My review of
Astérix for the Sega Master SystemScore: 10/10
There were three Asterix-games released for the Sega Master System, and I have to say that the first, simply called "Asterix", is by far the best. Actually, I would go as far as calling it a true masterpiece! I didn't own it as a kid, but a friend had it, so I played it a lot, and for a good reason! Let's make a list of all the things that so great about it:
- Graphics. For Sega 8-bit standards the graphics are fantastic. Asterix and Obelix really look like Asterix and Obelix! And as you travel through different places, you get to see lots of exciting background designs and varied enviroments. The colours are fresh and ... colourful.
- Music. This game has some of the best music ever composed for the Sega Master System! Some of them are so good it's almost a shame they ended up as video game music (not really). They are the kind of tunes you can hum along to, and it's not that long ago I played the collect-items-in-the-sky-bonus stage music on my keyboard. Great song! Like so many others in the game.
- Control. This is perhaps the most important aspect of what makes a platform game good. Asterix and Obelix are easy to control, and do exactly what you expect them to.
- Level design. The levels are well designed, and brings lots of fun challenges. And this is not the kind of game that drags things out, making you do the same jump or overcome the same challenge over and over again. The levels are actually very different from one another, which is always a good sign, as that means the game makers actually cared about their game. And that is without a doubt the case here. Some of the earlier stages are perhaps a bit short, but as you progress it soon gets much harder.
- Being able to play as either Asterix or Obelix. And even Idefix/Dogmatix in the bonus stages. That is something you don't see in too many games. And what's really cool about that, is that Asterix and Obelix are very different from each other, and that the levels change depending on who you play as. Asterix is small and perhaps easier to control than big Obelix, but Obelix is much stronger and can destroy blocks using just his hand. Asterix, on the other hand, needs some equipment he can blow up the blocks with. So the game changes depending on who you play as, which actually makes the game twice as long. When you've finished the game, you can play it again using the other charachter, getting a totally different experience. Or you can play with a friend, alternating, so that you have to get both Asterix and Obelix to Rome.
- Story. The game has a story, which I realize I haven't mentioned yet. Panoramix/Getafix (I know him as Miraculix in my language) has been kidnapped by the Romans, and Asterix and Obelix have to travel through parts of ancient Europe to free him from the grips of Julius Caesar. They get a bit lost on the way (which the charming still pictures between each level tells us), so don't exactly take the shortest route. Simple story, but it does it's job in building the foundation for this great game!
You don't get much better games than this on the Sega Master System. And you don't even have to love Asterix or have read a lot of Asterix in your life in order to enjoy it. Just play it, and see what I mean! Before I wrote this review I played it for almost two hours, beating it once again (although using a few continues), and I have to say - those were two hours of fun! It's strange as I've played the game many times, but I guess it's because this is the type of game you don't grow tired of. And that is a sign of quality!
You can
create your own review of
Astérix