On October 7, 2003, THQ released “SpongeBob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom.” It was initially released for Xbox, PS2, and GameCube. As of June 23, 2020, SpongeBob has been rehydrated. 

Madison Thompson, 24, grew up with the first edition. 

“I remember the fact that you were rewarded with spatulas and you had to look for socks. There was another SpongeBob game but I don’t remember much about it. I remember when we found the reboot I hoped it was the one with the spatulas.”

When asked her favorite thing about the remake Thompson said, “The fact that I get to play it again. It’s pretty much the same but the graphics are better. It’s mostly the nostalgia factor I was most excited for.”

Thompson said that the first game and the rehydrated game are very similar in all aspects.

“I would say they’re pretty equal. It’s the same game just on a different console,” she said.

There are 13 levels in this game. You unlock the levels with the spatulas you collect as you play through the game. 

“I like the Flying Dutchman and Goo Lagoon. I don’t like the kelp forest period. I hate it. And I also despise the sand mountain. Basically anything with the SpongeBob slidy-tongue things,” Thompson said.

As you go farther in the game, it gets harder. However, there is an upside to this. 

“I like that when you select a certain place and you’ve already discovered the quest for the spatula or the task you have to do to get the spatula, if you click on it it will take you directly to where you need to find it,” she said.

SpongeBob unlocks more abilities when you explore new areas. 

“Early on in the game, I like Sandy. Once SpongeBob gets more of his abilities he becomes cooler,” Thompson said.

Thompson says she has found 73 spatulas and around 35 socks. 

Samantha Cleghorn, 26, has become invested in the game without playing it by watching Thompson play.

When asked about the first SpongeBob game Cleghorn said, “There was a first SpongeBob game?”

Cleghorn feels like the game allows the characters to develop more personality.

“I like how during the waiting sequences the characters will do different gestures. I think it gives individuality to the characters,” she said.

Cleghorn says she is, “Repeatedly drawn to the more unique episode levels such as Davy Jones and Rockbottom.”

In story mode, you can play as SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy. However, in multiplayer you can play as those characters along with Squidward, Gary, Mr.Krabs, and Robot Plankton. 

“In watching, my favorite character has to be SpongeBob. I think he has some of the more weird dialogue pieces. My favorite is when he says ‘Who knew you could get so much happiness out of pressing a button? Push push push push.’ I like how he breaks the fourth wall.”

Since Cleghorn didn’t grow up with the game like Thompson did, she had a different view on the nostalgia factor of it. 

“I don’t know if there’s anything individually that would’ve drawn me to the game independently. If I had seen it, I would have felt the SpongeBob nostalgia factor even though I didn’t feel the nostalgia for the original game,” Cleghorn said.

Since the new release it has gotten glowing reviews. 

“Even your closest friends might be a robot built by Plankton, and you know who to call if that’s the case. SpongeBob.”