Following the success of Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated and its spiritual successor The Cosmic Shake, THQ is going all in on a third SpongeBob SquarePants game. Announced as part of a 30-second seasonal trailer, we don’t know much about this new game other than its 2025 release date. We can, however, make some educated guesses based on the conspicuous timing of the teaser. If our hunch is right, then longtime fans of the games could be in for a real treat.
Released on October 31st, the quick-hitting preview showed off some of the best spooky gameplay from both Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated and The Cosmic Shake. It’s mostly a barrage SpongeBob and Patrick getting their tails scared off, but as things wrap up, we’re left with with the duo standing under text that reads “an all-new adventure awaits.”
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That may not sound like much, but it’s entirely possible that THQ Nordic was simply leaving a trail of water-logged breadcrumbs for fans to follow. Here’s why I say that.
Number one, The Flying Dutchman has a clear focus in the trailer. Longtime fans of the SpongeBob games will remember why that’s significant. SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman is perhaps the second-most beloved game in the franchise, and with the Rehydrated series going strong, it’s an obvious choice for a fancified remake or follow-up.
Number two, add in the spooky theme (and Halloween release date) of the teaser, and it’s hard to think of anything else that fits the billing. If it’s not a direct remake or spiritual successor then what else could all of this be for? Well, there is one more answer.
Mark Hamill was recently cast as the voice of The Flying Dutchman in The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. Details are still few and far between about that film, but the official IMDB description reads “Follow SpongeBob as he travels to the depths of the ocean to face the ghost of the Flying Dutchman.” Sounds about right, doesn’t it? Maybe this is just a quick hitting movie tie-in that’s unrelated to the previous games, but with THQ’s clear love for the older properties, that would feel a little out of place.
Revenge of the Flying Dutchman sees SpongeBob on a quest to save his pet sea snail, Gary, from the clutches of the pirate captain after accidentally disturbing his slumber. It’s an action-platformer just like Battle for Bikini Bottom. You travel across seven unique locations, collecting The Dutchman’s treasure, and prepping the sponge for a big showdown against his spectral nemesis. Most of the series regulars – Plankton, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Sandy, etc. – make appearances along the way, giving SpongeBob tasks to complete which push him closer to his ultimate goal. From fixing TV antennas to winning karate matches against Larry the Lobster, it’s packed to the gills with SpongeBob-themed mayhem.
First released in 2002, a reimagined version of the game could certainly bring the action up to speed, just like THQ Nordic did with Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated. That game retained all of the charm of the original, with us calling it “a rewarding and genuinely fun restoration of a cult classic” in our review.
Take it with a grain of salt, but it certainly seems like players will suffer The Dutchman’s wrath next year when this untitled project finally makes it to shelves—or more likely, digital storefronts. Wow, it really isn’t 2002 anymore.