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A new SpongeBob game! | SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake - First Impressions

7K View2023-02-01

There is a new SpongeBob game in town, and it is the spiritual successor to 2020's Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated, which is in itself a remake of the original 2003 Battle for Bikini Bottom. SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a 3D platformer game that is based on the Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants.

You control the titular character SpongeBob, in his quest to restore his town of Bikini Bottom to normality, after a magic wishing mishap that caused his universe to collide with other alternate universes. Universes that SpongeBob must to travel to and visit. It seems that multiversal adventures are the craze these days.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake’s gameplay is a typical 3D platformer, which is extremely similar to games like Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon. A remnant of the glory platforming days of the PS1 and PS2 eras. Jumping across platforms, avoiding obstacles, using movement maneuvers like double jump, gliding, or dashes to navigate, and occasionally smashing boxes to get Jelly: the main collectible/currency, similar to coins or fruits in other games.

There are semblances of puzzle solving mechanics but the game never fully commits to it, resulting in a relatively easy level progression. Which honestly, isn’t a bad thing as the flow is continuous and the energetic momentum is easily maintained throughout levels.

The controls are highly responsive for the most part, and I never really had any difficulties in controlling SpongeBob. My only gripe is some bindings are a bit off for me, especially with how the Dodge/Dash is bound on the same button as the Jump-Slam attack. It messes with years of muscle memory of using a Jump+Dash combo, which can lead you to death many times because you instinctively tried to dash forward while in the air, only instead you dive down to your death.

The combat on the other hand is simplistic, you just mostly use a basic spinning main attack like Crash Bandicoot to one shot most enemies, but is modernized and made more engaging by just this one simple addition, a dodge mechanic.

Graphics wise, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is pristine looking and the lighting is amazing. It could easily pass as a Live Action or CGI quality animation and while it doesn’t look exactly like the 2D animated series, they’ve done the transition from 2D to 3D justice.

When I am playing SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, the feeling is still there, like I am watching the good ol’ cartoons. The voice actors are the same, the sound bits are the same, the jokes are still on point, and the overall atmosphere is still SpongeBob SquarePants. It genuinely felt like I was watching one of the episodes. It doesn’t hold a candle to the previous game, Battle for Bikini Bottom, but it’s so far a decent follow-up nonetheless.

Full Review will be posted soon here on Taptap! Stay tuned!

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