgehog with a lead foot and mishapen sidekick, or a short italian plumber with a bizarre turtle bashing fetish. yea, i would say the the muscle bound freak is more in the relm of plausibility :)
PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion => Topic started by: Spector on 10/19/2007, 05:51 PM