Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge features a familiar storyline for fans of the animated series. Plankton lucked up and acquired a large set of batteries that landed in the waters around the Chum Bucket, and is now in control of a giant robotic suit and an army of robots powered by the new power source. Plankton uses his newfound power to steal a safe containing the secret recipe for the Krabby Patty formula, but Spongebob and company devise a plan to get back the recipe by finding three hidden keys located around Bikini Bottom. The storyline is basic and familiar, but there is plenty of comedy mixed in that is sure to tickle the funny bone of any gamer.
Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge is an easy game no matter how you slice it. Gamers that have played through more than a few different platform video games will have no problems completing the game, and they'll rarely find something worth getting excited about during the few hours it takes to complete the game. There are some puzzles in the game, but they rarely require more than shooting a control panel to lower a gate or smashing on a button to complete similar objectives. Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge is designed to be a kid's first video game, so experienced gamers should look for a different title to play no matter how much they love the show.
Combat is just as easy in Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge. Players get a few different moves that can be used in and out of enemy encounters including jump, double jump, standard melee attacks and ranged attack with some pretty humorous guns. There are five playable characters in the game that include Spongebob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward and Mr. Krabbs, but each character is roughly the same with the only real difference coming from their unique appearance and voice. Each mission typically has an end boss that will throw waves of enemies at the player, so skills learned throughout the stage can be used to defeat this extra difficult enemy. Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge does feature some pretty neat weapon and boss designs, though standard enemies are a little less creative.
There are many different weapons to unlock and use in the game including a Pickle Blaster gun, Exploding Pie Launcher and Condiment Cannon. Each weapon is modeled after other firearms such as pistols and rocket launcher but with kid-friendly designs and enemy effects. The Pickle Blaster is automatically unlocked during the game's first mission, but additional weapons and upgrades can be purchased with sprockets found inside of crates and barrels scattered around levels or as dropped currency from defeated enemies. Parents don't have to worry about the violence in the game too much since shooting bubblegum at enemy robots is far more silly than combat featured in most other games, and it makes a great game for beginners to learn how basic mechanics work in other video games as well.
Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge is a bit different on each gaming platform. The Nintendo 3DS version lets players take advantage of some unique controls for the handheld, touchscreen system, and players can activate the 3D graphics ability to make the environments really pop. When playing the game on home consoles, players can join up in four players sessions with drop in or out cooperative play and save the Krabby Patty formula together. This allows families to play the new game together more easily, but it obviously lacks the mobility and flexibility the title offers on Nintendo handheld systems.
Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge features a unique art style that doesn't try to directly copy the characters from the show. In Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge, characters take on a smoother and shinier texture that makes them feel more closely like a digitized version of Bikini Bottom and its inhabitants. Players will also venture to other locations to deal with the likes of the Flying Dutchman and other characters and locations the series is known for. Each location features a different look that sets it apart from other stages in the game, so there is plenty of variety for fans of the game to enjoy throughout the game's campaign.
Perhaps the best part of Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge is the game's voice acting that features all of the original voices for the game's characters from the hit cartoon series. Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke and the whole gang are included here, and they help make an adequate storyline seem even better. The game's soundtrack is equally good and features plenty of undersea tunes that match the show's soundtrack quality and sound. One of the game's biggest downfalls is that the storyline only lasts a few hours, and though it's fun while it lasts, it would've definitely been nice for the game to include some type of multiplayer action or hidden collectibles and side quests to complete to add some replay value to the title. However, if you have small children with short attention spans, then this game will definitely keep them appeased for short periods of time. Given Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge only costs $29.99 across all platforms though, it doesn't seem as bad of a purchase as it could have been.
Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge is a fun game for kids that parents won't need to fork over too many clams to purchase. The game is simple, funny and plenty entertaining for young fans of the show, and the new title is far from aggressive or too violent like some parents would worry about. Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge has a unique storyline featuring voiceover work from the original cast of the show with a new art style that looks great but allows fans to easily tell a difference between the game and show. Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge is a decent Spongebob Squarepants video game, so check it out on Nintendo 3DS and other home consoles today! Your little ones will greatly enjoy this new title.
Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge is now available from all major retailers for the MSRP of $29.99 and can be purchased for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo 3DS & Nintendo DS. Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge is rated E by the ESRB for Cartoon Violence. For more information on Spongebob Squarepants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge, check out the official Spongebob Squarepants website.
Game Features:
- Single Player
- 5 Playable Characters
- Unlockable and Upgradeable Weapons
- Unique Controls and 3D Support
- Original Voice Cast
Game Information:
Developer: Behaviour Entertainment
Publisher: Activition
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo 3DS (reviewed) & Nintendo DS
Release Date: October 22, 2013
