The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (video game)

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is a 2004 platform game based on the film of the same name and published by THQ for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Microsoft Windows, and Game Boy Advance. The PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube versions were developed by Heavy Iron Studios. The Game Boy Advance version was developed by WayForward Technologies. The Microsoft Windows version was developed by AWE Games. The Mac version was developed by Aspyr. Most of the film's cast reprise their roles.

The plot of the video game is largely based on the film, albeit liberties are taken occasionally. King Neptune's crown has been stolen by Plankton. SpongeBob and Patrick must retrieve it from Shell City and save Bikini Bottom.

There are 18 levels in the game that loosely follow the storyline of the film. The player controls SpongeBob and Patrick, both of whom have their own unique set of abilities. Each level contains a main objective and side tasks. Four levels involve a boss enemy that the player must defeat to progress to the next level. Boss enemies include the giant frogfish from the film, Dennis (who is fought twice), and King Neptune. Each main level and side task will give the player a Goofy Goober Token once completed, and the player needs these tokens to learn certain skills and proceed to the game. Although the player only needs to complete a level's main component in order to unlock the next level, it is not possible to complete the game only doing the main levels (though the player does not need to do all of the side tasks). There is also an upgrade system in the game. As the player collects "Manliness Points" (represented by glowing weights), they will learn new moves for SpongeBob and Patrick which are needed to complete the game. Once the player collects enough manliness points, they get an "Upgrade Point" which can improve a skill's effect (or be used to increase the player's Max Health from three to up to six units). Although very helpful in progressing and completing the game, upgrades are not mandatory to doing so. The game does not use a life system; if the player dies, they are reverted to their last checkpoint, the game does not count deaths. Platforming The main levels of the game, the player, playing as SpongeBob or Patrick, has to navigate the level. Several skills such as combat, careful movement, and most notably, the use of SpongeBob and Patrick's move sets are needed to progress. Each level has side tasks which offer a Goofy Goober Token, including;
Spongeball The player must guide SpongeBob, who forms a ball, through a platforming area, similar to the Super Monkey Ball series. Floating Block Challenge The player must guide Patrick by jumping from block to block to reach the Goofy Goober Token before time runs out. Each block has different attributes. Combat Arena Challenges Playing as either SpongeBob or Patrick, with only a few health units throughout the level, the player must defeat waves of enemies. Driving Using the Patty Wagon, sometimes the player will need to drive through an area. All of the driving levels have three identical side tasks: a time challenge, a ring challenge, and a "Macho" (harder) time challenge. Sliding Using a small bathtub (a shell and King Neptune's crown) which acts almost like a sled with its movement, the player must slide through the area. The side tasks are the same as in the driving sequences. Bosses There are a total of four boss battles in the game, none of which contain side tasks. Each completion of a challenge or its side task grants the player a Goofy Goober Token. In order to learn the moves required to advance in levels and the stories, SpongeBob and Patrick will have to complete these side missions (like the extra driving and minigame challenges) to get these tokens. SpongeBob and Patrick have a few moves, and when they get a sufficient number of points, they can upgrade a move or increase their max health. Their health units are measured in Krabby Patties; they each contain only three, but can be upgraded up to six over time. The moves will improve in effectiveness when upgraded. Throughout the game are cutscenes that are either in game animations or FMV sequences that resemble slideshows and feature stills from the movie as well as photos that are not stills from the movie with clip art and illustrations of characters from the movie and objects from the movie and related backgrounds as well as fully illustrated images. The FMV sequences usually features narration by the French narrator used in the show.

The gameplay has features that are reminiscent of point and click adventure games, similar to that in SpongeBob SquarePants: Employee of the Month and the PC version of SpongeBob SquarePants: Lights, Camera, Pants!. It mainly follows around SpongeBob and Patrick in a various number of locations. The game consists of eight chapters that loosely follow the plot of the film, with additional story details being described in cutscenes between chapters that feature narration over still pictures.

The GBA game is a 2D platformer split between six worlds to progress through, plus many bonus levels, and a boss at the end of each world. Unlike the console versions, there is a life system, and there is no save feature; instead, players are given a variety of level passwords as they progress through the game. Like the PC version, the story is told through still pictures, but this time with on screen text.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie have received "mixed or average" and "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Nintendo Power, reviewing the GBA version, noted the ability to change paths throughout the game, but wrote that "some areas are more difficult to reach than they should be, making the platforming tricky at times."

On February 5, 2012, it was announced that The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie would be coming to the PlayStation Store as a PS2 Classic on February 7, 2012. The port was poorly received for numerous technical issues, including severe input lag, sound delays of up to one second during in engine cutscenes, and stretching the 4:3 display to fill a 16:9 aspect ratio. The port was removed from the PlayStation Store shortly after release, with no official explanation given regarding its removal.