You probably thought you were done with Astro's Playroom. You got the platinum trophy years ago. You moved on. But then Team Asobi went and dropped a stealth update right before the 2024 Astro Bot launch that added four "Special Bots" hidden deep within the existing levels.
Finding these isn't just about completionist bragging rights. If you find all the Astro's Playroom special bots, they actually transfer over to the new full-sized game as part of your starting crew. It's basically a free head start. Honestly, though? Some of these riddles are borderline mean. If you haven't been keeping up with the community's collective detective work, you're going to be staring at a wall for hours.
The Bloodborne Bot: Hunted Down
The first one is tucked away in GPU Jungle, specifically the Renderforest area. It's a nod to Lady Maria from Bloodborne.
To get her to show up, head past the first checkpoint until you see the Bloodborne-themed bot standing under a large plant. You need to stand in the leafy bush right behind him. Just wait. A platform will eventually rise out of the ground with the special bot trapped in a glass tube.
The trick here is the clock. You'll see a timer icon on the tube. You have to climb the nearby trees (use the flower spin move to create platforms) and find a small clock embedded in a tree trunk. Stand next to it, hit the Options button, and she’s yours. It sounds simple, but if you don't stand in that specific bush first, nothing happens.
The Returnal Bot: Déjà Phew!
Selene from Returnal is waiting in SSD Speedway, inside the Deep Dataspace level. You've got to find the area where you get the minigun.
Once you have the gun, look off the left edge of the platform. A capsule will appear. To unlock it, you need to find a tiny "astronaut" doll hidden nearby. It's on a high beam above the main path.
Here’s where it gets weirdly specific: you have to stand on the doll and let one of the green spitting enemies hit you. You basically have to die to "return" (get it?) and trigger the rescue. It's a clever nod to the loop mechanic in Returnal, but kinda frustrating if you're trying to do a no-death run.
The Gran Turismo Bot: Grand Tourist
The third bot is a racing driver found in Cooling Springs on Bot Beach. This is arguably the most annoying one because it involves a specific sequence of stars.
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Go to the far left of the beach. You’ll see four blue starfish under the water or near the pier. You have to step on them in a very specific order. If you mess up, they reset.
- The one near the umbrella.
- The one under the pier.
- The one by the rock.
- The one hidden under the water near the big pipe.
Once the capsule appears, it shows a steering wheel. You have to stand in front of it, hit Options, and then input a massive D-pad code that mimics the map of a race track. It’s basically a cheat code.
The Code: Up, Left, Down, Down, Left, Down, Down, Right, Up, Right, Down, Right, Up, Up, Right, Up, Left, Left.
Don't ask me how people figured that out on day one. It’s wild.
The Ape Escape Bot: No Escape!
The final of the Astro's Playroom special bots is Pipo Monkey from Ape Escape, located in Memory Meadow (Gusty Gateway).
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First, go behind the bush where a monkey bot is hiding and stand on the edge to trigger the capsule. Then, you need to go find a bunch of bananas. You’ll find them by hitting a specific tree near the original Ape Escape Easter egg area.
Take those bananas back to the capsule. The monkey inside will start dancing. You have to mimic his moves using the D-pad emotes:
- Up: Floss
- Right: Disco
- Down: Jig
- Left: Carlton
Copy him four times in a row without failing. If you trip up, you have to go get more bananas. It's a bit of a trek, so take it slow.
Why Bother With These?
Look, if you're just playing for the platforming, maybe you don't care. But for most of us, seeing that 100% on the trophy list turn into 92% because of "Add-on" trophies is a nightmare. Plus, having Lady Maria and Selene hanging out in your Astro Bot hub world from minute one is just cool.
Once you’ve rescued all four, head to the PS Labo area. There’s a new "Secret Labo" entrance that opens up. You’ll see your four new friends standing on a platform, ready to be beamed into the next game. It’s a literal bridge between the tech demo and the full experience.
Quick Checklist for the Road:
- Make sure your game is updated to the latest version.
- You must have beaten the main boss (the T-Rex) first.
- The bots appear in the "Mission Room" in the Labo once rescued.
- Check your trophy list; each bot has its own bronze or silver trophy.
If they aren't appearing, try restarting the console or double-checking that you're signed into PSN. Sometimes the "riddle" trigger is finicky if the console is offline.
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To wrap this up, go check your GPU Jungle progress first. It's the easiest one to trigger and will tell you immediately if your save file is ready for the hunt. If the platform doesn't rise when you stand in the bush, you might need to finish some of the base game's artifacts first.
Once you have all four, fire up the new Astro Bot game. Go to the Crash Site hub. You’ll find them hiding under some rocks. Recruit a few other bots to help you lift the rocks, and they’ll join your permanent roster.
Now, go get those trophies.