An interactive chronicle of a selection of VIP robots, from the most well-known to the rarest.

How are you enjoying Astro Bot? I'm sure many of you are working tirelessly to rescue every last robot from the deepest reaches of space. And I bet a lot of you have spotted some familiar PlayStation VIP robots along the way… Although, maybe there are some you recognize but can't quite remember where from, or you're unfamiliar with the historical context behind them. And perhaps there are a couple you don’t recall at all.

Astro Bot is filled with affectionate tributes to PlayStation's global history and legacy spanning thirty years, so there are sure to be references that only certain fans will recognize. Don’t feel bad if there’s a VIP you don’t quite place! The good news is that, with a huge library of classic games available on PlayStation Store or PlayStation Plus Deluxe, it’s easy and fun to take an interactive history lesson to learn more about that strange robot that caught your eye. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

Ape Escape

Just when you thought you’d rounded up all those pesky apes for good, they’re back causing trouble in Astro Bot! Ape Escape was an action/adventure game released in 1999 that made full use of the DualShock controller, which had recently debuted on the original PlayStation console. In the game, you were tasked with rounding up a pack of smart (?) apes wreaking havoc across time, and the DualShock was crucial for this, allowing for careful movement to sneak up and capture the mischievous monkeys. "Monkeys and More Monkeys," the Ape Escape-themed level at the end of the Gorilla Nebula, mirrors this functionality quite well, as it requires you to strategize to effectively capture all the noisy robot primates in the level.

Play the original Ape Escape on the PlayStation Store and as part of PlayStation Plus Premium.

LocoRoco

The surprisingly colorful LocoRoco, released on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) in 2006, became one of the system's standout titles. The LocoRoco are a marble-like species living in sweet harmony with the planet. One day, a malevolent force threatens this natural wonder, and the LocoRoco set out to fight it in the only way they know how: rolling with a smile and a song. When you reach the “Crazy Ball” level in Astro Bot at the end of Cosmic Camouflage, you’ll enjoy a level built to evoke LocoRoco’s signature rolling gameplay, with tilting and bouncing to navigate through hazards. You can even press R2 to split into many tiny Astros and slip through small areas, just like in the original.

If you missed this series, don’t worry: the original, LocoRoco 2, and LocoRoco Midnight Carnival are available on PlayStation Store and as part of PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

Patapon

Hidden within one of the Lost Galaxy levels are some strange-looking VIP robots inspired by Patapon, the 2007 PSP game of the same name. Patapon (and its PSP sequels) offered a unique blend of rhythm and real-time strategy. The Patapons, a civilization of intelligent, cyclopean creatures, were exiled from their ancestral homeland long ago. With the help of the powerful drum rhythm of their protective deity, they march to reclaim their land from enemy hands. By entering a series of button commands in sync with the drumbeat, you command the Patapon tribe to attack, retreat, advance quickly, and more.

Both Patapon and Patapon 2 are available on PlayStation Store and as part of PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

Everybody’s Golf o Hot Shots Golf: Golfista profesional

Golf is a game that can seem quite intimidating, even in video game form. Developer Camelot took a different approach, avoiding the complexity and excessive realism of other golf games to offer an easy-to-learn, smooth-playing, and highly enjoyable experience, especially in multiplayer mode. *Everybody’s Golf* (originally known as *Hot Shots Golf* in North America) turned out to be a huge global success, with developer Clap Hanz taking the reins starting from the sequel.

The latest installment is available on PlayStation Store and in the PlayStation Plus game catalog, and it’s as enjoyable a golf experience as ever. But if you’re looking for that retro touch, you can check out Hot Shots Golf and Hot Shots Golf 2 as well, both available on PlayStation Store and as part of PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

Mister Mosquito: Robotic Bloodsucker

Eliminating pests is often part of video games, but in the exclusive PlayStation 2 title Mister Mosquito by developer Zoom, you are the pest! As Mister Mosquito, you must plan ahead to survive the winter, and you’ve found a lovely family home with plenty of fresh blood to suck. Unfortunately, the residents don’t take kindly to your role as food. You’ll try to avoid their attention and keep them calm, but prepare for an exhausting battle between mosquitoes and humans if you get caught! The PS2 is often remembered as a golden age for quirky and rare titles, and Mister Mosquito is definitely a great example of that.

Mister Mosquito está disponible en PlayStation Store y como parte de PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

Intelligent Qube

I.Q.: Intelligent Qube is one of the most memorable puzzle games from the original PlayStation. A mysterious force wants to test you, and you find yourself on a mysterious grid while huge and intimidating cubes roll toward you, threatening to push you into the abyss. You must predict how the cubes will approach and mark points on the ground to eliminate them. This novel concept emerged outside the typical game development line, as it was created by Professor Masahiko Sato from the Tokyo University of the Arts. The incredible and epic music also deserves attention, but don’t let it distract you from your task of breaking cubes.

Both I.Q. and its sequel, Kurushi Final: Mental Blocks, are available on PlayStation Store and PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

Jumping Flash: Jumping Rabbit

Jumping Flash, released in 1995, was the first PlayStation experience for many players (including myself). This interesting first-person platformer tasks you with controlling Robbit, a superpowered machine built to jump to incredible heights. His goal is to stop the cunning Baron Aloha, a mad scientist whose plan involves cutting down a planet to develop a space resort complex. Developers Exact and Ultra took full advantage of the original PlayStation's polygon power to create amazing environments, and their smart use of camera angles to easily track where Robbit would land made the game fun and accessible for those unfamiliar with navigating a 3D space.

Jumping Flash está disponible en PlayStation Store y PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

Vib-Ribbon: Tape Rider

Who is this funny monochrome character inspired by? This robot is inspired by the strange vector-line rabbit Vibri from the original PlayStation classic Vib Ribbon, released in Japan and Europe. Developed by the renowned rhythm game producer Masaya Matsuura and his team at NanaOn-Sha, Vib Ribbon was a groundbreaking action game that could take any music CD you inserted into a PlayStation and turn it into a challenging auto-scrolling action game with loops, spikes, and other hazards. Since the game heavily relied on physical CDs, it is not available digitally, but you can check out other great NanaOn-Sha classics like Parappa the Rapper. (He's also killing it in Astro Bot).

Wild Arms: Dream Hunter

Wild Arms was one of the first role-playing games to make a big splash on PlayStation. It debuted in 1996 from developer Media.Vision and led to a series with multiple sequels. People remember it for its unique blend of western fantasy settings, strategic turn-based combat, and its phenomenal soundtrack. The Dream Hunter robot represents the hero of the game, Rudy, who has the ability to wield ancient weapons known as ARMs. Along with his companions, the mercenary Jack and Princess Cecilia, Rudy embarks on a mission through the world of Filgaia to stop the rebirth of an ancient mechanical monstrosity. If you're feeling nostalgic for classic PlayStation RPGs, keep your eyes peeled for other titles like Suikoden and Alundra.

Devil Dice: Little Demon

One of the strangest references in Astro Bot has an interesting story behind it. Devil Dice, known in Japan as XI (pronounced "sai"), was a game concept that came from a competition held in Japan between 1995 and 1999 called Game Yarouze. As a result, the independent developer Shift received assistance for development and publication. Their game, Devil Dice, is a challenging 3D puzzle game where a small character dressed in a fun devil suit combines sets of dice to clear them from the field. Between this and Intelligent Qube, puzzle cubes were a trend on the original PlayStation, and for good reason, because both are worth checking out if you're a fan of puzzle games. You'll spot the clear nod to Devil Dice when you rescue the related VIP robot in an isometric room full of dice hidden in the Casino Semueve level of the Poisonous Galaxy.

Source: blog.latam.playstation.com