That being said, while most areas run well, the transitional segments of levels are littered with hitches and pauses. Most levels also turn in a pretty stable level of performance at most times, though the primary hub struggles significantly more as you fill it by completing more and more worlds. While resolution is dynamic, the average image quality is significantly above what I’ve come to expect from modern multi-platform releases on the system. I enjoyed each level once, but their structure made them less interesting to revisit.Īs alluded to earlier, the Switch turns in a sharp, good looking rendition of Cosmic Shake. You can zip between checkpoints but unless you already know exactly where you’re going, you’ll more often simply wind up playing the entire level again. Unfortunately due to the linear nature of each world, they’re not particularly conducive to freely exploring. These objectives oftentimes offer up an incentive to return to completed levels and complete additional goals. A few specific enemies do require you to make use of unlocked platforming abilities, but the majority simply require that you run up to them and hit them once or twice.Īs you complete worlds and bring stranded characters back to Bikini Bottom you’ll unlock subquests. Most fights amount to using SpongeBob’s net to hit enemies who rarely pose much of a threat. It is functional, and never caused a problem, but it lacks the creativity and constant sense of evolution that the platforming naturally carries. While the platforming never got particularly difficult, I found myself deeply enjoying almost every moment of it.Ĭombat, the secondary focus of most levels, is significantly less interesting by comparison. These abilities are then excellently combined into more complex platforming challenges requiring you to mix and match your different options. Later a grapple hook allows you to swing off specific points. Early on you’ll earn a karate kick that, outside of combat, allows you to zip to certain targets. Each world introduces some new element that allows SpongeBob to interact with the environment in a new way. The actual platforming feels excellent and is the predominant focus of the design. They may require SpongeBob to locate a certain number of a given item, reach a hard to reach area, or simply defeat tough enemies. Each world puts forth a variety of story-based objectives as you progress through it. A reasonably collectible-minded player will have no trouble spending an hour or more in most worlds. These worlds unlock one after the other and while almost entirely linear, they are extremely expansive. Each world takes on a unique theme: western, pirates, halloween, etc. The adventure takes place across seven worlds and a hub area set in Bikini Bottom proper. Even the Switch port turns in a generally sharp image, though it does sometimes come at a cost. Presentation on the whole is a strength for Cosmic Shake. Cutscenes are excellently animated, characters are expressive, and everything feels very on brand with the classic show. The story is told with a surprisingly high level of production value. Also Patrick is a balloon now, but that’s not important. Bikini Bottom and its inhabitants are torn across these worlds and it's up to SpongeBob and Patrick to save the day. As one would expect, the duo’s inherently zany nature fractures the world into a variety of dimensions. While visiting Glove World, Spongebob and Patrick come into possession of a magic bubble soap capable of granting any wish they care to make. But is this an attempt to maximize on nostalgia, or can SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake prove itself beyond its branding? Three years later, developer Purple Lamp takes their experience remastering Battle for Bikini Bottom and turns their focus to creating a brand new SpongeBob 3D platformer. Most famously, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom, which itself received a remaster on all major platforms back in 2020. As odd as it is to think about now, there was a time in which Nickelodeon's absorbent, yellow, and porous SpongeBob SquarePants managed to make a bit of a name for himself in the 3D platformer genre.
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