Astro's arcade wasn't supposed to hurt my jaw. Frankly speaking, I thought I'd spare a few minutes and quickly move on to something more "worthwhile." But boy, was I wrong? He is embarrassing. Despite my initial reservations, Astro's arcade has left me grinning from ear to ear at the abundance of charm, invention, and a delicious nod to PlayStation's past that developer Team Asobi packed. There's so much detail and thought that goes into this excellent PS5 platformer that it's infectious to watch and an absolute joy to play. It's an exciting experience and fortunately anyone can try it. While it can be easy to dismiss Astro's Game Room as a pre-installed tech demo roughly taking up space on your new PlayStation 5, believe me when I say this is the game you'll want to show off. to your friends and family. It was specifically designed to demonstrate the game-changing effect the DualSense controller can have on games, as well as the PS5's super-fast SSD. While load times are remarkably fast, it's Sony's new controller that comfortably steals the show. Perhaps worrying about the competition it'll be hard to use anything else once you hold the DualSense yourself - it's really good.
Let the party begin
![Cooling Springs Beach desde la sala de juegos Astro]()
Come in, the water looks like water. (Image credit: Sony) "Don't be surprised if you inadvertently let out a little childish 'ooooh' of wonder." From the moment you launch Astro's arcade and enter one of his many creative levels, his playful nature hits you like an exploding piñata. His main character, Astro, is amazingly cute, with his translucent blue cape fluttering behind him as his mechanical legs glide across the floor, and the world around you is bright, vibrant, and filled with objects of hidden collection. Throw in crisp, crisp 4K graphics and the end result is a gripping game that certainly feels next-gen. But Astro's Playroom's graphics are utterly meaningless. As soon as you're prompted to activate DualSense's adaptive triggers, which provide varying levels of resistance via haptic feedback, don't be surprised if you inadvertently let out a little childish ``ooooh'' of stupefaction. This phenomenon happened countless times during my time with the game, as I let out frequent gasps of astonishment over and over again. In the Cooling Springs phase of the game, which I can talk about here, you'll experience your pretty standard platforming adventure. There are jumping, swimming, fighting, and coins to collect as you navigate different stages designed to mimic elements of Sony's hardware. These familiar elements aren't new, then, but they've been fundamentally transformed thanks to haptic feedback within the PS5's two-tone alien pad.
Driving with flying colors
![Sala de juegos de Astro Sandy Beach]()
You will spend too much time running and loving it. (Image credit: Sony) "When Astro hit the water, I really felt it. The buoyancy of the water, the shock coming from the slide...all of it." As soon as Astro's robotic frame splashes into the inviting clear blue sea surrounding an equally sumptuous sandy beach, the power of this new immersive technology kicks in. My brain was expecting the typical standard rumbling sensation we've been used to for decades, or worse, the exuberant hum that the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con tends to produce. But not. When Astro hit the water, I really felt it. The buoyancy of the water, the impact of the slide... all of that. Count a minute of a prolonged crazy smile, thank you truly for yours. After my umpteenth bounce and the smile that followed, I made my way to the shimmering sandy shore. Once again, as hyperbolic as it sounds, it really does feel like you're walking on sand. Most impressive, however, regardless of the materials, situations, or stand-alone biomes I encountered, each sensation was totally unique. It's a mind-blowing experience, because time and time again I've internally vocalized: 'yeah, I really feel like I'm walking on metal' or 'wow, I can feel the grains of sand blowing against the controller'.
Rock robot
![Fuentes de refrigeración de la sala de juegos Astro]()
Adaptive triggers squeeze when firing at this enemy's wired weak point. (Image credit: Sony) But isn't it just a gadget? Absolutely not. The game, and in turn, the DualSense controller, continued to deliver the more I played. I was expecting that lingering feeling of disappointment as the initial joy wears off or you somehow find a glitch in your haptic feedback implementation, but it never came. Instead, wake up God by giving up early only to revive it again. Astro's rec room is one of those defining moments in the game that doesn't happen very often. In an age where video games tend to seem mundane and overly familiar, giddy with emotion, even overwhelmed with optimism about what the future holds, it is indeed a rare and significant achievement. Who would have thought that this would be a bundle game on PS5 that would offer my first real next-gen moment? Thanks, Astro. Today's best deals for the Sony PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller Sony DualSense Wireless Controller - PlayStation 5 -...