SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is quickly approaching its late June release date. The remastered version of the Nickelodeon classic, initially released in 2003, is rich with Bikini Bottom nostalgia. And if that was all the SpongeBob Squarepants re-release was offering, it'd be more than enough to appease fans. However, publisher THQ Nordic and developer Purple Lamp aren't content with just that. On Thursday a new SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated's multiplayer mode trailer was revealed.
While the new multiplayer mode may not have a clever name, gamers will understand what it is just based on a short description. It's a horde mode. According to the THQ Nordic press release, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated's horde mode will allow two players to battle against waves of enemies either online or via couch co-op.
Some confirmed features for the new horde mode include a variety of different playable characters, including Mr. Krabs, Plankton, Gary, Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, and, of course, SpongeBob. Each character will have their own unique attacks, so gameplay is constantly fresh. Additionally, the new multiplayer mode will feature 26 different islands to battle on. There's a lot of fun to look forward to.
The new trailer for the SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated multiplayer mode focuses on these seven playable characters. It gives each of them a brief showcase, while focusing on just what wave-based combat in the game looks like. Combat isn't any more robust than the main game, so players will mostly be jumping on top of and pushing enemies around while avoiding environmental challenges.
For those curious as to why the new multiplayer mode is limited to just two players, unfortunately there's no answer. Four-player co-op is a staple for horde modes in other games. It's possible that the devs simply didn't have enough time or couldn't manage to make four-player co-op stable.
With just a few weeks left before SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated launches, there likely aren't any more big announcements forthcoming. To add a cool multiplayer mode to the remaster of a 17-year-old game is still something to be excited about. It's more than was promised, more than fans had asked for, and more than the devs really had to do. It makes SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated that much more special.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated releases June 23 on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.