After focusing on remaking a cult classic from the franchise, Purple Lamp Studios decided to make a brand-new game in theSpongeBob SquarePantsuniverse. That is howSpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shakecame to fruition, a 3D action platformer with collect-a-thon elements.
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SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shaketells the story of how SpongeBob and Patrick bought mysterious bubbles from a merchant at Glove World that ultimately turned their reality upside down. Now, they are tasked with traveling to different universes to rescue their friends. While the game does a good job of teaching the player how to play, it is worth remembering a few beginner tips.
7Be Careful With The Jump Button
Agood platformerrequires some fun platforming mechanics, andThe Cosmic Shakegives SpongeBob a handful to choose from. Out of the gate, players are taught that they have a regular jump as well as a typical double jump. But there is also the ability to hover.
When holding down the jump button, SpongeBob will begin to float. This will happen if players hold after one jump or a double jump. However, this can be rather sensitive, and if players leave their thumb a millisecond longer on the button, it can trigger the hover ability, sometimes stopping momentum. Players should be wary about using the button and time the button presses properly.
6Costumes Can Be Changed Whenever
Unique toSpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, costumes are a fundamental part of the story as Kassandra, the fortune-telling merchant who the heroes bought the bubbles from, will change SpongeBob into an outfit that fits with the theme of the area he is heading to. But while these outfits are nice fits aesthetically, they don’t do anything to impact the gameplay.
With that said, players can at any time go to the pause menu and switch into any of the other costumes that they would like to see SpongeBob wear. It is purely a fun feature thatincludes many inspirationsfrom the show rather than a necessity for game completion.
5Use The Dodge Religiously
While the game is not very difficult,The Cosmic Shakedoes offer a variety of tools that allow for some flexibility in SpongeBob’scombat skills. One of the tools is a dodge that will allow SpongeBob to get out of the way of incoming enemy attacks.
This ends up being incredibly useful, especially for some boss fights that will require tight movement for some enemy patterns. But even more so, the dodge can be used to move a bit quicker around the world. There is no sprint button, and SpongeBob, at times, can feel slow, but dodging can help give him short bursts forward.
4Prepare To Revisit Areas For Collectibles
As mentioned earlier, this gameis a collect-a-thon. This means that there are plenty of objects to pick up just for the satisfaction of having found them. The main collectible is golden doubloons, with each area having a handful of them to look around for. But there are more collectibles in each area, some of which don’t show up until the player completes the main quest there.
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After going through a level once, players can be later tasked with going back and picking up a handful of other items that help fulfill certain side quests. This encourages players to revisit the level and potentially look in places they haven’t before while also stumbling upon the collectible in places they already were.
3Look Out For Side Quests
Side quests are completely optional inThe Cosmic Shake, but they help give players more things to do in the worlds that they explored already. However, it is worth noting that the side quests are not heavily advertised, so it is important to keep an eye out for them.
Almostall the side questscan be started in Bikini Bottom. Walking up to notable characters, players may see a red flag over their head. Talk to them, and they will be given a side quest. It is worth noting that two areas, Halloween Rock Bottom and Jelly Glove World, also have individuals there that offer side quests. All side quests reward golden doubloons and occasionally costumes.
2Patience Is Key For Some Enemies
Notall enemiesare meant to be one-hit kills. For instance, while the Jelly Bandits are practically pushovers, the Ninjellies require the player to kick them over before going in for the kill. It is important to understand each enemy’s attack pattern, and patience in attacking them can reward the player with no unnecessary damage taken.
Take the Big Jelly as an example. This beast has a giant tub that it attempts to smash SpongeBob with. While it is attacking, SpongeBob can’t deal damage, so it is important to be on the defensive. But there will be opportunities, such as when it is trying to lift the tub out of the ground or when it tires out from spinning around.
1Take Advantage Of Fast Travel
Pushing through the main story and not going for the side quests will probably allow players to not have a need to backtrack and just keep moving forward no matter what. That said, those who do like going back and getting everything to have a nice tool at their disposal:fast travel.
In the pause menu, players can select any map they have already been to and then select any section that they would like to travel back to. This is incredibly useful for needing to get a collectible that may be deep into a level or wanting to replay a boss fight and not wanting to go through the entire level again.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shakeis out now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
