While the newest SpongeBob SquarePants movie skipped theaters for a more digital approach, fans are also downloading a remake of a classic SpongeBob video game: SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated. It seems that the sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea still has tons of fans, helping the game to hit an impressive milestone on Steam.
Back in 2003, a 12-hour long collectathon platformer called Battle For Bikini Bottom hit the PlayStation 3, becoming massively popular with kids everywhere that were fans of the TV cartoon. Between the massive popularity of the Nickelodeon show and the unexpected fun from the game, many SpongeBob fans grew up loving this game. It was a pretty basic platformer, but for many, there was something magical about it. And it inspired a remake for Steam for 2020, and fans are loving the update.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated had 15,419 concurrent Steam players about an hour after launch. While this isn't record numbers like PUBG might get, these are very hefty numbers for what should be a kids' game. Surprising many video game enthusiasts, Rehydrated has a combination of nostalgia and updated graphics that just called to many young adult gamers that were kids in the early 2000s. Featuring classic battles like King Jelly Fish and popular characters like Patrick, Squidward, and Sandy, fans just couldn't resist this throw-back.
Rehydrated also includes a new two-player mode for both couch and online, co-op or PvP that was not in the original. It also features some new levels, a previously deleted boss level, and 4k resolution on certain consoles. The graphics got a whole overhaul, giving the old game new life and giving fans of the original a reason to rebuy.
Overall, the reviews for Spongebob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated aren't great, but fans seem to disagree. It amazing how far a great mix of good timing, nostalgia, and fun gameplay can really speak to a whole generation of SpongeBob fans.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is available on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Source: PC Gamesn