SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake Review
SpongeBob SquarePants The Cosmic Shake is the long-awaited sequel to the popular franchise, offering a fun experience for fans of all ages, my full review.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is the latest video game installment from Purple Lamp Studios and THQ Nordic in the beloved SpongeBob franchise. It offers a new story that follows SpongeBob as he embarks on an epic journey to save Bikini Bottom from a cosmic shake-up he accidentally caused. Players will join him along with his trusty friend Patrick as they explore colourful worlds full of cartoony combat, platform-hopping, mini-games and other surprises. With vibrant visuals, charming characters, and original voice actors, it's sure to provide hours of fun for fans of all ages. My review details the unique features that make this sequel stand out from its predecessor, The Battle of Bikini Bottom, and how it builds upon the classic formula. Read on to find out how the Cosmic Shake stacks up!
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake Details
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC
Developer(s): Purple Lamp Studios
Publisher(s): THQ Nordic
Genre: Platform, action-adventure
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
The Cosmic Shake Up
In SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, players take on the role of the "square pants wonder" as he embarks on an epic adventure. The story begins when SpongeBob and Patrick use a vial of "Mermaid's Tears" which grants all their zany wishes. Unfortunately, things quickly go awry as the manifestation of these wishes starts opening portals destroying Bikini Bottom while transporting characters into new dimensions.
"Unfortunately, things quickly go awry as the manifestation of these wishes starts opening portals destroying Bikini Bottom while transporting characters into new dimensions."
Inside these portals, or "Wishworlds", you'll find themed realms with cowboys, pirates, and even a prehistoric world. You'll need to explore these different levels and find familiar characters. For example, Sandy and Mr. Crabs play bigger, unexpected roles in the story. Along the way, you'll battle enemies, solve puzzles, and explore exotic worlds filled with unique characters.
The Cosmic Shake's gameplay
While The Cosmic Shake features a fun story and vibrant worlds, the gameplay can feel somewhat repetitive at times. It's snappy and responsive but the tasks and enemy battles repeat far too often. Though there are some interesting mini-games, most of the levels have similar objectives that involve defeating the same scores of enemies or collecting the same set of items. This can become tedious after a while, as you find yourself repeating the same actions over and over again. As you progress through each world you will unlock new moves which help keep things fresh.
Ultimately, these issues don't detract too much from the overall experience; however, they do prevent it from reaching its full potential and make it more suited for casual players than hardcore gamers. This makes sense as it is a game that is aimed at a younger audience, but it would have been great to see a bit more depth in the gameplay.
Graphics and Performance
The Cosmic Shake features colourful 3D worlds and great character animations that look straight out of the actual cartoon. The visuals are more detailed, conveying a sense of depth not seen in other games in the series. The presentation is also a lot of fun and takes advantage of the Spongebob licence. Things like the loading screens and certain moments in the story feature the iconic artwork ripped straight from the cartoon. Another great touch that kept me engaged was collecting the 30 different costumes throughout the world from SnailBob to SpongeGar.
"Another great touch that kept me engaged was collecting the 30 different costumes throughout the world from SnailBob to SpongeGar."
When it comes to performance I did experience slowdowns in sections with a lot going on, especially when there were a few enemies on screen. This didn't happen every time, but it was noticeable and pulled me out of the experience. Overall, it wasn't a "deal breaker" by any stretch, but worth mentioning.
Audio and sound design
The audio and sound design in The Cosmic Shake is easily the biggest highlight with catchy tunes and high-quality sound effects that bring the world to life. The voice acting is also spot-on, with each character's unique personality shining through. The original cast of SpongeBob SquarePants returns to bring the characters to life and they do an excellent job. If you are a fan of the show, you are going to love the audio work.
"The original cast of SpongeBob SquarePants returns to bring the characters to life and they do an excellent job."
The soundtrack also stands out as a highlight with an assortment of jaunty tunes that perfectly fit into each world and make exploration even more fun. Additionally, the game includes a variety of background noises that add an extra layer of realism to the underwater environments. The one drawback in the audio department is the repetition of lines and certain sound effects, which start to become grinding on the nerves after a while. Outside of that, the sound is excellent and the voiceover work is stellar.
Final verdict on SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
The Cosmic Shake is an enjoyable adventure with a fun story and vibrant worlds that fans of the franchise will enjoy. While its repetitive gameplay and technical issues hold it back from being truly great, there's still plenty to love here - making this one of the best games in the franchise in recent memory. There's plenty to love with catchy tunes, great visuals, and quirky characters – making this one of the best SpongeBob games in recent memory. If you're looking for an entry-level action platformer or just want to visit Bikini Bottom again, be sure to check out The Cosmic Shake!
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake PROS
+ Vibrant visuals with plenty of depth
+ Fun story and endearing characters
+ Catchy soundtrack and authentic character voiceovers
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake CONS
- Repetitive gameplay can become tedious
- Occasional technical hiccups.
Gameplay: 7/10
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Replayability: 6/10
Overall Rating: 28/40 (70%)
A copy of the game was provided by the developer for the purpose of this review.
About the Author - Matthew "Dapper Tux" Rondina
Matthew has been involved in all things gaming since the 8-bit era. He is a veteran of the video game and tech industry who has been passionate about technology and gaming for over 20 years. Along with being the Managing Editor of dappertux.com, he has bylines with Best Buy, Cineplex Entertainment, Mobile Syrup and Walmart. Follow Matthew’s gaming + tech adventures on twitter, Instagram and join in on the fun!
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