SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake features countless references to both the show and previous SpongeBob video games.
Levels
Most of the game's levels take inspiration from specific episodes for their themes, with a healthy amount of call-backs for good measure.
- Wild West Jellyfish Fields
- The giant stone jellyfish from Battle for Bikini Bottom can be seen again behind Manta Fe, now with a giant cowbow hat-shaped boulder on top of it.
- The visuals and character designs in this level are based on "Pest of the West".
- A side area accessible later on has its universe's Squidward counterpart preparing for a mourning of Billy the Bass, whose visage on his headstone closely resembles Bubble Bass.
- Karate Downtown
- The Dojo Estate and Sandy's Kill Bill-inspired getup are taken directly from "Karate Island". Posters of Master Udon can also be found throughout the level.
- Other posters in the level show the Kelp Shake from "Best Frenemies", and Handsome Squidward from "The Two Faces of Squidward".
- One of the lines SpongeBob might say when picking up a fortune cookie has him mention that his lucky number is 24.
- There is a refreshment table with the exact same food from Club SpongeBob.
- The "useless junk" from "Squidward's attempt at a Krusty Krab commercial can often be seen in random corners.
- The level takes heavy influences from the Downtown Bikini Bottom level in Battle for Bikini Bottom; the statue of a sailor even returns.
- Pirate Goo Lagoon
- Prawn returns as the level's main antagonist, bombarding the beach with the exploding pies from "Dying for Pie".
- The Flying Dutchman is upset because his prized socks have gone missing.
- One of the civilians Spongebob saves in this level is Fred, who of course utters his famous catchphrase: "MY LEG!"
- Patrick meets a mermaid in this level and falls in love with her, which isn't the first time Patrick has fallen for a mermaid.
- Halloween Rock Bottom
- Approaching the candy machine at the start of the level causes a bus to pull up, only to immediately drive away.
- While trick-or-treating, SpongeBob meets Tom (The Chocolate guy), who says he's been searching for chocolate for three days.
- One section has SpongeBob transform into a snail, looking identical to how he did in "I Was a Teenage Gary".
- The Shadow Theater displays an image of The Hash-Slinging Slasher.
- In a sidequest, the Flying Dutchman gets angry about trick-or-treaters dressing up as him, just like his first appearance in "Scaredy Pants". When you complete this quest, he leaves to practice his knot-tying.
- Prehistoric Kelp Forest
- Sea Bears from "The Camping Episode" show up as hazards in this level.
- Medieval Sulfur Fields
- The Sulfur Fields is one of the many hazardous places that Sandy forces everyone to look for SpongeBob in during the climax of "Prehibernation Week".
- Princess Pearl's appearance is lifted directly from "Dunces and Dragons".
- Jelly Glove World
- Prior to going to this location, SpongeBob rescues Mrs Puff, who uses the excess air from her body to blow up his hat like a balloon. This allows SpongeBob to float to the level. The idea of SpongeBob getting airborne via balloon was how he was ultimately able to leave "Rock Bottom".
- One of the attractions you can ride is the Mitten, the Asinine Alternate Activity kiddie coaster SpongeBob and Patrick ride instead of the Fiery Fist o' Pain in "Roller Cowards".
Costumes
Naturally, SpongeBob's many unlockable costumes are a major source of references, including:
The DLC costume pack adds a few references of its own:
- His Glove World hat first seen in "Rock Bottom".
- The flower costume SpongeBob wears in "Krabby Land".
- SpongeGar from "Ugh".
- The knight's armor he wears in "Dunces and Dragons", as well as the Bard outfit based on Squidly from the same episode.
- His Identical Ancestor SpongeBuck from "Pest of the West".
- The Kuddly Krab uniform from "Bossy Boots".
- A boy scout uniform based on the Kamp Koral spinoff.
- SpongeBob's "combat" getup from "Toy Store of Doom".
- SpongeBob's Bedsheet Ghost "Flying Dutchman" costume from "Scaredy Pants"
- A Goofy Goober hat from the first movie, as well as the wizard costume from the movie's climax
- The maid uniform from "Can You Spare a Dime?".
- His hippie outfit from "SpongeBob's Last Stand".
- His rock star outfit from when he was a part of "Plankton and the Patty Stealers" in "Krabby Road".
- The clown wig he tried to use as a disguise to get into the Salty Spitoon in "No Weenies Allowed".
- The elf costume he wore in one scene of "Mid-Life Crustacean".
- The combat helmet SpongeBob wears on the original cover of Battle for Bikini Bottom. That game's final boss, SpongeBot SteelPants, is also available as a DLC costume.
- The Quickster, from "Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy V".
- SpongeBob's biker gang outfit from "Born to Be Wild".
The DLC costume pack adds a few references of its own:
- SpongeBob's marching band uniform from "Band Geeks".
- His "Squidward" outfit from "Opposite Day".
- A dried-out SpongeBob, based on "Tea at the Treedome".
- The aforementioned robot SpongeBob from Battle for Bikini Bottom.
- A Mermaid Man costume, based on the one SpongeBob first wore in the original "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" episode.
- The primitive sponge, as seen in "SB-129".
