Astro Bot: Unused Content Revealed - Bird Flight Level and Headless Astro

Astro Bot enthusiasts are familiar with the story behind the creation of the sponge power-up, but did you know that developer Team Asobi also experimented with even more whimsical powers? From a coffee grinder to a roulette wheel, these unique ideas were among the many prototypes showcased by Team Asobi studio director Nicolas Doucet during his talk at GDC 2025, titled "The Making of 'ASTRO BOT'". In his presentation, Doucet provided an in-depth look into the development process of the PlayStation mascot platformer, revealing early prototype images and cut content that never made it to the final game.

Doucet kicked off his talk by discussing the initial pitch for Astro Bot, which was crafted in May 2021, shortly after Team Asobi started its prototyping phase. The pitch went through an impressive 23 revisions before being presented to top management. Initially, the pitch was delivered in the form of an adorable comic strip that outlined the main pillars and activities of the game, which evidently struck a chord with its audience.

Moving on, Doucet explained how the team generated ideas through extensive brainstorming sessions. Team Asobi formed small, interdisciplinary groups of 5-6 people to foster creativity. Each member contributed ideas via sticky notes, resulting in a vibrant brainstorming board that captured the team's imagination.

Not all ideas progressed to the prototyping stage, with only about 10% making the cut. However, the volume of prototypes was substantial. Doucet emphasized the importance of prototyping across all departments, including an example where audio designers created a theater within Astro Bot to experiment with haptic controller vibrations tied to various sound effects, such as the nuances of a door opening and closing.

Prototyping was a cornerstone of the Astro Bot development process, so much so that some programmers were dedicated to exploring ideas unrelated to platforming. This approach led to the creation of the sponge mechanic, which utilized the adaptive trigger for squeezing water out of the sponge, ultimately becoming a beloved part of the game.

Doucet shared an image showcasing several prototypes, including the balloon and sponge that made it into the game, as well as others like a tennis game, a walking wind-up toy, a roulette wheel, and a coffee grinder. These prototypes, while not incorporated into the final game, demonstrated the breadth of creativity at Team Asobi.

Later, Doucet discussed how levels were chosen and designed around specific mechanics. The goal was to ensure each level offered unique gameplay experiences and avoided repetition. While the same power-up could be used across multiple levels, its application needed to be distinct enough to make each level feel fresh. Doucet illustrated this with images of a cut level themed around bird flights, which was deemed too similar to existing levels and ultimately removed from the game.

**Spoiler Alert for the final scene of Astro Bot:** In the game's closing scene, players reassemble a broken Astro Bot with the help of other bots. Initially, the plan was to present players with a completely dismembered Astro Bot, consisting of only a torso. However, feedback indicated that this was too upsetting, leading to the more intact version seen in the final game.

Doucet's talk was filled with fascinating insights into the development of Astro Bot, a game we praised with a 9/10 score in our review, calling it "A fantastically inventive platformer in its own right, Astro Bot is particularly special for anyone with a place in their heart for PlayStation."