Objects (Asterix & Obelix XXL)

This is a descriptive list of interactive objects in Asterix & Obelix XXL.

## Item Containers

### Crates

There are 3 types of crates in the game: wooden crates, iron crates and crates hanging on racks. They usually contain items, though rarely can be encountered empty. The player can try jumping on stacks of crates to reach higher altitudes.

    Wooden CratesIron CratesHanging CrateWooden crates are the most common type, they are broken with 1 hit and usually contain regular helmets, x3 multipliers or roast boar, although they can contain more valuable items.

Iron crates cannot be broken easily. Asterix needs to drink magic potion to destroy them, but in most cases, Obelix is the Gaul for the job. The Roman Spy aka. Sam Shieffer told the Gaulish Duo, that Repeating Cannons also work, which the player had good fortune to verify later on, as some iron crates block paths or important objects. They usually contain golden helmets and x10 multipliers and they will not respawn when reloading a level. When the lower crates in a stack of iron crates are smashed, the upper ones will break by the impact when hitting the ground.

Hanging crates always contain regular helmets. Asterix can break them in 4 hits, Obelix in 2. They may drop a lot more helmets when broken by Obelix or potion-powered Asterix.

### Dispensers

Dispensers will spit out items directly at the player, most commonly golden helmets. They are usually activated with buttons and pressure plates, and most of them work only once. In the PS2-version of the game only, these dispensers are made of metal instead of wood.

## Platforming Aids

### Blocks, Towers, Logs

A variety of objects is used for aiding the player while platforming. For example, there are 2 types of granite blocks: the small ones, which can be moved by either Asterix or Obelix, and the large ones, which can be moved only by Obelix. Blocks can be moved back and forth but not sideways. The player needs to move them to clear paths, to use as weights for pressure plates or to jump on them to reach new places.

Like the granite blocks, wooden towers can be moved forward and backward. They are only found in Normandy and Egypt. In Normandy, Obelix needs to move the towers to help Asterix reach a handle. In Egypt, Asterix needs to move the tower himself and use it to get to the other side before it slides too far back on a slope.

Logs can be moved forward by Obelix. They are only found in Greece's water temple, where the player needs to move logs to use them as platforms, therefore avoiding the water that might extinguish their torch. Later they have to be moved out of the way of a cable car ride.

Small Granite BlockLarge Granite BlockWooden TowersLog of Wood

### Lifts

        Small lifts are raised by pressing a button and needed to reach new areas. They can only be used by Asterix, since Obelix is too large to fit onto them.

Big lifts are large enough to have enemies standing on them. To successively raise them, the player needs to eliminate the enemies on a lift one by one. There are instances in Greece and Egypt where the player can fall to their death by jumping off them.

### Trampolines

Only Obelix is heavy enough to use trampolines, as indicated by their coloring comparable to his pants. When Obelix jumps on a trampoline, he is thrown to another part of the level. The flight can be cancelled by jumping in mid-air.

### Spinning platforms

Spinning platforms are needed to reach new areas. They are usually raised with propellers and require either Asterix or Obelix to stand on them while the other hits the propeller, causing the platform to spiral upwards.

### Bridges

There are telescopic bridges and draw bridges. The player needs to open or lower them by using nearby propellers or levers in order to reach new areas.

    Telescopic BridgeDraw Bridge

### Cranes

Asterix can grab a cranes' metal handle while Obelix has to turn the crane using a propeller button (see "Triggers" paragraph). As soon as the crane is turned the right way, Asterix will automatically let go of the handle, having reached a new area not accessible by foot.

## Combat Mechanisms

### Cannons

    The player usually needs to use cannons to clear blocked paths. Cannons can also instantly kill enemies and damage Roman formations. Asterix shoots, while Obelix moves the cannon left and right, but it is possible to shoot without Obelix nearby. Asterix remains vulnerable while using the cannon: if he gets hurt, he will jump off. Cannons also must be used in Helvetia's and Egypt's boss battles.

### Targets

Targets can often be moved back and forth similarly to granite blocks by the player. They are used to divert the direction of cannonballs and are therefore mostly used in puzzles to break walls otherwise unreachable with the cannon.

### Trapdoors

    Trapdoors are deep pits with deadly spikes on the bottom covered by a large trapdoor. They can be opened for a few seconds by either the player or certain enemies, when they step on nearby pressure plates. If the player or an enemy standing on the trap falls down the pit, they instantly die.

### Slingshots [Rubber Band]

    Slingshots are needed to move quickly from one point of the level to another, or to reach areas atop slippery slopes. The player needs to bump into them with a targeted attack to be tossed around by them. Enemies who stand in the way are instantly killed.

## Puzzle Mechanisms

### Torches & Powder Kegs/Barrels

Torches can only be used by Asterix. Many blocked paths need to be cleared by blowing up a nearby powder barrel. To do so, the player needs to light a torch in a fire place and reach the barrel quickly before the flame goes out, avoiding strong winds which can become another obstacle. Sometimes a barrel is too far away, so the player needs to light intermediate fire holders on the way. Standing close to explosions or jumping onto active fires will yield damage.

Torch in Torch HolderLit Fire HolderPowder BarrelAsterix Lighting a TorchTorch HUD Icon (100-76% Lit)Torch HUD Icon (75-51% Lit)Torch HUD Icon (50-26% Lit)Torch HUD icon (25-1% Lit)HUD icon in the remasterHUD icon in the remaster (Retro)

### Triggers

There are several interactive objects used as triggers to activate mechanisms. Buttons and levers are pressed by hitting them once, pressure plates are being stepped upon by the player or down-weighted by other objects such as granite blocks, propellers have to be hit multiple times and are commonly used to raise spinning platforms. In rare instances pressure plates will also be used by enemies against the player.

ButtonPressure Plate, UsedLever, UsedPropeller

## Transportation Devices

### Cable Cars

The cable car is a movable platform needed to reach new areas. Asterix must stand on it, while Obelix has to pull it along its predefined path with a rope. Obelix cannot jump, attack or order Dogmatix to bite enemies while dragging a cable car. If Obelix attempts to leave an area with Asterix still standing on a cable car, the game will switch controls to Asterix who will then automatically jump off. There are also automatic cable cars which will move on their own as soons as Asterix steps on them. Some cable cars become unusable when they are no longer needed.

### Boats

    Boats are used once to get across the Geneva Lake in Helvetia and once to cross the Nile in Egypt. They are steered by Obelix who will push them through the water from behind. See Slides and Boat Rides (Asterix & Obelix XXL) for more info on them.

### Transporter Catapults

Catapults will often send the player from one level to the next, acting as disguised loading screens (other loading areas might be caves or long hallways).

Most catapults have flags on them, indicating the direction they will transport the player to: green means forward, purple backwards, and blue upwards to the top of a slide. Catapults without flags are also needed to move forward, but they will transport the player to a nearby place that is still part of the active level. They can then usually be returned to by foot.

Catapult, ForwardCatapult, BackwardsCatapult, Upwards

## Trivia

* Item Containers:
	+ The player needs to use stacks of wooden crates as jumping platforms to get certain laurels. If the crates were smashed too early, the player can restore them by re-entering the level.
	+ To get one of the laurels in Egypt, the player needs to use iron crates as jumping platforms in a lake of lava.
	+ Iron crates cannot be smashed with a Twister Combo.
	+ If the player runs into a hanging crate in the middle of a Twister Combo, they will only deal 1-hit damage. As the combo continues, running into the crate again will not deal more damage.
* At some points moving blocks becomes a scripted event (e.g. with the block in the entrance to the cave in Gaul). When this occurs, the player character is invulnerable while moving the block.
* Cable Cars:
	+ It is unknown how automatic cable cars work, especially the one in Helvetia's cave which *moves up while Asterix stands on it*.
	+ If the game briefly freezes or lags while an automatic cable car is moving, it will shake violently.
	+ With cheats, Obelix can stand on an automatic cable car. He rides with idle animations.
* If the player uses cheats, gets the CPU-controlled character stuck behind and attempts to use a transporter catapult, the game crashes.
* Normandy is the only location with a chain of powder barrels. The player needs to light the one closest to the ground. After they all explode in a chain reaction, the player can free a previously buried laurel.
* Normandy is the only location where the player can use 2 trampolines in a row.
* Jetpack Romans can put out fire holders. The player must beat them up as soon as they get close to the fire.
* There is a button located in a town in Helvetia, placed high above the ground, which activates a dispenser with a laurel. The player should press it by shooting at it with the nearby cannon. It is technically possible to punch this button while on potion (from the previous area with the formations), but the player would need to be quick.
* There is a level in Helvetia where the player can walk past some trapdoor spikes while climbing the mountain. Walking into the spikes is safe, but jumping on them is still deadly.
* Exploding bombs impact wheels and levers. The player can manipulate the Egypt War Machine into pushing the levers.