SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom is a video game based on the animated children's comedy TV series SpongeBob SquarePants. The game has been released for the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox consoles. The game tasks the player with defending Bikini Bottom from an invasion of robots created by Plankton with a machine called the Duplicatotron 3000, whilst playing as SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy. The Windows version features a series of mini-games and greatly differs from the console versions.

Gameplay
Players control SpongeBob, Sandy, and Patrick (except in the GBA version, where you only control SpongeBob) through a number of locations such as Jellyfish Fields, and can switch between characters at bus stops throughout the game. Core gameplay involves collecting items and defeating the robots which have attacked Bikini Bottom, whilst crossing platforms and avoiding environmental hazards like spikes and flames. A number of mini-games are also accessible throughout the game.

Three types of items can be collected. Shiny objects are the game's currency, and can be used to pay tolls within game areas or to buy golden spatulas from Mr. Krabs. Golden spatulas are used to grant access to new areas, they are hidden throughout the game and can also be earned by completing tasks set by Squidward and several other characters from the cartoon. These tasks can involve defeating particular robots or searching for items. The other collectable item type, Patrick's socks, can be traded for golden spatulas to Patrick himself.

Though some areas can be navigated by any character, several sections can only be completed with a specific character, due to each one having unique abilities. SpongeBob can create a bubble helmet for head-butting enemies, launch a bubble-blowing spin attack and double jump to reach higher platforms. Patrick can throw objects (such as throw fruit and stunned enemies) at switches, freeze goo rivers with the freeze fruit, and attack enemies with a belly flop. Sandy can glide over large gaps and wields a lasso, with which she can tie up enemies or swing on texas hooks to reach distant areas.

Plot
The game revolves around the theme of robots invading Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob's hometown. The robots were created by Plankton, the evil genius owner of the Chum Bucket, who has built a new robot called the Duplicatotron 3000 to produce an army of robots. He plans to take over the world using these robots, but only after he creates them does he realize that the switch on the Duplicatotron has been switched to "Disobey" and the robots quickly kick him out of the Chum Bucket.

SpongeBob wakes up to find that his house has been trashed. After wandering through the house for a while and receiving a telegram from his boss, Mr Krabs, stating that he would give SpongeBob a golden spatula for every certain amount of shiny objects he collects for him. Outside, SpongeBob finds a disappointed Plankton, who weaves a tale of lies to the hero, claiming that the robots showed up out of nowhere and kicked him out. Fooled by the diminutive villain, SpongeBob embarks on a perilous quest to get rid of the robots and get Plankton back into the Chum Bucket.

Cast

 * Tom Kenny - SpongeBob SquarePants, French Narrator, Gary
 * Bill Fagerbakke - Patrick Star
 * Carolyn Lawrence - Sandy Cheeks, Mermalair Computer
 * Doug Lawrence - Plankton, Larry the Lobster, Prawn, Fish Announcer, Robo-Plankton
 * Rodger Bumpass - Squidward Tentacles
 * Mary Jo Catlett - Mrs Puff
 * Joe Whyte - Mermaidman, Mr Krabs
 * Clancy Brown - Mr Krabs (PC Version)
 * Tim Conway - Barnacleboy
 * Brian Doyle-Murray - The Flying Dutchman
 * John O'Hurley - King Neptune
 * Brad Arbrell - Bubble Buddy

Maps

 * Bikini Bottom - The starting level, where you must learn basic moves in order to get SpongeBob out of his house. It is a World Hub, with all other levels being accessed through it, and is divided into three sections; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. (Where the levels as labelled below are located in). There are also two opportunities in it to get more golden spatulas by two methods; Buying them from Mr Krabs for increasing amounts of shiny objects, and giving ten socks (Located throughout levels) to Patrick. In Bikini Bottom, there are the same amount of golden spatulas as in most levels, and the player has the opportunity to get "golden underwear", which give one health slot each (There is one in each section). You also receive a power-up from Bubble Buddy upon reaching Sections 2 and 3, which are only reachable by acquiring a certain number of golden spatulas, and then you must win against a boss. There are three levels per section (Not counting the boss levels), and two of them will also require a certain number of golden spatulas to enter (The other will be free so you can get more golden spatulas). Eventually, the player must achieve enough spatulas to enter the Chum Bucket laboratory (Located in Section 3), where you must defeat the final boss.
 * (1)Jellyfish Fields - The longest level in the game, the objective of the story is to get King Jellyfish jelly for Squidward, who has recently been injured. The first level to feature Patrick and the first level to features slides. Requires no golden spatulas a swarm of jellyfish.
 * (1)Downtown Bikini Bottom - The objective of the story is to get back the eleven steering wheels which robots have stolen and placed in hard to reach locations. The first level to feature Sandy. Requires 5 golden spatulas.
 * (1)Goo Lagoon - The objective of the story is to destroy the robot which has stolen everybody's sunscreen via reflecting sunlight through mirrors on lifeguard towers with changeable directions, though it is also possible to kill him with the cruise bubble, the power-up the player gets in Section 3. Features SpongeBob and Patrick. Requires 10 golden spatulas.
 * (1)The Poseidome - First boss level, it features SpongeBob and Patrick against a robot version of Sandy. Section 2 is reached upon beating the robot Sandy. Requires 15 golden spatulas.
 * (2)Mermalair - Reachable by entering the Shady Shoals resting home in Section 2, the objective of the story is to clear the Mermalair of robots for Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. Features SpongeBob and Patrick. Requires no golden spatulas.
 * (2)Rock Bottom - The objective of the story is to acquire the pieces of art which robots have stolen and put in hard to reach places. Features SpongeBob and Sandy. Requires 25 golden spatulas.
 * (2)Sand Mountain - A hub to three different sand boarding tracks (You must have 1500 shiny objects to enter each), the objective of the story is to clear the tracks of robots. Features SpongeBob and Sandy. Requires 30 golden spatulas.
 * (2)The Industrial Park - Second boss level, it features SpongeBob and Sandy against a robot version of Patrick. Requires 40 golden spatulas.
 * (3)SpongeBob's Dream - Also a Hub, it features navigation into (In order) Sandy's, Squidward's, Mr. Krabs', and Patrick's dreams (You must pay a fee of shiny objects to move on to each dream). The objective is to clear the dreams of robots. Features SpongeBob for all dreams except Sandy's, which also features Sandy. Near Patrick's Rock is another boss, named Slick Requires no golden spatulas.
 * (3)Kelp Forest - The shortest non-boss level in the game, the objective of the story is to find the lost campers who were taken by the robots and trapped in hard to reach places. Requires 50 golden spatulas.
 * (3)Flying Dutchman's Graveyard - The objective of the story is to both clear the Graveyard of robots and get back the Flying Dutchman's ship from the robots. Features SpongeBob and Sandy. Requires 60 golden spatulas.
 * (3)The Chum Bucket Lab - The last boss level, it is the 1st level in the game to feature only one character (SpongeBob) (Second being The SpongeBall Arena), and pits him against the robot SpongeBob, after which he must go inside the robot and destroy its "brain", all the time avoiding the robot Plankton, which shoots rays at the player. After defeating it the player can play the bonus level with SpongeBob as a spongeball getting shiny objects. Requires 75 golden spatulas.

Bosses

 * King Jellyfish - Is the first mini-boss of the game. He has the ability to go onto the ground and release a cosmic energy field and can also release smaller jellyfish to attack after getting hit. He has a force field.
 * Robo-Sandy- Is the first robot boss of the game. It can do a karate chop, "the old clothesline move" and can perform a jump attack, which stuns itself. You play as SpongeBob first, who does bubble stomps to knock Sandy's head off into the headlights. You do the same with Patrick, only pick the head up and toss it into the electric scoreboard. You play as SpongeBob again, only to bubble launch into the self-destruct button under the head. In the GBA version, it jumps around the place. SpongeBob needs to jump on its helmet to crack it. After 3 hits, the robot can extend its hand to punch.
 * Prawn- Is the second mini-boss of the game. He is a rival of Mermaid Man because he turned his white clothes pink. He can attack with a Matterhorn that shoots sonic blasts and can release Ham-Mer robots after the first hit. When the lights on the floor stop moving there will be a straight path to Prawn. You need to Bubble Bowl down that path in order to defeat him.
 * Robo-Patrick- Is the second robot boss of the game. It can perform slams, can spit out a powerful acid, can exhale cold breaths of air, and can spin industrial waste everywhere which makes itself dizzy for a short amount of time. You play as SpongeBob to dodge Patrick's attacks until he stops spinning and gets stunned. You go behind him and hit him with Bubble Bowl in the kick me area of his back, you must repeat this three times until you play as Sandy. SpongeBob is frozen, and it's up to Sandy to unfreeze him and Squidward, this time, he pulls a lever releasing more industrial waste (making the water level higher and higher). You need to swing on Texas swing hooks to drop platforms onto the waste to reach Patrick's back (also repeat). After the water level rose up to SpongeBob and Squidward's ice blocks, they unfroze and SpongeBob wants revenge. You now bubble bowl into Patrick's back. In the GBA version, it chases you through Jellyfish fields. Mystery must swallow bomb-bots and spit them or set them to explode when the robot is near.
 * The Flying Dutchman- Is the third mini-boss of the game. He can shoot laser eye beams in a DNA pattern and shoot fiery snot from his nose. You must dodge the laser beams and jump over the snot. When he is still turned around grab the tail part of him. You must defeat him in order to gain his Golden Spatula.
 * Duplicatron 3000- The only attack it has is to send robots until destroyed by the player.
 * SpongeBot SteelPants (or Robo-SpongeBob)- Is the third robot boss of the game. It can throw a punching karate chop, spin platforms with its karate chops, and can say KAH-RAH-TAE! so loud that the words will go flying and spin the platforms. You need to missile into the weaknesses on its sides and nose and karate gloves. In the GBA version, it is the final boss, fought right after the Duplicatron 3000. The robot sends bomb Krabby Patties which Mystery must swallow and spit back.
 * Robo-Plankton- Is the fourth and final robot boss of the game. He can shoot lasers from his bucket rocket. You need to Cruise Bubble him when he is not shooting lasers at you. You fight him at the same time as SpongeBot.
 * Robo-Squidward- Only appears in the GBA version of the game. It can also be seen in a sketch part of the concept art in the console versions. You must use Mystery (SpongeBob's seahorse from My Pretty Seahorse) to eat the bomb-bots, ride the robot's tentacles, and spit out the robots Mystery ate at his head. It may have been a deleted boss from the console versions. based on the concept art, it may have been the final boss, based on the background. The tactics were most likely to be to destroy the tentacles. then, the head would detach, fly around, and shoot lasers at you. Also, in the Truth or Square video game, one of the boss battles IS a Robot Squidward that is in the Patty Vault level of the game.

Tikis

 * Wooden Tiki- Most common tiki, can be destroyed by practically EVERYTHING!
 * Shrinking Tiki- A little harder-to-defeat tiki. The player can destroy the tiki without it shrinking down only if the sneak upon it very carefully or using the bubble bowl.
 * Stone Tiki- Can only be destroyed by Thunder Tikis or SpongeBob's Cruise Bubble Attack.
 * Floating Tiki- Can only be destroyed by SpongeBob's Bubble Bash.
 * Thunder Tiki- Will blow up if picked up, stepped on, etc. Easy to defeat, but the player still may lose some lives.

Robots

 * Fodder - Electric Touch Attack
 * Ham-Mer - Smashing Things with a Slice of Ham.
 * Tar Tar Sauce - Shoots Tar Tar Sauce at objects near him.
 * G-LOVE - Spins in circles and uses his white gloves to attack.
 * Chuck - Throws a missile with water in it at nearby objects.
 * Chomp-Bot - First of three robots that don't have cutscenes. Stinky breath attack.
 * Monsoon - Second flying robot (the first being Chuck); owns a remote control which creates lightning anytime, anywhere.
 * Arf - Cowboy Robot. Creates Dogs that can be destroyed by SpongeBob's Spin Attack.
 * Bomb-Bot - Makes several beeping sounds before it goes boom. 2nd robot not to have a cutscene.
 * Sleepytime - Easy to defeat with the Cruise Bubble than any other attack. Largest robot in the game. If the robot is woken up, he gets furious... furious enough to zap someone with his stash of penetrated volts. (That's what that red is on the Tea Cup Madness in Goo Lagoon Pier)
 * BZZT-Bot - Third robot that doesn't have a cutscene. Zaps Jellyfish with penetrated volts that start out green, then yellow after 3 seconds.
 * Slick - Florentine (very hot oil) shield, Uses a Giant Bubble Blower to shoot stashes of hot oil at objects near him.

Reception
Battle for Bikini Bottom is currently the most successful SpongeBob game produced. It received a 4.5 out of 5 from Official PlayStation Magazine. It has won numerous awards, including the Kid's Choice Award for Best Video Game of the Year, and entered the Player's Choice, Platinum Hits, and Greatest Hits for GameCube, Xbox, and PlayStation 2 respectively.