The best part ofAstro Botis the vast number of PlayStation Easter eggs it contains. Whether it becharacter cameos, hidden face button symbols, or show-stopping final stages that pay homage to PlayStation classics, Astro Bot is stuffed to the brim with references.
One of the more in-depth sources of references are the VIP Bot animations at the Crash Site, most of which are unlocked when obtaining items from the vending machine. These deep-cut references, which are usually unlocked by smacking the VIP Bot, get into the nitty-gritty details of the games they’re referencing, making awesome inside jokes for fans.
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10Mister Mosquito
He’s just trying to take a bath
One of the most obscure games to be referenced in Astro Bot is the PlayStation 2 game, Mister Mosquito, which places players in the role of a mosquito hunting for blood to suck from an unsuspecting family. The game is incredibly strange, but one level in particular has made it infamous.
The level in question takes place in a bathroom where a woman is taking a bath, lewdly encouraging the player to land on more “private” parts of her body in order to get the blood they need. Astro Bot himself recreates the risqué scene here, hopping inside the seemingly-lone tub for a bath before being bothered by Mister Mosquito.
9Street Fighter
Street Fightericons Ryu and Ken are both discoverable VIP Bots, and once they both are collected, you may make them (kinda) recreate a match of Street Fighter! Giving either of them a smack will trigger their respective move from the game.
Ryu, of course, will attack with a Hadoken move, shooting a blue ball of fire at Ken. Ken will fire off a Shoryuken, uppercutting Ryu with a flaming fist. The two remain friendly after each jab, hugging and playing around together.
8Parappa the Rappa
I Believe!
It’s everybody’s favorite rapping canine, Parappa the Rappa! Once you get a microphone in this guy’s hand and a beat playing on the turntables behind him, his rhythm cannot be stopped by anything (including your punches).
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Hitting Parappa will cause him to be spun around and thrown for a loop, which he uses to his advantage by turning the fall into a sweet break-dancing move. At the end of his animation, he’ll shoot up his iconic peace fingers, and you’re able to hear him shout (in slightly muddled Bot language) his catchphrase “I Believe!”
7Metal Gear Solid
Snake needs some privacy…
Snake fromMetal Gear Solidcan be found near some other MGS icons in the Crash Site, hiding inside his iconic cardboard box. What we love about this animation is that there are multiple variants that you can randomly see when you hit him!
When giving the cardboard box a smack, one of two things will happen: Snake will pop out from under the box with his silenced pistol, ready to shoot, or Snake will be caught with hearts in his eyes, looking at a magazine full of bots in bikinis and skimpy outfits.
6Death Stranding
Keep quiet
Hitting Sam fromDeath Strandingwill cause him to have one of his infamous balancing-challenges, but the best animations for this bot are actually just seen when he’s uninterrupted in his normal idle animation.
If you keep watching Sam, he will encounter one of the invisible BTs from the game, with his Odradek activating and pulsing as footprints are created in the surrounding mud. The bot covers its mouth (which it does not have), as well as protects the even small baby-bot it’s storing on its chest.
5God of War
Kratos channels his rage
You may have enjoyed wielding the Leviathan Axe in theBot of War level, but it has returned to Kratos fromGod of Waronce you’re back at the Crash Site. The only way to get a real up-close and personal look at the axe, unfortunately, is to get it thrown at you.
If you smack the Kratos bot, he will become enraged (he seems to do that a lot). Kratos will grab his axe and throw it straight at you, freezing you in a block of ice. If you’re looking for a hidden trophy, attempt to get Kratos to throw his axe at Thor!
4Uncharted
Relationship goals
This idle animation is a favorite of ours because it actually involves two characters together. In the center of the Uncharted platform in the Crash Site, you can find Nathan Drake playing a game of Dude Raider on his PlayStation (a reference to both a scene in Uncharted 4, and the series' similarity to theTomb Raiderfranchise).
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Behind the couch, you can watch the Elena bot filming on her video camera, then stop and spot her husband Nathan looking cute playing a video game. She swoons, pulls out her camera and starts snapping pics of him looking happy to game. It’s a cute and wholesome moment that just makes us smile.
3Crash Bandicoot
Dance Party!
Crash Bandicoot’s animation, when smacked, simply throws his mask off of his head, revealing the bot underneath. But his idle animations feature him showing off his iconic dance moves, which the player can actually join in on!
By pressing Down on the D-Pad, the player can begin one of four random dance moves at any time in the game, a funny extra feature that’s never really needed. If you press it next to Crash, you’ll start dancing with him, matching his moves as he teaches you how to do his special dance!
2Like A Dragon
He brought mini-games
TheLike A Dragon/Yakuzafranchise is well-known for its outrageous variety of mini-games, which the Kazuma bot makes a charming reference to (as well as the fist-to-fist combat in the games) in the Crash Site of Astro Bot.
When you give Kazuma a whack, he’ll drop a random item on the floor nearby. If you keep whacking him, a pile of random objects will start to build, each of them referencing a different mini-game from the Like A Dragon series such as Darts, Karaoke or Golf.
1Katamari Damacy
Rollin' through
The award for the best animation in the Crash Site has to go to theKatamari Damacybot, which shows the Prince of the classic franchise rolling around the iconic Katamari ball when he’s given a hit.
The best part by far about this animation is that if you get in the way of the Katamari, it’ll pick you up and stick you onto the ball just like in the game. This cheeky and cute cameo of the main mechanic in Katamari Damacy is an awesome homage and truly is what Astro Bot is all about.
Review: Astro Bot
Astro’s back with a nostalgic punch full of fun, creativity and charm with Astro Bot.
JOIN ASTRO IN A BRAND-NEW, SUPERSIZED SPACE ADVENTUREThe PS5® mothership has been wrecked, leaving ASTRO and the bot crew scattered all over the galaxies. Time to ride your trusty Dual Speeder across more than 50 planets full of fun, danger and surprises. On your journey, make the most of ASTRO’s new powers and reunite with many iconic heroes from the PlayStation universe!Blast off on a supersized adventureFrom sandy beaches to lush jungles and piping-hot volcanoes, explore a myriad of memorable planets in search of Astro’s lost crew!Power up your platformingWith your new powers, battle out a whole new roster of quirky baddies and huge bosses. Feel every hop, punch and crack through your DualSense wireless controller.Join the PlayStation celebrationReunite with over 150 iconic PlayStation heroes and celebrate 30 years of PlayStation history!
