SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle For Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is coming to mobile devices later this month, and fans won't have to worry about any microtransactions or paywalls spoiling their fun. Battle for Bikini Bottom is a 3D platformer from 2003, based on the hilarious antics of the titular sea sponge from Nickelodeon's hit TV show. It boasted gameplay similar to classic titles like Banjo-Kazooie, and was generally considered a cult classic for its success at emulating the madcap humor of the show.
The classic title garnered enough love from its fans to warrant a remake, which released in 2020. Battle For Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated rebuilt the game from the ground up, giving it better gameplay, restored cut content, and drastically improved graphical quality. Fans adored the remake for letting them relive the experience from 2003, but critics were less impressed. Many pointed out that while the game was a faithful recreation of its PS2 iteration, this wasn't entirely a good thing; many unsightly relics of game design past were introduced, and didn't hold up quite as well 17 years later.
But this lukewarm reception from critics hasn't slowed down publisher THQ Nordic. Its child organization, HandyGames (via Gematsu) is now working on a mobile port of the game, which will be available on iOS and Android. The port will be available on January 21st for $8.99. This is a steep price for a mobile game, but the premium cost means that fans won't have to worry about any microtransactions or paywalls. In the words of HandyGames, "You pay once and play the full game to your heart’s content." If the trailer is any indication, HandyGames has been putting in the work to translate all of the game's content into a mobile form. Assuming the gameplay carries over adequately, fans should be able to look forward to taking SpongeBob on the go.
For better or for worse, remakes like this one bring some of the most beloved video games of the past into the modern day. 2020 was a good year for them, too; Square Enix's iconic Final Fantasy 7 Remake won accolades when it released last year, masterfully resurrecting one of the most renowned JRPGs of all time. The game even won Best RPG at the Game Awards, beating out stiff competition from the likes of Persona 5 Royal. After such a phenomenal launch, fans are now speculating when they can expect part 2.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle For Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is certainly not as high-profile as the Final Fantasy VII Remake, but it's still garnered a devoted group of fans who are likely overjoyed at the opportunity to explore the setting of their favorite childhood TV show. Now that the game's being ported to mobile devices, an even broader audience of fans will be able to take a trip down memory lane, Krabby Patty in hand.
Source: HandyGames (via Gematsu)