Contents show Press, nudge, hit, and jump on everything All levels are replayable Use the guiding bird to find collectibles Spend your coins at the gacha machine Pay attention to the DualSense’s rumble Chase comets and meteors If you’re missing a collectible, look to the flying start of each level
Pulling together tips and tricks for a game that is so welcoming to all types of players feels a bit odd. But, because Astro 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.
In that spirit, we’ve pulled together 7 tips and tricks we think will prove helpful for those diving into Astro’s irresistibly charming universe for the first time. When you’re ready to move on, check out our guide to all the collectibles in the starting two levels, Sky Garden and Creamy Canyon.
Explore, nudge, hit, press, and jump on everything. Captured by VideoGamer
Press, nudge, hit, and jump on everything
The levels in Astro Bot feature a staggering amount of interactive elements from jump pads, blocks, and platforms through to what appear to be decorative objects like plants, trees, and even animals. You’ll want to try and hit, nudge, press, and jump on absolutely everything. Not only is this often key it to progressing through a level, but can also lead to secrets and Easter eggs, fun interactions, and hidden collectibles.
You can replay all levels as many times as you want. Captured by VideoGamer
All levels are replayable
Missed a collectible? Not to worry, all the levels are replayable as many times as you want, including boss levels, so don’t hesitate to progress the campaign, then jump back in later on to explore for secrets and anything else you might have along the way. Replaying levels is sometimes Astro Bot at it’s very best.
Use the guiding bird to find collectibles
After completing a level, restart and you’ll spot a small birdhouse near the start of the level. Smash the glass casing on the birdhouse and pull the cord to get a bird companion who will point you towards any missed collectibles, including bots, puzzle pieces, and portals. It will cost a one-time fee of 200 coins per level, but it’s well worth it. Once you’ve paid the 200 coins, you can restart the level and summon the bird as many times as you want for free.
Spend your coins at the gacha machine. Captured by VideoGamer
Spend your coins at the gacha machine
You’ll pick up an awful lot of coins exploring all the planets in Astro Bot. At first, that huge trove of gold may seem useless, but once you’ve beaten the first boss in the Gorilla Nebula, you’ll unlock the Gacha Lab at the Crash Site. Here, you can spend coins to win up to 169 PlayStation-themed collectibles, including skins for the Dual Speeder. Later on, you’ll also unlock the Dual Speeder Garage, where you can personnalise Astro’s controller plane, and the Changing Room to switch up Astro’s look to outfits collected in the Gacha Lab.
Pay attention to the DualSense’s rumble
Aside from elevating Astro Bot with strikingly tactile feedback to what is happening on screen, the DualSense is also the source of clues. In particular, the rumbling, or specifically the type and intensity of the rumble. For certain puzzles, including the Az-Tech Trail doors, the DualSense is crucial to figuring out how to proceed, so pay close attention on what your controller is telling you at all times.
The DualSense also produces some unique audio if it isn’t hooked up to headphones, so try to play without any if you can for a more immersive experience.
Hit comets and meteors to unlock secret levels. Captured by VideoGamer
Chase comets and meteors
Though completing levels will spawn new ones within the same solar system, there are also hidden mini-levels. You can unearth these by flying into the comets and meteors scattered around, especially once you’ve completed most of the bigger main levels in a zone. Among them are fun little optional level types like Retro Rampage and Crumble Rumble, but also levels dedicated to the PlayStation controller symbols – triangle, circle, square, cross – that pose some of the toughest platforming challengers in the game.
Some collectibles are hidden in flying sections. Captured by VideoGamer
If you’re missing a collectible, look to the flying start of each level
If you’ve explored every last inch of a level, but still can’t track down that last elusive puzzle piece, then it might be during the flying section at the start of the level. It’s the starting portion where Astro is riding the Dual Speeder before landing on firm ground. The collectibles are typically in plain sight and it’s a case of titling your DualSense in the right direction to grab them. But, occasionally, they are a bit more elusive: you may need to smash into a creature, for example.
