Spongebob: Atlantis Squarepantis

Dear Confused Game Publishers and Developers,

It has come to my attention that the majority of the people working in the game industry have no clue what it means to develop an entertaining game for kids. The belief is that kiddie cartoon traits – whiny voices, cheesy storylines, annoying characters, etc. – are what kids demand. There is also the ridiculous notion that if a game is made for kids it must be easy, slow, and repetitive. Crazier still, some developers and publishers think that kid-targeted games can’t have true combat, and thus substitutes traditional attack mechanisms with excess mini games.

I write this letter not to alert you of what you already know, but to tell you about a new developer’s guide that the world is urged to examine. It’s called SpongeBob’s Atlantis Squarepantis, an action/adventure game for Nintendo DS. This game – unlike the mountain of other kid titles, with or without a license – has real, diverse, player-engaging gameplay. The licensed characters have relevant mechanics, the challenges are appropriate, and the level designs are vivid and creative.

If you are planning to develop a game for kids in the coming year, I suggest you spend a few days with SpongeBob’s Atlantis Squarepantis first.

Sincerely,

A Gamer In Search of Quality

It seems 2D is the way to go for Nintendo DS development. There have been a few success stories to use 3D gameplay, but as far as the action/adventure genre is concerned, the side-scrollers usually prevail.

Atlantis Squarepantis finds a happy medium by using a gameplay style that is truly half and half. Whereas the term “2.5D” is commonly used to describe 2D gameplay with 3D characters and camera tricks, this game allows you to explore the background of your environment. In addition to the side-scrolling exploration, players will dig deeper in certain levels to find items, take on enemies, pull switches, or to reach the goal. These aren’t exactly new features, but they’re a part of the game’s entertainment package. By having levels of multiple depths, players are less likely to become bored with their environments.

The biggest showpiece, however, is not the world design or layout. They’re great, but one thing stands above them: the controls. Atlantis Squarepantis is smooth, quick, responsive, and natural. Amazingly, the developers achieved this with the D-pad and all but ignored the touch screen. Three years ago this might have been detrimental to the game’s success. But now that we’ve seen just how badly a developer can screw up touch screen mechanics, the last thing anyone wants is a game that uses the touch screen strictly for advertising purposes. These developers made a wise decision. They looked at the kind of game they were making, decided the touch screen wasn’t right for it, and stuck with the D-pad.

There are a couple of instances where you will use the touch screen. To view the environment past your base camera perspective, touch the camera icon and drag it left or right. The camera will slide over to show you what’s ahead, and snap back into place when released. You’ll also touch the screen to change between the two playable characters that you are currently using, and to play mini-games and solve minor puzzles (when flipping a lever, players will literally drag the lever into the “on” position).

All Licensed Up and Ready to Go

SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy and Mr. Krabs provide players with an odd lineup of characters that could only come from the world of SpongeBob. Main character aside, their inclusion wouldn’t be welcome – or memorable – if this were an average licensed product. Lucky for me (and every other SpongeBob fan), each character comes with a unique set of moves and special abilities that have relevance to the show as well as this game.

Mechanically, the base attacks are nearly the same across the board. As SpongeBob, press the Y button to whack enemies with his bubble blower. Do the same with Patrick and he’ll attack with his finger-less hands. Continue pressing the Y button and he’ll swing around in a circular motion, damaging enemies with multiple hits.

Mr. Krabs can’t spin, but he does have a three-hit combo that involves a left hook, right uppercut, and a finishing move where he slams his fist down on angry fish creatures. Sandy takes the kickboxing approach, looking more like Hwoarang from Tekken than a woodland creature in a spacesuit.

Jump attacks also differ by character. SpongeBob lunges forward headfirst and gets stuck (temporarily) in the ground. Patrick performs a forward flip that strikes enemies with his arms, legs, and oversized head. Mr. Krabs spins his claws like a helicopter, and Sandy unleashes a kick-punch combo while airborne.

Each character is enhanced with stellar team moves. When playing as SpongeBob, switch to another character and press the R button while standing next to him, causing his teammate to pick him up. You could release the R button to throw SpongeBob – a good move for traveling across large gaps. Or you could press the L button to launch his joint attack. SpongeBob’s body fills with air like a balloon, allowing him to float several feet into the air. He can do this while teaming with any character. And though it is fun to perform, that isn’t the only reason it was added to the game. Some areas are too high to reach without SpongeBob’s help.

Patrick’s joint move turns him into a boomerang. Pick him up, press the L button, and he’ll be thrown sideways and swing back around. When large plants block the way, use Mr. Krabs to cut them down. And if that weren’t enough, Sandy turns into an explosive, rock-destroying weapon that clears the path when Mr. Krabs’ claws fail to do so.

These moves may only be performed after collecting Melody Shells. They’re hidden everywhere in the game, and may also be obtained by defeating enemies.

Atlantis Squarepantis tops off the experience with an amusing story (text-only, unfortunately) and terrific boss battles. You won’t be disappointed by this one, nor will any child who finds it in their stocking on Christmas morning.

Gameplay: 8.3
Spongebob’s Atlantis Squarepantis successfully utilizes the SpongeBob license to create a game with great controls, excellent mechanics, and diverse levels and objectives.

Graphics: 7.9
Great environments, character designs, and animations that are very appealing.

Sound: 5.0
The sounds are as annoying as any kiddie game (well, not any game – there are some that are much worse).

Difficulty: Easy
It’s hard to lose – SpongeBob and company have a large (and shared) life meter that automatically replenishes itself whenever you visit a character selection hut. However, the boss battles are hefty and not every item is easy to find.

Concept: 8.0
Stellar use of a great license.

Multiplayer: 5.0
Nothing too exciting here – just a two-player version of the single-player campaign, as well as a four-player mode where you fight to collect the most Melody Shells. Multiple cards are required.

Overall: 8.3
An excellent title for any fan of SpongeBob, action/adventure games, or both.