Spongebob Squarepants is a delightful and quirky cartoon that has captured the hearts and imaginations of an entire generation. The show has since been overflowing with countless amounts of merchandise and, of course, video games. Out of all the Spongebob video games that have been made, most of them can’t match the one game that you’d likely hear me call almost perfect: “Spongebob Squarepants Battle for Bikini Bottom” created by the team at Heavy Iron Studios. This is a game I have loved since childhood. It still holds up to this very day as it's a licensed-based game that keeps true to the source material's spirit while offering great gameplay and many memorable moments.
The Evil Plankton (Mr Lawrence) is at it again to steal the Krabby Patty Formula. To succeed, he creates an army of robots. Unfortunately, he forgets to turn on the obey switch, and robots start running amuck through Bikini Bottom. Meanwhile, Spongebob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) play with their toys as they wish life-sized robots to play with. They may get more than they bargained for as they discover that robots are causing chaos everywhere. It's up to Spongebob, Patrick, and even Sandy (Carolyn Lawrence) to end the robot’s rein and find where the menacing mechanisms are coming from.
The Story stays true to the elements that made SpongeBob a hit on Nickelodeon in the first place. This game came out at the height of Spongebob’s golden era, and there will be many references and nods to jokes and elements from the show's first three seasons. The nautical zany humor, memorable dialogue, and loveable characters are all present. Heavy Iron did their research to stay true to show creator Steven Hillinburg’s vision as moments of character interaction and memorable dialogue that feel like they were written by the creators themselves. The story is not deep or thought-provoking, but it doesn’t need to be because it's a story to let loose and have fun experiencing, which remains true to Spongebob storytelling.
The Characters, from the main ones to even some delightful cameos, are all present and accounted for. Of course, you will see mainstay favorites such as Spongebob, Patrick Sandy, Squidward, and Mr Krabs. Still, many more minor side characters from Mrs. Puff Larry the Lobster, The Flying Dutchman, and even Bubble Buddy will also make surprise appearances in the story. Even more impressive is that they got most of the character’s voices from the show themselves to come and reprise their roles in the game. The only exceptions are the voices of Mr Krabs and Mermaid Man, both voiced by a different actor. It is admittedly disappointing, but their characteristics remain the same, and the dialogue they give is authentic for both of their characters. In the end, it is a small price to pay. Despite that, all the characters are great and help the player feel more immersed in a world they already know on TV.
The Gameplay functions like the best 3D platformers in the same vein as Super Mario 64 and Banjo & Kazooie. You mainly play as Spongebob throughout the majority of the game. He starts out with a small amount of health and only a few methods of attacks. Spongebob can get more health and new abilities as the game progresses. You can also play like Patrick and even Sandy in some regions of the world. They also have unique skills, such as throwing fruit or gliding from platform to platform, to aid Spongebob in his quest. The main goal is to collect Golden Spatulas, which can be used to unlock new areas of Bikini Bottom. Other collectibles, such as Shiny Objects and Patcricks Lost Socks, can also be earned by doing mini-challenges in the game, smashing robots, or finding them anywhere along the map. Collecting a certain amount of a given collectible will unlock new paths or earn you more Golden Spatulas. The Main Bikini Bottom Neighborhood acts as a hub world. The worlds the player can unlock are different locations in the Spongebob show, such as Jellyfish Fields, Goo Lagon, Rock Bottom, Sand Moutain, and Kelp Forest. Aside from traveling to other places, the player will face many unique robot enemies with various attack ranges. Some may require a special move to take them out. Completing the whole game will earn you special rewards, such as an unlockable movie theater that shows concept art or a secret ending to the game that can be unlocked once all Golden Spatulas are collected. This is well-crafted gameplay that can stand tall with many similar classic 3D platformers. Heavy Iron poured their hearts into the gameplay to make it accessible to anyone of any age, allowing experienced gamers or newbies to be entirely enchanted.
The Graphics are definitely of the times, but because of the game's cartoony design, the game still stands out with its vivid colors and appealing 3D character designs based on the 2D animated cartoon. The character designs remain faithful to the spirit of the Spongebob cartoon. They can have decent expressive emotions, especially in the game’s cutscenes. The colorful locations you visit are previously seen in the Spongebob show, which is excellent for fan service and for just plain exploring the exciting places that can only be found in Bikini Bottom. There is something magical about seeing a world that we’ve remembered seeing on TV so much, and to now actually explore these areas in game form is a real treat. Even the robots are each uniquely designed and are instantly recognizable thanks to some clever design choices, such as Tar Tar’s small robot body against him holding a vast tarter sauce container on his back or Monsoon being a nerdy flying robot with an umbrella attached to his head. Even though there may be some rough patches in the game design given the time of the game’s release. The visuals still look as they did when I remembered them in 2003.
The Music was composed by Jimmy Levine, Robert Crew, and Alex Wilkinson. These composers did an outstanding job replicating the style of music from the show. Each world has its own theme, and they are all memorable and a ton of fun to listen to while playing. Iconic tunes such as the Jellyfish Fields theme can stand with some of the most unforgettable music in the show itself. Once you hear these beautiful melodies, you’ll understand why this music is iconic, just like the rest of almost everything else in this game.
Unlike a lot of Licensed games, “Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom” is one of the few video games that not only has fantastic gameplay, outstanding graphics, and memorable music. It even captures the charm and spirit of what made Spongebob a hit in the first place. The people at Heavy Iron Studios must have been huge Spongebob fans themselves because this game feels like a love letter to everything the show stands for. I could go on and on about how much I love this game. Even the game’s minuscule flaws can’t disregard how much I love this game. I still find it a near-perfect experience even all these years later. In short, this cult classic deserves to be played by any gamer, especially any Spongebob fan.
(Final Grade: A+)