You’re swimming through the Camo Cosmos, penguin power-up in hand, feeling like a torpedo. Then you see it: a massive starfish, trapped and looking pathetic. This is Bubbling Under, one of the most mechanically dense levels in Team Asobi’s 2024 masterpiece, Astro Bot.
But honestly? Most people talking about this level online are actually looking for two different things. Some are stuck on that 7th bot location—you know, the one hidden right under your nose. Others are using the phrase "bubbling under" to describe Astro’s weirdly quiet climb up the sales charts despite winning Game of the Year.
Let’s get into why this specific level matters and why the game itself is still "bubbling" in the industry long after its September launch.
The Bubbling Under Level: Finding Every Last Bot
If you’re here because you’re missing one bot in the actual Bubbling Under stage, don’t feel bad. It happens. The level is designed to be open, which is a bit of a departure from the tight, linear corridors of earlier stages like Sky Garden.
First off, let’s talk about that Octodad bot. It’s the one everyone misses. You’ve just freed the giant starfish. You’re ready to fly out of there and claim your victory. Stop. Look at the base of the ramp that leads to the exit. There’s a tiny, circular patch of grass underwater. The Octodad bot is just... floating there. No fireworks, no giant sign. It’s arguably the most "hidden in plain sight" collectible in the entire Camo Cosmos.
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Then there's the Palico bot from Monster Hunter. To find this one, you have to literally get eaten. There’s a giant green creature with a closed mouth on one of the side walls. If you swim up to it, it sucks you in. Inside, you’ll find the Palico bot hanging out. It’s a great little nod to Capcom, but if you’re playing for speed, you might swim right past that wall without a second thought.
The level flow basically works like this:
- Phase 1: Get the penguin, learn to boost.
- Phase 2: The "Hub." You have to find four different shackles to free the starfish.
- The Hidden Nooks: Most bots are tucked behind blue volcanoes or inside the sunken pirate ship.
People keep calling this level "unintuitive" because of the underwater controls. Mark Delaney over at GameSpot mentioned in his review that the swimming felt a bit less precise than the platforming on solid ground. He’s not wrong. Trying to hit those blue volcanoes while boosting with the penguin can feel like trying to parallel park a jet ski.
Why Astro Bot is Still Bubbling Under the Mainstream
Now, let’s pivot to the industry side of things. There’s a reason search traffic for "Astro Bot bubbling under" spiked recently. In music, "Bubbling Under" refers to the Billboard chart for songs that are this close to breaking into the Hot 100 but haven't quite exploded yet.
That is exactly the vibe of Astro Bot in 2025.
Sony recently confirmed that the game sold 1.5 million copies in its first two months. By March 2025, analysts at Alinea Analytics estimated it crossed the 2.3 million mark. For a 3D platformer that isn't named Mario, those are respectable numbers. But compared to Spider-Man 2 or God of War, it’s still "bubbling under" the massive blockbuster tier.
What’s fascinating is who is actually playing it. Sony’s fiscal reports noted that 37% of Astro Bot players were new to the PlayStation ecosystem or hadn't bought a first-party game in two years. This little robot is doing the heavy lifting of bringing in families and younger players. It’s not just a game; it’s a recruitment tool for the PS5 Pro.
The Game of the Year "Second Wind"
The game won Game of the Year at the 2024 Game Awards. It swept the D.I.C.E. Awards in February 2025 with five wins, including Outstanding Technical Achievement. Usually, a game wins and then fades away.
Not this one.
Team Asobi has been smart. They didn't just drop the game and walk away. We saw the "Stellar Speedway" speedrun levels in late 2024. Then we got the "Vicious Void" challenge levels in February 2025, which added bots from Tekken and Beyond Good & Evil. By keeping the game in the "New" section of the PlayStation Store with constant free updates, they’ve kept the sales "bubbling" instead of cratering.
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The Secret Music Success
You can’t talk about Bubbling Under without mentioning Kenneth C. M. Young’s soundtrack. The music in the actual level is this chill, bubbly (pun intended) synth track that people are literally using for "ASMR study sessions" on YouTube.
The OST actually made some waves on digital streaming platforms. While it didn't top the Billboard 200, tracks like "I Am Astro Bot" and the "Bubbling Under" ambient theme have racked up millions of plays. It’s rare for a platformer soundtrack to have this much legs. It reminds me of the Super Mario Galaxy era where the music becomes as iconic as the gameplay.
Common Misconceptions About the Level
Let’s clear up some stuff about the actual gameplay in Bubbling Under that gets misreported in guides:
- The UFO Bot: You don’t need to hit the UFO with a projectile. You just need to use your penguin boost ($R2$) to chase it down and physically ram into it.
- The Sunken Ship: There’s a breakable wall inside the ship. A lot of players just swim over the ship. Go inside. There’s a chest there with a bot that most people miss on their first run.
- The "Secret" Octodad Bot: It only appears after the starfish is freed. If you're looking for it at the start of the level, you’re wasting your time.
Actionable Tips for Completing Bubbling Under 100%
If you’re staring at a 6/7 bot count, here is exactly what you need to do.
First, check the volcanoes. There are three blue ones near the start of the open area. Spin attack them. If the bot isn't there, head to the giant green "snake" creature on the wall. Don't be afraid; let it swallow you.
Second, listen for the "help" cries. The DualSense controller is your best friend here. The haptic feedback and the internal speaker get louder as you approach a trapped bot. If you’re playing with the volume down, you’re making it ten times harder on yourself.
Lastly, make sure you’ve updated the game. Sony added several "VIP Bots" in the 2025 updates that appear in secret locations across various galaxies. If you’re looking at an old guide from September 2024, you might be missing the new content that dropped with the "Vicious Void" update.
Astro Bot is the best thing to happen to PlayStation in a decade. Whether you're struggling with the Bubbling Under level or just watching the game's slow-burn success on the charts, it’s clear that Team Asobi has built something that isn't going away anytime soon.
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Go get that Octodad bot. He's waiting.