Introduction: I have to say that I'm a huge fan of Asterix mostly because my parents were good enough to introduce me to the adventures of this small Gaulish village and its many inhabitants at a very early age. Clearly I'm a little older now but the comic books are no less enchanting and the clever use of language means that the stories can be even funnier from an adult?s perspective. Outside of the books though I've found the other parts of this franchise less than inspiring. Films and cartoons seem miscast and the various computer and console games have never really captured the humor of the originals. Although you'd be forgiven for thinking this was the first outing on the GBA there has been a previous cart but it had only a ?European? (i.e.: none UK) release. So why now? There's no movie or new book to plug. There are however a legion of faithful fans and I, along with everyone else, have fingers firmly crossed hoping that this is the game to finally give Asterix and co. the exposure they deserve.

GamePlay: The plot involves you rescuing various village members who have been kidnapped and scattered about Europe by those pesky Romans. It's up to you playing as both Asterix and Obelix to free them over numerous puzzle (and trap) filled levels. It starts out fairly simply; a 'Clue Man' pops up on a regular basis to explain how you should go about solving a puzzle or overcoming a problem. At its heart XXL is a 3D platformer but you'll have to do a fair amount of button bashing too as doors and pressure pads are generally locked until you clear the required number of Romans or whatever else happens to have attacked you. This gives you credits to be spent whenever you manage to locate 'The Peddler'. On offer is a whole range of 'combo' items but also quick fix items such as hams for energy. You have the opportunity to buy an additional shield, which will be added to your overall life meter, and as you only start out with four this really should be your first purchase.

The levels themselves take place in towns and the great outdoors though both appear to have a worrying number of lava filled canals running through them. Water isn't a problem though as both characters can swim and while Asterix is faster and can jump higher; Obelix brings brute strength into the partnership. Apart from the platforming there are also the rather strange 'Ob-sleigh' sections where Obelix is transformed into a kind of canoe down a fast flowing river. This is simply a 'collect 'em up' although it's incredibly difficult to collect absolutely everything. You can also unlock mini games by locating all the golden laurels in a given area but rooting these out will occasionally cost you the level. Save couldn't be simpler with each level backed up on completion or whenever you decide to quit however while we're on this subject I must also point out the lack of checkpoints. All the levels must be completed in one attempt, which can be a little frustrating especially later on but as everything is of a manageable size we'll just put it down as challenging...

Control: This is where this cart has some real problems. While the general movement and collision detection is fine, when you try and pull off one of the many combos the whole thing starts to come unstuck. This is because when you're trying to increase your combat moves you're also being attacked, so for every combo you manage to pull off at least another one will result in you losing some energy. This doesn't stop you enjoying the game but it does seem to leave the combos as a rather pointless addition. However you can play as both Asterix and Obelix and swapping between them has never been simpler even though they do appear to both drop out of the sky. How and when you use them is up to you but as the game progresses you'll notice that you'll require both of them frequently to solve the very varied puzzles.

Graphics: While you could pick holes in the visuals if this appeared on any of the more powerful consoles, on the GBA it's something of a miracle. Using a modified engine that's previously been seen in both V-Rally 3 and Stuntman was a stroke of genius and the results are very pleasing indeed, allowing our heroes to wander around an (almost) free-roaming environment. The animation is good too with both Asterix and Obelix moving around the various locations just as you'd expect them to. It's not all good though and some areas do appear rushed. The cut screens for example are taken directly from the console version and don't in any way enhance the gameplay. Perhaps a little more time spent to produce some 'comic book' images would have been a better way to go. The 3D engine too occasionally groans under the strain of shifting perspectives and you'll occasionally be able to see through walls or get trapped in a non- existent hole but this is a small price to pay for what's on offer here.

Sound & Music: The audio is pleasant enough with a variety of soundtracks accompanying the various levels, which are generally themed to your current location. Outside of this there are a variety of sound effects and while most of these are punching and groaning you do get the odd one which indicates something has happened as a result of a button pressed or switch flipped. Job done then but nothing outstanding.

Final Comments: This latest stab at bringing the world?s most famous Gauls to the handheld arena could have easily ended up as yet another uninspiring platformer but thanks to the clever use of an existing 3D engine it's so much more. It's fun to play, occasionally challenging and very, very long. Atari have also splashed out on a battery back up which does appear to have become a rarity of late. It does have its fair share of problems in both the gameplay and visuals department but Atari have significantly raised the bar on what is now expected from a game of this nature succeeding at almost every point where Midway's Ozzy & Drix failed. There's more than enough here to justify a purchase though and whether you're an Asterix fan or not this really should have a place in every serious Gameboy collection.

Pro: A 3D Platformer... on a Handheld!
Con: Unreliable Combos
Final Score: 8.9

Reviewed by: Andrew Blanchard