Developed by: Infogrames Multimedia
Published by: Philips Interactive Media France and Pathe Interactive
Original release: 1995 (The copyright on the box sais 1993, but the title was released to market in 1995)
Genre: Boardgame (+puzzles)
CD-i type: Compact Disc Interactive, base-case standard CD-i disc, no DVC required
Original price: 100 NLG
Catalogue: 8100167 (Europe), 8120095 (France) Asterix – Le Défi de César, 8130097 (Germany) Asterix – Die Grosse Reise, 8140060 (The Netherland) Asterix – De Uitdaging van Caesar, 8150058 (Italy) Asterix – La Sfida di Cesare, 8160034 (Spain) Asterix El Desafío de César, 8160035 (Portugal) Asterix – O Desafio de César
Releases: Originally released in a standard CD-i jewelcase in 1995
Language: This title was translated and dubbed in different languages (see catalogue numbers to see the different versions)
Emulator: Working in CD-i Emulator v0.53b4 and higher, (no issues)
Description from the developer:
We are in the year 50 BC. The whole of Gaul is occupied by the Romans. All of it? No! A little village inhabited by steadfast Gauls is still resisting the invader… And Julius Ceasar doesn’t find it funny. Not at all! He has decided to stop our friends from leaving their village. Take up the challenge launched by Ceasar! Become Asterix, Obelix, Impedimenta, Panacea, Justforkix or Cacofonix and re-trace the tracks of the heroes created by Goscinny and Uderzo to travel all around the Roman Empire.
In your voyage you will hav to hunt boar, cope with a tempest, fight Romans and pirates, decipher hieroglyphics, escape, play music, demonstrate your speed, accuracy and power of observation, and answer questions on antiquity… To help you, you can rely on the Phoenician merchant, Ekonomikrisis, the Druid spy Dubbelosix, the Soothsayer and Bravura, but beware of the treacherous Tortuous Convolvulus…
Game Facts:
Infogrames took a different approach on CD-i by offering its popular franchises not like platform or action games but created games that required less of the CD-i hardware. In the case of Asterix, the focus was more on the cartoon-style animations (cartoon-fmv) in combination with a boardgame and simple minigames and puzzles. The same approach was taken with The Smurfs, also released on CD-i (and other platforms). This game was also ported to DOS and Macintosh, but originally developed with CD-i in mind.
Review
Oh dear, what have the French done for all young Asterix fans. For the smallest computer enthusiasts there is actually a lot to do: there is a boardgame, some puzzles, simple but nice, easy enough for the youngest CD-i fan. Various levels of difficulty make the program very flexible. This game is therefore suitable for the whole family, especially as this game was translated and dubbed in various languages including german, dutch and spanish. Of course, you can ask yourself what is the sense of bringing a classic boardgame to the digital world. In spite of the "multimedia power" I prefer a happy round of cubes at the kitchen table.
From the Disc
Most CD-i Games have "Abstract", "Bibliographic" and "Copyright" details on the softwares disc itself, any interesting information in these files can be found below.
Abstract: ASTERIX - CAESAR'S CHALLENGE
V 3.9
Become Asterix, Obelix, Impedimenta, Panacea, Justforkix or Geriatrix (the famous characters created by Albert Uderzo and Rene Goscinny). And visit the immense Roman empire! You can play on your own but it's much more fun to play with the family or with some friends!
Aim of the game...
Each player has a limited amount of time to travel to a number of places and collect a souvenir from each of them. These souvenir items are proof of your different journeys. The first player to get back to the village in time, with all the necessary souvenirs, wins the game.
The game track takes you on a tour of the Mediterranean area; you will visit the same places as our heroes during their adventures.
The game track has 54 squares, which are divided up like this:
9 country squares, 15 challenge squares
4 prison squares, 4 magic potion squares
6 trap squares, 4 rest squares
12 meet characters squares
In order to win the all-important souvenir items, you just have to answer the questions asked in the country squares. You can also buy them from the Phoenician merchant Ekonomikrisis, with sestertii you have won in the challenge squares.
Your game host will be the druid Getafix, who will also hand out flasks of magic potion to all the players (except Obelix who fell into the potion when he was very small).
Druid-spy Dubbelosix has some interesting gadgets you may like to try; they'll help you move more quickly. Be careful of the dastardly Tortuous Convolvulus whose favourite pastime is stirring up trouble between the players!
When you've collected all the necessary items, go back home to the village. To make the journey home a little easier, the village square is extra big and represents the final banquet.
The first player to bring his items home to the village is declared the winner and receives the victor's laurels! And Caesar won't like that one little bit!
Remember that if time runs out before any player has returned to the village with the necessary items, then I'm afraid Caesar is the winner! Well, you won't let him keep that title very long, now will you?
Bibliographic: ASTERIX - LE DEFI DE CESAR (V 3.9)
PHILIPS INTERACTIVE MEDIA FRANCE - INFOGRAMES
Design Infogrames
Director: Bertrand Brocard
Assistant Director: Thierry Ledeul
Technical Director: Eric Mottet
Program: Christophe Laboureau, Pierre Crooks, William Hennebois, Jean-Noel Megoz
Mockups, tests: David Carlot, Pierre Girardeau
Casting: R.Lebrun, G.Rouzier, E.Franval, B.Bollet, A.Plumet
Animation Studio: Vit'Anime
Backgrounds: Studio Legrain Partners
Computer image: Dominique Sablons
Sound Studios: Studio Du Pekinois, Studio Miroslav Pilon
Sounds Effects: Bruno Zincone
Music and Sound Mix: Thierry Carron
Philips Interactive Media France: Dominique Lempereur, Armelle Loghmanian, Jean-Claude Rocle
Production: Bruno Bonnell, Jean-Claude Larue
An Infogrames production
Copyright: UNE REALISATION INFOGRAMES
(c) 1993 LES EDITIONS ALBERT RENE / GOSCINNY - UDERZO
(c) 1993 - PHILIPS INTERACTIVE MEDIA FRANCE
