PlayStation might have a new mascot on its hands, Astro Bot, one that can reach the heights of one of the most famous videogame characters out there, assuming the company treats the little guy with a bit of love and care. Now, I might not be the biggest fan of Mario, but the mustachioed plumber and Nintendo can teach PlayStation and the robot a thing or two.
I’m a huge fan of Astro Bot, I especially find the new PS5 game to be cute, charming, and more than a little deserving of the nines and tens it received from critics. For some, it even feels like a stand-in while we wait for Mario Galaxy 3. While I’ve gone on record in the past to complain that Mario is boring, there are certain games and aspects from Nintendo’s franchise that I do enjoy, and Galaxy is among them.
I can see why Astro Bot draws the most comparisons to that series of Mario games. It shows that the little robot is off to a flying start with his first fully-fledged videogame. Astro initially arrived on the scene in a VR game in 2018, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, going on to be the star of Astro’s Playroom in 2020, a small demo that comes free with every PS5 to show off what the DualSense can do.
To that end, PlayStation understood the assignment, evolving Astro from a small timer to a potential face of the company. In my opinion, Astro Bot needs to be PlayStation’s Mario, and this can be a reality so long as Sony gives the character enough appreciation. The whole point of Astro Bot is to celebrate PlayStation’s history, so to do that, there are well over 100 characters with a bot in-game.
Among them are Jak (and Daxter) and Sly Cooper, both of which remain under the PlayStation banner yet haven’t seen a new release for years, except for digital re-releases of the original games from the respective IPs. Sly’s last new game was Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time in 2013, while the most recent Jak and Daxter game, besides the aforementioned ports, is 2009’s Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier. These two IPs dominated the PlayStation 2 era, with so much potential remaining in the chamber. So, here’s the first lesson PlayStation can learn from Mario and Nintendo: don’t shelf your star.
It’s obvious, but I feel the need to say it. PlayStation has a history of shelving its stars, which is something Nintendo doesn’t do, at least not for the ones who pull in a big audience. There’s a constant influx of not just Mario titles but Kirby games, too, with many people wondering when the new Kirby game is coming out. Mario has been around since the 1980s, staying under Nintendo the entire time. Over the years, the character evolved, as did his games. This leads us to lesson number two: let your character branch out.
It shouldn’t be a new prospect for Sony, given that NaughtyDog created racing games for Crash Bandicoot and Jak before ultimately giving the two IPs up by cutting ties with Universal and moving on to Uncharted. Look at the Italian Plumber; he has numerous kart racers under his belt, and Astro Bot could have an incredible racing game, too, especially with all of the different characters on offer. Astro Kart does have a nice ring to it.
Beyond the terrific series of car games that is Mario Kart, there’s another genre that Mario has a stronghold of, and that’s party games. I don’t get a kick out of these myself, but I enjoy Crash Bash, which is probably the wrong way around for most people. The possibilities are endless for Astro Bot here, so take a page out of Nintendo’s book and throw your mascot and his pals into a bunch of engaging minigames. Forget Astro’s Playroom, move on to Astro’s Partyroom.
Actually, why stop there? Mario is even a dominant force in the sports game market, boasting golf games, tennis games, and even a baseball game. What’s stopping PlayStation from letting Astro Bot embark on such ventures? Astro’s Wrestling sounds like a lot of fun, and Mazza hasn’t tapped into that sport yet. Again, you already have a strong cast there courtesy of all of the characters from PlayStation’s history – Lara Croft and Nathan Drake can duke it out, determining who the best fortune hunter is once and for all.
There’d be even more historic matches if other publishers played ball. Looking at you, Square Enix – you’re happy for the buster sword to appear in Astro’s Playroom but not for FFVII’s Cloud to show up in Astro Bot? For shame.
In all seriousness, the reason Mario is so popular and such a money maker for Nintendo is because he’s in all sorts of games; no matter what you enjoy, there’s a very good chance that Nintendo has a Mario game for it. If PlayStation takes the same approach with Astro Bot, the sky’s the limit, don’t just keep the robot tied down by platformers, keep the momentum going with other genres.
The third lesson is something PlayStation already has going for it due to the large amount of characters under its portfolio, but still, don’t let the Astro Bot cast get stale – there’s room for new and interesting original characters that are unique to the Astro IP. Just look at the cast of Mario characters; Peach and Luigi have their own games, too, and I actually enjoy Luigi’s Mansion. I prefer the plumber in green to Mario, if I’m being honest.
Another thing PlayStation and Astro can learn from Nintendo, Mario, and Gwen Stefani is – don’t speak. Never underestimate the power of a silent protagonist, of which Nintendo is a master with Mario, Link, and Kirby. The thing about a silent protagonist is that you can project yourself onto them, so even when you can’t mold them with a character customizer, you can at least have your own vision – words can sometimes ruin that. However, perhaps there’s a slight exception to the rule there, leading us on to lesson number five.
Give Astro Bot a catchphrase or a recognizable noise. Just look at Mario. When the trailer for The Super Mario. Bros Movie came out, everyone was thinking ‘Is he gonna say it? He has to say it,’ then in the closing seconds of the video, you hear “wahoo” and rejoice as ‘he said it.’ That’s the power of a good catchphrase. Everyone knows “wahoo”, though Mario also has “let’s a go” and “ohhhh nooooo” in his pocket, too. Astro is undeniably adorable and likable, so if the robot gets a catchphrase, he really does become the whole package.
An iconic thing about Mario that PlayStation has already mastered is the music. I think Astro Bot has a great theme song that’s sure to carry some nostalgic weight as the years roll by. At least I can’t get the main song, I Am Astro Bot, out of my head. All of the music from the three Astro games is fantastic, so I have no doubt that Team Asobi will keep the tunes coming.
Okay, so there are five things that Astro and PlayStation should replicate from Nintendo and Mario, but is there something the established mascot can teach the budding star not to do? I’m so glad you asked, because yes, there is. It’s a lesson Sony is embracing more and more, especially with the release of God of War, Bloodborne, Spider-Man, and soon the Until Dawn remake on the platform, and that’s let more players experience Astro by putting the little guy on PC.
Yes, I understand the whole exclusive model, and it does work for PlayStation with the quality of its first-party titles, but giving a whole other player base the opportunity to experience Astro Bot can only strengthen its popularity, encouraging more people to fall in love with the beloved mascot. There are many people who long to experience games like Mario Odyssey yet can’t due to exclusivity, though that’s something I can’t ever see Nintendo changing.
If PlayStation takes all of those lessons and applies them to its new treasure, there’s no telling just how far Astro can go. Mario, Sonic, and Crash Bandicoot may have to make room for another elite character with the potential to receive the status of videogame icon. Astro Bot celebrates the history of PlayStation, but he can be the future.