Going into Astro Bot, I was sure this was just another attempt at a 3D platformer with nostalgia baked into it. Little did I know, Astro Bot’s abilities alone proved me wrong and won me over.
These superbly crafted abilities not only look the part but are genuinely geniuses at how they entirely change how each level is played. I don’t know how Team ASOBI came up with all this!
Spoiler Alert! Many of these abilities are best discovered and experienced by yourself.
I could rave on and on about everything Astro Bot, but for now, let’s list down all the abilities you’ll find as you journey through the game.
1) Mini Mouse
This ability is aptly hidden behind a breakable cheese. When you acquire it, Astro Bot gets a pair of “Mickey Mouse” ears (not actually Mickey, but it looks like it) and a tiny mouse attached to its back. A cage will spring from the ground and capture you inside where you stand.
This is where you have to use the ability to shrink down to the size of an ant and walk out of the trap. Maybe it’s a reference to Ant-Man; I don’t know. That’s two Disney franchises right there.
This ability lets you sneak around enemies, use small flowers and other things like a clothesline for platforming, and even sometimes shifting the game into a traditional 2D platformer. You can even access small openings and secret areas that the regular-size Astro Bot can’t reach.
2) Sponge Bot
Right where you get this ability, there is a hot tub with other bot buddies. Jump into the tub, and Astro Bot will soak up the water in his newly sponge-fied body and become ginormous. It’s not just about turning bigger; you are now essentially a water-carrying container.
In big mode, you can walk to plants, water them, and get coins in return. You can also use it to water other little sponges in the area that grow into platforms for Astro to climb. It is also used to put out fires hindering your progression.
And it’s so much fun to watch Astro Bot destroy things under his feet as he walks all Godzilla-style when enlarged.
3) Climb-ate
This power literally puts a monkey on your back. But instead of getting rid of this problem, this monkey lets you climb out of your problems. The monkey extends its arms to grab the distinctive banana climbing holds to scale certain areas. Consider it like climbing those yellow-painted ledges in games like Uncharted and Horizon but on animation steroids.
You can use these stretchy paws to open chests and fling rocks of big and small variety to break things to reveal secret areas. The monkey also has a ground-pounding attack that topples enemies in its surroundings. Don’t forget to ground-pound regularly; it might help some plants grow and give you access to other hidden items.
4) Steel-o-sphere
It’s a straightforward ability where Astro Bot turns into an armored ball and rolls around. However, in practice, it’s not as simple. You use this ball form to enter these blue-lava mountains, only for them to shoot you to other platforms as a traversing mechanic.
When facing enemies, Astro Bot will tank all their bullets and finish them off all execution style by jumping inside them and making them explode. Even the fire environmental hazards won’t hurt him while he is rolling like a hardened gangsta. Not even the smashing traps will be able to smoosh you.
5) Froxer
Astro Bot will receive a set of green frog-shaped boxing gloves that stretch farther and punch at long distances. They help you pummel enemies from afar, break special walls and items, and pull things to break other stuff. You can use them to send enemies’ projectiles flying back at them.
Surprisingly, it also turns you into Spider-Man. You attach the frogs to specific sticky poles and swing to other platforms. Like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, you can use the frogs to slingshot yourself to reach distant areas.
6) Vaccu-phant
This ability gives Astro Bot a special vacuum that looks like an elephant. This sucker sips liquids found in the level to create platforms mid-air. Anytime you feel you would fall to death or jump over a trap (like spikes, etc.), you can whip out a platform and safely jump to the next platform. It helps you reach those higher places that are sometimes harder to get with the double jump.
There are two distinct liquids, too. The green one will create a standard grassy platform, and the orange one will construct a blob that acts like a spring propelling you even higher. Do note that there are only limited uses per sip, so prepare to suck up more.
It’s the perfect tool for speed runners to use the platform on demand and ignore the regular path.
7) Virtual *PAUSE* Reality
Astro Bot receives the original PS VR Headset and a timer on his back. When you activate the ability, the whole world stops briefly. You can use it to halt enemies and kill them without trouble. Certain environmental elements can be paused and used as platforms to advance to new locations.
There are many fast spinning/moving platforms and enemies in this level that must be paused to traverse and kill, respectively. You’ll also be stopping seesaw platforms from tilting to progress. This is a pretty standard ability in gaming, but the level design makes it a stand out.
8) Rocket Rooster
A jet pack in the shape of a chicken that thrusts you vertically to scale higher-up areas. This goes much higher than your regular double jump. There are also unique interactions where Astro Bot thrust pulls a chain from the ground, leading to you either raising a platform, breaking the ground below to reveal a secret area or a funny one where I pulled out a giant snowman.
Of course, you destroy anything that comes in the way of your flight, like some flying enemies, and even break specific barriers. This is a fairly simple ability with little depth compared to other abilities in the game.
9) Missile Mut
Rocket Rooster was the vertical boost and this ability is the horizontal thruster boost. You’ll be dashing and zipping near the land with this pupper on your back. You are doing the same things as the previous ability, like breaking glass walls and crates, and entertaining interactions like playing basketball, just on the horizontal plane.
The ability is actually used to jump between farther-placed platforms. Some formidable enemies will only go down if you propel into them, while others must be forced down the platform with the rocket boost. There are times when this thruster is used to pinball through particular sections.
10) Plungy Penguin
Who has the time to swim slowly when you have this ability to propel you through the water? Its only purpose is to travel quickly in water, which is especially helpful since the majority of the level is underwater.
Your thrusting could also kill any enemy in the way, so that means no stupid underwater fighting is required. If you feel it, you could act like a dolphin and start porpoising (I had to google this word) and even jump through hoops if you like.
11) Inflatapus
Peculiarly, this cephalopod on your back inflates you for a short duration. This sudden puff-up will help you float to higher areas and longer distances. This is like the combination of Projectile Pooch and Rocket Rooster without the breakneck thrusting.
The octopus can also fill the air in deflated platforms, hitch a ride on windy updrafts to reach higher ground, and even pump air into special enemies, sending them flying away in cartoon style. The constant inflating and deflating do require a bit of finesse when platforming with this ability.
12) Teddy Banger
Astro Bot gets a plushie on his back with a set of cymbals. The idea is that with each clap, platforms, and obstacles in the level will alternate. For example, there are these blue and red platforms that will rise and fall with each bang. To get across, you must time your jumps with the claps and platform positions. Those who have played Guacamelee will be aware of this mechanic.
The correct placement of a clap’s shockwave can be used to topple over some enemies and use them as jumping springs. And the way everything, like confetti on the ground, goes flying from the shockwave is amusing to do a couple of times.
13) All-Seeing Bulb
This ability isn’t a permanent pick-up but a temporary thing you find regularly with the whole level mechanically built around it. It seems like a smaller ability, but its application might push it into the big league.
Basically, Astro Bot will grab a bulb and raise it up. The light from the bulb will reveal nearby invisible floating platforms only. You have to hop your way across cleverly.
Furthermore, these bulbs are mini-grenades too. You can throw them at breakable walls and doors and burst them wide open. Also, there are combat sections where you must take out ghostly enemies with the bulb’s explosion.
14) Nathan Bot
This cameo transformation turns Astro Bot into Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series. You’ll receive his trusty toy gun and his iconic hair.
You’ll be going on a swashbuckling treasure hunter adventure where everything is falling apart like the end of those games, and you have to outrun the collapsing level while dodging enemies and traps frantically. It’s a good thing Nathan’s gun comes in handy in quickly dispatching enemies.
15) Bot of War
This transformation sees Astro Bot wield the Leviathan Axe from the God of War franchise while sporting Kratos’s rugged beard and spartan skirt. When I saw this ability, I went bonkers. I love me some Kratos.
The axe can be used as a melee weapon, and you can throw it and call it back, just like in the game. Any enemy hit with the thrown axe will be frozen in a huge block of ice, which you can eliminate easily. The thrown axe will also trigger new platforms to come forth.
16) Bot Escape
Astro Bot acquires Spike’s net from the Ape Escape IP coupled with his red and yellow pointy hair and clothes. The gimmick of the level is to capture the escaping apes.
The net is used as a melee weapon to slay enemies, and it can switch to a radar. The objective is to follow the radar’s visual and audio cues to seek out monkeys spread around the level. Once they are exposed, they begin to sprint everywhere, and you have to chase them down and use the net to catch them. Some apes will be hidden while others are out in the open.
17) LocoBoto
This is the most transformational transformation in the game. Astro Bot encounters the cast from LocoRoco, a colorful PSP game, and fuses with them to become a giant blob.
Now, you must use the Dualsense controller’s gyro capabilities to tilt the level and roll Astro blob to progress. It is a finicky ability but quite enjoyable. What follows is a frantic rolling session to the end, where you have to squish enemies, maintain momentum with precise hand motions, and demolish anything that stands in your way.
18) Horizon Astro Bot
Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn will give Astro Bot her bow, quickly transforming him into her, including that redhead.
Obviously, you’ll be going around sniping enemies with the bow and arrow and slowing down time like her for precise and quick shots. Landing arrows on specific marks will unlock new platforms and pathways to progress further in the level. Astro’s punches will transform into Alloy’s spear, too.
Minor Astro Bot Abilities
Some minor abilities in Astro Bot are strewn about on different levels. Unlike the earlier abilities, levels are not tailored around these ones. They are more one-time use power-ups. They include:
- Flowercopter: Astro Bot can pluck a flower from exposed wires and hold it over his head. This flower boosts his regular jump, helping him reach farther and elevated areas. It is disposed of as soon as he lands.
- Rolling Armadillo: Astro Bots jumps over a big ball and balances himself. You then control the ball to cross a series of spiked platforms while running over some enemies. The course feels like something out of Fall Guys. The ball is hard to maneuver!
- Watery Ducky: Astro Bot pulls a rubber ducky off the ground. This duck will profusely discharge water. You can aim the water at lava surfaces, turn them hard, and run toward safer platforms. Move fast cause the water runs out, and you don’t want to stand over burning magma when that happens, or your goose is cooked.
- Magnate: Astro Bot carries a magnet that attracts every loose metal in the level, like cans and iron bars. He then forms a giant metal ball to hurl it at special marks. Usually, it results in either creating a platform to progress or demolishing a path forward.
- TNT: A single stick of explosive used to bring down breakable walls and destroy enemies.
If you want to see these abilities in action and are not worried about ruining the surprise then check the above video.
There is no wiki (as of now) where I could find the official names for these, so I had to come up with the names of Astro Bot Abilities. I hope you like what I came up with. Anywho, the only time I saw this many level-based abilities was in It Takes Two, and that’s the highest compliment a platformer could get.