Can’t keep a good Sponge down
We all know the song, whether we want to admit it or not. We all know the names of the main characters, even the voices of the characters. Unfortunately, we also know the history of the sponge and his many incarnations on video game consoles. This isn’t to say that some of them have not been good, but rather, most of them are either way too off-kilter from the show that we really don’t care too much about the game to start with. There have always been issues of games not being more than kid friendly button mashers. To be honest, none of the previous tales of the sponge under the sea have been promising enough to continuously warrant further installments. Having said that, is there a reason to pick up this latest offering? Well, yes and no.
The tale is deeply riddled with the magical city of Atlantis. Spongebob and his assorted main cast embark on a quest to the wondrous city. Along the way to finding lost treasure you experience some of the most diverse gameplay, I have yet to see in a family friendly game. All of the characters we have come to know and love, or hate, are here – Spongebob Squarepants, Patrick Starr, Sandy Cheeks, Squidward Tentacles, Mr. Krab, and of course Plankton. The true magic of the story is how it is integrated with some of the moments from the show, for example; Spongebob and Patrick’s obsessive nature over bubbles, and of course Mr. Krab’s greedy nature to always try and make a quick buck.
If you are looking for diversity in gameplay, then this game is the one for you. In fact, it is probably the best thing I encountered in this or any other family game. Whether you are driving around in a tank that fires ice cream, piloted by Plankton, or taking photographs as Spongebob at Bikini Bottom’s history museum, you will find something that you enjoy. My favorite happened to be the puzzle strategy mechanic to the game. Very early on in the game, you will experience this with Patrick and Spongebob. You are in a cave and you have to figure out how to maneuver around the levels of the cave using the specific talents of Spongebob and Patrick, including flipping objects out of the way with Spongebob’s trusty spatula and using Patrick’s freakish strength. There’s also a stage designed for the Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution players. This one involves using the talents of the cast to sing, rock, play country, and the talents of Squidward on the clarinet. The premise might be a bit much for some, you have to fill a flying magic bus with musical harmony to fly to Atlantis, but it is entertaining nonetheless.
As much as I liked changing things up, I hated it as well. While most family friendly games tend to stick with one concept throughout an entire game, it could have helped Spongebob’s Atlantis adventure. I felt myself wanting to do more in the stages than I was allowed, for example; I couldn’t jump in several levels. This hindrance became extremely annoying in later levels. Moreover, changing things every level to something different decreases the accessibility to the game. If you are great on the musical parts and not so much the strategic elements then you might want to bring a few friends along to help you out. Another complaint involves the length of the stages. Sometimes you will play for what appears to be forever, while others are over before they even begin. The main problem here isn’t the length itself; it is the drastic change from stage to stage. This may cause some players to lose interest quickly, therefore halting them from trudging on to finish a level.
Controlling the various characters might also stop you from time to time as well. While the schematic for the characters will generally be different every stage you play, it still could have broadened the depth of controllability a little better. Too often I wanted to perform an “ability” I had just done in a previous level, only to find out that I no longer could or that the buttons were different. This annoyance dampened the experience I might have otherwise enjoyed. The camera honestly works well with the various stages. If it is over the back viewing, top down, or just traditional face front viewing, the camera responded good within its own controls. Most of the time you are unable to control the camera. The controls deliver either frustrating or mellow controls, and that’s really dependent on the player.
The graphic choices for this game are a bit confusing. Instead of using the animation style of the show, the graphic cutscenes use a 3D trying to look 2D method that doesn’t quite work. The actual in game graphics pop and are colorful, but it is the cutscenes that hinder the graphic appeal of the game. The pre-stage introduction from Spongebob’s character model borders on one of those knock off brand toys destined to be at your local flea market. The environments also seem a bit dated and bland on certain stages. It almost felt like some stages where worked on more than others. Thankfully, the voice actors of the show provide the vocals for our characters. Delivering some funny dialogue specific from the characters helps a lot. Being a parental fan of the show I found myself chuckling a few times because of the little quips.
Spongebob’s Atlantis Squarepantis may not make the sales chart as the biggest title ever, but there is enough to keep even the hardest family gamer happy. If you love the characters enough to watch the sometimes countless hours of television he is on, then this will be a walk in the park for you. Even though there will be times you will be annoyed by the adventure to Atlantis, there is no real reason not to visit the sponge under the sea. Just don’t say that I didn’t warn you about being annoyed.
Features:
RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 2.4 Graphics
While the in-game graphics are bright and colorful, the cutscenes look almost nothing like their animated counterparts. 2.8 Control
Simplistic controls, but a bit lacking in the diversity category. 3.7 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Having the voice cast provide vocals helps the authentication a lot. 2.7 Play Value
The diversity in gameplay can also be its greatest fault. 2.9 Overall Rating – Average
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.