It’s no secret that THQ Nordic has been acquiring rights and poaching literally every IP it has gotten its hands on over the past few years. At first glance, this latest version looks like their strangest renaissance, a children’s platform game from the days when there were a dozen of them and not exactly known for their quality. But this time they might be on to something. In addition to the updated graphics and restored content, this game, whose underwater iconography is unmistakable, guarantees a successful second life on store shelves. To remind us that Nickelodeon is eternally suffocating in our youth, here’s SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom Battle – Rehydrated.

The sixth generation of consoles had many features, including the oversaturation of games in relation to television and movies. Some were true classics like Simpson’s Hit & Run, others were Jimmy Neutron :. Twonkis attack. While the first Battle for Bikini Bottom was released in 2003 with mixed feelings, its popularity in the speed racing world changed the title. While other SpongeBob games have come and gone for over 15 years, the Battle for Bikini Bottom game continues to stand out. Fans would even go so far as to say it’s one of the best licensed games ever made. This statement will be judged differently from person to person, but in any case, THQ Nordic will respond to the hype and reshape the action adventure for the enjoyment of both old and new audiences.

The plot follows a series of plankton antagonists who unleash a plague of evil robots on the town of Bikini Bottom. Unfortunately, Plankton forgot to program the robots’ obedience, so they promptly tossed it aside and took the city for themselves. Sponge Bob thinks it’s all his fault for reasons that have nothing to do with it, so the trio, along with his friends Patrick & Sandy, go from block to block to restore order, destroy the robots and collect lots of shiny objects (this is not a generalization by the way, the main collectibles are literally called shiny objects).

It plays like a Super Mario Odyssey. The entire city is divided into different sections that you go back and forth between, each with different tasks that you can complete in just about any order. The top prize you’re looking for is a golden spatula, but there are also many hidden collectibles that encourage you to really explore each world to the fullest. Compared to modern adventure games, the stages aren’t that bad, but the fun factor is still there. This game is really hilarious because it was written when Sponge Bob was at his critical peak. The casting of the voices is especially precise and we really have the impression of playing an episode of the series.

The updated visual effects are an absolutely welcome addition, smoothing out the design of the characters and adding a lot more color to the environment. The platforming and game mechanics are largely omitted, which will be a double-edged sword for some players. Since it’s designed for speed racing, it makes sense to leave out most of the mistakes and exploits that made the game’s reputation. However, the trade-off is that some controls are very outdated.

Just as critics have called the Yooka-Laylee too close to the N64, the Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is just as guilty of playing too close to a GameCube title. Movement is slow and lively (though one could argue that this makes sense for a game that takes place underwater), combat is simplified to the point where the waves of NPCs look more like a chore than anything else, and you’ll encounter more than a few pesky bugs. These are very common criticisms of adventure games of the time, and even if one day a patch eliminated some of the bugs, it would be a bit wonky to switch from a modern platformer to this game. Even the recently added multiplayer mode hasn’t progressed much beyond the usual survival mode.

However, if you’re nostalgic for this era of gaming and treat it like a time capsule, it’s much easier to review the technical issues. Even beyond the speedrun, I really enjoyed coming back to this generation. It’s fun to get bogged down with unpolished and imperfect elements, because you don’t see this kind of game made very often. Licensed releases these days tend to be huge AAA companies like Insomniac Spider-Man, or are simple but highly monetized mobile games, the middle ground that Battle for Bikini Bottom occupies is actually non-existent.

I’ve seen people disappointed with this game because they were expecting something similar to the remakes of Crash and Spyro . The development team seems to have gone to great lengths to get as close to it as possible, but the raw nature of the ‘s battle for Bikini Bottom is almost inseparable from its identity in the cultural air of the time. It probably wouldn’t be the same game if every detail was coded down to the smallest detail, with the addition of the ray tracing and crafting system and the Season Pass and everything else that seems necessary these days.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle of the Bikini Bottom – Recorded Review

• Charts – 8/10
• Sound – 8/10
• Gameplay – 7/10
• Late Call – 7/10

7/10

Final thoughts : GOOD PAGE

Whether you’re nostalgic for simpler games or just need more Sponge Bob in your life, Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated is a remaster worth trying. The level of design and humour holds up incredibly well despite a few awkward controls, and it really does feel like we’re back in an afternoon of the early 2000s.

Evan Rude is a journalism student and amateur gambling historian. His favorite Guitar Hero III song was Even Flow.

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