Reviewed: October 15, 2002
Reviewed by: Loki

Publisher
THQ

Developer
Vicarious Visions

Released: September 12, 2002
Genre: Platform
Players: 1
ESRB: Everyone

7
7
7
6
7.1

Supported Features:

  • Password Save
    • SpongeBob Squarepants - Revenge of the Flying Dutchman is the latest game franchise to be licensed from a popular cartoon series. Hey! Didn’t I just say that in my last Ripping Friends review. If Nickelodeon shows keeps spawning games they are going to have to form their own computer gaming division.

    SpongeBob is the latest in Nick’s primetime line-up of bizarre animated features that makes Ren and Stimpy look like educational programming. This is the second SpongeBob title to hit the GBA. I never played the first, but I heard it was pretty bad, and to be honest I never watched the cartoon until I got this game to review. Oh the things we game reviewers must endure for our craft.

    Unlike the few episodes I watched over the past week, the game actually had a plot I could follow, somewhat. While cruising through Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob discovers a magic bottle and accidentally releases the Flying Dutchman. Furious that he was disturbed the ghostly pirate has put a curse on SpongeBob, and the only way to lift the curse is to take part in a crazy underwater adventure in search of 10 lost treasures. Makes sense to me.

    Of all the recent GBA games I have played lately, this one featured some excellent control. There is a nice tutorial in the form of signs that guide you through the first few levels. It does a great job of getting you up to speed just about the time the game gets challenging – kind of like your dad letting go of the bike on your first ride sans training wheels. It works so well I was able to learn and master the gameplay without even cracking open the manual.

    The game takes place in several underwater levels that resemble many of the locations I saw on the TV show, and they all rely heavily on the use of bubbles as the main gameplay element. Various bubbles include Float bubbles that let you float (duh), Bounce bubbles that, need I say it, bounce, and Strong bubbles that let you destroy things.

    You collect these bubbles and you can’t get a new one until you use an existing one. This creates several semi-clever puzzle opportunities where you must carefully pick the order you collect and use your bubbles. The puzzles are rather obvious, probably targeted toward the younger crowd that this title is likely to appeal to.

    The various levels (there are 11 of them) are quite challenging and there are some clever mini-games scattered throughout the game. These include some arcade rail ride segments and even a pattern-matching dance section similar to Britney’s Dance Beat. Collect enough coins and you can unlock these games for direct play.

    I am obligated to make mention of the excellent password system if for no other reason than to encourage other developers to use something similar. During each level you can find a six-digit password at the bottom of the screen. These are simple and short enough that you can jot them down on the palm of your hand, unless you have sweaty palms in which case use the back of your hand.

    SpongeBob has a very distinctive style to it that is very refreshing, both in quality and originality. Just when I’ve gotten used to tiny characters and gameplay here comes Mr. Squarepants in a larger than life adventure sporting a larger than GBA-normal character size and some impressive detail.

    The levels are very nice looking with bright colors and subtle details that I wouldn’t normally expect on a GBA game. Areas like Jellyfish Fields, Goo Lagoon, Bikini Bottom, and Dutchman's Underworld all have distinct and creative looks to them. I’ve only seen about four episodes of the cartoon, but I easily recognized several locations from the show that have been recreated in the game. This makes a very nice tie-in for fans going between game and show.

    The sound and music compliment this title perfectly. The designers have sampled many sounds from the show and placed them flawlessly into the gameplay. The music is quirky but fits the game (and show) perfectly. Not only are the tunes fun, but they are of substantial high quality and I found myself humming a few even after setting my GBA down for the night.

    I sponged my way through this game in about 6 hours but then again, I’m a gaming god. Seriously, there is probably 10-12 hours of challenging gameplay available for the targeted age group. The mini-games are great fun and you will probably want to replay several of them just to improve your performance.

    This platform title brings nothing new to the genre but it does do a fantastic job of bringing an original TV series to a portable gaming platform. SpongeBob is making his appearance on the larger consoles later this year, but for now, if you are a fan of the series or just enjoy platform games in general, Revenge of the Flying Dutchman is a fun and addicting little game.