#AstroBot is a fantastic game, but I feel everyone doesn’t acknowledge the insane juxtaposition between the mainline and “hidden” levels. The hidden levels, while creative, are ultimately frustrating. They rely on red herrings and “required” failures to create challenge. They waste player time with lack of checkpoints. It’s comparable to Mario Sunshine, which received criticism for its share of frustrating stages.
I love the game - my game of the year.