Ah to experience childhood again, what a joy that would be. The waves of nostalgia washing over you immersing you in that ocean of happiness like a starfish deep in the sea, or a sponge awaiting its proper level of hydration. SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle For Bikini Bottom Rehydrated has that exact effect on me and although it was not a title I played much when I was younger, it still holds a place near and dear to me as Spongebob was very much a strong influence on my childhood and early teen years.
Happy memories aside, this remastered version of the original Battle for Bikini Bottom title does a stellar job of really nailing down the things which made the original title so loved by fans worldwide. They have tweaked the graphics to update them, but you still have that feel of the original. It’s not hyper-realistic graphics, because that just is not Spongebob at all. The smooth cartoon-like textures suit the game and its gameplay perfectly. The only negative I found in the opening hour of gameplay was the Mr. Krabs was not voiced by the original voice actor, which was odd but not something that really changed the gameplay at all.
It’s a simple life down in Bikini Bottom and this is exemplified by the gameplay style. This is not a game that is going to cause you to rage quit or one that is going to throw ridiculously hard challenges at you and to be honest, that is completely fine. Now, more than ever, we need games that allow us to just sit back and not have to worry about challenging ourselves. We do not need this constant strain to better our gaming abilities and constantly challenge ourselves to reach new heights. It’s nice to just sit back, pop on a game and relax for a while. Spongebob allows this. It has challenging aspects to it, but never ones that are going to cause annoyance or build up stress. It’s a much-welcomed escape from reality.
There are three playable characters available to the user: Spongebob, Patrick, and Sandy, each bringing their own unique set of talents and skills to the game. You will need to rely on them at differing stages during the game and each of them has their own unique and charming quips to aid you through the mazes and obstacles that face you.
This really is just a happy game. The music is fun and relaxing and the jokes add a nice level of silly humour to the whole experience. The whole game just feels like those classic platformer games which caused so many people to fall in love with gaming. The team and THQ Nordic have nailed all the joy the original game brought to many and have added enough to also make it feel like a brand new title, not just a remaster. Young and old gamers alike are sure to get a fun kick out of this adventure, and it is one I highly recommend you try.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle For Bikini Bottom Rehydrated was reviewed on PlayStation 4.
Featured Image Credit: THQ Nordic.