If you’ve been playing the new Astro Bot on PS5, you already know it’s basically a warm hug in video game form. It’s colorful, it’s joyful, and the DualSense haptics make everything feel like magic. But then you hit the challenge levels. Specifically, you hit Crumble Rumble 3.
Suddenly, the "joyful platformer" becomes a test of patience that has players on Reddit threatening to delete the game. It’s one of those stages that looks deceptively simple. You see a platform, you see three enemies, and you think, "I've got this."
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Ten deaths later, you realize you don't.
Finding Crumble Rumble 3 in the Serpent Starway
Most people stumble upon this level by accident, or they get frustrated because they can't find it to reach 100% completion. You won't find it just by finishing the main story levels in the Serpent Starway galaxy.
Instead, you have to be a bit of a space bully. While flying your DualSense ship around the galaxy map, look for a stray asteroid with a face on it. It usually drifts from the bottom right toward the center. Smash into it. Don't hesitate. Once you obliterate that meteor, the hidden stage Crumble Rumble 3 will pop up, ready to ruin your afternoon.
The Mechanics of Frustration
The setup is basic. You are on a circular platform made of hexagonal tiles that crumble the moment your hover lasers touch them. In the middle, three Bell enemies sit on a metal pedestal. Your goal is to hover-cut a circle around that pedestal so it falls into the abyss.
Sounds easy? It's not. These bells aren't just sitting there. They jump and send out shockwaves—concentric rings of energy—that cover almost the entire floor.
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The problem is the math of the floor. You need to use your hover lasers to cut the ground, but every bit of ground you cut is ground you can no longer stand on. If you panic and boost too much, you leave yourself with a tiny sliver of land to dodge three incoming shockwaves. It’s a recipe for disaster.
How to Actually Beat Crumble Rumble 3 (Without Breaking a Controller)
Honestly, the biggest mistake most players make is being too aggressive. You want to finish it fast, so you hold down the jump button and try to carve a perfect circle in one go. That is exactly how you die.
1. The "Slice and Retreat" Method
Instead of going for a full circle, do small arcs. Wait for the Bells to finish their shockwave attack. The moment the third ring passes you, jump in, hover-cut about 20% of the circle, and immediately retreat to the outer edge of the platform.
2. Don't Always Boost
You don't need to be in the air 24/7. Use your regular movement to reposition. Save your hover for the actual cutting. If you stay in the air too long, you’ll accidentally delete the floor you were planning to land on.
3. The "Look Down" Trick
There’s a bit of a community-discovered exploit (or maybe just clever AI manipulation) where if you keep your camera pointed straight down, the Bells sometimes delay their attacks. Even if you don't use the exploit, the top-down view is way better for seeing exactly where the floor is still solid.
4. The Final "FU"
This is the part that kills most people. When you finally cut the full circle and the middle platform starts to fall, the Bells often let out one final shockwave. I’ve seen so many clips of people celebrating as the pedestal drops, only to get hit by a ring and die before the victory bot spawns. Stay focused until the Star Striker Bot actually appears.
Why We Put Up With It
The reward for this headache is the Star Striker, which is a deep-cut reference to the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series. For PlayStation fans who grew up with the PS1 and PS2 eras, these V.I.P. Bots are the whole reason we're playing.
Is it "bad game design"? Some people on the forums think so. They argue that the randomness of the shockwaves combined with the destructible floor is a bit much for a game that is otherwise quite forgiving.
But honestly? It’s a challenge level. It’s supposed to be "complex." In a game where most of the main stages can be cleared on the first try, having a few "wall-beater" levels like Crumble Rumble 3 makes the Platinum trophy feel like you actually earned something.
Practical Steps for Your Next Attempt
If you're stuck right now, take a breath. Here is how you should handle your next run:
- Switch to a top-down camera. It's much easier to judge the distance of the shockwaves.
- Target one side at a time. Don't try to circle the whole thing. Cut a "C" shape, wait for the attack, then finish the rest.
- Watch the floor, not the enemies. The hexagonal tiles change color or wobble before they fall. If you're standing on a tile that's half-cut, move.
- Jump, don't hover. To dodge the shockwaves, use a standard double jump. Only use the laser hover when you are actively trying to cut the center pedestal out.
Once the platform drops, just wait for the new one to rise. Don't rush to the center. The game will give you a safe spot to stand on soon enough. Grab your bot, head back to the Crash Site, and maybe go play an easier level like "Sky Garden" to get your blood pressure back down.
Next Step: Head to the Serpent Starway map and look for that meteor. If it's not appearing, try finishing "Free Big Brother" first to refresh the galaxy map's object spawns.