Altered Beast Cheat Codes & Secrets
Complete collection of cheat codes, passwords, unlockables, and hidden secrets for Altered Beast (1988).
Configuration Screen & Stage Select
The most powerful cheat access in Altered Beast is the hidden configuration screen, available at the title screen before pressing Start normally.
| Code | Effect | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Hold A + B + C on Controller 2, then press Start on Controller 1 | Opens full configuration/options screen | Sega Genesis |
| Hold Down + A + B + C on Controller 2, then press Start on Controller 1 | Alternate method to access configuration screen | Sega Genesis |
Once inside the configuration screen, you can adjust the following settings before starting a game:
| Setting | Options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Round Select | 1–5 | Jump directly to any of the five rounds |
| Lives | 1–9 | Set starting life count per credit |
| Difficulty | Easy / Normal / Hard / Hardest | Affects enemy speed and aggression |
| Sound Test | Full BGM and SFX library | Use D-pad to cycle tracks, A or Start to play |
| Credits | 1–9 | Set number of available continues |
This configuration screen is the backbone of the game’s cheat access. Combining a high life count, easy difficulty, and a late round select effectively replicates what would be a traditional cheat code suite in other games.
Sound Test
Accessible directly from the configuration screen described above. Once on the sound test submenu:
- Press Left / Right on the D-pad to cycle through music tracks and sound effects
- Press A or Start to play the selected track
- Press B to return to the configuration menu
The sound test includes all five stage themes, the transformation jingle, the boss theme, and individual voice samples — including the iconic “Rise from your grave!” line that plays at the start of every round.
Continue System & Credit Management
Altered Beast does not use a password system. As a direct port of a Sega arcade cabinet, it uses a credit-and-continue model:
- When all lives are depleted, a continue countdown begins on screen
- Press Start before the timer expires to continue from the beginning of the current round
- Number of available continues is set in the configuration screen (default is typically 3)
- Setting credits to 9 in the configuration screen gives the maximum number of continues, effectively functioning as an infinite-continue cheat for most players
There is no password entry screen or save system of any kind — the game is designed to be completed in a single approximately 30-minute session.
Beast Transformation Mechanics & Exploits
Understanding the spirit ball system is essential for consistent play:
- Each round contains enemies that drop white spirit balls when defeated
- Collecting 3 spirit balls triggers the full beast transformation for that round
- Collecting spirit balls as a two-player pair means both players share the same transformation pool — coordinating who collects the third ball determines who transforms first
Spirit Ball Farming Exploit: In several rounds, specific off-screen enemy spawners will continue producing enemies as long as you do not advance the screen. By standing still near a spawn point and defeating enemies repeatedly, you can collect extra spirit balls, restoring health and building up beast power before progressing. This is especially useful in Round 3 (Werebear stage) near the early swamp sections.
Transformation Invincibility: The brief animation that plays when you collect the third spirit ball and transform into beast form grants a short window of invincibility. Timing your third spirit ball collection to coincide with incoming boss projectiles or enemy contact can negate damage that would otherwise cost a life.
Two-Player Cooperative Tricks
| Trick | Method | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Cover spirit ball steal | Player 2 holds back while Player 1 collects all three spirit balls first | Player 1 transforms, becomes powerful anchor while Player 2 supports |
| Boss stagger lock | Both players attack boss simultaneously from opposite sides | Bosses have brief stagger states; two players can loop this to prevent counterattack windows |
| Player 2 decoy | Player 2 deliberately draws enemy attention while Player 1 collects spirit balls uncontested | Reliable method for fast transformation in crowded stages |
Hidden Voice Samples & Developer Notes
Altered Beast is notable in Sega history for being one of the earliest Genesis launch titles to feature digitized voice synthesis. The following voice lines are triggered in-game and can be heard in full in the sound test:
- “Rise from your grave!” — spoken by Zeus at the start of every round
- “Welcome to your doom!” — boss encounter trigger
- “Altered Beast!” — transformation completion call
These were groundbreaking for console hardware in 1988 and were a deliberate showcase feature by the Sega development team to demonstrate the Genesis’s audio capabilities over competing hardware.
Round-by-Round Beast Reference
| Round | Beast Form | Primary Power |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Werewolf | Tornado kick projectile, increased speed |
| 2 | Weredragon | Fireball breath, short flight |
| 3 | Werebear | Rock throw, earthquake stomp |
| 4 | Weretiger | Eye laser, enhanced jump |
| 5 | Golden Werewolf | All Werewolf abilities amplified; final boss encounter |
Knowing which beast abilities work against which bosses is critical when using the round select cheat — jumping to Round 4 or 5 directly without practicing the earlier transformation mechanics will leave most players struggling with unfamiliar controls.
Difficulty & Damage Reduction Notes
On Easy difficulty (set via the configuration screen), enemies deal roughly half the knockback of Normal mode, and boss attack patterns fire at a slower rate. Naga (Round 2 boss) in particular becomes significantly more manageable, as her pattern of spreading projectiles is timed to leave larger safe windows.
Setting difficulty to Easy combined with 9 lives and Round 1 start is the recommended configuration for players who want to see the full game and all five beast forms without the arcade-level attrition the default settings impose.