Asterix

Astérix is a side-scrolling platform game based on the French comic-book series. In 50 BC, nearly all of Gaul has fallen under Roman rule, with one small village continuing to resist the occupation with the aid of a magic potion that grants its inhabitants superhuman strength. When Obelix is kidnapped by the Romans, Asterix sets out to find and rescue him before Caesar can throw him to the lions. His pursuit takes him beyond Gaul and through several parts of the Roman world, eventually reaching Egypt and Rome .

The game consists of a succession of timed stages in which Asterix must reach the exit while avoiding environmental hazards and confronting Roman soldiers, animals, and other enemies. He can walk, run, jump, duck beneath projectiles, and defeat most opponents with a punch, although some enemies and obstacles cannot be destroyed. Asterix can withstand several hits before losing a life, with his remaining health represented by wings in the NES and Game Boy versions and hearts in the SNES version.

Stages take place in forests, Roman camps, snow-covered mountains, coastal areas, pyramids, cities, and fortifications. The route contains moving or collapsing platforms, spikes, water, falling objects, catapults, and other traps. Depending on the version, some stages also feature mine-cart or wagon rides, swimming sequences, temporary flight, and hidden bonus areas. Multiple difficulty settings alter the number and placement of enemies and hazards.

Collectible items are found throughout the stages or concealed inside breakable blocks. These include food and other scoring items, health restoratives, extra lives, and doses of magic potion that temporarily make Asterix invulnerable. Keys may transport him to bonus rooms containing additional items, while certain versions feature assistance from characters such as Dogmatix and Cacofonix.

The NES and Game Boy releases share the same general 8-bit design but differ in their graphics, music, and some stage layouts. The SNES release is a separate 16-bit interpretation with different levels, enemies, collectibles, presentation, and gameplay elements. It also includes an alternating two-player mode in which the players take turns controlling Asterix.