Going Platinum: SpongeBob's Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated My Nostalgia for Old Tie-Ins

Platinum Trophy #18: SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated

Date Earned: 21st June 2020

Dopamine Index:

Oh look, it's another game I both reviewed and guided.

That's the main reason I have the platinum for SpongeBob Rehydrated, as I got almost all the Trophies for this remake of a fan favourite PS2 game while working. It really is a weird job sometimes.

The game itself is pretty good, fortunately. As mentioned, this is a modernisation of a much-loved PS2 tie-in game that, I'll admit, I never played back in the day. But it's one of those games I probably should have played, as I was a big fan of SpongeBob growing up (and still am, if I'm being honest).

Anyway, the remake does a decent job with a couple of things. Firstly, it's a solid effort; there are some rough edges, sure, but the visuals are nice, and it plays well enough despite some dated design.

Secondly, it serves as a strong reminder of a bygone era of licensed video games and movie tie-ins.

Battle for Bikini Bottom was first released in 2003, a simpler time for this type of title. Back then, tie-ins based on popular shows and movies were a dime a dozen, and were often kinda bad, but in an endearing way.

I think of Spider-Man, the 2002 game based on the first Sam Raimi movie, as a prime example. It wasn't terrible, but it was far from great.

This SpongeBob game, in its original guise, was a pretty good one at the time, and was maybe at a turning point where studios realised they could make tie-ins that actually hold some merit of their own.

2003 is the same year in which The Simpsons: Hit & Run launched, which also bucked the trend of bad tie-in games.

The upward trajectory continued with 2004's Spider-Man 2, based on the second Sam Raimi movie, which was (and some say still is) one of the best Spidey games ever made.

I just find it interesting to reflect on these games, as they were a big part of my collection growing up. Games like Casper, A Bug's Life, The Emperor's New Groove, and The Simpsons: Road Rage were not the greatest things I'd ever play, but they all hold a special place in my heart. I have a soft spot for them.

Nowadays, licensed tie-ins can be some of the best games in any given year. One of my favourite PS3 games is Batman: Arkham Asylum, which I'd consider to be a key player in changing the reputation of tie-in games.

This year sees the launch of Marvel's Wolverine, which is likely to be one of the biggest games of 2026.

Anyway, I feel like I should talk about SpongeBob Rehydrated a bit more. This is probably the most meandering Going Platinum so far.

Here's a fun fact: Of all the games I've platinumed, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated is the one with the longest name. Sorry, that wasn't actually a very fun fact. But hey, now you know not to expect a longer title going forward, so that's one less thing for you to worry about.

Cheers, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated.

Do you have the platinum Trophy for SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated? Tell us in the comments section below.