Mario Bautista
Recent headlines have highlighted just how good Sony’s new mascot platformer Astro Bot is, the new favorite of many gamers around the world. This sequel to a PlayStation 5 tech demo has won over everyone who has played it. It’s no wonder, as it offers a solid and entertaining experience that feels refreshing in the current gaming landscape.
However, not many have realized that Astro Bot‘s success also validates a tactic that Nintendo has worked on for several years. It’s no secret that Astro Bot is completely different from other AAA titles that Sony has been relying on for the past decade, and that may just be the solution to revitalizing the new generation of consoles.
Astro Bot Goes For an Enjoyable Experience For Everybody
It Has Become Just the Right Answer For Disenchanted AAA Gamers
For a long time, some people have criticized the model of games that Nintendo usually releases, mainly by claiming that it is a company that only releases games for children. While it’s true, many of the company’s heavyweights are indeed quite famous among young children, such as those of the Super Mario, Pokémon, or The Legend of Zelda franchises. What they all have in common is that they are family games aimed at a fairly broad audience.
On several occasions, Nintendo has released games aimed at older audiences with mixed results, such as Conker’s Bad Fur Day, No More Heroes, or Bayonetta 3. However, it has never been part of their strategy to alienate the audience by presenting themselves as a mature company. On the contrary, almost all of their major games are sold as experiences that can be enjoyed by young and old alike.
Over the past few years, many PlayStation and Xbox gamers have complained about the state of AAA games, sharing the opinion that they all feel too similar and rather boring. Now, with the release of Astro Bot, those same gamers are finding a refreshing alternative that doesn’t aim for the most complex or revolutionary story but instead goes back to the basics of providing a fun experience that anyone can get into without too much effort.
Many have compared this game to well-known entries by the mustachioed plumber, such as Super Mario Sunshine or Super Mario Galaxy. This comparison goes far beyond what is apparent at first glance, as all of these platform games have become classics simply because of the ease of access that has allowed hundreds of new people to get into video games that offer a full experience. Astro Bot has joined the list of games that many will fondly remember as their first game.
Games That Acknowledge Other IPs With Respect and Care
Every Cameo Reminds the Players of Makes the PlayStation Great
- Astro Bot features more than 100 different video game brands with diverse cameos from video games that have been key to PlayStation’s success over the years.
- Each VIP bot features more than just a thematic skin, every one of them presents some kind of reference or parody as a nod to their original games.
- Included as a collectible, the cameo bots don’t steal the spotlight. Instead, they’re a nice touch to an otherwise pretty solid game.
Nintendo characters are easily recognizable even to people who have never touched a video game. Mario, Link, Pikachu, and even Tom Nook have become clear representatives of the company’s fame, but behind this phenomenon is a lot of hard work that has been going on for many years. Nintendo has several crossover games in which it spares no expense when it comes to making nods to other well-known brands, such as Mario Kart 8, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, and most notably, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Whenever characters from Nintendo’s various brands are introduced, they are presented in a way that fans can appreciate. Characteristic elements of each are often emphasized that players will appreciate, rather than just being thrown into the mix for raw nostalgia factor. For example, when a new fighter is announced in Super Smash Bros., it’s a given that it will have many details in honor of its original game, and that’s what increases the hype leading up to its arrival.
While PlayStation has tried something similar before with PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, there have been more times when it seems like the company wants to forget about its own IPs. Many fans are still waiting for new releases in franchises like Ape Escape, Sly Cooper, and Twisted Metal, to name a few. Some games were never officially released in the West, but are part of the company’s history, such as Ore no Ryouri, Boku no Natsuyasumi, and Doko Demo Issyo.
Astro Bot has also found a way to integrate many of the characters that have been important in PlayStation history in a fun and unique way. The activity of finding and collecting themed bots inspired by iconic games such as Gravity Rush, Crash Bandicoot, or Okami is presented as a fun challenge for players, but it doesn’t take away from the overall experience. On the contrary, it’s presented as an add-on to a game that would shine on its own merits even without these cameos.
Players Don’t Need Realistic Graphics to Have More Fun
Sometimes a Visually Distinctive Style Tops Generic, Realistic Rendering
In recent years, many well-known developers have focused on the graphics of new video games, seeking to increase visual fidelity with each new release and touting the quest for the greatest possible realism. Franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty are just two examples of this style of development and marketing, where the focus is always on how close to real life the new release will be, rather than on gameplay details.
That’s why it came as such a surprise to many that a game like Astro Bot is already being considered by many as a contender for Game of the Year when it’s so different from the giant releases that companies are betting on. This franchise, which was born from a series of technical demos, has now become representative of PlayStation and all the potential it still has. One particular detail that helps it is its unique and visually pleasing style, which will win over more than one person just by looking at the cover art.
Nintendo fans are already familiar with this strategy of making fun games with visual styles that never get old. Just compare The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker to the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. In the case of the former, it remains as iconic as when it was originally released two decades ago.
Many believe that having a non-realistic visual style is a sign that a game is childish, but it is quite the opposite, as it is a crucial factor when it comes to differentiating from the competition. For the same reason, many gamers have fond memories of games like Crash Bandicoot, Okami, Gravity Rush, or Little Big Planet.
It’s Better To Take the Lead By Setting an Example
Innovative Games Encourage the Competition to Be Creative, Too
There is a very interesting detail about Nintendo’s first-party games. Every time they are released on a new console, as on several occasions, these same titles are the ones responsible for introducing the new features offered by the platform.
Many will remember the case of Wii Sports or, more recently, the three Splatoon games, which also use motion controls in creative and entertaining ways. Through these games, the company has taken it upon itself to show other developers how to make better use of the tools at their disposal.
Third-party developers cannot focus only on the specifics of each platform, as they would be leaving out a large portion of the audience that does not own that particular console. However, this experimentation has resulted in remarkable games that were later adapted to other platforms, as was the case with ZombiU.
It also sets a precedent for creating more experiences that take advantage of all the features of the console, as demonstrated by games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, ARMS, or 1-2-Switch, to name a few.
Astro Bot games maintain the essence of highlighting, whenever possible, the features of each platform on which they are released. The latest installment takes this integrative design to its maximum expression, each time showing new and fun ways to take advantage of all that the DualSense control can do. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this game followed by other titles with the same controller features in mind.
After all, Astro Bot has a lot in common with games like Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon, and even The Legend of Zelda. This doesn’t mean that PlayStation or Nintendo are copying each other. On the contrary, it’s a sign that, in the gaming landscape, everyone wins when games are made with love and passion. There is no need for a live service game with microtransactions or constant new content, it is enough with a solid experience that understands that the first need of players is to ensure their enjoyment.
