SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge

SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge is a 2001/2000 2D platform game developed by Climax Group and published by THQ. It was released for PlayStation on November 5, 2000 and for Game Boy Advance on November 8, 2001. It is the only SpongeBob game released on PlayStation, alongside Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (besides Nicktoons Racing which features SpongeBob, Patrick and Plankton as playable characters). There was going to be was going to be a Nintendo 64 version but THQ wanted the GBA version to be the only Nintendo version of the game.

Plot

It is Patrick's birthday, and SpongeBob wants to give him "the best present ever": a photo signed by his favorite superheroes, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. However, the heroes want nothing more than to get rid of SpongeBob, so they keep sending him to random tasks around Bikini Bottom. It's SpongeBob's mission to accomplish these tasks and get Patrick's birthday present.

Gameplay

The game is divided in five worlds (listed as "chapters"), each one with four levels: Bikini Bottom, an underwater volcano, the prehistoric Bikini Bottom, Rock Bottom and the industrial district of Bikini Bottom. Levels can be cleared by collecting the object desired by Barnacle Boy. In addition, the fourth level of every chapter has a boss.

Scattered through all the levels there are golden spatulas — by collecting all the 100 in a level SpongeBob wins an extra life. In the PS version, spatulas also serve as health measurers, for, if SpongeBob touches an enemy, he loses all the collected spatulas, and if he is touched by an enemy without any spatulas, he loses a life, which is similar to the rings in Sonic the Hedgehog. In the GBA version, a separate health measure is used, which can be replenished by collecting items like Salty Fries, Salty Shakes and Krabby Patties. Lives also can be obtained by finding underpants.

In the PS version, by collecting a certain number of spatulas in every chapter, a secret level named "Six Clams Adventure Land" (a reference to the Six Flags amusement park) can be unlocked. In those levels, set in an amusement park, SpongeBob must ride through the toys and collect all the 25 flower tokens. These tokens can be used to buy props to Patrick's birthday party at the end of the game.

To defeat enemies, SpongeBob can do a butt-bounce or use certain items such as:

• Jellyfish Net: SpongeBob can capture jellyfish and throw them at enemies. (The limit of jellyfishes who can be kept at the net is five in the PS version, and ten in the GBA one.)
• Coral Blower: While with his coral blower, SpongeBob can suck scattered seashells and throw them in order to break rock walls. SpongeBob cannot perform the butt-bounce when he has this item.
• Squeaky Boots: (Only in PS version) SpongeBob can wear those to walk over spiky surfaces without getting hurt. Their effect is limited, though.
• Jelly Launcher: A raygun-esque weapon who launches dehydrated jellyfishes. The ammo is limited, and SpongeBob can reload the weapon by collecting a jar of jellyfish, which is marked with a light blue jellyfish drawing on the side.
• Bubble Wand: SpongeBob, while having the Bubble Wand, can blow up bubbles who serve as platforms. The quantity of bubbles is limited, and SpongeBob can refill the Bubble Wand by collecting pink pots of soap.
• Karate Glove: SpongeBob can give a karate slap on enemies and grab distant objects. It is always equipped in the GBA version, but in the PS version it is a power-up to be picked up, and its effect is limited.
• Glove World Balloon: SpongeBob can jump higher than normal and also float (PS version). Its effect is limited.

Reception

SuperSponge received mixed reviews since its release: the PlayStation's version received 68% and the Game Boy Advance version a 67.83%, on Gamerankings. The PlayStation version of this game also received the title of "Greatest Hits".^[1]

References