Once again, we've got a couple Co-Op Classics for you to peruse in visual form. Wolves, tigers, bears, and ostriches make star appearances as we dig deep into the Co-Op Classics vault: Altered Beast, a fine brawler known primarily for its Genesis port, joins Joust, a Golden Age masterpiece.

SEGA's Genesis is one of the most beloved consoles in gaming history.  Many a gamer became a fan of co-op due to the Genesis' strong library of cooperative titles.  Now, via the power of Steam, several co-op classics are available with the click of a mouse.  The SEGA Genesis Classics Pack is available for PC gamers, and includes such co-op heavyweights as Golden Axe and Altered Beast.  There were even a few co-op games I'd never heard of: Gain Ground and Crack Down.  (Yes, Crack Down; we're just as surprised as you are!)  Each title will set you back a mere $2.99; as of yet, there is no discount for buying the whole package.  I know I'll be checking out Crack Down to determine if it's worthy to be called a Co-Op Classic...

Twenty years ago today, the Sega Genesis was released in North America.  Known as the Mega Drive in Japan, the Genesis was a big hit.  The NES was dominant at the time, but that fabled console was a bit long in the tooth.  With the help of truly superb marketing (Sega does what Nintendon't!), and a certain blue hedgehog, the Genesis became Sega's most successful console.  It was also a great way to play co-op with a friend, with many stellar co-op games in the Genesis library.

As promised in our last column, we'll take a look at Sega's Altered Beast this week.  First gaining fame as an arcade hit, Altered Beast eventually got released for the Sega's classic Genesis system.  Back before Sonic (it's hard to remember back that far, isn't it?), Altered Beast was the pack-in game for the Genesis.  You'd better hope you sprang for the extra controller, because Altered Beast was a co-op fan's dream.