The recently released SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake aimed to bring another great game to follow Battle For Bikini Bottom. The question is, was it successful in doing so? Let's go through what critics think of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake based on their reviews, as well as the scores they gave the game.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake Review Scores: 67-71 on Metacritic
Unlike Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated, which was a 2020 remake of a 2003 cult classic, Cosmic Shake is a brand new game and story. Although SpongeBob doesn't seem like it could be a big game, Battle for Bikini Bottom became a cult classic and is still going strong today. When news of Cosmic Shake came out, eyes were on it with people wondering if it would be a good successor to the classic. It would appear, however, that this might not be the case.
Metacritic keeps separate scores for each platform this game came out in. However, the aggregated score for each of them isn't all that good. The Switch version of the game had a score of 73, while the PlayStation 4 version got a 70. The version did a little better at 71, however, the Xbox One received the lowest at 67. After checking the possible cause for this low score, I saw that PureXbox gave it a low score of 40. This is the lowest out of all the aggregated review scores for the game. The reviewer called the game a “lazy, generic platformer” that had “five hours of content that feels like it was made by people who watched some footage of a bad 90s platformer and decided that was how they wanted to proceed”.
While this may seem like a mean way to describe the game, various other websites have basically said the same thing, just not as straightforward. Kotaku, for example, said in their review that it “isn't quite the sequel to Battle For Bikini Bottom that [they] wanted.” Kotaku didn't give a score for the game but did mention that although the game does have “good jokes and pretty levels”, it “leaves out a lot too”. They specifically mentioned the lack of multiple playable characters as one of the disappointing points of the game. They did, however, say that it was still a pretty fun game.
IGN, who gave the game a score of 50, said that the “barebones platformer manages to be surprisingly boring despite its SpongeBob-infused charm.” They specifically brought up the game's platforming (“becomes irksomely repetitive within a few minutes”) and combat (“without anything to meaningfully differentiate the first battle from the last”). IGN mentioned that the game's mechanics did not age well and that the developers did not do anything new to the formula. They did mention, however, that the boss battles at the end of each level were something that they felt was unique. However, it wasn't anything they considered groundbreaking, just better than the rest of the game.
Moving higher up, ScreenRant gave the game a score of 70, calling the game a “fun platformer for all ages.” According to them the game “provides players with the feeling of a classic 3D-platformer, using enjoyable game mechanics and gradually increasing difficulty that then throws the popular Nickelodeon characters right in the center of it all.” The variety of game mechanics within each level was something they found interesting. According to them, the features gave a “fresh feeling” that break through the possible “monotonous routine of fighting the same… enemy repeatedly.”
Gamespot, who also gave the game a 70, said that the game, at its core, achieved its goals. This is despite “a few hiccups and disappointing aspects” of the game. They brought up that the game has a lot of small jokes, as well as some references that fans of the show will love. According to them, it was not a revolutionary platformer, but it “is good enough to keep you engaged throughout the entire game's length.”
One of the highest scorers, Nintendo Life, gave the game a score of 80. They called Cosmic Shake a “triumphant and varied 3D platformer that no fan of the series or the genre will want to miss.” They prefaced their review by saying that won't change your mind if “3D collectathon style games” are not your thing. However, they said that its level design, gameplay variety, controls, and voice cast make it one of the best SpongeBob games. They did mention that some performance issues let them down. However, they would still highly recommend the game.
Is SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake worth it?
If you are a big fan of SpongeBob, be it the show or the Battle for Bikini Bottom, then this game could be for you. Lower your expectations a little, and treat this as its own game instead of a supposed sequel, then maybe you will enjoy it. If, however, you are not a fan of the series, nor are you a big platformer fan, then I wouldn't recommend it. There are plenty of other platformers available in the market right that probably run smoother, have better gameplay, and maybe even have a good story. If anything, you might be better off just buying Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated first. If you enjoy that game, then maybe try this one out. Otherwise, just give it a pass for now.
That's all for the reviews and scores for SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake. The game is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. For gaming news from us, check out our other gaming news articles.
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