Karate kicks, ghost tricks and pure platform joy
By Paul Hunter
SpongeBob platformers have long been a reliable part of the 3D platforming scene, and SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide on PS5 is more proof of that. Purple Lamp and THQ Nordic are back again, building on the ideas they cemented with Battle for Bikini Bottom: Rehydrated and The Cosmic Shake, only this time with a stronger focus on character swapping and a light supernatural spin.
The setup is simple: you ride around in a hub ship sitting above Bikini Bottom visiting a handful of big themed regions, gather a lot of coins, fight bosses, and if you so choose, undertake side quests and optional challenges tucked around the main quest. The whole time you'll be jumping between SpongeBob and Patrick, using their different abilities to cross gaps, reach hidden paths, and clean up checklists at your own pace. The world looks sharp, the humour stays silly, and the full voice cast keeps every cutscene and side exchange feeling authentic.
The question is whether this ghost-touched, buddy-platformer follow up on The Cosmic Shake deserves a spot in your game library. Let’s find out!
That outburst is the spark for the whole story. Suddenly ghostly powers tear through the streets, the ground splits, and familiar faces end up stuck as spectres that spray slime at anything nearby. It is the kind of blown-up problem that would fit right into a TV episode, only in this case it's a full interactive adventure.
Right away, SpongeBob and Patrick are pulled in as the ones who have to fix it. A strange connection to the curse lets one drift in ghost form while the other stays solid, so both buddies are always present in the story. They trade one liners, react to the chaos in hilarious ways, and lean on each other as they chase the source of the problem. The script sticks close to their dynamic, which keeps things light even when the world is in rough shape.
Structurally, the plot has you moving between ghost-infested areas, taking on the Dutchman’s forces and helping residents return to normal life. Every stop has its own flavour of trouble, from locals who need a hand to background gags that feel ripped from the show. Regulars like Squidward and Mr Krabs assume their usual roles, complaining or counting cash even as ghosts swarm around them. It is a straightforward story with clear stakes, and it gives Titans of the Tide a strong SpongeBob heart from start to finish.
The game wastes no time putting that swap to work. Early levels keep things straightforward, but later stages start asking you to change characters in mid-air, chain moves together, and juggle different abilities in one quick stretch. I had one platforming section where I had to kick across a gap as SpongeBob, swap mid-flight, then land and speed dig through sand as Patrick before a platform dropped away. Pulling that off in one smooth run was a great moment of mastery over the game's many rapid character swap challenges.
Stages branch out from the Floating Patty hub and in usual SpongeBob fashion are giant collectathons. Each world gives you main story objectives, but there is always something extra sitting just off the path: coins, hidden chests, races, and small jobs from SpongeBob's pals. Early into the game you unlock the ghost board, which is this green surfboard that lets you skim across wider water areas and scoop up coins or reach side routes that are otherwise unreachable. As someone who likes 100% completing games, it was a blast to drop into a level and clear a main goal, then stick around to knock out a race or track down a missing chest before heading back to the hub.
Combat fits the same easy-going style. You clear out groups of ghost enemies with simple melee combos and ability-based attacks, and boss fights use clear patterns you can learn and react to. Some bosses later return as regular enemies, which gives familiar fights a different context. A couple of jumps ask for preciser timing than you might expect and combat occasionally will test you, but overall it's a fairly forgiving platformer.
The ghost theme gives the whole game an extra layer of personality. Cursed residents float around as spectres, slime attacks streak across the screen, and pocket areas of Bikini Bottom take on a haunted glow without losing the silly tone. Character models look exactly how you remember them, right down to SpongeBob’s square pants and Patrick’s dopey grin. A small but important touch is the shadow under your character when you jump, which makes lining up landings and ground pounds much easier.
Audio absolutely nails the SpongeBob vibe. The original voice cast is here, and every major character has plenty to say. Tom Kenny’s laugh, Patrick’s confused blurts, Squidward’s constant annoyance, and Mr Krabs talking about money all land well, and the delivery makes even short jokes fun to listen to. Stages are backed by music with surf guitars and gentle island rhythms, so you always have that underwater cartoon energy humming away in the background. I caught myself humming some of the tracks even after I stopped playing without even thinking about it.
Performance on PS5 is excellent whether you favour image quality or frame rate. The option to swap between modes, gives you control over how the game looks. Loading pauses occur between areas, but they don't last long and you're quickly back in action. I noticed the odd bit of texture pop-in, but overall the experience stayed smooth and stable right through to the credits.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Purple Lamp
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Genre: Action Adventure, Platformer
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
SpongeBob platformers have long been a reliable part of the 3D platforming scene, and SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide on PS5 is more proof of that. Purple Lamp and THQ Nordic are back again, building on the ideas they cemented with Battle for Bikini Bottom: Rehydrated and The Cosmic Shake, only this time with a stronger focus on character swapping and a light supernatural spin.
The setup is simple: you ride around in a hub ship sitting above Bikini Bottom visiting a handful of big themed regions, gather a lot of coins, fight bosses, and if you so choose, undertake side quests and optional challenges tucked around the main quest. The whole time you'll be jumping between SpongeBob and Patrick, using their different abilities to cross gaps, reach hidden paths, and clean up checklists at your own pace. The world looks sharp, the humour stays silly, and the full voice cast keeps every cutscene and side exchange feeling authentic.
The question is whether this ghost-touched, buddy-platformer follow up on The Cosmic Shake deserves a spot in your game library. Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
Titans of the Tide kicks off with a very SpongeBob sort of disaster. A simple moment at the Krusty Krab spirals out when King Neptune and the Flying Dutchman clash over who gets served, and their egos do what you expect. The argument escalates, the restaurant takes a beating, and the shock hits the rest of Bikini Bottom in record time.That outburst is the spark for the whole story. Suddenly ghostly powers tear through the streets, the ground splits, and familiar faces end up stuck as spectres that spray slime at anything nearby. It is the kind of blown-up problem that would fit right into a TV episode, only in this case it's a full interactive adventure.
Right away, SpongeBob and Patrick are pulled in as the ones who have to fix it. A strange connection to the curse lets one drift in ghost form while the other stays solid, so both buddies are always present in the story. They trade one liners, react to the chaos in hilarious ways, and lean on each other as they chase the source of the problem. The script sticks close to their dynamic, which keeps things light even when the world is in rough shape.
Structurally, the plot has you moving between ghost-infested areas, taking on the Dutchman’s forces and helping residents return to normal life. Every stop has its own flavour of trouble, from locals who need a hand to background gags that feel ripped from the show. Regulars like Squidward and Mr Krabs assume their usual roles, complaining or counting cash even as ghosts swarm around them. It is a straightforward story with clear stakes, and it gives Titans of the Tide a strong SpongeBob heart from start to finish.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Gameplay-wise, Titans of the Tide is all about running a tight two-character platformer. You are always swapping between SpongeBob and Patrick as they have their own unique movesets to help you get past specific obstacles. For instance, SpongeBob brings bubble moves and a air-launching karate kick that can hit switches or enemies from a distance, while Patrick focuses on strength, burrowing through sand to go under obstacles and throwing big objects around to weigh down pressure plates.The game wastes no time putting that swap to work. Early levels keep things straightforward, but later stages start asking you to change characters in mid-air, chain moves together, and juggle different abilities in one quick stretch. I had one platforming section where I had to kick across a gap as SpongeBob, swap mid-flight, then land and speed dig through sand as Patrick before a platform dropped away. Pulling that off in one smooth run was a great moment of mastery over the game's many rapid character swap challenges.
Stages branch out from the Floating Patty hub and in usual SpongeBob fashion are giant collectathons. Each world gives you main story objectives, but there is always something extra sitting just off the path: coins, hidden chests, races, and small jobs from SpongeBob's pals. Early into the game you unlock the ghost board, which is this green surfboard that lets you skim across wider water areas and scoop up coins or reach side routes that are otherwise unreachable. As someone who likes 100% completing games, it was a blast to drop into a level and clear a main goal, then stick around to knock out a race or track down a missing chest before heading back to the hub.
Combat fits the same easy-going style. You clear out groups of ghost enemies with simple melee combos and ability-based attacks, and boss fights use clear patterns you can learn and react to. Some bosses later return as regular enemies, which gives familiar fights a different context. A couple of jumps ask for preciser timing than you might expect and combat occasionally will test you, but overall it's a fairly forgiving platformer.
Presentation and Audio
Visually, Titans of the Tide hits that sweet spot of looking like a SpongeBob TV cartoon. Colours pop across every stage, from sunny beach sections to jungle ruins and the polished halls of Neptune’s palace. Even the colder Jellyfish Fields area keeps a strong sense of Bikini Bottom with familiar snow-covered locales.The ghost theme gives the whole game an extra layer of personality. Cursed residents float around as spectres, slime attacks streak across the screen, and pocket areas of Bikini Bottom take on a haunted glow without losing the silly tone. Character models look exactly how you remember them, right down to SpongeBob’s square pants and Patrick’s dopey grin. A small but important touch is the shadow under your character when you jump, which makes lining up landings and ground pounds much easier.
Audio absolutely nails the SpongeBob vibe. The original voice cast is here, and every major character has plenty to say. Tom Kenny’s laugh, Patrick’s confused blurts, Squidward’s constant annoyance, and Mr Krabs talking about money all land well, and the delivery makes even short jokes fun to listen to. Stages are backed by music with surf guitars and gentle island rhythms, so you always have that underwater cartoon energy humming away in the background. I caught myself humming some of the tracks even after I stopped playing without even thinking about it.
Performance on PS5 is excellent whether you favour image quality or frame rate. The option to swap between modes, gives you control over how the game looks. Loading pauses occur between areas, but they don't last long and you're quickly back in action. I noticed the odd bit of texture pop-in, but overall the experience stayed smooth and stable right through to the credits.
The Verdict
SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide might just be the best SpongeBob game yet. It takes a simple ghost disaster, turns it into a hilariously fun tour of Bikini Bottom, and backs it up with excellent tag-team mechanics and a steady stream of optional goals. The presentation looks like the cartoon in motion, from the colours to the voice work, and performance on PS5 keeps the whole thing feeling smooth. For long-time fans, it's a reminder that in the nearly 20 years since Battle for Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob is still among the best platformers around.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2Developer: Purple Lamp
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Genre: Action Adventure, Platformer
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.