In a way, the release of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game last year was a good idea. It didn't come from the team at THQ Nordic and Purple Lamp, and it wasn't a bad title, but it also wasn't another platformer. That two-year wait for another 3D platformer in the SpongeBob world gives SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide a little more importance, and it is good to see that Purple Lamp produced something good, even if it feels quite similar to its previous title.

It's a big day in Bikini Bottom, as the Krusty Krab is set to start the day with a half-priced Krabby Patties promotion. The promo is big enough that even King Neptune wants to get it, as does the feared ghost pirate captain The Flying Dutchman. The insults from King Neptune make the Dutchman cause a scene, unleashing ghosts and causing all of Bikini Bottom to be under a supernatural catastrophe. In the process, SpongeBob turns into a ghost. Patrick's late arrival saves him from a similar fate, but the power of the duo's BFF rings causes them to swap between physical and corporeal forms. The only way to reverse this situation is for The Flying Dutchman to be found, and that's exactly what the duo sets out to do with their friends and acquaintances. The story is simple enough, but the show's signature humor is on full display. The authenticity of the major characters shows once more that the developers have a good grasp of the source material.

As referenced earlier, this is the tried-and-true 3D platforming formula that has served most SpongeBob games well for about two decades. Almost all of the moves you've used in previous games are present (sliding, double-jumping, and butt-stomping), and the game expects you to be familiar with some of this stuff because you won't get tutorials until you've already done something a few times. The game still gives you infinite lives, but it also tries to be generous with health because your companion will often give you a small bit of health if you're down to your last hit.

There are a few changes in the gameplay department, and the biggest one is that you can now play as either SpongeBob SquarePants or Patrick Star. Instead of relegating them to playing specific sections or levels, you can use either of them at any time thanks to their switching ability. You'll use that option very often since the game makes certain moves unique to each character. For example, Patrick can burrow underground to get buried coins and jump higher via bubble vents. He can also pull things from afar and throw items. Meanwhile, SpongeBob can use a bubble wand to trap enemies in bubbles, and he can use a karate kick to leap to nearby balloons. The switching gimmick can feel a touch overused at times, but it is a welcome mechanic for those who miss the multiple character feature of past games.

Titans of the Tide gives you a roughly equal amount of puzzle-solving and combat. Combat always plays out in small areas, where the game gives you a few waves of enemies, which are basically ghosts with various abilities. The fights are all manageable, and you don't need to use a wide variety of moves to emerge victorious. Boss fights are more complex, and while they provide more challenge, there's nothing that would give veteran platform players a hard time. The platforming and puzzles are where things get more interesting, especially as the game progresses and you get more moves and tools to work with. The division of moves between the duo means there'll be plenty of moments where you jump and must switch characters to use a move that’s specific to them to pull something down or activate a switch in midair. Other things get introduced later on, like a lamp that reveals and hides objects based on their color, making the platforming and puzzle sections even more challenging but varied. You'll have more fun with the platforming and puzzles than the combat, but nothing will disappoint.

If you look at the game's world map, you'll notice that the title seems to have fewer areas to visit when compared to The Cosmic Shake. However, the levels are much bigger in size and are divided into sections that are seamless to transition between. It helps that the levels are more open in nature. There are areas where you'll need to do some traversal using slides and ghostly surfboards, and there are lots of secret pockets of the world to discover. The worlds are filled with quite a few side-quests to keep you busy, such as retrieving items for people, opening blocked passageways, or catching all of the stray jellyfish. It's the kind of thing that expands the gameplay time without feeling like filler. However, make sure you finish any side-quests you undertake because the game has no way of dismissing immediate goals that you need to finish. For example, a failed racing challenge on the beach meant that the reminder to finish the race stayed on-screen until the ending credits rolled.

Beyond the presence of side-quests and the like, the game tickles one's habit of collecting things by giving you a great deal of items to buy in the shop. The usual assortment of costumes is present, along with several decorations that can be placed in the game's floating version of the Krusty Krab, health upgrades, and different filters to be used in photo mode. Unlocking these things requires you to have enough coins, and that becomes less of a problem when you realize that both coins and tiki boxes always respawn when you leave a section and return. This presents you with a chance to farm out easy areas if you have the patience for it. You'll also need to find the costumes and items in the world first, so you can't stick around in one area and unlock everything from the get-go. The costumes and items are cosmetic, but they give you the drive to explore each level if you're the completionist type.

While the level design has improved thanks to the variety of challenges available and lack of obvious padding, the game still has some pacing issues when it comes to cut-scenes. The game still suffers from an abundance of cut scenes that break up small portions of gameplay. Not only are the scenes numerous, but each line is often punctuated with noticeable stretches of silence before the next line is said, almost as if the game is expecting you to read the subtitles slowly and giving you time before the next line is said. The dialogue and jokes in most scenes are fine, but those who hate the constant interruptions will be glad to know that every line and scene can be skipped. It just requires a lot of button-mashing to do so.

Graphically, Titans of the Tide is a little better and a little worse than the prior title. The characters are a real highlight, as their movements are exaggerated just like the animated series, despite being in 3D. This is especially true of the facial expressions, which do a good job of conveying the wackiness of the game. The environments suffer a bit from the usual Unreal Engine texture pop-in, but that's outweighed by the fact that the environments are very well populated. Compared to previous games, there's always a ton of bystanders, and while they may not do much except mind their own business while waiting to get hit, the presence of so many fish folk means that every level looks rather busy. That makes each place feel lively, even if the overall look of the game isn't too different from past titles.

The sound is done well, but don't expect the level of improvements you've seen in the graphics department. The effects are still punchy, but they don't work out the subwoofer like the previous title did. The music is fine, but there's rarely anything that'll get stuck in your head long after you finish the title. The original voice cast is present, and while there are some jokes that land very well despite their corniness, the humor quickly goes away once you hear the lines get repeated very shortly afterward.

Compared to the developer's previous efforts, the game's performance on the Steam Deck is better in some areas and worse in others. The game does a better job of adopting the device's 1280x800 resolution this time around, with no sign of activity in the background of still shot placards or more detailed illustrated pictures. The game uses a mix of medium and high settings for its various graphical options, and while there are no upscaling options like FSR, the game sports a softer look on the device. The frame rate tries to hold around the 40fps mark, but certain environmental situations can easily make it go as high as 60fps and as low as 30fps. The fluctuations aren't that noticeable during gameplay. Battery life still hits under two hours for the LCD version of the Deck, so expect to hook up your charger to the device more often.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide remains a solid title overall. The action is good, but the puzzle platforming is better. The levels give you plenty of opportunity for exploration and completion of side-quests. The character switching ability is very welcome, even if the move set doesn't feel like it's changed much, but at least no moves have been outright removed. If you're a fan of platforming and SpongeBob, you're going to have a good time with this title.

Score: 7.5/10