SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game is the latest of many games based on the popular Nickelodeon show, but it presents a lot of news for the series. In a franchise that has varied in quality over the years, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game has an advantage by changing the formula in an unexpected way.
Fans were surprised by the announcement of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Gamewhich, fittingly enough, will see players take control of Patrick Star. Over the years, spongebob games have grown to share many elements, with the most popular being platformers and allowing players to take control of multiple cast members. However, Patrick Star Game throws these ideas out the window to deliver a game that is sure to be very different from others spongebob excursions. Developer PHL Collective has taken a new route, allowing fans to explore Bikini Bottom in an open-world sandbox game where Patrick is the only playable character, leaving SpongeBob on the sidelines for the first time.
The turbulent past of the SpongeBob video games
Since the show's debut, SpongeBob has received dozens of video game adaptations, but as the years have gone by, their quality hasn't always been top-notch. Early games, like The Legend of the Lost Spatula and Super mushroomreceived mixed reviews, but was generally considered good for younger audiences. As the show and its viewership grew, however, the effort and detail that went into the games became more sophisticated. Many fans have fond memories of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Game and The battle for the bikini bottombecause these games hit the right mix of challenge and whimsy, offering the kind of experience that fans of the show were looking for. This high quality would continue through several iterations, but unfortunately it would not last. Eventually, spongebob titles became an easy cash grab, with games like SpongeBob SquarePants and Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition driving fans away until recent years.
Cosmic Shake went so that the Patrick Star Game could run
After the series had been dormant for several years, fans were treated to a remaster of The battle for the bikini bottomoften considered the best game in the franchise, 2020. Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated breathed new life into the series and reminded audiences and developers of what a SpongeBob game should be. With the spark rekindled, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake was released in 2023 as the first new title in over 5 years. The Cosmic Shake hit just the right note with fans, offering well-crafted gameplay, references from the show's now decades-long run, and the kind of humor audiences were looking for.
The Patrick Star game takes a worthwhile risk
With The Cosmic Shake seen as a commercial success, it opened the door for more diverse and experimental SpongeBob games, such as Patrick Star Gamewhich branches off in a new direction for the franchise. In recent years, Nickelodeon has been experimenting with new ideas with the SpongeBob IP, such as spin-off movies and TV shows. One of these performances, Patrick Star Showlikely influenced the decision to give the character his own game, although the two do not seem related beyond the main character. So, with a successful revival, The Cosmic Shake paved the way for new, mold-breaking SpongeBob games.
Seeing such a popular franchise given new life restores hope in an industry that some would say is afraid to take risks. Stepping in a new direction might not be the safest choice, though Patrick Star Game proving that it can lead to new innovations. Open world sandbox games are a genre that deserves more love, and this popular IP could open the door for more fans to realize that. The choice to print Spongebob out of the limelight might seem odd, but in this type of game, Patrick is the best choice for the main character. His erratic, often destructive, energy would feel right at home in games like Goat Simulatorwhich pushed the open world sandbox formula into the limelight. So, while SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game may cause some fans to feel tonal whiplash, they're in good hands to ease the transition.
