Key Takeaways
- Astro Bot has a nearly endless supply of cameos from iconic gaming characters, including some that aren't even owned by PlayStation.
- These VIP Bots don't just reference gaming characters, though, as some of them also pay tribute to Sony's long history.
- Sony's iconic Aibo robotic toy dog is one such cameo, and can be found in the Safari Park level.
Astro Bot has a surprising cameo from the Sony Aibo, a robotic toy dog that was originally released in 1999. And yes, you can give him the pets that he deserves.
Just like Astro's Playroom before it, Astro Bot is stuffed to the gills with references, easter eggs, and callbacks that shine a loving spotlight on PlayStation's history (even if it can sometimes feel like more of a graveyard than a party). These references are more than just set dressing too, as many of the cameos are actually collectibles called VIP Bots that are scattered throughout the game.
Although a lot of the cameos are incredibly obvious and represent PlayStation's heavy-hitters like God of War, Uncharted, and Ratchet & Clank, Astro Bot does have its fair share of surprises up its sleeve and goes deeper into its publisher's history than you might expect. One great example of this is the Sony Aibo, which is represented by two different VIP Bots.
Astro Bot Has A Surprising Cameo From The Sony Aibo
For those that don't remember, the Sony Aibo was a robotic toy dog whose first model was released all the way back in 1999. Although Sony announced that it was going to discontinue the Aibo in 2006, it was eventually brought back with a new model and updated features a few years ago in 2017.
The Aibo might not have been the biggest success in the world for Sony, but it's still an iconic part of its history and technological efforts. Astro Bot clearly appreciates the tech giant's niche toy because two of its VIP Bots are dedicated to the classic and most recent Aibo models. Both Aibo dogs can be found in the Safari Park level and are noted down as “Pup Pals”, with the newer release getting a plus in front of its name.
The Pul Pal description reads, “Who's a good bot?”, while the Pup Pal+ says, “Knows some new tricks” in reference to it being the newer model.
Once you've rescued the Aibo dogs from their captivity, they'll be brought back to the Crash Site just like the rest of the game's collectible bots. This gives Astro a chance to interact with them, which is where you'll discover that Astro has a unique interaction with the pair and actually pets them instead of smacking them around like he does everyone else.
