Probably the first 3D platformer I ever played, and for a rushed movie tie in made in less than a year they did a fantastic job with this game. It's more linear and challenging than BFBB was which in my opinion makes it more replayable. The platforming and combat are simple but engaging and by the end of the game It'll really start testing your skills more than any other SpongeBob game out there.
The worst thing about this game is the padding, doing the same driving and slide missions multiple times can get really repetitive and the slide levels especially can go on for way too long which makes fucking up a time trial frustrating, especially as a kid. Nowadays I can beat this whole thing in one sitting so it's not an especially big deal for me now but on a first playthrough, yeah that shit kinda sucks and the collectathon aspect of this game is really just there to pad it out.
The FMV cutscenes also suck but to be honest if I really wanted more plot detail I'd just watch the movie. The main appeal of this game is getting to explore all the areas from the movie and this game really does bring all these spots to life. In some cases like the Goofy Goober's or the Thug Tug they expand these small buildings into their own massive worlds with a ton of different environments, makes no sense at all but it's really creative and fun to play through. Most other licensed games would have just had these levels be a bunch of samey hallways and rooms but Heavy Iron really went all out in stretching these themes to their absolute limits.
The soundtrack also goes SO hard. Damn near every track is a banger and they set the mood for their stages perfectly. My favorite is the Thug Tug theme which is this Bad to the Bone sounding ass rock song but halfway through they throw a ukulele into the mix just to remind you it's a SpongeBob song and that just takes it to the next level.
In the end despite this games faults the clear passion oozing from every aspect of this game make it an absolute classic. They made the best platformer they possibly could within the constraints and deadlines of a movie tie in game, and I'm so glad I got to grow up with it.
The worst thing about this game is the padding, doing the same driving and slide missions multiple times can get really repetitive and the slide levels especially can go on for way too long which makes fucking up a time trial frustrating, especially as a kid. Nowadays I can beat this whole thing in one sitting so it's not an especially big deal for me now but on a first playthrough, yeah that shit kinda sucks and the collectathon aspect of this game is really just there to pad it out.
The FMV cutscenes also suck but to be honest if I really wanted more plot detail I'd just watch the movie. The main appeal of this game is getting to explore all the areas from the movie and this game really does bring all these spots to life. In some cases like the Goofy Goober's or the Thug Tug they expand these small buildings into their own massive worlds with a ton of different environments, makes no sense at all but it's really creative and fun to play through. Most other licensed games would have just had these levels be a bunch of samey hallways and rooms but Heavy Iron really went all out in stretching these themes to their absolute limits.
The soundtrack also goes SO hard. Damn near every track is a banger and they set the mood for their stages perfectly. My favorite is the Thug Tug theme which is this Bad to the Bone sounding ass rock song but halfway through they throw a ukulele into the mix just to remind you it's a SpongeBob song and that just takes it to the next level.
In the end despite this games faults the clear passion oozing from every aspect of this game make it an absolute classic. They made the best platformer they possibly could within the constraints and deadlines of a movie tie in game, and I'm so glad I got to grow up with it.