Purple Lamp Studios arrived at the 2022 edition of Gamescom with a playable demo of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake. As a result, there's over 15 minutes of new gameplay footage from the upcoming platformer to go over.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake was announced just under a year ago for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It's another 3D platforming addition to the series in the vein of Revenge of the Flying Dutchman, Battle for Bikini Bottom, and The Yellow Avenger.
The Gamescom demo shows some ultra-crisp gameplay from what appears to be a PC version of the game. The level from the demo is called Jellyfish Fields and is set in the Wild West, one of the seven worlds featured in the game. The wacky setting, fast-paced platforming segments, and numerous visual gags all appear to be consistent with the first SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake gameplay footage revealed earlier this month as part of this year's THQ Nordic Digital Showcase.
Despite arriving at Gamescom with a playable demo of the game, Purple Lamp Studios still hasn't attached an official release date to The Cosmic Shake. The Austrian developer already has one SpongeBob SquarePants title under its belt—Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated—which was in the making for around two and a half years. That project, however, was a remake of Heavy Iron Studios' 2003 game, whereas The Cosmic Shake is an entirely new experience. On the other hand, that also means it has the potential to improve on Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated.
It's possible that Purple Lamp Studios already pitched the design document for the game to THQ Nordic back in 2018, after which its now-parent opted to test the market with a Battle for Bikini Bottom remake before committing to a full-fledged sequel. This would mean a late 2023 launch still isn't out of the question, even though the current lack of a release date makes it unlikely. Regardless of how The Cosmic Shake does, it's likely that fans can at least look forward to more remakes of sixth-generation SpongeBob SquarePants games.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is currently in development for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.