SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
I rarely watch Spongebob, the most popular cartoon of my childhood. So, for this review, I’ve enlisted the help of my daughter, an expert on the politics of Bikini Bottom, the setting of the SpongeBob SquarePants series. Although I played a bit, I mostly looked over his shoulder as he explained all the characters to me in detail.
Hot on the heels of the legendary re-release SpongeBob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini BottomA new release is coming, SpongeBob Squarepants: Cosmic ShakeBringing the timeless cartoon character and his underwater companions together for another adventure. Although it’s shorter than its predecessor, it compiles some of the best episodes into a playable format. In the words of my daughter, “The game is about SpongeBob accidentally getting a magical cosmic bubble soap, and in true SpongeBob fashion, it cracks the universe, and now he has to save his friends and Bikini Bottom. One has to go to different portals for that”.
A visit from a mermaid fortune teller puts the whole world in danger as SpongeBob and Patrick, who have been transformed into a balloon, must reverse the effects of what’s in the bottle of bubbles that has destroyed Bikini Bottom. is covered in cosmic jelly.
Each of these “Wish World” openings that SpongeBob must jump into to save his friends is a retread of several memorable episodes of the cartoon. According to my daughter, “Each friend has an antagonist version, which makes each portal different from what you expect. For example, for the Flying Dutchman, SpongeBob is dressed as a pirate in a pirate-themed world. Each of these worlds offers a lot of memorabilia from the show, making these “what if” scenarios quite interesting.
cosmic shake, Like Super Mario OdysseyTransforming an old-school cartoon into a colorful world, full of delightful elements. The world of all wishes is well designed. As a gaming veteran, one can point fingers at environments that are a little too big and objects that feel too far away. However, to my daughter, they all felt right. Just the act of running around in bikini bottoms excited her.
The game could have been a little more fluid. Often, my daughter struggled with tight control. Almost all the segments require a double jump and glide but the way the camera placement and the environment throws off the depth is disappointing. Furthermore, many double jump glides require precision. It was a little tough for us, seasoned Odyssey players. A lower difficulty level would have allowed us to focus more on the story and the world.
Instead of opting for cell shading, which most cartoon games opt for, Cosmic Shake Uses simple shaded concrete with light texture and natural light, which works well with pools of water. The visuals aren’t groundbreaking, but it works on the Nintendo Switch while keeping performance buttery smooth. The audio is excellent, and seeing Hindi as a language is great. This regional language option is something that all games can have.
For young SpongeBob fans, the game is fantastic with many hidden gems and presents the show’s characters in a unique way.
(The review was co-written by the author’s daughter, Akira.)
