Juuouki (Japan)

Juuouki (also known as Altered Beast) is a classic side-scrolling beat 'em up game, a port of the popular arcade title. In the game, players take on the role of a Roman centurion who has been resurrected by Zeus to rescue his daughter Athena from the underworld lord Neff.

The core gameplay of Juuouki involves navigating through levels filled with enemies, primarily mythological creatures and monsters. The main objective is to defeat all foes in your path to progress. The most unique and prominent feature of the game is its transformation mechanic.

When certain enemies are defeated, they drop a white power-up orb (Spirit Ball). Collecting these orbs causes the protagonist to grow in size and muscle mass. After collecting five orbs, the character transforms into one of several powerful beast forms, each possessing unique special attacks. The beast forms include:

• Werewolf: Attacks with fiery punches and a leaping kick.
• Weredragon: Shoots lightning bolts from its hands and can fly short distances.
• Werebear: Utilizes a rolling attack and a powerful charge.
• Weretiger: Attacks with punches and can unleash energy waves.
• (In the final stage) Golden Werewolf: A more powerful version of the Werewolf.

At the end of each stage, players confront Neff, who transforms into a different monstrous form to challenge them. Players must utilize their beast form to defeat Neff and proceed to the next stage. The NES version of Juuouki has some differences compared to the original arcade, both in graphics and gameplay details, but it still retains the core spirit of this unique action-transformation game. The ultimate goal is to defeat Neff in his final form to rescue Athena.