REVIEW: ‘SpongeBob Squarepants: Titans Of The Tide’ Is A Short, Classic SpongeBob Platformer

When it comes to 2000s platformers, the SpongeBob property was shockingly consistent in quality. In the year 2025, SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide keeps that streak alive, and modernizes it in some ways that even recent SpongeBob platformers failed to do. 

Developed by Purple Lamp and published by THQ Nordic, Titans of the Tide brings the yellow sponge and his pink starfish friend into the limelight for a shorter, yet enjoyable, adventure that lets both have their time to shine.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide begins on a very odd day for SpongeBob and Patrick. It’s half-off Krabby Patty day at the Krusty Krab, which, for how rare this is, has attracted quite the crowd. In that crowd are two massive influences on Bikini Bottom: King Neptune and the Flying Dutchman.

SpongeBob Squarepants: Titans of the Tide is as complex as a SpongeBob movie.

As you’d expect when two egotistical personalities think they deserve to be first in line, a sea-destroying brawl breaks out between these two powerhouses. To make sure Mr. Krabs can capitalize on this one-time-only sale, he tasks SpongeBob and Patrick with setting things right. 

Story-wise, Titans of the Tide is as complex as a SpongeBob movie. Yet its pacing is akin to several episodes of the show that tell an interconnected story. And that is detrimental to the game. There’s not nearly enough variety given the areas you supposedly visit.

At least two-thirds of the areas are merely Greek buildings and stone cityscape. It all makes sense in the story, but in the gameplay, that consistency gets stale. Only one area stands out. This comes when you need to help Sandy on a snowy mountain. As she gets colder, she slowly loses herself, becoming the hibernated version seen in the early seasons of the show. 

While all this is happening, for some reason, SpongeBob and Patrick fight and split up. They quickly get back together after realizing they need each other. But this is such a brief moment that it really doesn’t add much to anything. In fact, this whole area is like a repository of half-finished ideas added to extend the pretty brief runtime.

SpongeBob and Patrick each feel satisfyingly distinct as playable characters.

Alternatively, the game really shines when it’s about trying to stop King Neptune and the Flying Dutchman from destroying everything during their feud. SpongeBob and Patrick’s friendship is so powerful that they can somehow fix “gods.” Ultimately, the story is enjoyable and up there with some of the better SpongeBob stories that it draws on for inspiration. 

Most surprisingly, the gameplay is intricate. Titans of the Tide finds a good mix of modern platforming and character specializations, similar to Battle for Bikini Bottom. This time, with strictly SpongeBob and Patrick as the ones you’ll control, switching between the two on the fly. 

The two get even closer because they got all mixed up in the gods’ fight. One is their usual self, while the other looks like a balloon, like Patrick did in The Cosmic Shake. Through the power of their BFF rings (and their friendship), they can switch places. There’s no fanfare in the heat of the moment. With the press of a button, POOF, they switch. 

And for the most part, they play similarly. One isn’t slower than the other. They both can glide and throw punches. But there are specific differences you must rely on to get through the Dutchman’s minions. 

Patrick can carry and throw heavy things. He also eventually gets a grappling hook that can grab projectiles and pull smaller foes to him. SpongeBob, on the other hand, can throw bubbles using a magical bubble wand that can flip switches, create bouncy platforms, and trap enemies. 

Two big things come from their distinction: fun fighting arenas and great platforming sections. Both require you to switch between the two regularly, while not forcing you to switch constantly. As a result, the challenges come from having to think on the fly or quickly adapt to what’s thrown at you. Especially for the combat arena areas, just about every enemy can be beaten by either SpongeBob or Patrick. Some just are easier to take care of with one or the other. 

For example, the cannon-arm enemy. They shoot cannonballs at your character. SpongeBob can dodge them, get close, and wail on them. But the enemy slinks away after a hit or two. If you’re playing Patrick, however, you can throw the cannonballs back at the foe. After only four cannonball throws (compared to the base attack’s required eight to ten hits), the cannon-armed foe is defeated. 

Every level is detailed and full of things to do.

Even if the level variety itself is a weakness, the detail in each level is impressive. Particularly when you include side quests, collectibles, hidden chests, and secrets to find in each one. You can beat the whole game without going off the beaten path. Yet, the real fun is finding everything you can. That’s where the different costume unlockables come into play, as well as upgrades to health and items needed to unlock Plankton’s challenge levels for even more rewards. 

Each collectible is its own little challenge. Many are much more challenging and require you to think outside the box while moving along the golden path, than the actual golden path itself. These parts are a great reminder of older, beloved cult classic SpongeBob games of the past. Most importantly, they scratch that collect-a-thon itch that feels sorely lacking in today’s day and age, even when the game isn’t wholly a collect-a-thon.

Fortunately, the characters in Titans of the Tide never feel shoehorned in. Their appearances make sense, given where they appear in each level. For instance, Mrs. Puff is found in an earlier level on the beach “doing good deeds” in the form of legally mandated community service. In other words, they’re woven into the plot and, more specifically, each level, quite well. They never appear just to check a box for that character to make an appearance. Rather, their tools are used in the most appropriate ways.

She asks SpongeBob and Patrick to help her speed things up. Or Larry the Lobster, who shows up after some of the more difficult sections of the game and challenges the duo to a timed event. Squiliam Fancyson even makes an appearance during King Neptune’s gala. 

SpongeBob Squarepants: Titans of the Tide is a love letter to the classic, beloved SpongeBob platformers.

In the end, Titans of the Tide has really learned a lot from previous games in the series. Particularly with how it uses SpongeBob and Patrick as characters who are equally crucial to the overall quest. Neither one is sidelined, even while the game has “SpongeBob” in the title. The same goes for the rest of the deep cast of characters. When they all pop up, it makes sense, can be a fun nod, and you move on. They only reappear when needed to add more to that character’s story, if necessary. None are overused, including characters from recent games.

It’s just a shame that parts of the world feel so misused, like the snowy mountain level being oddly placed in the game’s pacing. It feels more like a detour than a step on the story’s path. Most importantly, the game is surprisingly short. The ending makes sense, to a degree, but it feels like there should have been more build-up—more variety—to make this fun game feel even greater. 

SpongeBob Squarepants: Titans of the Tide is a love letter to the classic, beloved SpongeBob platformers. Ultimately, it shows that making a fun, detailed SpongeBob game is possible. But we need more. Titans of the Tide is like an appetizing meal that still leaves you hungry after you finish.

Even with its weak level variety, you’ll still have fun exploring new areas of Bikini Bottom, each well-detailed and full of secrets to find. Hopefully, as SpongeBob continues to be a thing, that means we can still get the chance for more games like this in the future. 

SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide is available November 18th on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.