SpongeBob SquarePants: The Battle for Bikini Bottom
Score: 85% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: THQ Developer: Heavy Iron Studios Media: 1/0 Players: 1 Genre: Miscellaneous
Graphics & Sound: Sometimes, I wish games were cheaper. Not because I'm a benevolent person and want all of you people to enjoy gaming, but because I think there are lots of games out there that people would be interested in trying, but don't. Of course, this is kind of why I'm here -- but even with my guidance, there are still some hidden gems out there that people don't want to entrust all of their faith in. Spongebob Squarepants: The Battle for Bikini Bottom is one of these games. First looks suggest that this is a just going to be the next victim in a long line of craptastic TV show tie-ins. However, if you're able to look past that you'll find it's a surprisingly good title that is on par with most recent platformers. Battle for Bikini Bottom is a sharp looking game, but will present a bit of culture shock for long time fans. The movement from 2D to 3D is a surprisingly easy one, but isn't going to appeal to everyone. It's not that they're bad or an insult to the system, it's just odd. Personally, I found the idea of a perfectly rendered and lit Spongebob and crew to be a bit of a turn off. This is one of the few games I'd champion using cel shading for since it could really help to sell the cartoon feel. Regardless, what is here works and does a great job of getting the show's feeling across. One of the themes that carries throughout the game is the number of in-jokes for fans. Not only do they come across in the gameplay, but they also show up in the graphics -- such as the hand (which is a photograph) from the intro what places your character back on the game screen or the talking fish. Sound has the benefit of the show's original cast -- well everyone except for Mr. Krabs (who sounds really bad). All of the dialog is written specifically for the game and voiced perfectly. Many of the child-friendly, yet adult tilted jokes help to keep the game interesting and fun. Fans will enjoy all of the jokes the game has to offer, many of which only they will get. Music directly from the show rounds out a great audio package. However, there are times when it can a little grating since it's essentially simple variations of one or two themes.
Gameplay: Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom's setup makes just as much sense as a typical episode. One day, during a rousing game of Robots and Pirates, Spongebob and Patrick question what it would be like if they really did have a robot. The duo then wish on a wishing shell for real robots. Of course, the shell is just a shell, but Patrick's IQ is just a few notches below his shoe size (if he wore shoes that is) so he thinks it is. Besides, he puts forth a pretty convincing argument that it is magical! Meanwhile, the evil Plankton has once again hatched a scheme to take over Bikini Bottom by creating an army of evil robots. In his excitement, Plankton forgets to pull the 'Under My Control' switch on the robot machine and is soon a victim of his own plot. The next morning, Spongebob wakes up to find the city is under robot control and, with a little prodding and suggestion from Plankton, believes it's his fault -- setting Spongebob on a quest to save Bikini Bottom. The game's layout is similar to more recent platformers -- especially Jak and Daxter. Each of the game's 10 levels are giant, continuous worlds. Each world has several missions for you to partake in, which will net you Golden Spatulas. Collecting spatulas unlocks new worlds for you to explore. The objectives you have to complete in order to gain spatulas are varied and interesting. Sometimes you'll have to collect items from around the world, or find something for a character. Some spatulas are also hidden in the game world and require performing some feat, such as getting enough speed during the tongue boarding (yeah, you read that right) areas and hitting a ramp just right. Spongebob can also collect Shiny Things, which act like coins in Mario or Bolts in Ratchet and Clank. Shiny things are scattered throughout the world and can also be obtained from defeating enemies or breaking things. These are needed to help you access certain areas of the world or buy more spatulas from Mr. Krabs. As Spongebob pushes forward in his quest, he'll be joined by Patrick and Sandy -- both of which are playable characters. The use of playable characters is excellent and useful. Each character has specific abilities that will help you along the way, making each one vital to completing the game. I was really pleased to see the smart use of this option, which never feels like it's just a gimmick.
Difficulty: The one downside of the game is its lack of consistency. Sometimes the game is overly easy, while at others it's downright hard. The game never finds its groove or sweet spot. This can lead to both fruitful and frustrating gaming sessions. Thankfully, most of the game roams on the easy side of the pool, making it kid friendly. Underwear (which is the game's form of life points) is always in abundant supply, especially after tough areas, and many of the puzzles present some challenge.
Game Mechanics: The character switching aspect is the focal point throughout the entire game. This mechanic is slowly worked into the game, so it doesn't get too complicated too fast. Characters can be switched out at anytime during the game provided that there is a bus stop in the area. Although you have the option to use three characters, each world really only allows you to use two -- Spongebob and either Sandy or Patrick. Each world is built around using the second character's special moves. I can see why it was done this way, in order to keep it simple for young kids, but I felt it also took something away from the game. By giving you a certain character you can't decide for yourself who will be the better choice for a certain task. This also takes some of the creativity out of problem solving. Each character is armed with their own special abilities. Spongebob can attack with bubbles and create things like helmets and big feet (out of bubbles) which help him hit switches. He can also learn new moves, like the Bubble Bowl. Patrick is the muscle of the operation and can lift heavy objects. He can also pick up special freezing blocks, which can help him cross waterways or grab things on the water (this is useful because neither Spongebob nor Patrick can swim). Sandy is one of the more interesting characters, thanks to her lasso. This turned out to be one of my favorite weapons in the game since it is not only useful, but also one of the easiest ways to get rid of some enemies. Her lasso can also be used to help swing across gaps by hooking on to Texas-shaped icons (yet another joke only fans will get). Spongbob Squarepants: The Battle for Bikini Bottom is a must buy for fans. This is one of the better Spongebob titles to come along and is a blast to play. The action is good and dialog is funny enough that even non-fans may want to check it out as well. Who knows, you may even become a fan yourself. This is an excellent buy for kids as well.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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