Game Review: Asterix at the Olympic Games
Join Asterix, Obelix and his faithful hound Dogmatix on the road to Greece as they run to the aid of love stricken friend Alafolix. Much fun and madcap adventuring follows as Asterix and his friends enter the fray in their own inimitable style, coming head to head with Brutus, his muscle-bound champion, and of course their ultimate archenemy, the mighty Julius Caesar.
Amazon UK Review: Asterix at the Olympic Games (Wii)
The indomitable Asterix the Gaul first appeared in 1959 and has been defying Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire ever since. Asterix’s comic book adventures took him throughout the Ancient World and now he has found his way onto the Wii.
Asterix at the Olympic Games follows Lovestorix who wishes to marry Princess Irina but can only do so by winning at the Olympics. He faces further opposition in the form of the scheming Brutus, who desires to overthrow his adoptive father, Julius Caesar, and claim Irina’s hand for himself. Further complications emerge in the form of an inter-dimensional key that allows the user to travel between parallel worlds and would be disastrous in the wrong hands. It’s down to Asterix, Obelix, Dogmatix and Getafix to make for Olympia with Lovestorix to win the games and recover the key.
The main adventure sees you take charge of Asterix and Obelix, switching between the two friends in one player mode or working alongside each other in multi-player mode. Asterix and Obelix face numerous puzzles throughout Olympia. Some can be solved by one character alone but there will be many where Asterix and Obelix have to work together in order to progress. Fighting is a big part of the game and you will face hordes of Roman soldiers that you can beat up in typical Asterix fashion – punching them into the air, spinning them over your head or slapping them across the face – nothing is taboo here. Each soldier drops a helmet after being defeated and these form the currency for your characters to purchase new battle techniques or food (wild boar obviously!) to replenish their health levels. In order to complete the game you will be required to enter the qualifying rounds of the games and take part in nine events, including javelin, chariot racing, foot race and long jump, before you can set up a final showdown with Brutus.
Aside from the main adventure there is the Olympic Mode which allows you to compete in all the games you have unlocked. You can select from a large group of characters from Asterix and Obelix to the evil Brutus but in order to acquire all the characters you will need to locate and release caged pigeons in the main adventure. The more you free the more characters become available to you. The games themselves are varied and highly entertaining with the chariot race being my personal preference, and not just because my arms are not aching afterwards!
Asterix at the Olympic Games requires you to use the Nunchuk in conjunction with the Wii controller and this can create difficulties when you first play. Many of the puzzles in require you to perform specific battle techniques when facing Roman soldiers and only in correctly executing these are you able to progress. These can be tricky to master in the beginning but once learned the game becomes more straightforward and enjoyable. The games such as long jump and javelin require you to execute a series of movements with the nunchuk and wii controller but with practice these are easy to learn.
Asterix at the Olympic Games is a worthy addition to the franchise. With lovely cut scenes, an eventful story, humour and classic characters this should be ideal for young children and adults alike. Whether you’re new to Asterix or already familiar with magic potion, wild boar and beating up Romans, this is well worth a look, by Toutatis!
Verdict: 4/5
Game Review: Asterix at the Olympic Games | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
