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"!

Your job is to help Asterix and Obelix collect as many objects as possible, while avoiding Cacofonix's deadly lyres.

You begin the game with three lives. Each time Asterix or Obelix touches a lyre, you lose a life. You earn points for every object touched, and a bonus life at 10,000, 30,000, 50,000, 80,000, 110,000 points, and every 40,000 points thereafter.

Eight groups of objects appear in the game. Asterix collects cauldrons of magic potion, helmets, shields, and lamps. Obelix collects apples, fish, wild boar legs, and mugs of his favorite drink. After you collect fifty of one object, the next group of objects appears.

A surprise object appears after the third time Obelix collects mugs - if you can stay alive that long!

(credit: Atari; direct excerpt from original PAL game instruction manual)