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Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition (Nintendo DS)

common sense media says

Draw your own adventure, SpongeBob style.

parents & educators say
See all 3 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is a basic platform game with mild cartoon violence including karate chopping baddies and stomping on their heads. It's a spin-off of the original video game Drawn to Life with a new SpongeBob SquarePants theme. Players get to draw their own hero, along with vehicles, buildings, furniture, and many other things using an MS Paint-style program and color palette. The game provides templates for players who can't draw as well.

Educational value: Drawing encourages creativity and lets children feel like they're part of making the game.
Positive messages: You help free kidnapped citizens, clean up graffiti, and rebuild Bikini Bottom.
Violence & scariness: You can karate punch or stomp on baddies, and draw your own weapons to use like a giant boxing glove. Defeated enemies disappear and drop coins.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: The game takes the Drawn to Life concept and rebrands it with SpongeBob SquarePants characters.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about some of the creative objects they were able to draw. Did you stick to what the game asked you to do (i.e. draw a car) or create something whacky and different instead (like a banana with lime-wedge wheels for your hero to ride)? Are you tempted to replay this game and draw all new stuff?

What's the story?

What's the story?
The unique draw-your-own-adventure concept of Drawn to Life was heralded as one of the most creative and ingenious Nintendo DS games to date, and thankfully DRAWN TO LIFE: SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS EDITION retains much of the original's charm while grafting a SpongeBob SquarePants theme over top.

The story begins when a DoodleBob sketch that Patrick has made comes to life and starts wreaking havoc in Bikini Bottom by kidnapping people, creating an army of bad guys, and covering the land in ugly graffiti. Equipped with a pencil of your own, it's your job to clean up Bikini Bottom (by using the stylus to rub out all graffiti you see), stop DoodleBob and his army, and rescue the citizens that have been kidnapped.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition features action-oriented gameplay that involves punching or stomping on bad guys and leaping across platforms to make it to the end of each level. The gameplay itself is basic at best, but, like the original Drawn to Life, where this game really shines is in the way it lets players draw dozens of different objects that become part of the environment. You draw the actual character you get to control complete with animations, as well as furniture, buildings, platforms, vehicles, save points, and extra lives.

It's a shame that the gameplay itself couldn't have been more exciting, but Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition still scores points for sticking true to the original game's spirit –- that of encouraging unbridled creativity and giving players a taste of what it's like to actually design their own video game.

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: Nintendo DS
Not available online
Genre: Action/Adventure
Developer: THQ
Released on: September 15, 2008
Price: 29.99
ESRB Rating: E for Comic Mischief
This review was written by Erin Bell
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

Justino4
teen, 14 years old
3
 
Some Violence, But Fine
The only thing that may be bad is that there is some violence which can be tense at times. There is really nothing else offending or bad that this game contains.
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helped me decide (2) | had useful details (2) | read my mind (2)
TREMORS
teen, 15 years old
10
 
I like the voices of bob
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helped me decide (2) | had useful details (2) | read my mind (2)
Coolnone
teen, 15 years old
6
 
Even though I don't like spogebob, this game isn't that bad. It's not my favorite, but I rate it four stars because kids might really enjoy this game. It builds lots a creativity in children.
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was this review useful?
helped me decide (2) | had useful details (2) | read my mind (2)

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