SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is a 3D adventure platformer video game that takes you back to your childhood. Developed by Purple Lamp Studios, this game is an impressive remake of the 2003 game of almost the same name, and is based on the Nickelodeon animated series, SpongeBob SquarePants. Old fans can once again save the day with SpongeBob and friends—but this time, there are all-new features to enjoy, as well.

A cult classic

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom was first released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube consoles, as well as Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance—although the last two were of different versions compared to the original. In the story, you must defend Bikini Bottom from the evil Plankton and his army of robots. You also had to collect items and defeat the wandering robots while exploring the 3D world.

This time, however, the plot and gameplay are much more like the home console version. You can now consistently play as either SpongeBob, Patrick, or Sandy and make use of their unique skills. Cut content from the original game has also been included, like additional boss fights and levels. A new multiplayer horde mode for up to two players has been made available, too—offering either PvP or co-op that’s available online and offline. 

The graphics and gameplay have been polished, as well, and a remastered soundtrack was added in. However, while original version fans will love this remake, there are still many old drawbacks that came back. For one, the controls are still hard to handle at times, and the gameplay itself can be quite slow at certain points in the story. Plus, the cut content was added to the online multiplayer mode and not the main campaign.

Now remastered for all fans

Overall, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated can be a hit or miss depending on the player. If you played the game back then, this remake gives a more polished look and cool new content—although some aspects, like the voice-acting, may disappoint you. If you’re a new fan of the series and want to try one of its games, however, this can be a good enough starter course for you to test out.