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Astro's Playroom Special Bots snuck their way into the game through an update, and were then revealed via a series of riddles for players to solve and collect these hidden Bots based on Bloodborne, Returnal, Gran Turismo, and Ape Escape. Now all four of these Special Bots are available, it's absolutely worth grabbing them to earn a few bonus Trophies and carry them over to your crew in Astro Bot where they'll help unlock new areas and levels faster. The solutions for some of these puzzles are quite complicated and you're unlikely to guess them on your own, which is why I'm here to guide your through how to unlock all of the Special Bots in Astro's Playroom.
If you haven't played Astro's Playroom recently, there's also a new Secret Labo area that can be accessed by standing on the blue teleport pad in the PlayStation Labo near the PS5. From there, you can access the Mission Room where all of the Astro's Playroom Special Bots you've unlocked so far will be counting down until the release of Astro Bot.
Where to find Astro's Playroom Special Bots in Astro Bot
Once you've found these Astro's Playroom Special Bots, they will automatically transfer over to the new game and become Astro Bot collectibles as long as you have your save file on the same console. To actually find them, you need to head to the Crash Site hub planet and then recruit two other Bots to lift the rocks off each of them, by interacting with the prompts as shown above.
Astro's Playroom Special Bots - Hunted Down (Bloodborne)
Added: June 2024
Location: Renderforest, GPU Jungle
From the start of the Renderforest, go forward and pull the cable to make the steps appear, then in the next area look off to the left where you'll see a Bloodborne Bot performing various moves under a plant.
Go to the edge of the platform underneath that plant, and a new platform will appear with the Special Bot encased in a capsule, which activates this challenge.
From there, go around the platform to your left to find the steps up, defeat the two caterpillar enemies then hold and release Square to spin attack the flower that appears in the middle to grow a plant with leaf platforms.
Jump up to the higher platforms, then go around the back of the furthest stalk as shown in the image above. There you'll find a small clock embedded, so stand next to it and then press the Options button.
Instead of the regular pause menu, you'll instead be presented with a date. Use the arrows to change this to the release date of Bloodborne – November 24, 2015 – and the mechanism will unlock.
You'll receive the Hunted Down Trophy, and the Bloodborne Special Bot will be added to your collection.
Astro's Playroom Special Bots - Deja Phew! (Returnal)
Added: July 2024
Location: Deep Dataspace, SSD Speedway
This Astro's Playroom Special Bot is located in Deep Dataspace, which is the third level of the SSD Speedway area. Rather than working your way through to it, if you hit the Options button you can jump straight to that level from the map along the red line and save yourself some time.
Work your way through the level until you reach the area where you pull a cable to receive the minigun from a crate, then go to the edge of the platform on your left for the next Special Bot to appear.
Now the challenge is active, shoot your way down the next corridor but in the area beyond it leave at least one of the green spitter enemies alive.
Go up the steps, then turn around and walk along the beams above the area you just passed through, where you'll find a small astronaut doll. Stand on top of it, then wait for one of the spitters to kill you with their ranged slime attack.
You'll collect the astronaut doll when you die, then respawn for the Deja Phew! Trophy to unlock and the Returnal Special Bot will be added to your collection.
Astro's Playroom Special Bots - Grand Tourist (Gran Turismo)
Added: August 2024
Location: Bot Beach, Cooling Springs
To kick off this Astro's Playroom Special Bot challenge, there are four starfish on the beach you need to stand on in the correct order. Each one in turn will make an audio cue as you pass over it, so you know you're on the right track.
After landing on the beach, go to the wooden pier on the right hand side then stand on the starfish in the shadows underneath it.
Next, go to the end of the wider wooden deck on the left hand side of the beach, then stand on the starfish just in the water behind a white shell.
Now cross over to the right side of the beach again, and look underneath a palm tree near a sandcastle for the third starfish to stand on.
For the fourth and final starfish, go back over to the left edge of the beach and down the side of the big pipe to find it sitting under the water – you just need to swim over it.
The Special Bot will now appear in front of you, with a snaking arrow shown on the display of their capsule. Pay attention to this route, as you'll need it shortly to complete the challenge.
Swap to the other edge of the beach again and down the side of the opposite big pipe, where tucked underneath you'll find a blue shell you can knock over to reveal a steering wheel in the sand.
Press Options next to the steering wheel, which will bring up the map but you'll also hear an engine revving, and can now drive Astro around this screen. Follow the route exactly as laid out in the image above, which is: Up, Left, Down, Down, Left, Down, Down, Right, Up, Right, Down, Right, Up, Up, Right, Up, Left, Left. If you make a mistake at any point, hold down X to restart and try again.
With the correct combination entered, the Grand Tourist Trophy will unlock and the Gran Turismo Special Bot will be added to your collection.
Astro's Playroom Special Bots - No Escape! (Ape Escape)
Added: September 2024
Location: Gusty Gateway, Memory Meadow
When you begin the Gusty Gateway level, proceed ahead to pull cables and build the two bridges out of controller leads.
Next, go back to the start of the level and pull the cable to the side that gives you a rocket. You need to carry this forward over those two controller lead bridges – watch out for flying debris, as if it hits you the rocket will be destroyed and you'll have to go back to get another one.
Beyond the bridges, go behind the bush with an Ape Escape Bot peeking out and stand on the edge of the platform to see a purple cloud forming. Shoot that with the rocket (press Square) and the Special Bot will appear in their capsule.
Continue a little further through the level until you reach this area, with moving cloud platforms to jump on and a raised pillar you can jump and boost your way to from the cloud.
Jump and boost over to that pillar from the moving cloud, climb up and keep hitting the tree on top until some bananas fall out of it, then grab them by pressing Square. If you lose them at any point, you can spawn more by hitting the tree again.
Go to the far end of the pillar platform, where you can easily jump and boost back down to the area with the Special Bot. Jump on the platform in front of the capsule while holding the bananas to start a minigame.
The Ape Escape Bot will start dancing in the capsule, and you need to replicate the same dance moves by using the emote buttons on the d-pad. These are:
- Up = Floss
- Right = Disco
- Down = Jig
- Left = Carlton
If you make a mistake, you'll need to go back up top and get more bananas to bring back for another attempt.
Match the correct dance moves to earn the No Escape! Trophy (and Four The Players Trophy if you have now found all four Secret Bots), along with adding the Ape Escape Special Bot to your collection.
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