![FEELING THE DUALSENSE | Astro's Playroom - SSD Speedway Gameplay [PS5]](https://everygamesamazing.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F4TjArs3AMNY%2F0.jpg)
Astro’s Playroom is a game that comes installed on all PlayStation 5 (PS5) consoles.
There is no excuse for you not to immediately dive in while other games install. How could you not? With a fresh new system, no one wants to wait. It’s great that Sony gave us something to immediately try out.
Astro’s Playroom is a showcase of the PS5 and DualSense controller that showcases everything you can look forward to.
Whether it be the DualSenses haptic feedback or simply the 3D audio, Astro’s Playroom is here to give you a full course meal.
On top of all that, it can be viewed as a love letter to all things PlayStation, any number of games are thrown in and it’s a true joy to discover them all.
Astro’s Playroom – SSD Speedway Gameplay Time Stamps
- Astro’s Playroom and the DualSense Controller (0:00)
- SSD SpeedWay Turbo Trail (1:24)
- SSD SpeedWay Caching Caves (9:51)
- SSD Speedway Deep Space (15:40)
- SSD Speedway Orbital Obstacles (21:56)
- PlayStation Labo (29:04)
- Space Run Network Speed Run (33:55)
- Is Astro’s Playroom Amazing? (35:30)
Let’s grab our DualSense and fling into just what the heck makes Astro’s Playroom such a remarkable PlayStation 5 launch game.
Astro’s Playroom and the DualSense Controller
Seven years, five consoles, some handhelds in the mix, and we are finally here: the PlayStation 5.
Astro’s Playroom is a game that comes installed on every console and is an amazing showcase for the brand new console.
I could not believe that this free title would be the most impressive thing in the entire console package.
The breakout star of the show is the DualSense controller. It is insanely impressive and feels like it was brought to us from the future.
Starting at the CPU PLAZA–the hub world–we move straight to SSD SpeedWay to play through an entire level.
SSD SpeedWay Turbo Trail
Jumping right into the level we put up a nice stop clock to showcase just how fast levels load.
We can load the level in roughly 3 seconds by jumping into the level option from the hub world.
This is unreal and a true testament to just how far we have come from the days of buffering loading screens.
Honestly, faster loading is one of the best parts of this new set of consoles. It is just such a nice quality of life improvement.
SSD Speedway is all about the DualSenses touchpad as we use it to slingshot around. Then we use the motion built into it to fly around.
We dodge some flying cars and land on a little island where we see Kat from Gravity Rush floating on the side of a wall.
Moving forward we do another slingshot through some future traffic and run into the Buster Sword from Final Fantasy.
One more slingshot, a spin attack, and we move onto the final section of this first part of the level.
Taking a little downward detour, we run into Pyramid Head from Silent Hill and try not to get dragged away.
It is a cool collaboration and an amazing trip down memory lane to have every PlayStation game here, at least in some form even if they are not represented outright.
You will be starstruck and enjoy all of the throwbacks.
Moving forward, we have Ratchet and Clank show up holding a ton of bolts.
The soldiers from Killzone make an appearance while holding the PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter.
We even get the soldier from Resistance: Fall of Man; a nice touch!
Moving back behind some boxes, we uncover our first Artifact: the DualShock 2 Controller, which I mistake for the DualShock 3.
It is awesome that there is so much detail packed into something our eyes skim over so fast.
The detail of the controller is on another level and the ray-tracing helps bring it to life.
It even mirrors your button presses on the DualSense. Truly a well-done feature; you can’t help but smile.
We send it off to the PlayStation Labo and continue up to the rocket.
As I continue through the level I take a moment to talk about the DualSense.
You can feel Astro walking on the ground and on different terrain. The specific vibrations in the control make it so grass feels different than steel in your palms. Every coin you pick up has a little vibration attached to the command, letting you know that you picked up a specific object.
I am also utilizing the 3D Pulse Headset, which I did an unboxing of which you can check out by clicking here.
The 3D audio is no joke, it’s wildly impressive and adds a new layer of immersion to Astro’s Playroom that I have never experienced during gameplay before.
The duo of the DualSense and the 3D Pulse Headset adds up to be a new sensory experience for gameplay. I truly am so hyped for more.
As I’m getting hyped for the headphones, I fail to pay attention and face my first death of the video, but the loading is so fast it doesn’t matter.
I also unboxed the PlayStation 5 which you can read all about by clicking here.
We climb the rocket and get ready to cache some caves.
SSD SpeedWay Caching Caves
The game suddenly shifts into a fun space flight game where you have to use the controller’s triggers to fly around.
To get in the air we have to use the controller to zip up and launch into space.
Using the controllers triggers to full speed the thrusters we move onward and upwards.
We run into a really old PS1 game called Vib-Ribbon; an awesome callback to a classic of the brand.
We get to light some fireworks and grab a new Artifact: the PS2 Multitap.
We come across some spider webs where you need to push the triggers in harder to break through and discover the next Artifact of the level.
The PS2 Memory card is incredibly detailed and gives me those nostalgic feelings that all gamers enjoy every once in a while.
We land, get out of the spaceship, and move into Deep Space.
SSD Speedway Deep Space
After a small trek in, we run into Dante from Devil May Cry shooting a clown with Ebony and Ivory, then if you hit him he does a little sword attack.
We get to pull a PlayStation Move Controller and blast away to make a cool looking fireworks show.
Rolling around, we discover the ball from Katamari Damacy and do some sweet rolls.
Next up is Wipeout, a sweet racing game that I hope comes to the PlayStation 5.
We jump up some bouncy floors and get to a section where you need to blow into the controller to spin a cool windmill. This brings me back to the 3DS days… but the mechanic works so much better now.
Getting hit by a meteor doesn’t stop us from grabbing the next artifact, which is a PS2 Game Disk showing a nod to Ico.
Onto the next part, we get a sweet little minigun where you can just shoot all the enemies away which is extremely fun.
Next, we run into the ship from Resogun which was a PS4 launch game.
A little more traversing allows us to move into the final part of the level which involves the ship again.
SSD Speedway Orbital Obstacles
Using the touchpad to zip up, we take to space once again to fly through, collect coins, dodge bad guys poorly, and make a beeline towards the end.
A couple of deaths won’t stop me from getting the next artifact: the PlayStation 2 Slim (rendered beautifully, might I add).
Moving onward, we hit a cold underground ice palace where we find the SingStar Mic.
The thing that caught me off guard was the surprise boss fight in the level, which wasn’t hard, just a good showcase of how much value this game has.
We take him down and move onto the final part of the level, which is the PlayStation 2 start-up screen.
Which yes, I was crazy nostalgic for this portion because it was so freaking cool.
You get to walk around the start-up screen and see the city building around you as you gaze into the cosmos.
We finish it up and get the final artifact which is the PlayStation 2 in all of its nostalgic glory!
PlayStation Labo
After you finish a level in Astro’s Playroom, you get to go to the PlayStation Labo which is your PlayStation memorabilia hub.
Everything you collect gets stored here for you to view and play with.
They all have their little animations and everything feels alive, it’s just so fun.
There’s a claw game you can play to get more collectibles and spend the coins you’ve gathered throughout your journey. It reminds me of the trophy-buying in Smash Bros.
We open some captchas and move onto the final part of the video, a quick speedrun via the Space Walk level!
Space Run Network Speed Run
I decided to take on the Space Walk Speed Run challenge and desperately try my best to get a good time.
I falter early on but this is a good chance to show off just how fast you can restart a run in seconds, so I don’t lose too much time.
Some challenging platforming, a quick run later, I complete the task, and we can close out the video!
Is Astro’s Playroom Amazing?
Astro’s Playroom is a jaw-dropping masterpiece for the PS5 launch title.
For a game that didn’t have much going for it and not too big of a presence, it truly delivers.
It’s a great platformer that doesn’t overstay its welcome, is a grand time, and shows you why you should be excited to own a PlayStation 5.
I love every second I’m playing it and I could not be more impressed with the DualSense.
From the controller, the graphics, the music, and everything else, Astro’s Playroom is a great pack-in that everyone should play the first thing on their shiny new console.
