Summary
Astro Botis one of 2024’s biggest surprises, having achieved and maintained a remarkable Metacritic score of 94 since its release, and yet not being open world, 100+ hours long, or deriving its popularity from a pre-existing major franchise. At the end of the day,Astro Botis just a solid platformer, but its ability to explore and embrace the limitless bounds of creativity is likely what has led to its successful reception. Much of this creativity is realized in its diverse level design, but it can be seen even more in the wide variety of Power Ups Astro Bot can acquire as players progress through each of the game’s worlds.
There are countless Power Ups inAstro Bot, each of which provide the titular robot with unique abilities often restricted to certain levels. While every Power Up certainly has its merits, however, one of them rises above the rest by being one of the most adorable, most powerful, and most creative Power Ups in the game — the Sponge Power Up. Unfortunately, the Sponge Power Up is one usable on one level, despite how fun it can be. As such, anyfutureAstro Botcontentshould consider using the Sponge Power Up again to give players more time with one of the game’s best abilities.
Astro Bot’s Sponge Power Up Should Appear in Future Updates
Astro Bot’s Sponge Power Up Is One of the Game’s Cutest, Most Powerful, and Most Creative Transformations
The Sponge Power Up inAstro Botis acquired shortly after the beginning of theBathhouse Battlelevel in the Serpent Starway star system. Once acquired, Astro Bot will soak up any water he submerges himself into to become a much larger, more powerful version of himself that can destroy just about anything he touches, along with a few other unique abilities. Most notably, after obtaining the Sponge Power Up, Astro Bot can release all the water he soaks up to bring any plant sprouts into bloom, often granting coins and other secrets in the process.
Additionally, Astro Bot becomes so large once he obtains the Sponge Power Up and soaks up water that he can simply walk into enemies and breakable structures and destroy them effortlessly. The water that Astro Bot soaks up can also be expelled onto enemies covered with mud, who are otherwise invulnerable to his attacks. The Sponge is easily one of the most chaoticPower Ups inAstro Bot, but that’s really what makes it such a thrill to use, especially when Astro Bot is rapidly moving through a course like the giant sponge that he is.
Future Astro Bot Content Should Feature the Sponge Power Up in Some Capacity
Astro Bothas already received a handful of speedrun stagesas DLC, and it’s likely Team Asobi has plans to add even more DLC in the future, on account of the game’s huge success. However, hopefully, any future DLC added toAstro Botis even more extensive, as it could mean the addition of many more levels, Power Ups, and potentially more story.
If moresubstantial DLC is added toAstro Botin the future, it would be a shame not to give players some more time with the Sponge Power Up, since it was only featured in one level of the base game. There are certainly plenty of other noteworthy Power Ups deserving of a DLC revival — like the Slow-Mo Power Up, the Mouse Power Up, and the Vacuum Power Up — but given the Sponge Power Up’s limited appearance in the base game, it’s the perfect candidate for another appearance in the future.
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