“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” The real question you need to ask yourself is, are you prepared to be the sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
If your reaction to that question is, “I'm ready! I'm ready!” then pull on your square trousers and play Spongebob's Truth or Square for the Nintendo DS. Otherwise, you're better off pulling your best sullen Squidward face and stalking off to your dead-end shift at the Krabby Patty.
Publisher: THQ
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) for Mild Cartoon Violence Genre: Platforming
If your reaction to that question is, “I'm ready! I'm ready!” then pull on your square trousers and play Spongebob's Truth or Square for the Nintendo DS. Otherwise, you're better off pulling your best sullen Squidward face and stalking off to your dead-end shift at the Krabby Patty.
Publisher: THQ
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) for Mild Cartoon Violence Genre: Platforming
The Basics: Spongebob is Sad
Spongebob's Truth or Square is a side-scrolling platform game that pits man against machine—or rather, sponge against a whole hoard of machines, not to mention the villainous Plankton.
It's the anniversary of the Krusty Krab, and a party is imminent. Spongebob had been entrusted with the coveted recipie for the one-and-only Krabby Patty, but he promptly loses it. Spongebob is understandably upset about the mishap, as is Plankton—Mr. Krabs' eternal rival, who is constantly sniffing around for the recipe himself.
Plankton resolves to help jog Spongebob's memory by revisiting his favorite moments in life. Since Spongebob is only capable of remembering stuff when he's happy, Plankton swallows his pride and goes out of his way to be nice to Spongebob and aid him on the quest through his memories.
It's the anniversary of the Krusty Krab, and a party is imminent. Spongebob had been entrusted with the coveted recipie for the one-and-only Krabby Patty, but he promptly loses it. Spongebob is understandably upset about the mishap, as is Plankton—Mr. Krabs' eternal rival, who is constantly sniffing around for the recipe himself.
Plankton resolves to help jog Spongebob's memory by revisiting his favorite moments in life. Since Spongebob is only capable of remembering stuff when he's happy, Plankton swallows his pride and goes out of his way to be nice to Spongebob and aid him on the quest through his memories.
Gameplay: Run and Jump Like a Sponge
Spongebob's Truth or Square is a pretty simple side-scroller: Spongebob must work his way from left to right and take down any of Plankton's robots that get in his way. Spongebob can shoot projectiles, execute a spin attack, or just flatten enemies with his head. If he collects enough “Happy Tokens,” he can hulk up and really give his tormentors what for.
But Spongebob's Truth or Square uses pseudo-3D effects to give the playing field a little depth. Spongebob can move up and down in some capacity, which helps him dodge enemy attacks and find hidden areas and items.
The terrain can also trip up Spongebob if he's not careful: Pits, mud, and water traps will send him back to the last checkpoint he touched. It's very strange to think that Spongebob can drown in the underwater world of Bikini Bottom, but this is a series that has long played fast and loose with the laws of Nature (fish ride in boats at the bottom of the sea).
Bizarre setting or no, Spongebob's Truth or Square is a breeze to get through and is obviously meant for younger players.
But Spongebob's Truth or Square uses pseudo-3D effects to give the playing field a little depth. Spongebob can move up and down in some capacity, which helps him dodge enemy attacks and find hidden areas and items.
The terrain can also trip up Spongebob if he's not careful: Pits, mud, and water traps will send him back to the last checkpoint he touched. It's very strange to think that Spongebob can drown in the underwater world of Bikini Bottom, but this is a series that has long played fast and loose with the laws of Nature (fish ride in boats at the bottom of the sea).
Bizarre setting or no, Spongebob's Truth or Square is a breeze to get through and is obviously meant for younger players.
Graphics and Sound: “Are you ready, kids? I can't hear you!”
The in-game graphics for Spongebob's Truth or Square are polygon-based, and supplemented with expressive character portraits when the characters speak up. Spongebob's friends all make the cut and there's no mistaking who's who, though the polygon models are a little flat and don't always suit the characters. There's also disappointingly little speech. There are successes, however: When Spongebob plays the jellyfishing mini game, Patrick flails across the hunting grounds with perfect exuberance.
Conclusion: For the Kids—and Secret Fans
Spongebob's Truth or Square is a solid platformer that will make kids titter “Baahaha!” like Mr. Spongepants. It won't keep adults entertained for very long, but if you harbor a secret love for the little guy, go on and give it a spin for its funny dialogue. Nobody has to know.
