Unusual as it might be to consider now, there was a time when Nickelodeon’s absorbent, yellow and porous SpongeBob SquarePants managed to make some title for themselves within the 3D platforming style. Most famously, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Backside, itself additionally acquired a remaster in 2020 on all main platforms. Three years later, developer Purple Lamp is leveraging the Battle for Bikini Backside remake expertise and specializing in creating an all-new SpongeBob 3D. platform sport However is that this an try to maximise nostalgia, or can SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake show itself past its model?

Whereas visiting the Glove World, SpongeBob and Patrick have a magical bubble cleaning soap that may grant any want they could want. As is likely to be anticipated, the duo’s inherently insane nature splits the world into varied dimensions. Bikini City and its inhabitants are divided between these worlds, and it is as much as SpongeBob and Patrick to avoid wasting the day. Additionally, Patrick is a balloon now, however that does not matter. The story is instructed with a surprisingly excessive manufacturing worth. The cutscenes are completely animated, the characters categorical themselves, and all the things feels so proper within the basic present. Presentation as a complete is a energy for Cosmic Shake. Even the Swap port offers an total sharp picture, although generally at a price. However about that later.

The journey takes place in seven worlds and a central area set in Bikini Backside. Every world offers with a singular theme: west, pirates, halloween, and so on. These worlds unfold one after the opposite, and whereas they’re nearly solely linear, they’re extraordinarily expansive. A participant with fairly collectible intelligence should not have any drawback spending an hour or extra in most worlds. Every world presents varied story-based targets as you progress. They could require SpongeBob to discover a sure variety of a sure merchandise, attain a hard-to-reach space, or just defeat powerful enemies.

True platforming feels nice and is the dominant focus of design. Every world introduces some new components that permit SpongeBob to work together with the atmosphere in a brand new approach. Initially, you may acquire a karate kick that permits you to bounce to particular targets exterior of fight. A grapple hook then helps you to swing from sure factors. These capabilities are then mixed completely in additional complicated platforming duties that require you to combine and match your totally different choices. Whereas platforming has by no means been notably difficult, I discovered myself deeply having fun with nearly each second of it.

Fight, the secondary focus of most ranges, is considerably much less fascinating compared. It is practical and has by no means prompted an issue, nevertheless it lacks the creativity and sense of fixed evolution that the platform naturally carries. Many of the fights contain utilizing SpongeBob’s web to shoot down enemies that hardly ever pose a lot of a risk. A number of particular enemies require you to leverage unlocked platforming talents, however the majority require you to run in direction of them and hit a couple of times.

As you full worlds and produce the stranded characters again to Bikini Backside, you may unlock sub-quests. These targets usually supply an incentive to return to accomplished ranges and full further targets. Sadly, because of the linear nature of every world, they aren’t notably conducive to freely exploring. You possibly can change between checkpoints, however for those who do not already know precisely the place you are going, you normally begin enjoying the entire stage once more. I loved every stage as soon as, however their construction made them much less fascinating to revisit.

As implied earlier, the Key turns into a pointy and beautiful-looking rendition of Cosmic Shake. Whereas the decision is dynamic, the typical picture high quality is considerably above what I’d count on from trendy multiplatform variations on the system. Most ranges translate to pretty steady efficiency more often than not, however the main hub struggles considerably extra because it fills in by finishing increasingly worlds. Nevertheless, whereas most areas are going nicely, the transition sections of the degrees are filled with hitches and pauses. More often than not, you’re shot on a map or using a seahorse over a big space to entry a brand new space. In such circumstances, the engine appears to have hassle flowing new belongings quick sufficient, and the sport will sometimes pause for just a few seconds earlier than persevering with. Once you transfer too quick, it is this basic feeling of instability that makes the sport really feel prefer it’s barely held collectively. Decision is clearly not a difficulty, so the sport usually seems to be nice, however delivering these large ranges is clearly a difficulty.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a surprisingly cute 3D platform sport. The evolution of your transition choices is completely accelerated and naturally synthesized with fixed, new challenges. Battle is practical, if not impressed. The 100% urge to finish is likely to be a bit too demanding given the character of the worlds, however the ranges themselves are enjoyable to discover. The Swap model offers clear visuals and total steady efficiency, besides in just a few particular areas. Nevertheless, it brings the sport to a standstill when the engine is underneath stress. Whereas it usually would not have an effect on precise gameplay, it is laborious to disregard when the picture freezes for 5 seconds. Maybe fittingly, this appears like a misplaced licensed platform sport from the early 2000s. That comes with good and dangerous, however there’s positively rather a lot to like right here, even when it is slightly tough across the edges.