Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 68 | 12 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 62 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 94% | 88 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 92 | 226 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 96 | 33 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 88.3, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 20,529 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 93 reviews sampled · 82 total reviews in window · weighted 69.7 up / 0.2 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (39)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“SpongeBob Rehydrated is a vibrant remake of a much loved PS2 platformer. It's a little rough around the edges, but it's a solid effort that brings back a type of game that's all too rare on modern machines. The simple fun of collecting, bashing enemies, and exploring a beloved location is very much here, and fans young and old will get a kick out of this underwater excursion.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A fun collect-a-thon platformer. It has tons of collectibles, and it successfully manages to update an old fan favorite in a franchise that has been idle for a while. It's not a perfect comeback by any means, but it's solid with tight controls and fun stages that will entertain fans of SpongeBob and anyone looking for a good platformer. Given its fair release price and the content on offer, it's definitely worth a look, although it could've turned out more polished than it did.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“What stands out to me the most though? The considered thought of the level design. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is a colorful and exciting remake of old school platformer but, most importantly, is a great fun for all ages.”
read full review ↗ - 20
“Remasters, ports, and remakes are nice because they make games more accessible to new audiences, and the ones that excel understand that some features from the game’s era are antiquated and should be updated or removed. SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated flops like a fish out of water when it comes to this. It’s a game so focused on emulating and embellishing the original that it doesn’t know the parts of itself that are fun and the parts that aren’t. It lost sight of the basic elements that make a collectible platformer enjoyable. This game doesn’t promote curious or keen gameplay, the movement isn’t smooth, and gathering collectibles never feels rewarding. Ultimately, the game winds up being an unpleasant nostalgia trip that nobody should pack their bags for.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Rehydrated is a good remake that wonderfully updates aspects of the original. Even though the horde mode is bad and some aspects of the campaign can feel dated, going through Bikini Bottom as SpongeBob and his crew is still a lot of fun. Most importantly, it captures the charm of the show in a way that fans can appreciate the most. While the majority of licensed games get lost to time, it’s nice to see Battle for Bikini Bottom remembered and brought back.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“A fresh coat of paint can't disguise the fact that SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is just a remake of an unremarkable platformer that hasn't exactly aged well. ”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It’s fair to say Battle for Bikini Bottom was hardly a revelation back in 2003 and it’s definitely not one now, even with the cult popularity the original has gained due to the speedrunning community. What it is, however, is a fun time that nobody can knock, no matter how simple it may be. The boss battles may be poor, the jokes may often fall flat, and the ending may be completely anticlimactic, but any faults here are actually faults of the original that this new version has masterfully remade. Rehydrated is a total success in bringing the original back to life and it somehow looks truly beautiful, especially considering the obviously juvenile nature of the source material. It’s not something I would outwardly recommend to everyone but it did make me reconsider my pipeline of games and if I might not just want to throw in a couple of mindless simple ones, in order to relax between the giants.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated breathes new life into one of the best games of 2003. It is a remake that any fan of the yellow sponge or the original game should not miss. ”
read full review ↗ - 50
“SpongeBob: SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated sinks under its reverence to nostalgia.”
read full review ↗ - 70
- 75
“Lots of charm and lots of content, still worth the investment if you’re a nostalgic soul, looking for a fresh dose of bikini bottom action. Some aspects - the amount of texture pop-in, to name one - undeniably feel a bit dated, though. ”
read full review ↗
Push Square
Worth Playing
FingerGuns
Eurogamer
GameSpot
Easy Allies
We Got This Covered
DarkZero
Atomix
IGN
RedTieGuy…and 27 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.