Astro Botis absolutely packed with references to popular and incredibly obscurePlayStationfranchises from across the decades. Fans can encounter other bots that take on the appearance of classic PlayStation mascots and beloved characters. There are 173 PlayStation characters that make an appearance inAstro Bot, with references toGod of War,Metal Gear Solid,Wild Arms,PaRappa the Rapper,Bloodborne, and so many more.
With some of thebest PlayStation games of all timegetting a nod, it can be overwhelming trying to see every single reference. While each and every Easter Egg is amazing in its own right, there are ten truly stand-out references that go above and beyond. Fortunately, fans whose favorite game series isn’t included here can rest assured thatAstro Bothas lovingly recreated it in the game.
10God Of War (2005)
Kratos Turns Astro Bot Into An Ice Cube
It will come as absolutely no surprise that not only are there references toGod of WarinAstro Bot, but that, compared to all of PlayStation’s other first-party properties, it is one of the most heavily featured IPs in the game. Players can encounter all the Bots they’ve discovered at the Crash Site, with a small dedicated space appearing for all theGod of Warcharacters. From Atreus to Mimir,there are plenty of funGod of WarBots to interact with.
Perhaps the best one is Kratos, who, when hit by Astro Bot, will turn it into a block of ice, although Atreus transforming into a number of different animals is a close second.God of Warfans are likely to delight in all the details found in just this small section of the Crash Site. Players were truly spoiled with theGod of Warreboot series, not just thanks to its beloved cast of characters thatAstro Botso lovingly references, but also because it received freeDLC that is bigger than most games.
9Uncharted (2007)
Nathan Drake Can’t Get Enough Of The PS1
Much likeGod of War,Unchartedhas a number of references and Easter Eggs scattered throughoutAstro Bot. From blasting baddies as Nathan Drake to finding their spot in the Crash Site,there are plenty of ways for players to interact with their favoriteUnchartedcharacters inAstro Bot. With four mainline games under its belt, it’s no surprise that Team Asobi gave theUnchartedfranchise so much love.
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By far, the bestUnchartedgag inAstro Botis Nathan Drake sitting on the couch badly playing Dude Raider on the PS1, which Astro Bot can naturally interrupt by hitting him. Fans can also see Sully sleeping on a lounger, and when they hit him, all the gold he’s snatched will tumble out of his pockets. While it’s a more obvious game series to include, it’s still nevertheless beautifully represented.
8Ratchet & Clank (2002)
Rivet Gets Thrown Into Another Dimension
It is only right thatAstro Botreferences one of PlayStation’s most iconic platformers,Ratchet & Clank. While there are surprisingly few nods to the series inAstro Bot, those that are there are as fun as one would expect.With Rivet, Ratchet, and, of course, Clank appearing in the Crash Site for players to interact with, fans of the franchise will get a kick out of playingAstro Bot.
If fans whack Ratchet, he’ll drop a lot of Bolts onto the floor before looking just a little worried, which is a fun nod to the game. Similarly, hitting Rivet will send her shooting through a rift, much like inRift Apart, before being dropped back into the Crash Site.It’s fitting that 2024’s best platformer references one of the PS5’s other incredible platformers, especially when theRatchet & Clank: Rift Apartreviewscalled it an essential PS5 game.
7Persona (1996)
Characters From Persona 3, 4 & 5 All Appear
PersonaandAstro Botdon’t quite go hand-in-hand, butit’s still amazing to see references to the storied series pop up in cutesy Bot form. FromPersona 3up toPersona 5, there are a number of Bots players can collect and visit in the Crash Site. Each of these has a fun animation for fans to see, which taps into what makes them and their respective entry in thePersonafranchise so amazing.
Persona 1and2players will be slightly disappointed, as only3,4, and5are referenced inAstro Bot. Naturally, while the first twoPersonagames had a huge impact on the series, it is the third, fourth, and fifth that are better known by the wider gaming community.
Aigis is representingPersona 3and will hover in the air before sending out an explosion that knocks Astro Bot to its feet if she’s hit. Teddy appears fromPersona 4and will be sucked into the TV before being spat back out. Finally, Joker is represented fromPersona 5, and he will throw a card towards Astro Bot before posing on the floor.
6Yakuza (2005)
All Of Kiryu’s Weapons On Display
Despite there being 6 mainlineYakuzagames and a dozen spin-offs, not to mention theLike A Dragonseries, theYakuzafranchise just gets one Bot inAstro Bot. Nevertheless, it’s a phenomenal Easter egg for fans, as it is not only Kiryu, but players who venture out to find him in the Crash Site will see him standing next to the iconic Kamurocho arch.Every time the player hits Kiryu, a new item will fall onto the floor, including RC cars and an assortment of objects that can be used as weapons in theYakuzaseries.
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From stop signs to bowling pins, there’s no shortage of hilarious objects that’ll fall out of the Kiryu Bot.TheYakuzareference inAstro Botmay be short, but it is certainly sweet, spotlighting Kiryu’s impressive swagger and the hilarity of his choice of weapons. It’s a reminder that no matter how serious the series can get, deep down, it’s ridiculous and over the top with plenty of laughs to be had, with some of thebest side quests in theYakuzafranchisebeing the highlight of the whole experience.
5Boku No Natsuyasumi (2000)
A Niche Reference To A Great Cozy Game
Boku No Natsuyasumimay not be particularly well known to PlayStation fans, but it is a truly iconic series, especially in Japan. It follows the adventures of a young boy named Boku, who gets to spend his summer holidays catching bugs, hanging out with friends, and so much more.It’s one of the original cozy games, where the whole point is to just relax and while away the time having fun.
TheBoku No Natsuyasumireference inAstro Botpays loving homage to this, asit sees Boku trying to catch a bunch of flying bugs with his nest, only to fail. However, those bugs eventually land on his head, and he promptly puts them in his bug box. The spiritual successor toBoku No Natsuyasumi, which is available in the West, is by far one of thebest cozy games on the Nintendo Switch, offering players an expansive open world where they can catch bugs, fish, and live out their summer holiday.
4Jak & Daxter (2001)
The Dynamic Duo Return For A Fun Reference
Jak and Daxter are some of PlayStation’s best mascots, so it only makes sense that they get a quick reference inAstro Bot. Players can obviously locate the duo in the Crash Site, where Daxter is pummeling Jak awake before the two strike their iconic pose from the game’s box art.It’s a fun nod, one that fans of those wonderful PS2 games will thoroughly enjoyand will, hopefully, get non-fans looking into the remastered collection.
Frankly,seeing any form ofJak & Daxtercontent is always a plus. While it will be forever understandable that Naughty Dog switched directions and madeThe Last of Usover anotherJak & Daxtergame, the lack of these brilliant buddies on contemporary PlayStation hardware is baffling. Hopefully,Astro Bot’sinclusion of Jak and Daxter will encourage Sony to give them another go.
3Okami (2006)
Amaterasu Paints A Nostalgic Picture Of The PS2 Era
Okami, much likeJak & Daxter, is a game in great need of a sequel. Its protagonist, Amaterasu, hasn’t been seen in a long while outside of HD remakes ported to the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One, which is a great shame. Fortunately,fans were treated to a delightfulOkamiEaster egg inAstro Bot, in the form of a sleeping Amaterasu next to a Torii Gate.
Okamidid get a sequel in the form ofOkamiden. However, it was exclusive to the Nintendo DS and was released all the way back in 2010. Since then, there has been noOkamisequel, nor any indication any are in the works.
If players hit Amaterasu inAstro Bot, she wakes up, howls, and runs around spreading flowers before howling again.Fans will instantly recognize the flowers growing behind Amaterasu as she runs, as well as the iconic red Torii Gate. It’s a lovely homage, one filled with lots of references, and is sure to delight fans of the series who were perhaps worriedOkamihad been all but forgotten.
2Metal Gear Solid (1998)
No References Were Left In The Box
Unsurprisingly, much likeGod of War,The Last of Us, andUncharted,Metal Gear Solidgot a number of great Easter Eggs inAstro Bot. From Psycho Mantis hovering over an old CRT TV to Raiden desperately attempting to chop up a watermelon, there are so many great nods to the excellentMetal Gear Solidfranchise. Naturally, players can also find Snake hiding under a box.
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What makesAstro Bot’s Metal Gear Solidreferences so good is that there are some deep cuts which clearly come from a passionate developer that loves the series.Astro Bot’s Metal Gear Solidreferences remind players of what made the franchise so special in the first place, while getting them excited aboutMetal Gear Solid Deltaand beyond. It’s fair to say thatMetal Gear Solidfans are sure to find a lot of great Easter Eggs scattered throughoutAstro Bot.
1Ghost of Tsushima (2020)
Jin Takes A Dip In The Hot Springs
Ghost of Tsushimacapped off the PlayStation 4 era with a bang, and introduced fans to a brilliant and complex protagonist, Jin Sakai. However, while many will surely remember it for its excellent combat, gripping narrative, and gorgeous visuals,some may more fondly remember Jin stripping down, hopping into a hot spring, and reminiscing all about his life.
Well, apparently, that’s what the folks over at Team Asobi remember, as that’s what theGhost of TsushimaEaster Egg is inAstro Bot. Fans can watch Jin hop out of the hot spring, get into his armor, and look around nervously with his sword, before heading back into the spring. It’s no surprise thatGhost of Tsushimagot a nod inAstro Botas it was, after all, one of thebest-reviewed games on thePlayStation4and a beautiful farewell to that console generation.
