However, I have to say that the delight, the sense of pure joy, and the wholesomeness I got out of playing Astro Bot was truly unmatched and unforgettable. The secret exit in Djinny of the Lamp is at the very end of the level, after you defeat the Djinny. Punch the ladybug trampoline so it’s as close to the pot as possible, then jump on it and activate your power-up mid-air.

Astro Bot

It also features dozens of characters from first and third party PlayStation games from throughout the decades – although the way they’re handled is one of the game’s few failings. After the disaster of Concord comes the triumph of Sony’s Astro Bot, with a new single-player classic that is one of the best 3D platformers ever made. There is a second set of Tripcaster wires in the clearing with the Tallneck. Irritate some ground-bound enemies into following you, then hop into or behind the square enclosure (yes, there’s enough space for you to stand between the wire and the rock).

Astro Bot Is Game Of The Year—and People Are Mad

Also need to do all the extra stuff that was added to the playroom before starting. Astro Bot is a showcase of a developer working at the top of its game, but most importantly a developer that keeps fun and playfulness at the forefront of everything it does. Finally though I want to highlight the fantastic score, because like its levels, it bounces around genres, delivering consistently catchy head bobbers, on top of slightly remixed versions of iconic Sony soundtracks.

Astro Bot has a full set of PS5 Trophies for you to collect as you make your way through the game. As part of our Astro Bot guide, we’ve got a page dedicated to helping you earn every Trophy, including the coveted Platinum. People have entire online communities based around the enjoyment of a title, whether that’s Elden Ring or Astro Bot. It wouldn’t be an Astro Bot update without new Special Bot cameo appearances, and now we know a few that players can discover.

In recent years, major video game publishers have abandoned that idea. While Nintendo still reveres that power, once great sanctuaries for kids have crumbled as publishers have set their sights on courting “mature” audiences through photorealism and weighty themes. Video games are richer for that change, but young — and young at heart — are getting left behind, stuck wandering the vast desert of Roblox games with nothing but their parent’s credit card in their pocket. There are also small regions to fix up with extra puzzles for Astro and his friends. A lot of modern entertainment, including video games, has a real problem with nostalgia bait, playing off people’s memories and trying to capitalize on that, without making anything new or original in the process.

To top it all off, it’s a perfect game to celebrate PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, reflecting on the myriad series that made the platform what it is today. Those PlayStation-themed levels we mentioned are some of the highlights, too. After defeating each boss — each one a fun fight, by the way — you’ll meet an iconic Sony character, such as Kratos, and they’ll open a new stage based on not only their worlds, but their mechanics.

Yet, the whimsical playfulness and cute charm was still there dancing perfectly in tune with another game without stepping on any toes. A PlayStation fiesta of characters and hodgepodge of borrowed game mechanics blend seamlessly. While it may sound as if the game just copies the homework of all the games that came before it, that is simply not the case.

Time trials and secret areas that unlock after collecting enough hidden materials can provide many more hours of entertainment, especially if time trial modes exist for friends to compete against one another. While there are hidden levels to discover in Astro Bot, after those are completed, there is little incentive to revisit previously conquered stages. This means that after the thrill of the game’s nostalgic moments wears off, there is not much reason to play after its 15 hours are up. In Astro Bot, there are 300 bots to find, including 169 cameo bots, as well as dozens of puzzle pieces and several secret Void levels hidden within the game.

Float over to the pot and use your spin move to clear the debris on top. The secret exit in Hieroglitch Pyramid is at the very end of the level, after you’ve slid down the spikey path and made it to the normal exit. The secret exit in Downsize Surprise is close to the end of the level.

This game allowed players to test the new capabilities of the SSD drive and controller. It’s great that Sony has chosen to develop this humble brand, as it has the potential to become one of the Japanese giant’s flagship exclusives. The goal of each level is merely to get to the end but secreted within each stage is around half a dozen different bots, at least two or three of which are cosplaying as other characters. Sometimes these are hard to miss but most of the time they’re at least somewhat hidden and, along with jigsaw pieces that unlock things like a gatcha shop and changing room for Astro, are the main rewards for exploration.

There are secret exits in several Astro Bot levels, all of which will unlock a new stage in the mysterious Lost Galaxy nebula. To unlock them all, you’ll need to scour certain levels and even solve some mini puzzles. Pulling together tips and tricks for a game that is so welcoming to all types of players feels a bit odd. But, because w188 is a silent protagonist and a lot is inferred rather than explained outright, some of the game’s elements left to the player to decipher may not be all that obvious to all. Team ASOBI has crafted a next-gen platforming experience that showcases everything the PlayStation 5 has to offer, from stunning visuals to innovative DualSense features. From incredible Astro Bot speedrun records to creative gameplay challenges, our community continues to discover new ways to enjoy this beloved platformer.

Astro Bot won multiple awards including Game of the Year at the Game Awards 2024, the 21st British Academy Games Awards, and the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. Astro Bot is a joyful platforming experience that soars thanks to inventive level design and countless loving nods to PlayStation’s rich history. It also takes full advantage of the PS5 and its use of the DualSense controller remains novel. If you’d like to take a peek at the secret character bots specifically, we’ve arranged a gallery of all the Astro Bot hidden cameo bots. For more on Astro Bot, don’t miss our guide on how to unlock the secret photo mode and read our review for this strong Game of the Year contender. That’s not to say its win has no element of surprise to it at all.

It’s clear from the very first frame of Astro Bot just how much love and reverence Team Asobi has for the history of Sony’s consoles and their library of games. You choose a new save file by selecting one of three original PlayStation memory cards and are then thrust into a scene taking place on your PS5-shaped mothership. That mothership crash lands on a desert planet after an evil alien attack, and Astro must now travel the galaxy searching for its missing parts and crewmates. Some of those biggest unexpected treats are the new powers that Astro gets along his journey. The basic movement of our little robot pal is great, with his jump, double jump, and hover hitting that sweet spot between floaty and finely tuned.

ASTRO BOT is a single-player experience designed to deliver a focused and immersive adventure. Nebulas is the main antagonist of the series, a space bully who loves causing trouble for Astro and his friends. He’s a green-skinned alien with a massive mouth, always looking for ways to make life difficult for the crew.