SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake

When the issues of a game are rolled and stomped by its greatness, then it’s something to invest on if you have some spare.

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In SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, SpongeBob and Patrick's wish-granting tears have torn apart the fabric of the universe, creating portals to Wishworlds filled with various themes and characters. As you explore these worlds, unlock classic and new platforming skills, and don over 30 costumes to bring order back to Bikini Bottom. Our favorite sponge is accompanied by Balloon-Patrick, and you'll encounter familiar voices from the series along the way. Embrace the chaos and experience the Cosmic Shake!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,228 reviews

story61 positive mentions

stability22 negative mentions

The game captures the charm and humor of the original SpongeBob series, with plenty of references and callbacks to classic episodes.
The graphics and animations are visually stunning, making the game a delight to play.
The gameplay mechanics are smooth and enjoyable, with a variety of moves and abilities that keep the experience fresh.

The game is relatively short, with a main story that can be completed in about 6-8 hours, leading to a feeling of it being less substantial.
The combat can feel repetitive, with some enemies being tedious to defeat and lacking variety.
The final boss battle is underwhelming and lacks the challenge and excitement expected from a climactic encounter.

story
217 mentions
28 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally perceived as simple and predictable, often described as a linear progression typical of a Spongebob adventure, with a runtime of about 6-10 hours for the main missions. While some players appreciate the humor and nostalgic references to the show, others find the narrative lacking depth and engagement, with side quests feeling repetitive and disconnected from the main plot. Overall, it offers a fun experience for fans of the franchise, but may not satisfy those seeking a more intricate storyline.
- “Beneath the zany humor and whimsical charm lies a heartfelt story of friendship, courage, and the power of imagination.”
- “The story is amusing; foremost, it is both interesting and humorous, leaving nods to the show all over its fantastically built levels.”
- “I particularly loved the story, which is well-crafted and kept me hooked until the end.”
- “The story is pretty short and simple; the twist will probably not come as a big surprise to you if you pay attention and can be completed in about 6-8 hours.”
- “The climax of the story, and the boss fights in particular, are lacking extremely.”
- “The story is incredibly predictable and underwhelming.”
gameplay
167 mentions
40 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally well-received, featuring smooth controls, engaging mechanics, and a variety of levels that keep the experience fresh. However, some players find it linear and simplistic compared to previous titles, with certain mechanics feeling underdeveloped or repetitive. Overall, while it captures the charm of the franchise, there are mixed opinions on its depth and innovation.
- “While the gameplay is accessible, there are plenty of optional challenges to keep everyone engaged.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and offers a good balance of challenge and fun.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and super responsive with fun mechanics from BFBB along with new stuff made for Cosmic Shake.”
- “Gameplay is probably the biggest issue, despite glitches and cutscenes randomly cutting off at weird points.”
- “The gameplay, while short, gets repetitive and can be frustrating at times; not hard, but some moments where you thought you made the simple jump but didn't.”
- “Although this may be intentional to cater to younger audiences, I feel that with how many Spongebob titles they've released, they should at least be trying to introduce newer mechanics rather than reusing the same ones in different ways.”
graphics
106 mentions
49 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant and beautiful design, with many reviewers noting the impressive art style that captures the essence of the Spongebob universe. Players appreciate the detailed environments and fluid animations, which enhance the overall experience, although some have pointed out the lack of customizable graphics settings as a drawback. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, elevating the game above its predecessors.
- “The graphics are stunning, with beautifully designed environments and characters.”
- “The locations are beautiful, and the art style is perfectly in sync despite drawing from differing genres for each world.”
- “The graphics are vibrant and colorful, the story is classic SpongeBob, and the gameplay is involved enough to be interesting without being complicated.”
- “The only thing good about this game is that the visuals are good... not great, not amazing... it's good.”
- “Graphically, I think it is better than BFBB: Rehydrated, but there are no graphics settings except for resolution, and ultrawide doesn’t work properly (it cuts parts of the screen off to make it fit on an ultrawide screen so you lose part of the image as opposed to getting more).”
- “I love the story from what I could play, but if your computer isn't good enough, there aren't any graphic settings for you to adjust.”
humor
81 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of nostalgic references and modern Spongebob-style jokes, appealing to both long-time fans and newcomers. While many players found the writing and dialogue to be funny and engaging, some felt it lacked the charm of earlier Spongebob content, resulting in a hit-or-miss experience. Overall, the humor is generally well-received, with plenty of laughs and memorable moments, though opinions vary on its effectiveness compared to previous titles.
- “Full of jokes and memes from the cartoon while having a colorful visual and the funny dialogue you'd expect from SpongeBob and Patrick.”
- “This game was hilarious and fun; also, the amount of references to the show is crazy.”
- “The humor is great and captures the vibe of classic SpongeBob better than the TV show does currently.”
- “Is the new SpongeBob always this disgusting and unfunny?”
- “The game relies on nostalgia for likeness and character; it's not funny and even sometimes ruins jokes that have potential.”
music
63 mentions
37 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy tunes and fitting themes for each level, while others find it less memorable compared to the iconic soundtrack of "Battle for Bikini Bottom." Some players appreciate the inclusion of licensed songs from the show, but note issues like repetitive tracks and audio glitches during gameplay. Overall, while the soundtrack is enjoyable and complements the game's atmosphere, it lacks the standout quality that fans expected.
- “The music track is very accurate and thematically fitting for each world.”
- “Additionally, the soundtrack perfectly complements the themes and atmosphere of the game, making it even more immersive.”
- “The music is great, with catchy tunes that will get stuck in your head long after you've turned off the game.”
- “The biggest critique I have of this game is that the soundtrack is definitely missing the iconic touch of the soundtrack BFBB had.”
- “They play it disappointingly safe with the OST for this one and mostly just include music from the show and rather generic thematically-appropriate music.”
- “The music doesn't feel like it's from SpongeBob and half the time is rather empty feeling.”
stability
26 mentions
15 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
85 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting various glitches and bugs, particularly in combat mechanics and character interactions. While some users found the game largely bug-free and enjoyable, others experienced significant issues, such as character models behaving oddly and combat commands failing to register. Overall, the game runs well on lower-end systems, but the presence of irritating glitches detracts from the experience for some players.
- “Even if it wasn't a great game (it is, a must-have for SpongeBob fans), any major release these days that runs great on a low-end GPU and is bug-free should be celebrated.”
- “The game runs great, with little to no loading screens within the levels themselves.”
- “It runs great on my Steam Deck at 720p, but falls under 60fps at 1080p.”
- “Gameplay is probably the biggest issue, despite glitches and cutscenes randomly cutting off at weird points.”
- “I can't say I'd recommend this game due to its irritating glitches with fighting commands and being unable to change said keys for keyboard commands. It's extremely irritating when the attack command with click and right click just outright refuse to work.”
- “However, this thing has tons of glitches.”
grinding
16 mentions
13 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
81 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with some describing it as tedious due to repetitive skill unlock challenges and grindy achievements that feel unfulfilling. While the colorful costumes and side-quests provide some enjoyment, the lack of guidance for exploration and the linear nature of the game contribute to a sense of monotony. Overall, while some levels are less tedious than others, many players feel that the grind detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- “Enemy design is meh, but the new moves are very welcome. Currency collecting is much more boring than shiny objects, as well, in my opinion. Luckily, there's no grinding though.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I will say there are a couple of grindy achievements which were not enjoyable as even after free playing for a few hours I was nowhere close to completing them.”
- “You don't really have a reason to do any side stuff or collect things other than for completion, so it feels tedious to go back for things to levels you have completed already.”
- “The health bar enemies are pretty tedious to deal with, especially the ones that either can't be hit or avoid you until they attack.”
replayability
12 mentions
25 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the challenge of achieving 100% completion and finding collectibles, others feel that the initial playthrough lacks excitement and that overall replay value is limited. Despite some enjoyable elements, many reviewers note that it doesn't offer the same level of replayability as previous titles in the franchise.
- “Overall it's a fun little game if you love SpongeBob, linear as hell, but there's still replayability in it for what it is (especially if you're going for 100% completion).”
- “Decent amount of play time and replayability, challenging at some parts but never too difficult.”
- “Moreover, the game's replay value is astronomical, with a plethora of collectibles, side quests, and hidden secrets scattered throughout the cosmos.”
- “It spends so much time trying to sell you on the replayability of its levels that it forgets to make your initial playthrough fun to begin with.”
- “I am glad to have played this game, and will likely play it again after some time as it does lack in replayability.”
- “It's a big step up from the mess that was rehydrated... but it has barely any replay value at all, unlike the original Battle for Bikini Bottom or the movie game.”
emotional
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartfelt narrative that explores themes of friendship, courage, and imagination, evoking nostalgia and joy in players. Many reviewers express a deep connection to the story, feeling engaged and uplifted throughout the experience, with some even moved to tears during the end credits. Overall, it successfully combines whimsical charm with emotional depth, making it a comforting and enjoyable platformer.
- “I cried with joy when I heard the end credits roll.”
- “What truly sets The Cosmic Shake apart, however, is its narrative depth and emotional resonance.”
- “Beneath the zany humor and whimsical charm lies a heartfelt story of friendship, courage, and the power of imagination.”
monetization
9 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the genuine effort and passion behind it, while others perceive it as a cash grab, particularly in light of its release following the success of "Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated." While some reviewers feel the game is a heartfelt tribute to the franchise, others criticize it for being unfinished and for charging for additional content like costume packs. Overall, opinions vary on whether the game's monetization strategy reflects a sincere dedication to fans or a rushed attempt to capitalize on previous successes.
- “I appreciate the effort put into this, even though it might be a cash grab after the popularity of BFBB Rehydrated.”
- “Decent enough for a child's first 3D platformer, but otherwise an unfinished, unpolished UE5 cash grab most likely crammed out the door after the relative success of the Battle for Bikini Bottom remaster, which I enjoyed!”
- “Cosmic Shake is a lazy cash grab by comparison, and they have the audacity to charge for DLC like costume packs.”
optimization
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players reporting smooth performance on high-end systems and a solid experience on last-gen consoles. However, some users noted occasional performance dips and minor bugs, suggesting that while the optimization is commendable, there are still areas for improvement.
- “Your optimization is top notch and let those of us that have top tier PCs enjoy the pretty pictures.”
- “Runs like butter on my 6700XT and Ryzen 5 5600X (at a mostly locked 175fps and at 3440x1440), so they clearly optimized the game with last-gen consoles in mind. This is a good thing; nowadays you'll see cases like Halo Infinite where it runs with weird performance issues that straight-up didn't exist on even the Xbox One.”
- “Game has no performance issues.”
- “I don't know how that performance is acceptable, lol.”
- “Only a few bugs, stuck in a wall here, some stuttering there.”
- “Runs like butter on my 6700xt+ryzen 5 5600x (at a mostly locked 175fps and at 3440x1440), so they clearly optimized the game with last-gen consoles in mind (which is a good thing, nowadays you'll see cases like Halo Infinite where it runs with weird performance issues that straight-up didn't exist on even the Xbox One).”
atmosphere
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is effectively captured through its aesthetic and thematic elements, particularly in relation to the Flying Dutchman. While the soundtrack enhances immersion and aligns well with the game's moods, some players find it somewhat forgettable due to the sheer volume of tracks, though they still appreciate how well the music fits the overall atmosphere.
- “That level perfectly captured the atmosphere and aesthetic of who the Flying Dutchman was.”
- “Additionally, the soundtrack perfectly complements the themes and atmosphere of the game, making it even more immersive.”
- “The soundtrack is good; it fits all of the atmospheres really well. While some may find it forgettable, it definitely evokes a sense of sadness and complements the game's themes.”
- “The soundtrack is good, but I've seen a couple of other people say it's 'forgettable,' and that's probably true for the most part. While the songs fit the atmospheres well and definitely evoke sadness, with almost 50 tracks in total, it's understandable why most of them might escape your mind.”