''SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula'' is a 2001

platform Platform may refer to: Technology * Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run * Platform game, a genre of video games * Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models * Weapons platform, a system or ...

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

developed by

Vicarious Visions Blizzard Albany (formerly Vicarious Visions, Inc.) is an American video game developer based in Albany, New York. The studio was acquired by Activision in January 2005. After releasing its last game as part of that company, ''Tony Hawk's Pro Sk ...

and published by

THQ THQ Inc. was an American video game company based in Agoura Hills, California. It was founded in April 1990 by Jack Friedman, originally in Calabasas, and became a public company the following year through a reverse merger takeover. Initi ...

for the Game Boy Color

handheld game console A handheld game console, or simply handheld console, is a small, portable self-contained video game console with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are smaller than home video game consoles and contain the cons ...

. It is the first video game to be based on ''

SpongeBob SquarePants ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' (or simply ''SpongeBob'') is an American animated comedy television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It chronicles the adventures of the title character ...

''. The game's story centers on

, a

sea sponge Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), are a basal animal clade as a sister of the diploblasts. They are multicellular organisms that have bodies full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through th ...

who lives in the undersea town of Bikini Bottom and works for Mr. Krabs as the fry cook of the Krusty Krab fast food restaurant. SpongeBob is destined to become the ocean's greatest fry cook, and must embark on a quest to retrieve a golden spatula from the Flying Dutchman, a pirate ghost. The game features platforming-style gameplay, as well as many characters from the television series.

Gameplay

As SpongeBob, the player embarks on an undersea quest to find the Flying Dutchman's Golden Spatula in order to become the ocean's greatest short-order cook. If SpongeBob gets hit, his clothing falls off. If SpongeBob is wearing a jacket power-up, he loses it when he is hit. If he takes a hit with no jacket, his pants fall off, leaving him to run around in his underwear. If his underwear falls off, he loses a life. Along the way, SpongeBob meets and interacts with many of the show's popular recurring characters like Mr. Krabs,

Squidward Tentacles Squidward Q. Tentacles is a fictional character voiced by actor Rodger Bumpass in the Nickelodeon animated series, animated television series ''SpongeBob SquarePants''. Squidward was created and designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen ...

Sandy Cheeks Sandra Jennifer "Sandy" Cheeks is a fictional character in the Nickelodeon franchise ''SpongeBob SquarePants''. She is an anthropomorphic squirrel who wears a diving suit and lives underwater. Sandy is voiced by Carolyn Lawrence and first app ...

, and

Patrick Star Patrick Star is a fictional character in the American animated television series ''SpongeBob SquarePants''. He is voiced by actor Bill Fagerbakke and was created and designed by marine biology, marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg ...

. The game uses elements of adventure and side-scrolling gameplay.

Reception

The game has received mixed reviews. Frank Provo of ''

GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...

'' said "One could argue that ''SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula'' is geared toward the younger audience of the TV series, which would explain the game's simplified gameplay and lack of variety. However, while the plot is endearing and the characters will no doubt appeal to the series' fans, there is no evidence to suggest that children would actually enjoy playing a game this unremarkable – let alone adults". Provo criticized the game for its "simplified gameplay" and "lack of variety", but gave praise to the graphics, saying the game "at least looks decent". Jon Griffith of ''

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

'' complimented the game as a "decent platformer" with "large levels, multiple objectives, and amusing characters" but criticized it for its password saving system, confusing level design, and difficulty in certain aspects of gameplay.

References

External links

Information page
at

* {{SpongeBob SquarePants video games 2001 video games Engine Software games Game Boy Color games Game Boy Color-only games Side-scrolling video games Single-player video games Legend of the Lost Spatula THQ games Vicarious Visions games Video games developed in the United States