When one hits you, Astro will be reset to the last checkpoint, and Selene’s capsule will open. Remember, once you’re done collecting all the Special Bots, you’ll be able to transfer them to new game Astro Bot. For a full list of All Bots Locations and All VIP Bots in the latest title, check out our Astro Bot PS5 guide. A full walkthrough will take you step-by-step from the start of the game to 100% completion, while the Collectibles section helps you find every Artefact and Puzzle Piece in the game! There’s even a Trophies section to help you earn that coveted Platinum Trophy.

When first arriving on Bot Beach off the slide, head right and look for the orange boat in the water with a bearded man and a small Bot in it. This references the 2018 God of War on PS4, also developed by SIE Santa Monica Studio. The composition of this easter egg is specifically mimicking the box art of the game.

Ps5 Will Come Pre-loaded With A Free Game Called Astro’s Playroom

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.

The Bots chasing the bike refer to the huge swarms of zombies featured in the game. Further along the area where the Horizon and Dreams easter eggs are will be some vines you can move by blowing into your microphone. Inside the cave on the right is a coffin, which if you punch will cause a blonde figure to emerge and pull the lid back on. This references the Castlevania series, specifically 1997’s Symphony of the Night on PS1, by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo. On the right side of the giant pool at the end of Hotel Hopalot, you can find some Bots dancing next to two cardboard cutouts. These reference 1996’s PaRappa the Rapper and 1999’s Um Jammer Lammy for the PS1, both developed by NanaOn-Sha.

It holds the Guiness World Record as the first platform video game in true 3D, beating out Super Mario 64 by an entire year. Every function and feature of the controller gets a little time in the spotlight. Pervasive and distinct rumble effects steal the show, from the tiny sensation of Astro’s footsteps to thundering moments like an Indiana Jones-style boulder chase. The triggers offer resistance as you charge your jumps in a frog suit or operate the levers on a toy machine. Sliding your finger across the touchpad lets you direct your movement as you roll around in a ball.

In terms of basic structure and mechanics, Astro’s Playroom is not surprising; it adheres closely to a comfortable formula. But that familiarity doesn’t drag the experience down, because the DualSense controller adds novelty in fun and surprising ways. In ASTRO’S PLAYROOM, players guide Astro through a series of lands, all of which tout the selling points of the PlayStation 5, including its SSD hard drive and new processor. This makes for a themed series of levels (four levels per land) that showcase the DualSense controller, primarily its rumble feature. You’ll feel the ice shattering beneath Astro’s feet via the controller. It underscores how much the controller can be a part of the game.

This scene refers to his safe cracking skills, and this setup in particular serves as the cover for the European version of the game, where it was known simply as Sly Raccoon. On the right-hand side of the pool at the very end of Bot Beach is a bloated Bot with a crown on its head and a cake on its belly. This is a reference to 2009’s Fat Princess for the PS3, developed by Titans Studios. The game was a twist on Capture the Flag where you feed your Princess cake to make her heavier, and thus harder for your opponents to steal. At the start of Deep Dataspace, check the right-hand side for a lower area where a Bot in a red trench coat is constantly firing on a jester-looking Bot.

The game is about making assets and even entire games from scratch. Immediately to the left of the Wires that start this level is a water tank showing a Bot in a shark tank that’s circled by two dangerous Pirhanas. This references 2016’s PlayStation VR Worlds for PS4, developed by SIE London Studio as the launch game for the PS VR. The London Heist level would be expanded into a full game called Blood & Truth in 2019. After going through a small round room with Shock Orbs in it, you’ll go up a tall shaft with fans trying to push you into Shock Walls.

Power Up Your Presents

This references 2015’s Until Dawn on PS4 by Supermassive Games. The purple beanie refers to character Ashley Brown, while the one next to it with classes is Christopher Hartley. Further along the beach from the God of War easter egg is a giant Bot head. This is a reference to 2006’s LocoRoco for PSP, developed by SIE Japan Studio. Punching it will cause it to split into many tiny heads that then merge together, referencing the signature ability of the LocoRoco.

The player’s character can take damage, such as by falling off platforms, being flattened or being electrocuted. Some of the ‘boss’ characters, including a dinosaur-like character, may be scary for younger children. Provided you’ve already completed the game, all four worlds in the free PS5 pack-in adventure hides a secret bot, which can be unlocked by solving their respective riddles. Once you do, these bots will be added to your collection of bots when you play Astro Bot.

Astro’s Playroom Media

The game is a wave-based shoot ‘em up that is comparable to Zone of the Enders. Astro Bot Rescue Mission is referenced a second time on the PlayStation Game Disc Artefact, which has a fictional Astro Bot game label on it and a very low-polygon version of Astro on it. In the PlayStation Labo area are two Bots in VR with a third listening to music, with two microphones behind him. The mics reference 2004’s Singstar for the PS2, developed by London Studio. Singstar was a very popular franchise on the PS2, and came packed with blue and red microphones, as referenced in the Labo area.

While the normal levels are fun and do not pose too much of a challenge, the suits are still a mixed bag, and therefore, only half of them are enjoyable to use, and stunted my current best time in the game. But overall, in a free game, a slew of challenge levels to test yourself in is just icing on a near-perfect cake. Every level has tons of retro tech to collect and store in the PlayStation Labo.

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.

The Toy Maker DLC was released on 26 November 2013 in North America and was available at the PlayStation 4 launch in Europe on 29 November 2013. Astro’s Playroom guide contains a detailed walkthrough for the game. Here you will find locations of all the puzzles and artifacts. We described the trophies, controls, and the most important aspects of the game. Here are the games released during 2025 that have won major industry awards or received nominations for those awards. We’ll update our awards tracker whenever new awards and nominations are announced.

1994 Throwback’s primary reference is Demo 1, a pack-in demo disc packed in with the PlayStation that was updated over the course of the PlayStation’s life. It was first available in 1994 at trade shows and eventually packed in with the system itself. F168 would then be updated six times over the years with new games and revised menus; the logo is from the 1996 version. Yet another unlockable display for the Labo area is a Bot throwing a blue boomerang around. The shape is a reference to the infamous “Boomerang” prototype controller, an unofficial name for the controller that was shown alongside the PlayStation 3 when it debuted. The controller would be dropped in favour of the more familiar DualShock design.