Atari 2600 Game
Produced by: Atari
Model Number: CX2699
Rarity: 5 Rare
Year of Release: 1985
Programmer: Steve Woita
Asterix is an Atari 2600 game based on the comic of the same name. Guide Asterix and Obelisk on their quest to gain treasure to defeat the Romans.
This is a strange game. The screen has seven horizontal lines across it, with large triangles at the top and bottom. This makes 8 rows between the lines. Different items sail through these rows. You must guide Asterix around the screen, grabbing the good items while avoiding the harp shaped ones. This isn't a bad game but it has absolutely nothing to do with its namesake besides the title screen.
From the manual
The year is 50 B.C. Gaul is entirely occupied by the Romans. Well, almost entirely... There is one Gaulish village, located near the Roman outposts of Totorum, Aquarium, Laudanum, and Compendium, that has resisted the Roman legions. According to reports from Roman spies, the villagers are led by two Gaulish heroes - Asterix and Obelix.
The first hero, Asterix, is a shrewd little warrior with a quick mind and a large moustache. Asterix gets his superhuman strength from a magic potion brewed by the village Druid, Getafix.
The other hero is Asterix's remarkably strong and hungry friend, Obelix. Obelix has a healthy appetite for wild boar, and is always ready for a good fight with the Romans.
These two valiant heroes aren't afraid of anything. Except... well, except for one thing. The off-key tunes from the lyre of Cacofonix, the village bard, can make them retreat faster than a Roman can say "Veni, Vidi, Vici"!
Collectors Information
Asterix was a clone of the earlier Atari title Taz, the title screen and some of the graphics have changed, but it is the exact same game besides that. This was a Europe only release, Atari thought that an Asterix based game would sell better in Europe than a Tasmanian Devil based one. This is an unplayable game on many US Atari's because it is PAL format only.