Astro Bot is a reminder that ‘good artists copy, great artists steal’

When Astro bot came out in September, critics agreed on many things: Astro bot rules, and it’s Sony’s first real answer to Nintendo’s iconic platformers. Nintendo’s entries into the genre often come up when we talk about Astro bot; it’s almost impossible to ignore the publisher’s clear influence on the Sony platformer. Yes, Astro bot is a tribute to Sony’s PlayStation heritage, but it also honors and reinterprets the best platformers to create something truly spectacular and all its own.

The sentence “good artists copy, great artists steal” has been attributed to both Pablo Picasso and Steve Jobs, and it’s a variation on T.S. Eliot’s “immature poets imitate, mature poets steal” quote, but regardless of who said it, it’s something I’ve thought about a lot while I’m Astro bot. There may not be many brand new ideas left in life, but there are plenty of ways to merge lots of different, recycled ideas to create something unique — and that’s the context in which I see Astro bot‘s existence.

I have seen a lot on the internet compare compilations Astro bot to Nintendo’s (and other publishers) platform games: Astro botThe boost jump of ‘s is reminiscent of Super Mario Sunshine‘s FLUDD; its crash site bots work like Pikmin; Astro botThe armadillo ball of ‘s feels like glove; and his frog power-up works a bit like springy boxing gloves in WeaponsSometimes these compilations are put together in a way that feels like a I get it!but I don’t see it that way. It’s good that Astro bot Developer Team Asobi was influenced by all the best bits of other platformers. That’s how art and gameplay work. In fact, many of these other games aren’t the first examples of these ideas and mechanics, and may not even be the direct influence for Team Asobi; just like Astro botThese games are the result of decades of good ideas being twisted, adapted and repurposed into something new.

One of my favorite examples of this is Astro bot is the sponge power-up, as seen in the Bathhouse Battle level. Here, Astro literally turns into a sponge. On dry land, he’s just kind of flat; it’s not necessarily obvious that he’s porous. But when Astro jumps into a tub of water, he soaks it all up and turns into a bloated version of himself — perhaps four times his original size — with the ability to punch through things and spray water like a fire hose. Both of these abilities come in handy in clever ways throughout the level, whether it’s using the water stored in your oversized body to blow up other sponges and reach higher ground or using it to water a small tree and find a hidden secret. Of course, there’s always the satisfaction of smashing your way through bamboo walls or, quite simply, your enemies.

Astro’s sponge power-up reminds me of Kirby’s water balloon form in Kirby and the Forgotten LandWhere Kirby sucks water from a spout, literally turning into a water balloon. Kirby’s water is used in the same way to remove mud, water plants for secrets, and fight enemies. But the way the ability feels in these two games couldn’t be more different. Both Team Asobi and Kirby and the Forgotten Land Developer HAL Laboratory used a similar concept — a trope that’s been used in games for years — to create experiences that feel new and exciting.

This is where that lesson — “good artists copy, great artists steal” — comes in handy. Copying someone else means trying out another artist or developer’s style and attempting to emulate it closely; stealing, in the spirit of the original phrase, refers to taking a concept and making it truly your own.