After jumping up the trigger platforms and tripping a Checkpoint, check the right-hand side for tow Bots hiding from a third with mushrooms on its head. The mushroom Bot refers to a Clicker, a human taken over by parasitic fungi, while the two characters are Joel and Ellie. Joel is holding a brick, a common weapon and means of distraction in the game. On the right-hand side at the start of GPU Jungle is a lower platform of a Bot dancing in an orange head with blue jorts. This references 1996’s Crash Bandicoot on the PS1, developed by Naughty Dog and often considered the PlayStation’s earliest mascot-type character. The dance is the Crash dance created for Japanese ads of the game (specifically the modified one from the N-Sane Trilogy on PS4), while the mask is Aku Aku, Crash’s protector.

This is a great game to play with the family, not only as a demo of the new controller but as a game that will hold your attention for a considerable time. Also, because of the different skills required, you may find a wider audience of players than usual platform games. To add the four bots to Astro Bot, play until you’ve completed the first nebula and unlocked the Crash Site hub. Here, you can continue to unlock additional collectibles, including puzzle pieces and bots to add to your totals.

In the first mud pit in Gusty Gateway, look in the right-hand corner for a skeleton swinging a sword around with a distinctive shield. The shield reveals that this is a reference to 1998’s MediEvil on PS1 by SCE Cambridge, about the knight Sir Daniel Fortesque being brought back to life so he can live up to his own falsified legacy. Holding the square for a long while will charge a special rotating attack.

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As should be evident, Kat has the ability to change the direction of gravity. In 2015, it was remastered on the PlayStation 4 by Bluepoint Games. At the end of the short side-path to the Multi-Tap, you’ll spot a Bot with a flashlight stalked by a Bot in a straw hat.

At its best, Astro’s Playroom recaptures the magic of my favorite Lego video games – except the license on display is the PlayStation brand instead of something like Star Wars or Marvel. The cameos are plentiful and amusing, with franchises that go beyond the first-party catalogue, along with some surprisingly deep cuts that made me feel very old. But in the midst of all that history, Astro feels like an adorably fresh face; I’m glad to see the character break out of the confines of VR and reach out to a broader audience.

Up the same cliff as the Ico easter egg, on the opposite side you can find a crowd observing a Bot teeing off with a golf club while wearing a PS VR headset. This references Everybody’s Golf VR by Clap Hanz, released in 2019. Up until the 2017 game, Everybody’s Golf was called Hot Shots Golf in North America.

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It also uses the capabilities of the controller in creative ways that hopefully all games capture in the future for a better experience. Finally, F168 in Astro’s Playroom is a joy to listen to. Whether it’s the main menu with its signature Astro theme to celebrate the character, or CPU Plaza’s grandiose techno track and even Cooling Springs having a nice and cozy tune in its ice level. My favorite track overall, however, was the SSD Speedway, featuring sounds that match the game’s presentation perfectly.

Tearaway is also references in the PlayStation Labo area, where it’s on the PlayStation Vita Game Pack artwork, and the Vita itself will boot to “Botaway” if you hit it. Special Bots are hidden Bots scattered throughout each biome of Astro’s Playroom, and were added in the lead-up to the sequel, Astro Bot. Each represents a VIP Bot from Astro Bot, and can be found in the Mission Control Room of the new Labo Basement area once you’ve freed them. They will only appear after you’ve unlocked and completed 1994 Throwback. If for some reason you don’t like blowing into your controller’s microphone, just turn it off.

It’s the kind of charming 3D adventure rarely seen outside of Nintendo, one dripping with inventive ideas and heartwarming details. And it might just be the ideal game to sell you on a PlayStation 5. This references Concrete Genie, a 2019 PS4 game developed by Pixelopus.

The final neat feature of Astro’s Playroom is the Network Speed Run challenge levels. You can do normal platforming challenge levels with Astro or ones focused on each suit to earn the best times. In between each standard platforming level are dedicated sections to unique suits for Astro. Memory Meadow, for instance, Astro becomes a little roller ball that uses the Dualsense’s trackpad for control instead of the left thumbstick. Astro’s Playroom lets you control Astro on a 3D platforming adventure across 4 different components of the PlayStation 5. You can go through Memory Meadow, a cloudy realm of wind and storms.

Both are games that were explicitly designed to showcase a new controller. But both also transcend that goal, shifting from tech demo to straight-up fun game. It takes only a few moments for Astro’s Playroom to show why you’ll want to play with a DualSense, and over the course of its run time it keeps giving you new reasons. When you get to the very end of the level, you’ll land on a Sacred Symbols rainbow bridge.

This is a reference to 2018’s Spider-Man, developed by Insomnia Games. Its sequel, Miles Morales, would be a launch title alongside Astro’s Playroom. Head up to where the checkpoint is, and on the raised platform behind the pink plant is a small outcropping. Stand here and look out to space, and the special bot will appear.

A DLC game in which the player controls a ninja AR Bot, evading traps and firing shuriken. The Ninja Bots DLC was released on 13 March 2014 and supports up to four players. The alien buddy is a deformable toy with which the player can interact. Locations and characters are very detailed and nicely animated. It is worth noting that the game is maintained in a very colorful artistic style, which may appeal to both older and younger players.

These collectibles add an extra layer of depth and nostalgia to the game. The game itself effectively utilizes the DualSense controller’s features, resulting in an engaging and innovative gaming experience. Although the game is relatively short, it packs a lot of fun and demonstrates the potential of the PS5 and DualSense in this new generation of gaming.