You once were a Roman Centurion, a brave warrior who knew no fear. When you died on the battlefield with courage and honor, you thought you would know peace and rest for all eternity.
But when the evil Neff, Lord of the Underworld, abducted the beautiful Athena, her father Zeus searched for a warrior strong and brave enough to rescue her. He chose you... and brought you back from the grave! And since you would be battling creatures of supernatural power, Zeus gave you supernatural power of your own.
Within certain of the enemy creatures were magical Spirit Balls. If you defeated those enemies and took the Spirit Balls, you would gain the powers of the Altered Beast... the power to transform into creatures of awesome strengths and abilities!
From man to strongman... to werewolf, weredragon, weretiger and the ultimate, the golden wolfman! You now had the power to do what no man living or dead had ever done before... battle the demons of the Underworld... and win!
In the distance you could hear Athena's cries. Zeus returned you to Earth at the graveyard in which you had rested. Waiting for you were the bizarre, twisted minions of the evil Neff. You began to fight harder than you had ever before... because in your first life your battle cry had been... "Never Say Die!"
Directional Button (D-Button): Moves the Centurion LEFT or RIGHT. PRESS DOWN to make the Centurion KNEEL.
Button 1: To START GAME. Kick.
Button 2: Punch.
Buttons 1 and 2 together: Jump.
D-Button DOWN & Button 1: Lie on back and KICK UP.
(After changing into the Altered Beast, the functions of Buttons 1 and 2 will change. For specifics, see the instructions under each round.)
-The Battle Scene [SEE ABEAST-2.BMP]
(1) Life Gauge (2) Score (3) High Score (4) Remaining Lives (5) Centurion
Life Gauge: At the start, the life gauge will show three units. Each time the enemy touches you, the life gauge will diminish. That life is lost when the life gauge disappears.
Game Over: You start the game with three lives. When those lives are lost, the game is over.
-Becoming an Altered Beast [SEE ABEAST-3.BMP]
You gain the power to transform into an Altered Beast when you capture Spirit Balls, which reside inside of the two-headed white wolves. When you defeat one of these wolves, the spirit ball will be released into the air. Don't let it drift away!
You start each round as a normal man. By capturing the first Spirit Ball, you will transform into a superman with rippling muscles. If you capture one more Spirit Ball, you will undergo the fiery transformation into the Altered Beast!
In each round you will transform into a different beast. Shortly after you transform, Neff will appear and send one of his evil minions to fight you. Defeat these monstrosities and you will advance to the next round.
-Round 1: Werewolf [SEE ABEAST-3.BMP]
You'll return to Earth in the same graveyard in which you rested for over one hundred years. Here you must battle the zombies and evil spirits Neff has placed in the graveyard and castle ruins. Capture two Spirit Balls during this round and you will transform into a savage werewolf with awesome powers!
Your Control Pad buttons act as follows:
Button 1: Fireball: A punch will shoot fireballs from your hands!
Button 2: Flame Arrow: You call forth the power of flame to destroy all enemies in the direction you are facing!
-Round 2: Weredragon [SEE ABEAST-3.BMP]
Here you are one step closer to the Underworld. You will battle your way through a dark and dank cavern filled with ravenous beasts hungry for your blood! Capturing the Spirit Balls here will transform you into an armor- scaled Weredragon with the power of flight!
Your Control Pad buttons act as follows:
Button 1: Lightning Smash: Lightning sizzles from your arms.
Button 2: Inner Strength: Your whole body becomes electrified, frying anything you touch to pieces!
D-Button: Moves the Weredragon UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT.
-Round 3: Weretiger [SEE ABEAST-3.BMP]
In this round you breach the gates of Neff's Underworld fortress! Could Athena be held prisoner somewhere in the vicinity? This you must discover. When you capture the Spirit Balls this time, be ready for a transformation into a powerful Weretiger.
Your Control Pad buttons act as follows:
Button 1: Bouncing Flame: A bouncing ball of flame rolls from your fingertips.
Button 2: Pillar of Fire: Enemies above and below you will suffer as you flame up and down!
-Round 4: Gold Werewolf [SEE ABEAST-3.BMP]
The inner sanctum of Neff's dangerous fortress of the undead! Here you will battle the most fearsome creatures of all... including the demon form of Neff himself! But all hope is not lost. If you capture the Spirit Balls, you shall transform into the most powerful Altered Beast of all, the Golden Werewolf!
Your Control Pad buttons act as follows:
Button 1: Golden Fire: Blazing balls of golden fire to blast your enemies!
Button 2: Golden Arrow: Crush your foes in a wave of golden fire!
-Know Thine Enemies [SEE ABEAST-4.BMP]
These are the minions of the evil Neff who will try to stop you from rescuing Athena.
(1) Headless Horror: 100 points This zombie will punch when he gets near.
(2) Slow Foot: 100 points This is the lowliest form of zombie. He'll explode at the slightest touch.
(3) Grave Master: 300 points This high-ranking ghoul is a big brute with a long reach.
(4) Skinny Orcus: 500 points This winged terror falls from the sky and attacks.
(5) Two-Headed Wolves: 1,000 points These spooky hounds attack in packs. Among them are albinos, which contain the Spirit Balls you need to change into the Altered Beast.
(6) Aggar (Boss) He attacks by cutting off his head and throwing it. Unlimited heads grow back really fast for added ammunition.
(7) Round Leech: 300 points If this toothy fellow puts the bite on you, your power will be sucked away.
(8) Chicken Stinger: 300 points This beast attacks by stinging you with its needle-sharp poisonous tail.
(9) Rattle Tail: 500 points Similar to a Chinese dragon, this monster attacks from above and below. Look for the rattles.
(10) Octeyes (Boss) This foul fern blows out poisonous spores the shape of eyeballs. If one of these touches you, you're dead!
(11) Cave Needle: 100 points This giant, mutated ground wasp has a sting that kills.
(12) Hammer Demon: 500 points This monster wields a giant hammer and attacks from above.
(13) Crocodile Wyrm (Boss) This flying monster attacks by spitting fire forms from it's mouth.
(14) Gory Goat: 200 points This adversary isn't particularly strong, but it's swift, so watch out!
(15) Saw Fish: 100 points This creature has a spine that's as sharp as a saw blade. When it spins around, it is extremely strong.
(16) Dark Unicorn: 300 points This evil unicorn has the frightful ability to deliver swift flying kicks.
(17) Bad Boar: 500 points This horrible hog is smart in defense, making it very difficult to defeat.
-Bonus Points
In addition to points received for defeating enemies, you will receive Bonus points for defeating Neff's evil boss minions.
The Bonus points are:
Defeating boss minions at first appearance: 100,000 points Defeating boss minions at second appearance: 50,000 points Defeating boss minions at third appearance: 50,000 points
NOTE: You can only fight Neff's evil minions when you are in the Altered Beast phase.
-Helpful Hints
* Learn which works best to defeat the enemy, punching or kicking. Each enemy has it's weak spots... and strengths.
* Don't let the Spirit Balls float off the screen. If you don't gain the power of Altered Beast, you'll play with a dreadful handicap.
* To CONTINUE: When the GAME OVER screen appears, press the UPPER LEFT DIAGONAL D-Button and Buttons 1 & 2 at the same time. A CONTINUE message will appear and you can resume play at the beginning of the round you last played in. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
