

After an extended period of play, I found that constantly using motion control made my wrists hurt which, of course, made progressing less fun. Sections that have you gliding can be finicky, as they rely on motion control which also comes into play in Caching Caves where you have to carefully navigate narrow passages and skinny tunnels. Of the four worlds of Astro’s Playroom, SSD Speedway is perhaps the only one that has the potential to be frustratingly difficult. The neon colors bouncing off the grey walls look magnificent and the plumes of color that escape from the exhausts of Astro’s spacecraft are dazzling. Here, Astro pilots a cute little one-man spacecraft through dark caves filled with surprises. SSD Speedway features perhaps the most visually captivating level in all of Astro’s Playroom, Caching Caves.

The ball gun is one of the best weapons in the game. Using it, you can blast enemies from afar and feel how the adaptive triggers respond to your input. One of the coolest parts of SSD Speedway is the fancy ball gun you obtain in Deep Dataspace. In Astro’s Playroom, the SSD gets represented by SSD Speedway, a fast-paced world filled with neon lights, red clouds, and star-spangled skies.

Prior to launch, one of the biggest selling points of the PlayStation 5 was the SSD which promised to minimize load times and allow developers to change the way they design games. Instead, in being too laid back of a world it gets outshined by the other worlds which have much more personality. Ultimately, what earns Cooling Springs its last place position on this list is not anything to do with some glaring flaw or insurmountable difficulty. Although short, this level is memorable for introducing the gimmick of having you blow into the DualSense’s microphone to spin a propeller on a sheet of ice. Frigid Floes is a frozen land that will have Astro shivering as he slips and slides everywhere. Not all of Cooling Springs is fair weather, however. Cooling Springs is a perfect start to your adventure in Astro’s Playroom.
